Yoga Teachers at Alchemy

Alessia Avellino

With a modern dance background Alessia Avellino began practising yoga in New York in 2000, and has been teaching in London since 2004. Alessia is grateful for all the people and circumstances of her life which continue to provide endless opportunities to learn and evolve and feels blessed to be part of Alchemy, this beautiful place devoted to bringing joy and well-being to all. Her teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life have been an inspiration for years, even before having the honour of meeting and working with them in person. A Jivamukti Certified Yoga Teacher, Alessia’s classes are dynamics focusing on alignment and flowing sequences. Expect a challenging asana practice, music, meditation, chanting in Sanskrit, and a yoga practice aimed at developing a compassionate attitude towards all beings including ourselves and our planet.

Alistair Whitlock

Alistair has been teaching and practicing Kundalini Yoga for almost a decade and is a certified Level 2 KRI instructor. He has studied extensively under both Guru Kaur (Amritvela) and Karta Singh
(Amritnam Sarovar). Just before Yogi Bhajan’s passing in 2004, Alistair was given the spiritual name of Guru Dharam Singh. In addition to Kundalini Yoga, Alistair is a fully qualified and practising acupuncturist with an extensive understanding of the whole human being.

 

Amir Jaan

Classically trained in the spiritual Art of Kundalini Yoga at SKY, (the School of Kundalini Yoga), under the close observations of a host of world renowned and internationally revered Guru mentors, such as Guru Dharam Singh, Shiv Charan Singh, Darryl O’Keefe and Bridget Layton Minor. Having conducted thousands of public and private classes in London and across the world, Amir Jaan brings a reassuring calmness into any learning environment, be it a group or one-to-one. Even with a busy teaching schedule Amir remains an integral part of the Kundalini fraternity in London and across the United Kingdom. He works closely with his mentors and students to extend the reach and scope of this technology.

 

 

Elisa Devlin

Elisa Devlin is a dedicated Vinyasa Flow teacher who has a BA Degree in Maharishi Vedic Science. She draws upon her 9 year practice of Transcendental Meditation as a source of steadiness for her Yoga asana practice. The asanas are the external form but its whats on the inside that really matters. Sometimes the body moves freely without obstruction and other times it feels dense and heavy. Often its hard to ascertain whether its the mind which is sluggish or the physical body. When we practice Yoga in its myriad forms, we work with awareness and patience. We train both the mind and the body to be strong and flexible. When the two come together, then we have Union and this is Yoga.

Emma Henry

Emma Henry was introduced to yoga in the mid 90s. Her background in dance and martial arts is evident in her dynamic, innovative and playful choreography and understanding of anatomy and the subtle body. Emma’s yogic path has led her to Mysore from practicing astanga with Sri K Pattabhi Jois, to advanced certification in the Jivamukti method with Sharon Gannon and David Life and to her own daily practice of Iyengar yoga.

Her continuing education is shared with all of her students through her love of yogic texts and her amazing chanting. All of her classes include an inspiring sound track and a lot of laughter. Her goal is to create a space for practitioners to feel inspired, nurtured and uplifted.

She has hosted yoga workshops and retreats around the world with many happy yogis returning for more year after year.

Eunice Laurel

Eunice Laurel is an experienced and qualified teacher, and student, dedicated to the study, practise and sharing of yoga. She first discovered the physical aspect of yoga – asana (postures) – to heal a spinal injury from sport as a child, alleviate stress from a fast-paced job, and revisit a forgotten connection to her body. Honouring nature’s fluctuating energy, Eunice’s classes follow the ever-changing needs of the students on that particular day. They can be dynamic and flowing, or restful and restorative. But her intention to teach is to encourage and empower students to find their own yoga, and to listen to the language of their own bodies, hearts and minds. Eunice is a Yoga Therapist, Pregnancy Yoga Teacher, and Children’s Yoga Teacher. She is accredited to teach through the British Wheel of Yoga, and the Yoga Alliance. She is eternally grateful to all her teachers; past, present and future, and takes great inspiration from the compassionate teachings of her root Guru.

Jai Kartar

Jai Kartar was struck that the practise of Kundalini Yoga and Meditation when she began in 2002 how much it brought her closer to the ever present love within herself and all and instantly devoted her life to this.
Since that moment, she was inspired to train to teach this inspirational practice and has taught many classes, workshops all over the world. She also trains teachers and in 2012, opens a school of Kundalini in London. With that devotion it has led her to work with people in the healing art of Sat Nam Rasayan (also shared with the world by Yogi Bhajan) and Family Constellations, which she offers at Alchemy. This led her to a deep and profound life purpose, which was to share this devotion through singing mantra. In 2011, she released an album on Maya Records called “Golden” a way to the heart, a way to love.

