YOGRISHI VISHVKETU
Founder and Head of Training
Himalayan Yoga Master and Co-founder of Akhanda Yoga, Yogrishi Vishvketu (Vishva-ji) is known for his infectious laughter and stories. His holistic approach brings forward ancient wisdom for a modern age, incorporating asana, pranayama, mantra, meditation and yogic wisdom in every class. Vishva-ji’s deepest aim is to inspire people to connect to their true nature, which is joyful, fearless, expansive and playful.
A Yogi at heart, Vishva-ji has studied and practiced Yoga in the Himalayas since the age of 8, and holds a PhD in Yoga Philosophy. He has been teaching for over 25 years at workshops and conferences internationally and has trained thousands of teachers through his Yoga Alliance registered 200- and 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) programs in Rishikesh, India.
He continues his father’s legacy of charitable works in local communities. In 2007, Vishva-ji co-founded Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram Trust in Rishikesh. In 2013, he founded Sansar Gyaan Pathshala, a free school for over two hundred and fifty underserved children in rural Uttar Pradesh, India, which is supported by the Canadian charity Helping Hands for India.
Yogrishi Vishvketu is the author of Yogasana: The Encyclopedia of Yoga Poses, (2015) and collaborated on the forthcoming Business Casual Yogi (2019). His virtual Yoga platform AkhandaYogaOnline.com offers hundreds of Akhanda Yoga classes you can practice anytime, anywhere!
CHÉTANA
Program Director, Content Writer & Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Chétana co-founded the Akhanda Yoga approach, the Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program design, and has facilitated philosophy, methodology and transformational experiences sessions as a lead trainer for about 25 Akhanda YTT programs. She also offers workshops in Yoga philosophy, teaching methodology and everyday wisdom.
A writer, she has also published a number of articles and blog posts on Yoga philosophy, teaching and holistic living, and has fun working on the Akhanda Yoga weekly newsletter and blog. Day to day, you may connect with her in her role as Akhanda’s Program Coordinator as she enrolls students, connects with graduates, and plans workshops and retreats.
Chétana has been blessed to have the opportunity to explore the Yoga of motherhood and the moment-to-moment presence being with children can inspire. And so, as a busy parent and Yoga program coordinator, she is thrilled to have this opportunity to share her experience and deep engagement with South Asian wisdom traditions through convenient, self-paced Online Yoga Philosophy Courses. Chétana has a Master’s degree in adult education with special courses in task-based learning, curricular development and materials design, which allow her to create uniquely accessible and enriching online courses. You can also enjoy her teaching through her virtual classes in the Women’s Health and Philosophy section of Akhanda Yoga Online! She looks forward to helping you integrate Yoga wisdom into both your practice and your life.
VARSHA PANWAR
Akhanda Yoga Teacher and Trainer
Varsha has be practicing yoga since childhood in Rishikesh, India. For her Yoga is a science of well-being and a multi-facetted methodology for integrating body, mind and soul.
Varsha holds a BA in Yoga from University of Patanjali, Haridwar and an MA in Yoga from Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Haridwar. She completed her YTT 200 and 300 with Yogrishi Vishvketu at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram, where she now teaches Akhanda Yoga classes and the Akhanda Foundation Course. She also teaches on Akhanda Teacher Training courses and works as a Liaison for teacher training students and the Ashram Office.
YOGRISHI VISHVKETU
Founder and Head of Training
Himalayan Yoga Master, author and founder of the Akhanda Yoga approach, Yogrishi Vishvketu (Vishva-ji) is known for his infectious laughter and stories. He offers students a profound yet accessible approach to the yoga tradition, inspiring people to connect to their true nature, which is fearless, joyful, expandable and playful. He combines all aspects of yoga in his classes, including asana, pranayama, mantra, meditation and themes that connect to yogic wisdom.
A yogi at heart, Vishva-ji has studied and practiced Yoga in the Himalayas since the age of 8 and holds a Ph.D. in Yoga Philosophy. He is co-founder of the Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram Trust in Rishikesh, India, where he lives part of the year and leads the 100-, 200- and 300-hour Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training programs.
