Meet our teachers
The Purna method John teaches focuses on correct alignment. His teaching covers the basics with additional emphasis on refining alignment, corrections and adjustments. John’s teaching style is entertaining and completely accessible. His instructions are clear and simple, always with a focus on keeping his students safe and encouraging them to listen to their own body’s needs and only work at a level appropriate to the individual, at any given time.
John encourages students at all levels to build flexibility, strength and stamina of body, mind and spirit. Many students discover, as a consequence, that yoga becomes a way of life.
Kara teaches yoga asana, pranayama (breathing techniques) and dhyana (meditation) safely and joyfully, giving students the opportunity to deepen their awareness and practice with integrity and fun. She is constantly updating her skills and expanding her yoga teaching experience. Kara is part of the teacher training staff at Byron Yoga Centre.
Davina’s yoga classes always include pranayama and dhyana. Davina guides students through an awareness of body, mind and breath and her teaching assists participants to explore life motivations and goals and ultimately become more fully present. Davina is also deeply influenced by the teachings of Buddha and has studied meditation and pranayama in India and Australia. Meditation teacher and psychologist Radha Nicholson continues to guide Davina in her ongoing study of the teachings. Regular yoga and meditation practice has transformed Davina’s life, cultivating a new realm of inner peace, strength and serenity.
She began teaching Iyengar-influenced yoga in 2002 after apprenticing with her first teacher. A few years later, Marita discovered vinyasa yoga, and relished the freedom of flowing through movement and connecting with breath – her yoga practice became a moving meditation. Marita’s teaching can now be described as alignment-based vinyasa.
When teaching, Marita aims to instill the peace and happiness that she experiences through yoga within her students. By both challenging and nurturing, she teaches people to stretch and strengthen their muscles, but also to breathe, to stand tall, and to live with compassion.
Alicia has been sharing her love of Yoga and Health for over 12 years and primarily practices Ashtanga Yoga. With a background in fitness, each class Alicia teaches has an emphasis on strength, which allows her students to feel empowered; each session is also intertwined with messages of mindfulness and philosophy from a life well lived.
Alicia has travelled and studied extensively, she finally committed to settling down on the Gold Coast, becoming a wife, mother, and yogini. Since she began teaching at Byron Yoga Centre soon she has fallen in love with the area and is now planning a move to live in Byron Bay.
She focuses on teaching teachers how to avoid injuries and strains and how to give alternatives and props to injured students. Maria has trained with Louise Soloman at Yogalates, Peter Clifford, Libby Nelson and Simon Borg Olivier.
Ana also conducts regular pre/postnatal teacher training intensives at the Byron Yoga Retreat Centre.
Judy originally completed her Iyengar training in South Africa, and now teaches a multi-faceted approach, blending the art of asana practice with the science and mechanics of movement.
She teaches with both humour and passion and encourages her students to move beyond their perceived limitations. Judy’s teachings focus on a therapeutic approach to the practice, making yoga safe for all.
He is also a teacher (and a student) of yogic philosophy and weaves this learning into his yoga classes, allowing students to experience valuable insights.
Having found Bhaktivedanta Yoga 13 years ago, Madhava has since been a devoted student of Yoga. He is now a 500-hr Certified Yoga Teacher, completing both his Level 1 and Level 2 at Byron Yoga Centre.
Madhava is a very passionate soul, spending his time studying Vedanta, and practicing handstands at the beach!
Qualifying as a teacher after nearly 20 years of practice, Becky gained her Level 1 with Yoga Arts and then taught in Bali before returning to Byron in 2014 to undertake a three-year part time training (2,000 hours!) with her primary teacher, Dena Kinsberg.
Becky has studied with many other inspiring teachers in Byron Bay, India, London, Miami and Asia including John Ogilvie, Louisa Sear, Matthew Sweeney, Simon Borg Olivier, John Scott, Jason Crandell plus is grateful to have joined workshops with Pattabhi Jois and Sharath.
