Mild technical issues during this interview. Please accept my apologies that I wasn't able to smooth out all the rough edges; however, the lessons that Mark gives are worth the minor inconveniences.
Mark Stevens started practising Yoga at art school in 1986 after a career in motorcycle road racing, which left him with a body badly in need of rehabilitation! After leaving art school, he worked as an artist for many years, sustaining a regular yoga practice and studying in the Sivananda and Iyengar traditions. Gradually, the medium shifted from painting to yoga. Mark has an MA in Fine Art.In 2003, he undertook Sivananda teacher training in Kerala, southern India, and met his teacher, Swami Govindananda; it was a life-changing experience, and on his return, he converted part of his home into a Yoga studio and has been teaching there ever since. Mark qualified in Yogic Meditation with Swami Saradananda in London in 2006.Back to India for advanced teacher training with Swami Govindananda in the Himalayan Ashram on the banks of the Ganges in 2007.By this time, Mark had also discovered Jivamukti Yoga and new inspiration in the form of modern-day Yoga masters David Life and Sharon Gannon. He undertook teacher training with them in New York in 2009, discovering a new Yoga family.The teachings of Tirumali Krishnamacharya also inspired Mark, who undertook a short Vinyasa Krama Teacher Training andhis long- workshops with term student Srivatsa Ramaswami in 2014. The teaching and books of Gregor Maehle also inform Mark's practice and teaching, especially the systems of Pranayama and Yogic Kundalini Meditation that he has codified for us from the traditional scriptures. Mark offers love, gratitude, and all his efforts to the teachers and students who have guided him on the path of yoga, Swami Sivananda. Swami Vishnu Devananada. David Life. Sharon Gannon. Yogeshwari. Swami Govindananda. Ruth Lauer-Manenti. Prahlada. Swami Kailasananda. Swami Tattvarupananda. Swami Saradananda. Srivatsa Ramaswami and Gregor Maehle.
Emergence of Yoga. T. K. Sribashyam. (English Edition)
Nathamuni's Yoga Rahasya. T.K.V. Desikachar.
Yoganjalisaram. T. Krishnamacharya.
Yoga Yajnavalkya. A.G. Mohan & Ganesh Mohan
S. Ramaswami. Samkhya Karika.
https://www.yogastudioely.co.uk/
IG. Yoga Studio Ely
FB. Yoga Studio Ely
Originally from Woodstock, NY, Catherine has been teaching yoga since 2017 after completing the 300-hour Jivamukti training in India, followed by an additional 500-hour apprenticeship with senior teacher Jules Febre. Catherine taught at Jivamukti NYC before its closing in 2019 and has since co-led two yoga teacher trainings and taught in large and small studios around the country.
Catherine is also a licensed occupational therapist and enjoys integrating both bodies of knowledge into her classes, making yoga fun, accessible, and meaningful for all interested!
Catherine is honored to pass down the dynamic and inspiring method that her teachers created when developing Jivamukti Yoga. Jivamukti comes from an ashtanga influence with additional focuses on music, scripture, Bhakti, ahimsa, and meditation. Classes are rigorous, fun, and adaptable to all levels and needs. Catherine's dear influences include her teachers, Sharon Gannon and David Life (co-founders of Jivamukti Yoga), mentor Jules Febre (for sequencing, anatomy, and humor), and Sean Johnson (for Bhakti, storytelling, creativity, and song).
Catherine is honored and excited to share yoga as "a path to enlightenment through compassion for all beings".
Follow Catherine on Instagram
Read her writings
Practice in person (Newburgh Yoga Shala) or one of her recorded classes
Schalk started practicing yoga in 2000 after moving from South Africa to Germany. His practice deepened immensely once he discovered Jivamukti Yoga in New York in 2007. He completed the Jivamukti Teachers Training in 2011 with Sharon Gannon, David Life, and Lady Ruth—a life-transforming experience.
He is an 800-hour Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher, having completed his apprenticeship in London with Emma Henry (his remover of gu).
Schalk teaches in Darmstadt and Basel.
Practice with Schalk and the 3 devas in Salento
Some of his writings: Gazing Into The Mirror, A Serene Mind in the Digital Age, The Opposite of Hate
Luis is an Advanced Certified Jivamukti yoga teacher. He trained with the method's founders, Gannon and David Life, in New York and later received his Advanced Certification from Ruth Lauer Manenti in Munich.
Luis trained as an actor and singer in London and started practicing yoga in 2007 while at drama school to support his body through movement and dance training. However, the effect on the mind really drew him to Yoga. It has supported Luis on so many levels that he feels a responsibility to share, leading him to the practice. It initially inspired and continues to inspire him to teach.
Luis is a versatile teacher who has worked with both beginners and advanced practitioners. His training in many forms of dance, physical theatre, voice, speech, and singing informs his teaching. His soulful classes are flowing and precise vinyasa with challenging yet fun sequences. Always focusing on breath, alluding to the Sanskrit CD by music, and ending with support and encouragement, Luis ends with deep relaxation. Luis hopes students go beyond asana and take something from the practice off the mat and into the world.