He is also the author of Yogasana: The Encyclopedia of Yoga Poses published by Mandala in the North America and by Jaico Books in India. His teachings are also available through Akhanda Yoga Online, a virtual platform with hundreds of classes in all of the Akhanda class styles, such as Classical Kundalini, Hatha-Raja, Five Koshas and Inner Reprogramming.
YOGRISHI VISHVKETU
Founder and Head of Training
Himalayan Yoga Master, author and founder of the Akhanda Yoga approach, Yogrishi Vishvketu (Vishva-ji) is known for his infectious laughter and stories. He offers students a profound yet accessible approach to the yoga tradition, inspiring people to connect to their true nature, which is fearless, joyful, expandable and playful. He combines all aspects of yoga in his classes, including asana, pranayama, mantra, meditation and themes that connect to yogic wisdom.
A yogi at heart, Vishva-ji has studied and practiced Yoga in the Himalayas since the age of 8 and holds a Ph.D. in Yoga Philosophy. He is co-founder of the Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram Trust in Rishikesh, India, where he lives part of the year and leads the 100-, 200- and 300-hour Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training programs.
He is also the author of Yogasana: The Encyclopedia of Yoga Poses published by Mandala in the North America and by Jaico Books in India. His teachings are also available through Akhanda Yoga Online, a virtual platform with hundreds of classes in all of the Akhanda class styles, such as Classical Kundalini, Hatha-Raja, Five Koshas and Inner Reprogramming.
CHÉTANA
Program Director, Content Writer & Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Chétana co-founded the Akhanda Yoga approach, the Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training (YTT) program design, and has facilitated philosophy, methodology and transformational experiences sessions as a lead trainer for about 25 Akhanda YTT programs. She also offers workshops in Yoga philosophy, teaching methodology and everyday wisdom.
A writer, she has also published a number of articles and blog posts on Yoga philosophy, teaching and holistic living, and has fun working on the Akhanda Yoga weekly newsletter and blog. Day to day, you may connect with her in her role as Akhanda’s Program Coordinator as she enrolls students, connects with graduates, and plans workshops and retreats.
Chétana has been blessed to have the opportunity to explore the Yoga of motherhood and the moment-to-moment presence being with children can inspire. And so, as a busy parent and Yoga program coordinator, she is thrilled to have this opportunity to share her experience and deep engagement with South Asian wisdom traditions through convenient, self-paced Online Yoga Philosophy Courses. Chétana has a Master’s degree in adult education with special courses in task-based learning, curricular development and materials design, which allow her to create uniquely accessible and enriching online courses. You can also enjoy her teaching through her virtual classes in the Women’s Health and Philosophy section of Akhanda Yoga Online! She looks forward to helping you integrate Yoga wisdom into both your practice and your life.
VARSHA PANWAR
Akhanda Yoga Teacher and Trainer
Varsha has be practicing yoga since childhood in Rishikesh, India. For her Yoga is a science of well-being and a multi-facetted methodology for integrating body, mind and soul.
Varsha holds a BA in Yoga from University of Patanjali, Haridwar and an MA in Yoga from Uttarakhand Sanskrit University, Haridwar. She completed her YTT 200 and 300 with Yogrishi Vishvketu at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram, where she now teaches Akhanda Yoga classes and the Akhanda Foundation Course. She also teaches on Akhanda Teacher Training courses and works as a Liaison for teacher training students and the Ashram Office.
YOG SUNDARI (JULIA ANASTASIOU)
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Yog Sundari strives for beauty and clarity in her language and is constantly investigating effective ways to present the ancient teachings, opening the door to her students’ self-discovery and illumination. As a yoga teacher, her passion is bringing healing mantras and the symbolism of the primordial elements to her classes, encouraging the nurturing flow of breath by creating space and freedom in the body.
Yog Sundari began her journey within the healing arts in 1994 as a Holistic & Ayurvedic Therapist. This has become an integral part of her yoga and meditation teachings. In 2010, she obtained her 200-hour teacher training in California at The Chopra Center where she studied ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga’ with Deepak Chopra. It was during an Ayurvedic Conference at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh that she met Yogrishi Vishvketu. She was so impressed with the philosophy behind Akhanda Yoga that she returned to India later that year to complete her 500-hour certification in Akhanda Yoga at Anand Prakash Ashram in Rishikesh, India. She is now registered as an E-RYT 500.