Becky did her Level 2 with Byron Yoga Centre and now splits her time between teaching and working on marketing for Byron Yoga Retreat Centre. She has an obvious passion for teaching and passing on the knowledge built up through over 20 years experience.
Coming from a dance background, Chloe has had a daily practice for 10 years. She has been teaching since 2007 and training yoga teachers at Byron Yoga Centre for four years. Her degree in Physical Education and Sports Science and her experience in teaching High School students lends itself to teaching yoga.
Chloe has the 800 hour Certificate IV from Byron Yoga Centre. She has studied with renowned teachers Clive Sheridan and John Ogilvie but her experience in India was the catalyst for developing yoga as her lifestyle. She studied asana, pranayama, meditation and philosophy under Swami Brahman and Saji Ramaswamy.
Chloe has taught in the UK, Australia, Indonesia, Bali, Hong Kong and Portugal. She believes that everyone can enjoy different aspects of yoga and ensures her classes are accessible for all.
Completing her 500 hour with Byron Yoga, and continued her yoga education with Simon Borg-Oliver, Amy Ipolliti, & Tiffany Cruickshank. Deborah found herself drawn to mix the Purna style with Vinyasa Yoga and Yin Yoga for a balanced approach.
Deborah now runs Hobart Part Time Teacher Trainings with Byron Yoga at her IXL Lounge Studios.
He teaches meditation and Hindu philosophy on retreats and teacher training at the Centre. His style is light-hearted, humorous, engaging and fun. Along with his wife Bettina, Stephan regularly travels to India to deepen his practice.
Bettina’s classes emphasise the core, pelvic floor and the bandhas. Bettina has been lucky to meet with and learn from several spiritual masters, including B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabi Jois, T.K.V. Desikachar and Clive Sheridan.
Her practice began in 2007, and Jade has now completed trainings, workshops and immersions in Indonesia, India and Australia, undertaking the 800 hour Cert IV with Byron Yoga Centre.
Pre Byron Bay yogi life, Jade travelled all over the world, working as a branding executive based in London. Since having her daughter she has shifted focus and now works on teacher trainings, retreats and teaches studio classes with Byron Yoga Centre. Jade’s warm, funny and genuinely passionate nature shine through in her teaching.
Gitam was instrumental in the creation of the Byron Yoga Centre kitchen and her skills in providing trainee yoga teachers and retreat participants with cleansing, nourishing and delicious food has led to the publication of her book ‘Gitam’s Garden – Healthy Sattvic Recipes from the Byron Yoga Kitchen’.
The unique combination of Vinyasa Flow and Yin styles that Caitlin primarily teaches creates a dynamic blend of balance, strength, flexibility and endurance. Caitlin’s modality of yoga can be used for fitness, relaxation and as part of the therapeutic process of rehabilitation and recovery.
As a mother of three, Caitlin’s extensive knowledge of Pre and Post Natal Yoga gives her the opportunity to support expectant mothers and new mothers. Special interests that Caitlin freely shares with her yoga pupils include: diet, nutrition and meditation.
In 2012 she moved to Byron Bay and completed her Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training with the Byron Yoga Centre. Anna has since been a regular teacher at the Byron Street Studio and is part of the team working at the Byron Yoga Retreat Centre.
The practice of Yoga has taught her many things, especially to be kind to herself, using the discipline as an opportunity to slow down and to reconnect to the present moment.
Anna teaches a beautiful heart opening flow that leaves you feeling grounded and ready for the day ahead.
In 2010 she started a self-discovery adventure leaving Brazil for Findhorn in Scotland. She then she moved to Totnes in Devon, UK for a Master Degree where she learned more about herself and yoga, meditation and astrology. From there she travelled to different spiritual and sustainable communities on different continents.
Back in Brazil in 2013 Tabata lived at a Tantric Ashram studying Biopsychology and Tantra. From that moment on her yoga teaching started to develop and she found her personal style of teaching – the combination of her passions: Yoga and Astrology.