Follow Luis on Instagram
Take a class with Luis at Love Supreme Projects
Katchie Ananda has been with Jivamukti since its early days. Originally a student, she became a teacher at the 2nd Avenue Center after Shyamdas encouraged Sharon to hire her. Katchie has lived in Switzerland, Brazil, New York City, San Francisco, and now resides in South Dakota with her husband, Joshua, and their dog, Naya.
Katchie is certified in Anusara, Jivamukti, and Integral Yoga, and she has two certifications for completion in Ashtanga Yoga Training with Richard Freeman. In addition to her yoga background, she was trained in Theravadan Buddhism by Jack Kornfield and co-founded Yoga Sangha, which later became Yoga Kula, in San Francisco.
Katchie teaches the Art of Awakening and is dedicated to old-school liberal values, such as free speech, women’s rights, and sovereignty. She cares deeply about animals and the environment and is committed to fostering a more harmonious world for all.
Katchie Ananda's website => katchieananda.com
Link to buy => The Art of Awakening
Katchie Ananda on Patreon
She's friendly, she's from the Midwest, and she wants her students to get closer to God. What's not to like? Come into the Chai Shop and get to know Amanda van Kessel.
Amanda first heard the phrase, “yoga is politics and politics is yoga” from Seane Corn in 2016. Since then, through a series of *random* events, yoga became her organizing principle, a non-negotiable and constant source of guidance and joy.
Amanda Is 300hr certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher and continues to deepen her understanding of the Jivamukti Yoga Method under the guidance of her teacher and Souk co-founder, Rima Rabbath. With a background in organizing and campaign work Amanda brings the elements of service, awareness and community into her teaching.
Her classes can be described as classical vinyasa- an approachable yet rigorous asana leaving space for the magic and FUN that is yoga. Amanda will be forever grateful to the teachers at 841 Broadway, 33-02 Broadway and of course, Souk, who supported her journey and continue to inform both her practice and teaching.
Spotify : akvankessel
Apple: @akvankessel
Instagram: akvankessel
Practice with Amanda at Souk Studio or St. Marks Yoga
Yogesvara / Joshua M. Greene is a treasure to the Jivamukti Community.
At age twenty, Joshua was initiated as Yogesvara dasa by His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, founder-acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness. In 1982, after living thirteen years in ashrams of India and Europe, Yogesvara returned to New York and started a career in film, producing children’s programs for The Disney Channel and PBS. In 1995, he became Director of Programming for Cablevision, the nation’s sixth largest cable television provider. From 1999 to 2002 he served as Senior Vice President at Ruder Finn, an international communications firm, where he advised faith communities on their role in peacekeeping initiatives. In 2012, he retired after ten years as religious studies instructor at Hofstra University. He is the author of several books on Holocaust history and the lives of contemporary spiritual figures.
Yogesvara and Jules Febre => Talking about the Gita on Jivamukti Digital
Check out Yogesvara's excellent podcast Gita Wisdom and the accompanying website Gita Wisdom - Teachings for the Modern Day Yogi
Follow Yogesvara on Instagram
More info on this true Renaissance Man
Andrea is a sincere and benevolent teacher, who is a grounding presence, fierce, intuitive, and sweet. Her classes are challenging, musical, and creative, with an emphasis on slow, deep, and equal breathing, and teachings grounded in life experience and yoga philosophy. The seamless sequencing of her classes is fluid and reflects her knowledge of the body and rhythm through many years of dance and asana.
Andrea has been a guest teacher at yoga centers all over the world, including: Indonesia, Russia, Germany, South Africa, Australia, Czechoslovakia, Italy, Dominican Republic, Jamaica, England, France, Israel, Turkey, Mexico, and Costa Rica. She has taught on tour with Michael Franti and Spearhead, at yoga festivals and conferences, Omega Institute, Kripalu Institute, and is involved in fundraising for organizations such as Bhumi Sehat and The Shyamdas Foundation. She has studied with many incredible teachers, including her Sanskrit teacher Dr. M. A. Jayashree, philosophy teacher Professor Nagaraja Rao, singing teacher Padma, and beloved teachers Shyamdas and Ram Dass.
She is the author of The Depth of Birth, a resource for parents-to-be, Forthright: 2020 Poems, an introspection of the dark and light in humanity, Latitude, and Yoga Teachings: The Beautiful Game. In The Bhav is her first album, co-produced with Anthony Haro, released Jan 2024. She edited and produced the books An Offering of Leaves, Sweeping the Dust and Fell In Her Hands and produced 7 albums called “The Spoken Word Series” featuring Sharon Gannon, David Life, and Shyamdas.