Yog Sundari teaches Akhanda (Holistic) Yoga classes each week in London, including Hatha Raja, Yoga Nidra and Classical Kundalini. As the director of Akhanda Yoga London, Yog Sundari offers Akhanda Yoga 200-hour Teacher Training in London, England. Her YTT courses are accredited by Yoga Alliance UK. She also teaches on Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training programs in Rishikesh, India.
VISH CHATTERJI
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Vish Chatterji is an accomplished business leader turned Vedic Life Coach. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from University of Michigan. Vish is a certified executive coach, yoga teacher, meditation instructor, Ayurveda teacher and Vedic Astrologer.
Vish has held elected office as a Board Director for Beach Cities Health District in Los Angeles California. He is a married father of three and loves to garden, bicycle and fix things around the house!
Vish met Yogrishi Vishvketu in 1999 in Rishikesh, India, and they have been connected both personally and professionally ever since. In collaboration with Yogrishi, Vish authored The Business Casual Yogi: Take Charge of Your Body, Mind & Career. He teaches on the Akhanda Ayurveda YTT 50, virtual YTT 200 program, and the Introduction to Vedic Astrology Training.
KHYATI SAROHA
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Khyati is a professor of Business Administration at a girls’ college where she also offers 10-day Yoga camps for students and teachers to nourish their mental and physical growth and foster a stress free life. She promotes Yoga, because it enables one to have some time off from the office, family, friends, social media, phones, and computers. “When we remove our sense of sight, we become open to experience a different kind of vision, an intense self-awareness that ultimately leads to life-changing growth and discovery through Yoga.”
Khyati has completed her YTT 200 in February 2015 with Yogrishi Vishvketu, followed by the Apprenticeship for Trainers. She has also graduated with a Masters degree in Yoga from Sanskrit Vishv Vidhyalya, in Haridwar. She has the pleasure of teaching on YTT programs at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram.
“For me, teaching is about connecting with people’s hearts and giving them the tools to develop their own potential and strength.”
YOG SUNDARI (JULIA ANASTASIOU)
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Yog Sundari strives for beauty and clarity in her language and is constantly investigating effective ways to present the ancient teachings, opening the door to her students’ self-discovery and illumination. As a yoga teacher, her passion is bringing healing mantras and the symbolism of the primordial elements to her classes, encouraging the nurturing flow of breath by creating space and freedom in the body.
Yog Sundari began her journey within the healing arts in 1994 as a Holistic & Ayurvedic Therapist. This has become an integral part of her yoga and meditation teachings. In 2010, she obtained her 200-hour teacher training in California at The Chopra Center where she studied ‘The Seven Spiritual Laws of Yoga’ with Deepak Chopra. It was during an Ayurvedic Conference at Parmarth Niketan in Rishikesh that she met Yogrishi Vishvketu. She was so impressed with the philosophy behind Akhanda Yoga that she returned to India later that year to complete her 500-hour certification in Akhanda Yoga at Anand Prakash Ashram in Rishikesh, India. She is now registered as an E-RYT 500.
Yog Sundari teaches Akhanda (Holistic) Yoga classes each week in London, including Hatha Raja, Yoga Nidra and Classical Kundalini. As the director of Akhanda Yoga London, Yog Sundari offers Akhanda Yoga 200-hour Teacher Training in London, England. Her YTT courses are accredited by Yoga Alliance UK. She also teaches on Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training programs in Rishikesh, India.
VISH CHATTERJI
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Vish Chatterji is an accomplished business leader turned Vedic Life Coach. He holds a BS in Mechanical Engineering from Northwestern University and an MBA from University of Michigan. Vish is a certified executive coach, yoga teacher, meditation instructor, Ayurveda teacher and Vedic Astrologer.
Vish has held elected office as a Board Director for Beach Cities Health District in Los Angeles California. He is a married father of three and loves to garden, bicycle and fix things around the house!
Vish met Yogrishi Vishvketu in 1999 in Rishikesh, India, and they have been connected both personally and professionally ever since. In collaboration with Yogrishi, Vish authored The Business Casual Yogi: Take Charge of Your Body, Mind & Career. He teaches on the Akhanda Ayurveda YTT 50, virtual YTT 200 program, and the Introduction to Vedic Astrology Training.