She has been on the yogic path for most of her life. Yoga helped her recover from injury when she was a member of Canada’s national gymnastics team. It sustained her through a globetrotting marketing career. Arriving in Sydney in 2000 she became a student of Yoga Synergy and Dharma Shala. In 2008 she moved to Byron Bay to complete her 500 hour teacher training with Byron Yoga Centre.
Every class incorporates a strong focus on the breath and elements of mindfulness meditation. Her classes are suitable for beginner to advanced. She has a breadth of experience having a foundation in Ashtanga and Iyengar Yoga. Kirsty finds great joy and gratitude to be able to wake up near the ocean each day and to share the benefits of yoga.
With a strong background in athletics and dance Bec began practicing yoga 10 years ago. As her practice progressed, her whole life began to transform. She is now a 500HR certified Yoga Teacher and has a university degree in Kinesiology and Psychology.
She primarily works on teacher trainings at the Byron Yoga Centre and is extremely dedicated to her practice, spending many hours a day on her mat. Her passion for yoga and teaching shines through in everything she does.
Danielle is passionate about chanting, pranayama and meditation and teaches Anatomy and Physiology on the Yoga Teacher Trainer courses.
Caitlin trained in Hatha Vinyasa in Bali in 2014 and has completed her Purna Teacher Training with Byron Yoga Centre. She is one of the retreat hosts at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre and loves sharing her passion of yoga, Ayurveda and wellbeing with guests.
Nicole found yoga at a young age and after 9 years of practicing she committed to a teacher training with Byron Yoga Centre. She also trained as a Registered Holistic Nutritionist and is passionate about anything related to health and wellness.
Throughout her travels, she has practiced yoga with many different teachers. She draws from all these experiences when putting her heart-connecting sequences together. While she enjoys practicing a stronger style of yoga, Nicole also includes restorative yoga in her own practice to connect inwards.
Nicole is one of the retreat hosts at the Byron Yoga Centre – she adores connecting with people and her aim is helping them find inner stillness, love and to reconnect with themselves.
Ross’s popular restorative yoga classes leave guests feeling deeply relaxed and he also loves to flow, drawing on his background of Ashtanga yoga. His classes focus on connecting students to the breath and body, to calm the mind and balance emotions.
Ross also teaches the ‘principles of meditation’ session on the retreats. His teachings are based on his experience with Buddhist based mindfulness meditation, including Vipassana and breath meditations.
Ross qualified as a yoga teacher in 2013 with Radiantly Alive in Bali and taught in Byron Bay and Bali before joining the Byron Yoga Centre team in late 2016. He completed his Byron Yoga Centre Level 1 intensive in early 2017 and is currently undertaking a Post-Graduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy with world renowned teacher and yoga therapist Dr N. Chandrasekaran.
Elise’s background in personal training and holistic wellness took her on her own wellness journey that led her to yoga five years ago. Since then she has travelled to India where she completed her 200 hour Level 1 training in Hatha and Ashtanga, and more recently her Level 1 with Byron Yoga Centre. She also regularly attends short courses and workshops.
Elise is one of the Retreat Hosts at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre and loves being able to connect and share her passion yoga with the guests. She believes that there is some form of yoga for every person, and it is her goal to try and help students find it.
While living and working at several meditation centre’s over the last few years Luke has undertaken extensive training and assisted on numerous courses. In 2015 Luke commenced his Certificate IV in yoga teaching with Byron Yoga Centre and now lives and works at the retreat centre.
Luke has a background in music performance and composition with a diploma and teaching experience, adding another string to his bow (or should we say ‘guitar’!). He offers Kirtan sessions for the retreats guests and trainees and sees this as another expression of meditation in action.
Akari practiced yoga for over five years in Japan while working as a nurse at a university hospital. Feeling the need to take a break from work, to travel and to delve deeper into yoga, Akari came to Australia for a working holiday in 2015. Finding Byron Yoga Retreat Centre she immediately felt a connection and transferred onto a student visa to join the 12-month part time Certificate IV in Yoga Teaching.
Since graduating Akari has established herself in the area, teaching yoga to students at the local English language school, taking chair yoga classes at a nursing home for elderly people and also teaching at Byron Yoga Centre.