“Your task is not to seek for love, but merely to seek and find all the barriers within yourself that you have built against it.”
— Rumi

Kwali Kumara

Kwali Kumara aka Hari Bhajan Kaur has been teaching Kundalini yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan since graduating as a teacher from Karam Kriya School in North London and becoming a registered member of KYTA. Kwali is an uplifting and inspiring teacher with inexhaustible energy and enthusiasm for life. Her classes are open to all levels and offer a safe and sacred space to a wide and varied range of students. Her magnetic personality and charismatic confidence make all feel instantly comfortable and relaxed in her presence. As one of very few officially licensed snake charmers in London, Kwali has been working with her seventeen rescued serpents in public for many years, helping to heal those with extreme phobias and dispel the animosity surrounding these misunderstood mystic creatures. Surprised by the amount of people still scared of snakes, she has devised ‘Kumara Serpent Healing’ as an antidote to help free the anxieties and unnecessary negativity surrounding them, offering students the chance to face their fears in a calm and sacred way. This pioneering and highly transformative work involves the integration of her Serpent Sangat into the Meditation environment. This unique vocation comes with the gracious blessing of her teacher, Master and Mentor Shiv Charan Singh. These workshops offer the student a chance to deepen their understanding of the kundalini energy and to connect to the Golden Chain whilst having a healing exchange with the living Avatars of the teachings. This experience reaffirms ones relationship to source, helps to strengthen the unity consciousness grid and deepens the individual’s connection to Gaia and natural world. Go to Kwali’s web site for her perspective on Kundalini Yoga. “All therapies and all knowledge are going to be absolutely obsolete! … People need immediately self-exalted experience and that’s what all essence of all human life is” – Yogi Bhajan.

Luiz Veiga

Luiz will lead the students through the  flow of a Vinyasa practice with emphasis on Tristhana: the three places of attention or action: asana, Ujay breath and Dristhi. These three places are very important for Vinyasa practice, and cover three levels of purification: the body, nervous system and mind. They are always performed in conjunction with each other.  This class will help students to learn the series of asanas, simultaneously developing attention to pace, breathing, and the finer details of the practice.

 

Margherita

In 2004 Margherita completed her first 200 hours teacher training with Yoga Campus (The Life Centre). In 2008 she discovered the heart opening grace and therapeutics of Anusara Yoga®, a style of hatha yoga that incorporates all the aspects of yoga that she loves:
vinyasa, alignment and applied philosophy.

Margherita has since studied and continued studying with Rod Stryker (in the Parayoga system), and many talented teachers in the Anusara tradition taking intensives, teacher trainings, immersions and therapeutics.

Mark Khan

Mark’s journey of self discovery began over 10 years ago after some time of feeling disconnected from the path he took as a visual artist.
This, and Mark’s quest for more knowledge of this ancient science, took him to India, training as Sivananda Yoga teacher in 2006. That same year Mark reached a milestone in this enriching journey, through a first encounter with Dharma Mittra, bringing together the synthesis he was searching for in yoga practice and everyday life. Finally the lights were on and someone was home. This encounter soon took Mark to New York to study with his humble Guru. Mark assures Alchemy that it will be a great honour to be able to share with you some of the teachings of a truly enlightened Master.

Mollie McClelland

Mollie McClelland received her certification from Forrest Yoga Circle after studies of Astanga Yoga with Patthabi Jois in Mysore, and Zen and Shingon Buddhist studies in Japan. Her class is influenced by the transformative nature of Forrest yoga, the Shakti flow of Shiva Rea, the expressions of alignment by Tias Little and Anusara yoga, and the movement of energy in Kundalini yoga. Mollie started a yoga practice at age 17 while apprenticing with the Milwaukee Ballet Company. After becoming injured dancing, she studied religious and cultural studies in university, especially focusing on the practices of yoga and Japanese Buddhism. Unable to suppress her love of movement and expression of the body, she danced for four years with Xpressions Contemporary Dance Company, in Pittsburgh PA, before moving to the UK. She has taught yoga for eight years at yoga studios, community centres, education environments, to people ranging from professional dancers to children to adults with physical and learning disabilities. She is honoured to teach in the Alchemy community.

Olanna Chijioke

Olanna is largely inspired by the grace and flow of the vinyasa tradition and with a deep respect for sound alignment.  She sees yoga as an expression of self, a meditative, transformative practice.  She is Yoga Alliance certified and her teaching is informed by study of the Yoga Sutras, Ayurveda, the Sanskrit language, classical ballet, Martha Graham contemporary dance, Zen meditation, the traditional philosophies of West Africa and life.  She draws inspiration and knowledge from her continuing practice with many respected teachers.  She wishes yoga was accessible to everyone and teaches in dynamic, restorative and therapeutic styles to classes and privately in the London area almost anywhere with space for a mat.