KHYATI SAROHA
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Khyati is a professor of Business Administration at a girls’ college where she also offers 10-day Yoga camps for students and teachers to nourish their mental and physical growth and foster a stress free life. She promotes Yoga, because it enables one to have some time off from the office, family, friends, social media, phones, and computers. “When we remove our sense of sight, we become open to experience a different kind of vision, an intense self-awareness that ultimately leads to life-changing growth and discovery through Yoga.”
Khyati has completed her YTT 200 in February 2015 with Yogrishi Vishvketu, followed by the Apprenticeship for Trainers. She has also graduated with a Masters degree in Yoga from Sanskrit Vishv Vidhyalya, in Haridwar. She has the pleasure of teaching on YTT programs at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram.
“For me, teaching is about connecting with people’s hearts and giving them the tools to develop their own potential and strength.”
CHRISTINE WITHIEL (KRISHNAA MUKTI)
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Christine began practicing Hatha Yoga in 1995. Up to this time she had practiced meditation and been interested in yoga philosophy for many years. She began her practice with a Sivananda teacher and after two years shifted to an Iyengar teacher who later became her husband. Christine began teaching in 2001 and by 2003 had created a beautiful yoga studio space in Durban with her husband. An E-RYT since 2005, Christine has been training yoga teachers since that time. She and her husband travel to India regularly, often taking groups of students with them. When Christine first discovered yoga, her body was so tight, her toes seemed miles away and knees didn’t want to leave her ears in baddha konasana. Sitting up straight in dandasana was not an option. With consistent practice, her body loosened up and strengthened. She credits her own body as her my best teacher.
Christine can identify with and inspire others who are new to yoga, while teaching them how to practice safely without injury. She is equally passionate about asana, pranayama and yoga philosophy. Together these are the most wonderful tools for self-transformation and growth. Christine feels blessed to be able to share her passion with so many. She teaches Yoga Philosophy for Akhanda Yoga YTT 200 and 300.
KATHRYN MILLS (KAMALIKA)
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Kat’s journey of practicing and teaching yoga began in 1998. She draws on her two decades of professional background in leadership, teaching and communication, and as a fitness educator, to bridge yogic philosophy with modern life. At the core of her passion is the belief that the connection of mind and body is essential towards well-being and this thread remains an integral theme in her classes and workshops. She is grateful to her students for their continual lessons. “We are all both teacher and student. Learning is ongoing, and our process is constantly evolving; I learn something every time I teach or take a class and it’s a privilege to be part of that exchange. Yoga is a very powerful life tool, one that can help us access our fullest potential and truth.”
Helping her access those lessons are the teaching and guidance she’s received from esteemed leaders within the Ashtanga, Kundalini, Hatha, and Jivamukti Yoga practices. She completed Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson, Raja Yoga and Traditional Hatha Yoga in India with Yogirishi Vishvektu and Chetana Panwar.
Kat’s unique energy and passion for her teaching is infectious. By linking experiences in asana practice to life, she encourages participants to explore their own perceived limits in mind, body and being, through movement, breath, and listening to the teacher within. While this sounds serious, the challenge of the practice is balanced by her joyful and playful approach to the process.
Kat lives in Ottawa, Ontario, and teaches and presents in corporate, private and studio environments in Canada and internationally. She holds a bachelors degree in communication and certificates in adult education, leadership and coaching.
LEALA (PRAGYA) ENFIELD
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Leala’s yoga journey began in 1992 in NYC. Her first yoga class sparked a sense that there was much more to life than what the world had presented to her. Within a year, she had moved to the remote side of Maui where she met David Williams and began a three month intensive study of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She went on to develop an intensive home practice. Living in community on Maui and traveling, she taught whoever wanted to learn, including the Secoya indigenous people in the Amazon tributaries of Ecuador. During this time, Leala began practicing Vipassana meditation, attending numerous 10 day silent retreats. In 2000, Leala attended an Ashtanga Yoga teachers training course with renowned instructor David Swenson and in 2003 completed her 200 hour training through Trinity Yoga.
