Gabrielle Van Daatselaar

Gabrielle has been practicing yoga on and off for over thirteen years and realized when she was off she just didn't feel as connected with herself as when she was practicing, so she decided to become a teacher! Her life has had a big turn around since, she loves the beautiful philosophy of yoga and nourishes her life like never before and chooses to share her knowledge with her students.

She trained here in Sydney and has done numerous workshops with influential and knowledgeable teachers of all styles, David Low, Simon Borg-Olivier, Peter Thomson (Iyengar) and Donna Farhi. She offers a focus on ones breath and brings awareness to body alignment; things we take so much for granted and therefore encouraging her students to go deeper into their practice and becoming self aware... she has a gentle approach. Her passion extends out to organizations that help endangered species and the mistreatment of animal's world wide.

 

Michael Barnes

Mick is a co-director of Samadhi Yoga having set up the Camperdown studio in 2008, and is a certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher. Mick is especially passionate about designing yoga programs for people with a range of mental health issues and addictions as as part of Yoga in the Community is pioneering the inclusion of yoga within recovery services. He has studied and worked in community welfare for many years assisting people battling with serious mental illness, trauma, apathy and addiction. Mick has a good sense of humour as well as a grounded 'real' approach to teaching yoga. He is a passionate vegan and on days off likes racing motorbikes!

 

Alarice Van Den Berg

Alarice began practicing yoga over 6 years ago and has found that this practice has slowly developed into a new way of living, and a more holistic way of being. She approaches teaching through her wish to share her experience and love for yoga with her students, she has studied here in Sydney and India.

Alarice incorporates her artistic background and passion for yoga in her classes teaching a creative, flowing and dynamic style of hatha yoga. Bringing together readings, music, and meditation, principles of alignment, pranayama (breathing techniques) and yogic philosophy to create a special and safe experience in every class.

 

Liisa Halme

Liisa was first exposed to Yoga and meditation when growing up in Finland where her mother practiced both disciplines daily.  She attended a performing arts school, specializing in languages, dance, writing and drama, then left Finland at an early age to explore the world, work and study in various countries on five continents over the next 14 years.

Although Yoga and Meditation had been a part of daily life during childhood, her personal path of Yoga began in Paris in 1997. It was love at first sight: Everything she'd learnt about life and energy by experience suddenly seemed to come together... From the start she knew she'd found her passion and calling.   Liisa's transient international lifestyle allowed her to study with many great teachers and learn from various schools and styles of Yoga around the world.

After years of devoted study of Yoga, exercise physiology, anatomy and nutrition, and completing teacher training programs in several styles of Yoga, Liisa started teaching full-time.  Later in London she studied for 3 years to become a Yoga Therapist, using the healing and therapeutic methods of Yoga to treat various health issues from back pain to asthma and cardiovascular disease. She has studied Yoga asanas, pranayama, meditation and philosophy under world-renowned teachers in India, Australia, Africa, UK, Holland and Finland, and is a certified Yoga teacher and Yoga Therapist.

Over the last 6 years Liisa has been teaching in various London Yoga centers and in her private studio as well as on numerous Yoga retreats worldwide. She now continues to learn and share the ancient teachings with joy and passion in Sydney, Australia.

 

Benjamin Haynes

Benjamin has been a regular practitioner of yoga for over 10 years, and believes that our yoga practice is an opportunity to access and heal the hidden parts of ourselves that limit our ability to live free and happy lives. Drawing upon both ancient wisdom and modern science, students are guided through a dynamic sequence that encourages them to befriend and focus the mind, re-connect with the physical body, and become truly present within each moment as it unfolds. Trained in the style of Power vinyasa yoga, Benjamin aims to challenge the ego, explore self limiting belief patterns, and invigorate your mind, body, and spirit!

 
 

Chris Johns

Chris spent over 10 years working in international finance in Europe, Asia and Latin America. He started yoga as a way to balance the pressures of his career, but instead awoke in himself a new passion ... one which provided him with the clarity of mind to reignite his inner teacher and let go of an unsatisfying career. Chris has been practicing yoga for over 8 years. He started practicing astanga yoga in Mexico, and then developed his hatha yoga practice in France. His teaching commenced in 2007 with the Samadhi certified teacher training in Sydney. More recently he completed trainings with world renowned teachers Simon Low (UK), Alanna Kaivalya (US) and Simon Borg Oliver.

He believes that yoga is not only a series of postures but rather a practice that unifies body, mind and soul. His inspiring classes combine dynamic sequences, breathing techniques and restorative poses with unifying yogic themes to not only allow individuals to increase strength and flexibility but also to bring about balance and inner calm.


 
Keith Kempis
Keith Is a Jivamukti trained yoga teacher and currently teaches music and yoga at Xavier College, north of Penrith. He has a broad background in music, including long term work as house pianist at Sydney's number one jazz club, side-on cafe, working as a composer for theatre and film, and was also a singer-dancer. His approach to music is the same as his approach to yoga: a practice to broaden the mind, free the body and liberate the soul. His classes at The Yoga Factory are both devotion and meditation.
 
 

Amy Kimber (RYT 200, Dip RM, CERT AROMA, CERT PP) has a passon for health and wellbeing and strongly believes in the wonders of yoga and alternative therapies and the benefits they have to offer. Amy's own experiences led her to seek out yoga and remedial massage several years ago. It was the positive and healing response to these therapies that changed her life and inspired her to pursue a path in yoga and therapeutic massage so that she could pass those healing benefits and knowledge onto others. 

Amy is a Hatha Vinyasa Yoga Practitioner, specialising in pre-natal and mums & bubs yoga. She studied at Samadhi under the guidance of Katie Manitsas, Chrissy Cairns and Sarah Trestrail. Her approach is down to earth, friendly and nurturing with a strong focus on breath and emotional awareness. She also holds diplomas in Remedial Massage and Integrated Body Therapies and is certified in Polarity Energy Balancing, Aromatherapy, Australian Bush Flower Remedies and Nutrition.
 
In addition to running her own private healing practice and teaching at Samadhi, Amy lectures Bodywork Therapies at the Australasian College of Natural Therapies in Surry Hills. She is commencing study in August to be a certified Doula through the Australian Doula College in Sydney.
 
 

Rebecca Shaw has been practicing yoga for 12 years and completed her teacher training with Samadhi Yoga, Newtown. She understands that every body and every day is unique and believes yoga is about contentment, non-violence and truth - to ourselves and others. It's about engaging with the spirit within you and goes well beyond what we do on the mat. She believes anyone can do yoga and teaches with understanding and compassion, instilling respect for your body and calming the mind. Her classes are designed to invigorate and challenge, allowing you to discover your own potential, through a dynamic Hatha style.

 
 
 

Sarah Owen completed the Level 1 Teacher Training at Samadhi Yoga in 2006 and is currently undertaking Samadhi's Mentoring Program. She has studied extensively with Katie Manitsas of Samadhi Yoga, and has also studied internationally with Sarah Powers (Insight/Yin Yoga, USA) and Debi DiPeso (Jivamukti, USA). Sarah lived in Mexico for 3 years from 2002 to 2005 and she has traveled to Guatemala and Peru. She speaks Spanish and holds Undergrad degrees in Primary Teaching and International Studies. In 2007, she completed a Master's Degree in International Social Development, and hopes to combine her work teaching Yoga with working in the field of Social Development. Sarah's classes are down-to-earth and encourage the student to use inner knowledge to guide the Yoga practice for deeper personal insight.