Olanna’s classes encourage development of a personal practice and an understanding of the endless possibilities of yoga.

Stand in love, don’t fall in love.

Siri Avtar

Trained by Karta Singh and member of the ANS school, Siri Avtar is dedicated to serve and teach kundalini yoga. He has been a creative artist for years and he brings this creativity to his yoga teaching.

Siri Avtar believes the core of Yogi Bhajan’s teachings is “ happiness is your birthright “. His classes are designed to give you a means to express the joy of being here on the planet at this time, through yoga, singing and dancing. We will follow the yogi bhajan’s recipe for a happy, healthy and holy life : once a day : sweat and laugh.

Kundalini is a technology that helps you create a relationship with your mind and with what you want in this fast changing world so you can shine and be the light you really are.

Sivaroshan

Sivaroshan is a level I & II trained Kundalini Yoga teacher, learning under the Tutelage of Karta Singh, founder of the Amrit Nam Sarovar International School (ANS). Having worked in the City of London for over 10 years, Sivaroshan has direct experience of applying the teachings to everyday life. He is actively working with organisations to bring yoga techniques directly to corporations to help Londoners take direct control of their wellbeing. He is committed to the ‘practical’ application of Kundalini Yoga and making it accessible to everybody, regardless of their background or circumstance. Sivaroshan draws upon over 10 years of spiritual eastern practise, which includes Raj Yoga, Buddhism and Ashtanga. His teaching style is direct, uplifting and compassionate. His aim is to empower students to find their personal strength and joy. He is also an accomplished energy healer with experience in several modalities and is currently training to be an IAYT Certifed yoga therapist, with the goal of taking the teachings into a new depth of application.

Stewart Gilchrist

Stewart Gilchrist’s sadhana has involved an extensive education with teachers from around the world. He has studied with Sri K Patthabi Jois (Mysore), Hamish Handry (Ashtanga London), Sri Shreshadree (Mysore), and David Life and Sharon Gannon (Jivamukti). This method combines music, movement, meditation, devotion and spiritual activism.

Sukhpal Bahra

“The job of a teacher is to elevate. You are a forklift”- Yogi Bhajan

Sukhpal Bahra has always felt deep soul connection to the practice of Kundalini Yoga. Her parents are from Punjab and many of the mantras used she grew up with. Kundalini Yoga is accessible to all and can be practiced by all and is very much suited to the times we are living in. Sukhpal is passionate about human potential (the spirit having a human experience!) . As well as being a Kundalini yoga teacher she is a hand analyst/hand palmist, life coach, career coach, ayurvedic massage therapist, and healer.

Tori Lewis

Tori Lewis has studied yoga, deep ecology and natural medicines with teachers, traditional people and doctors; in India and around the world. She took her TTC and Advanced Teacher Training Courses in India and has spent months over several years on staff at Sivananda Ashrams worldwide, teaching on yoga teacher training and advanced TTC courses. Tori established www.yogadamba.com and holisticlearningfoundation.com in 2006. Tori joyfully embraces the fact she is an utter beginner and that each day offers a new beginning with more opportunity to practice. She is eternally grateful to always be learning and to all her teachers past and present. She draws on her own daily personal practice in Yoga and Zen meditation to infuse her classes with variety, depth and challenge. The full spectrum of yoga is addressed in class; bhakti (devotional), raja (psychological), Vedanta (philosophical), pranayama (breath work), Nada (inner sound), meditation, Yoga Nidra (Yogic deep relaxation), asanas (physical movements) and the anatomy and physiology of the body.

Yogi Ashokananda

Yogi Ashokananda was raised in India and has been practising yoga since early childhood when his Grandfather was his first teacher. Over the last 20 years Yogi has been fortunate to develop his teaching and own experience and education of yoga under some of the great Indian masters.  He has taught the teachings of the Bihar School of Yoga, the Sivananda Ashram and the Shri Ved Niketan Ashram. Now as a Yoga and Meditation Master, he teaches a number of different disciplines of meditation, including SOR (Science of Relaxation) and his own profound teachings which have their roots in Ancient Indian tradition.

Himalayan Hatha Yoga, the style of yoga he teaches, is also based on traditional principles of yoga. A strong, yet supportive form of yoga, Himalayan Hatha Yoga works through the entire body, cleansing and revitalising through special sequencing with a combination of sukshyam vyayam (subtle energy body exercise). In 2008, Yogi Ashokananda founded The Sita Devi School, a charity school in India to support the education of local under privileged children. He is also a registered senior teacher with Yoga Alliance UK.