CHRISTINE WITHIEL (KRISHNAA MUKTI)
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Christine began practicing Hatha Yoga in 1995. Up to this time she had practiced meditation and been interested in yoga philosophy for many years. She began her practice with a Sivananda teacher and after two years shifted to an Iyengar teacher who later became her husband. Christine began teaching in 2001 and by 2003 had created a beautiful yoga studio space in Durban with her husband. An E-RYT since 2005, Christine has been training yoga teachers since that time. She and her husband travel to India regularly, often taking groups of students with them. When Christine first discovered yoga, her body was so tight, her toes seemed miles away and knees didn’t want to leave her ears in baddha konasana. Sitting up straight in dandasana was not an option. With consistent practice, her body loosened up and strengthened. She credits her own body as her my best teacher.
Christine can identify with and inspire others who are new to yoga, while teaching them how to practice safely without injury. She is equally passionate about asana, pranayama and yoga philosophy. Together these are the most wonderful tools for self-transformation and growth. Christine feels blessed to be able to share her passion with so many. She teaches Yoga Philosophy for Akhanda Yoga YTT 200 and 300.
KATHRYN MILLS (KAMALIKA)
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Kat’s journey of practicing and teaching yoga began in 1998. She draws on her two decades of professional background in leadership, teaching and communication, and as a fitness educator, to bridge yogic philosophy with modern life. At the core of her passion is the belief that the connection of mind and body is essential towards well-being and this thread remains an integral theme in her classes and workshops. She is grateful to her students for their continual lessons. “We are all both teacher and student. Learning is ongoing, and our process is constantly evolving; I learn something every time I teach or take a class and it’s a privilege to be part of that exchange. Yoga is a very powerful life tool, one that can help us access our fullest potential and truth.”
Helping her access those lessons are the teaching and guidance she’s received from esteemed leaders within the Ashtanga, Kundalini, Hatha, and Jivamukti Yoga practices. She completed Ashtanga teacher training with David Swenson, Raja Yoga and Traditional Hatha Yoga in India with Yogirishi Vishvektu and Chetana Panwar.
Kat’s unique energy and passion for her teaching is infectious. By linking experiences in asana practice to life, she encourages participants to explore their own perceived limits in mind, body and being, through movement, breath, and listening to the teacher within. While this sounds serious, the challenge of the practice is balanced by her joyful and playful approach to the process.
Kat lives in Ottawa, Ontario, and teaches and presents in corporate, private and studio environments in Canada and internationally. She holds a bachelors degree in communication and certificates in adult education, leadership and coaching.
LEALA (PRAGYA) ENFIELD
Senior Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Leala’s yoga journey began in 1992 in NYC. Her first yoga class sparked a sense that there was much more to life than what the world had presented to her. Within a year, she had moved to the remote side of Maui where she met David Williams and began a three month intensive study of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga. She went on to develop an intensive home practice. Living in community on Maui and traveling, she taught whoever wanted to learn, including the Secoya indigenous people in the Amazon tributaries of Ecuador. During this time, Leala began practicing Vipassana meditation, attending numerous 10 day silent retreats. In 2000, Leala attended an Ashtanga Yoga teachers training course with renowned instructor David Swenson and in 2003 completed her 200 hour training through Trinity Yoga.
ROBIN CAMPBELL – ZIFFER (PREM SAGAR)
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Robin (Prem Sagar) holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology & Anthropology and a Masters in Counselling Psychology. He is a registered psychologist in Calgary, and works in private practice. Prem has pursued the art of yoga and spiritual transformation since 1999, when he first met his teacher, Yogi Vishvketu in Rishikesh, India. He developed a deep connection with Yogi Vishvketu and has remained a dedicated student. Since then, Prem has been part of the teaching faculty for the Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training programs, in particular spearheading the Yoga Life Coaching 100-hour training module. As part of the teacher training programs, Prem taught courses on the psychology of yoga and has developed courses on yoga therapy in North America and in India. In addition, Prem has been part of the teaching faculty of Mt. Royal University yoga therapy program for the past 6 years and has taught courses on yoga for mental health and wellness and therapeutic relationships. Prem has developed a unique form of yoga therapy that integrates the disciplines of yoga, psychology and body centered mindfulness therapies.
MAYANK DAGUR
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Since the time he was young, Mayank experienced the teachings of Yoga through his devout family. Originally from Delhi, Mayank visited Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram regularly until moving there full time 2015. He has since devoted his life to Yoga and received a Bachelors in Yoga from Gurukul Kangari in Haridwar and is currently working on his Master’s degree. He has also recently graduated from the 200-hour Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training Program.
For the last 3 years, Mayank’s passion for sharing these transformational teachings has guided him to lead Kirtan chanting, daily Agni Hotra fire ceremonies, and to organize activities at the ashram. He is excited now also to be joining the Akhanda Yoga teaching team.
MARY HAMMERSTEIN (SHANT PREM)
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
During a time of personal challenges, I instinctually immersed myself in yoga. The practice helped me regain my health and reconnect with myself after a car accident left me bed-ridden for a year. Yoga helped me breathe my way home as I cared for my mother during her 4-year battle with uterine cancer. Teaching yoga provides me connections that have carried me across continents and through cities and towns all over the world.
I received my 200-hour certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. This gentle and compassionate style of yoga emphasizes meditation, physical healing and spiritual transformation that overflow into daily life. I returned to live at the Kripalu Center for a year in 2013 as a volunteer after a 14-year career teaching high school English in both the United States and overseas. The urge to learn about yoga at the source led me to India, where I studied and completed my 300-hour certification in Akhanda Yoga at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram. The program further immersed me in a yoga as a holistic path to compassion, personal bliss and spiritual transformation. My deep connection to this approach lead me to spread Akhanda Yoga worldwide.
My classes cater to multiple levels and emphasize the body as the teacher. Students are encouraged to recognize the wisdom of their own bodies and listen. I teach from a place of joy and offer suggestions for postures with many variations so each individual can customize their own practice. I watch, to promote safety, encourage inner alignment in the Kripalu and Akhanda traditions, and foster energy flow as taught in Kundalini Yoga. Finally, I invite students to treat their bodies and minds with kindness and patience on the mat and in the world.
I am thrilled to be returning to the Ashram as a philosophy/methodology teacher trainer on the YTT 200 program in February 2020.
ROBIN CAMPBELL – ZIFFER (PREM SAGAR)
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Robin (Prem Sagar) holds a Bachelors degree in Psychology & Anthropology and a Masters in Counselling Psychology. He is a registered psychologist in Calgary, and works in private practice. Prem has pursued the art of yoga and spiritual transformation since 1999, when he first met his teacher, Yogi Vishvketu in Rishikesh, India. He developed a deep connection with Yogi Vishvketu and has remained a dedicated student. Since then, Prem has been part of the teaching faculty for the Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training programs, in particular spearheading the Yoga Life Coaching 100-hour training module. As part of the teacher training programs, Prem taught courses on the psychology of yoga and has developed courses on yoga therapy in North America and in India. In addition, Prem has been part of the teaching faculty of Mt. Royal University yoga therapy program for the past 6 years and has taught courses on yoga for mental health and wellness and therapeutic relationships. Prem has developed a unique form of yoga therapy that integrates the disciplines of yoga, psychology and body centered mindfulness therapies.
MAYANK DAGUR
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Since the time he was young, Mayank experienced the teachings of Yoga through his devout family. Originally from Delhi, Mayank visited Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram regularly until moving there full time 2015. He has since devoted his life to Yoga and received a Bachelors in Yoga from Gurukul Kangari in Haridwar and is currently working on his Master’s degree. He has also recently graduated from the 200-hour Akhanda Yoga Teacher Training Program.
For the last 3 years, Mayank’s passion for sharing these transformational teachings has guided him to lead Kirtan chanting, daily Agni Hotra fire ceremonies, and to organize activities at the ashram. He is excited now also to be joining the Akhanda Yoga teaching team.
MARY HAMMERSTEIN (SHANT PREM)
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
During a time of personal challenges, I instinctually immersed myself in yoga. The practice helped me regain my health and reconnect with myself after a car accident left me bed-ridden for a year. Yoga helped me breathe my way home as I cared for my mother during her 4-year battle with uterine cancer. Teaching yoga provides me connections that have carried me across continents and through cities and towns all over the world.
I received my 200-hour certification from the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health. This gentle and compassionate style of yoga emphasizes meditation, physical healing and spiritual transformation that overflow into daily life. I returned to live at the Kripalu Center for a year in 2013 as a volunteer after a 14-year career teaching high school English in both the United States and overseas. The urge to learn about yoga at the source led me to India, where I studied and completed my 300-hour certification in Akhanda Yoga at Anand Prakash Yoga Ashram. The program further immersed me in a yoga as a holistic path to compassion, personal bliss and spiritual transformation. My deep connection to this approach lead me to spread Akhanda Yoga worldwide.
My classes cater to multiple levels and emphasize the body as the teacher. Students are encouraged to recognize the wisdom of their own bodies and listen. I teach from a place of joy and offer suggestions for postures with many variations so each individual can customize their own practice. I watch, to promote safety, encourage inner alignment in the Kripalu and Akhanda traditions, and foster energy flow as taught in Kundalini Yoga. Finally, I invite students to treat their bodies and minds with kindness and patience on the mat and in the world.
I am thrilled to be returning to the Ashram as a philosophy/methodology teacher trainer on the YTT 200 program in February 2020.
PIERO CASANOVA (PRANAV)
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
In 2019, Pranav Baba (as he is known in Rishikesh) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his first journey to the banks of the Ganga River. He started to practicing Yoga with Yogrishi Vishvketu because he felt as a teacher he represented an extension of the energy received from Mother Ganga. Pranav is proud to teach classes in English and Italian on Akhanda Yoga Online so that students have access to these holistic Yoga teachings in both languages.
The genuine path of Pranav, is to share with enthusiasm the teachings of Yogrishi Vishvketu, the energy of Mother Ganga and his studies in Yoga, Tantra and Advaita Vedanta. His specialisation is the recognition of the Pra-na, breathing consciousness, as the bridge that links our manifest nature with our divine nature as pure consciousness.
In Italy, he teaches Yoga Teacher Training as an affiliate Akhanda YTT school, he manages Kutir, his own Yoga school in Bologna, and is proud to train the Italian APNEA team to increase the breath capacity. Pranav also teaches more than 200 people in the main square before the Bologna Marathon.
ANANDI ALISON FRANCIS
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Anandi (Alison Francis) has been in the wellness field for 30 years. She’s an Ayurvedic consultant, senior Akhanda Yoga teacher and trainer, and founder of The Sleep Guru. She’s also a certified Chopra meditation teacher. Anandi started her studies with Yogrishi Vishvketu in 2007, and has remained a dedicated student ever since.
She’s the creator of Sleepology, a new wellbeing process and in-depth enquiry into the causes of stress, exhaustion and sleep issues. Anandi is also the author of Breathe Better Sleep Better, which explains how to use the breath as a healing tool, not just for sleep, but for wellbeing as a whole. She has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Women’s fitness, Psychologies, Daily Mail, In the Moment, Spirit and Destiny and the London Evening Standard.
Anandi knows personally what it’s like to suffer from insomnia night after night, month after month, year after year. She understands how lack of sleep ruins your creativity, affects your relationships and has serious effects on your health. Her message to the world is that “you don’t need drugs for sleep deprivation and wellbeing, you just need balance”.
Anandi is proud to be the President of Helping Hands for India, a charity that provides schooling for underprivileged kids in Northern India.
DR. GAYTRI KALIA
Ayurveda Specialist
Dr. Gaytri is a Doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine, Educationist, Researcher, Writer and Healer. She is the Director & Senior Ayurveda Consultant at Gayatri Ayurveda Natural Wellness Centre in Mississauga, Canada, and has been practicing as an Ayurveda and Panchkarma specialist for over 20 years.
She served as an Associate Professor & Researcher at a Government Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital in Delhi, India before migrating to Canada. Dr. Gaytri has also taught as a visiting Professor at European Institute of Scientific Research in Ayurveda (EISRA), Netherlands, ICAU, Belgium and Ayurveda UK, England, with experience of imparting the essence of true Ayurveda to the Western world.
Her specializations include Pulse Diagnosis, Mental Health Disorders management, Psychotherapy, Counseling, Lifestyle & other chronic diseases management, Panchakarma therapies. Having been invited as Chairperson, Subject Expert, Keynote Speaker, Resource Person at various platforms across the globe, she has also contributed as an author and reviewer of Ayurveda research articles for JAIM, an international peer review Journal. Besides that, she is well known Ayurveda Media personality at various platforms like Parvasi Media Group, Hamdard Media Group, and Peel Healthy Lifestyle.
Dr. Gaytri truly excels at delivering lectures on Ayurveda to medical professionals, enthusiasts, Yoga teacher and the general public and in customizing specific teaching modules and courses. She has taught classes for Akhanda YTT sessions in Rishikesh over the years and is delighted to be teaching on the virtual Ayurveda and Conscious Living 50-hour course with Yogrishi Vishvketu.
PIERO CASANOVA (PRANAV)
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
In 2019, Pranav Baba (as he is known in Rishikesh) is celebrating the 25th anniversary of his first journey to the banks of the Ganga River. He started to practicing Yoga with Yogrishi Vishvketu because he felt as a teacher he represented an extension of the energy received from Mother Ganga. Pranav is proud to teach classes in English and Italian on Akhanda Yoga Online so that students have access to these holistic Yoga teachings in both languages.
The genuine path of Pranav, is to share with enthusiasm the teachings of Yogrishi Vishvketu, the energy of Mother Ganga and his studies in Yoga, Tantra and Advaita Vedanta. His specialisation is the recognition of the Pra-na, breathing consciousness, as the bridge that links our manifest nature with our divine nature as pure consciousness.
In Italy, he teaches Yoga Teacher Training as an affiliate Akhanda YTT school, he manages Kutir, his own Yoga school in Bologna, and is proud to train the Italian APNEA team to increase the breath capacity. Pranav also teaches more than 200 people in the main square before the Bologna Marathon.
ANANDI ALISON FRANCIS
Akhanda Teacher Trainer
Anandi (Alison Francis) has been in the wellness field for 30 years. She’s an Ayurvedic consultant, senior Akhanda Yoga teacher and trainer, and founder of The Sleep Guru. She’s also a certified Chopra meditation teacher. Anandi started her studies with Yogrishi Vishvketu in 2007, and has remained a dedicated student ever since.
She’s the creator of Sleepology, a new wellbeing process and in-depth enquiry into the causes of stress, exhaustion and sleep issues. Anandi is also the author of Breathe Better Sleep Better, which explains how to use the breath as a healing tool, not just for sleep, but for wellbeing as a whole. She has appeared in Cosmopolitan, Women’s fitness, Psychologies, Daily Mail, In the Moment, Spirit and Destiny and the London Evening Standard.
Anandi knows personally what it’s like to suffer from insomnia night after night, month after month, year after year. She understands how lack of sleep ruins your creativity, affects your relationships and has serious effects on your health. Her message to the world is that “you don’t need drugs for sleep deprivation and wellbeing, you just need balance”.
Anandi is proud to be the President of Helping Hands for India, a charity that provides schooling for underprivileged kids in Northern India.
DR. GAYTRI KALIA
Ayurveda Specialist
Dr. Gaytri is a Doctor of Ayurvedic Medicine, Educationist, Researcher, Writer and Healer. She is the Director & Senior Ayurveda Consultant at Gayatri Ayurveda Natural Wellness Centre in Mississauga, Canada, and has been practicing as an Ayurveda and Panchkarma specialist for over 20 years.
She served as an Associate Professor & Researcher at a Government Ayurvedic Medical College & Hospital in Delhi, India before migrating to Canada. Dr. Gaytri has also taught as a visiting Professor at European Institute of Scientific Research in Ayurveda (EISRA), Netherlands, ICAU, Belgium and Ayurveda UK, England, with experience of imparting the essence of true Ayurveda to the Western world.
Her specializations include Pulse Diagnosis, Mental Health Disorders management, Psychotherapy, Counseling, Lifestyle & other chronic diseases management, Panchakarma therapies. Having been invited as Chairperson, Subject Expert, Keynote Speaker, Resource Person at various platforms across the globe, she has also contributed as an author and reviewer of Ayurveda research articles for JAIM, an international peer review Journal. Besides that, she is well known Ayurveda Media personality at various platforms like Parvasi Media Group, Hamdard Media Group, and Peel Healthy Lifestyle.
Dr. Gaytri truly excels at delivering lectures on Ayurveda to medical professionals, enthusiasts, Yoga teacher and the general public and in customizing specific teaching modules and courses. She has taught classes for Akhanda YTT sessions in Rishikesh over the years and is delighted to be teaching on the virtual Ayurveda and Conscious Living 50-hour course with Yogrishi Vishvketu.