Find Andrea on the web => andreaboydyoga.com
Hit her up on Instagram
Tim is a health and wellness professional with over 25 years of experience, Tim helps people live their happiest lives by working with them to be their healthiest. Tim brings his unique sensitivity and energetic balance to the Embodied Masculine community, with experience across a wide range of men’s work modalities – including group facilitation, 1-on-1 coaching, breathwork, embodiment, asana, visualization, and healing touch. Tim is an alumni of the MI-IR program and a Certified Embodied Masculine Facilitator (C.EMF) after completing Amir’s first Facilitator Training Program. Initially he trained as a professional dancer and had a successful career on Broadway, concert dance, film, and tv. Tim later went on to train as an Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher, a licensed acupuncturist, a personal trainer, and a certified Men’s Wisdom Work coach. Tim now leads weekly men’s circles in Provincetown, assists and apprentices with Amir Khalighi, and works privately with clients all over the world.
Follow Tim on Instagram
His Playbill Bio (cuz its fun!)
Listen to his podcast => The Circle
Check out his website
Kiki Flynn began her yoga studies in 1983 as a student in theater and dance at New York University. Living in Downtown New York as a young theater artist, she soon studied, and then taught at Jivamukti Yoga. In 1993, she first studied AshtangaYoga with Pattabhi Jois in his ground breaking classes in NYC. In 1995 she began the first of more than a dozen visits to Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, India to study with Jois. Under the directive of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, she pursued Sanskrit chanting and in 1998 began her studies with Dr. M.A. Jayashree. Kiki has produced and recorded several Sanskrit chanting CDs with Dr. Jayashree and supported the growth of Jayashree’s Mysore based Sanskrit institute and her global teaching. Kiki continues her studies with Jayashree today.
Kiki has taught Ashtanga yoga, Sanskrit chanting, and wellness workshops throughout the world. She has also specialized in therapeutic yoga for communities with spinal cord injury and MS, as well as taught many creative artists including Oscar, Emmy and Grammy award winners. In 1996 Kiki opened Ashtanga Yoga Shala in Los Angeles where she taught a Mysore program for 10 years and twice hosted Pattabhi Jois and his family.
Kiki is passionate about The Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. The Yoga Sutra is a practical manual for embodied wisdom that is as relevant today as it was 2000 years ago. Learning and practicing the sutras by the same oral tradition they were first taught with call-and-response chanting, Śruti Parampara, is a dynamic and transformational experience of spiritual and wisdom traditions.
More info on Kiki =>www.kikinyc.com
Chant the Yoga Sutra with Kiki and Jayashree => Kiki Says YouTube
Follow Kiki on Instagram
Marni is a delight. Join us in the chai shop and find out why. We talk about old school Jivamukti, offering veganism in a graceful way, David and Sharon, and sticking to yoga when you're at a crossroad in life.
More Marni here
Follow Marni on Instagram
The one and only Moritz.
Follow Moritz on Instagram.
Take a class at his (and his husband's) studio => Peace Yoga Berlin Jivamukti Yoga Studio
Moritz on Spotify
Moritz Ulrich is the Co-Director of Peace Yoga Berlin – Jivamukti Yoga School, an Advanced certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher, and a Medical Doctor. After having practiced almost daily for several years, studying with different teachers from all Yoga traditions, Moritz decided to start teaching Yoga. This was over 10 years ago. While studying at Berlin Music College he was enthusiastic to share his knowledge. After visiting the Jivamukti Yoga Center in Munich, he realized where he belonged. The love, the strength and the unlimited knowledge of Sharon Gannon (founder of the Jivamukti Yoga Method) inspired him to dive deep into the path of Yoga. He completed the Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training in NYC with his teachers Sharon Gannon and David Life and the 500h Apprenticeship Program with Dr. Patrick Broome in Berlin, followed by the Advanced Certification Board in NYC. He teaches workshops all over Germany and Europe, is part of the international Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Trainings as a facilitator and anatomy/Sanskrit teacher, and is the program director of the continuing education programs at his Jivamukti Yoga School in Berlin.
Nick joins Chris in the Chai Shop where they talk about introducing Jivamukti Yoga into an established studio, the challenges of owning a business, and the joys of studentship.
Nick co-owns M3Yoga with his adorable husband Nick.
M3Yoga will be hosting the Spiritual Warrior Training in October => more info here
Follow Nick on Instagram
More about Nick -
Nick hails from the DC metro area where he has lived most of his life, though Nick’s family is largely from Athens, GA and is also where he lived for 5 years during elementary school. He has been a Registered Nurse for 17 years and began his career at Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore, Maryland working in the Cardiovascular ICU, taking care of postoperative patients after heart surgery. He later transitioned into emergency medicine, surgery, and substance abuse treatment. Nick will complete his graduate work in healthcare innovation in 2025.
Nick is an E-RYT 500. He has a passion for anatomy and physiology and has studied under the top medical professionals in the world at Johns Hopkins Hospital. He believes having a detailed understanding of the physical body and how it operates at a cellular level enhances your ability to practice and instruct yoga.
He is influenced from his teachers Noah Maze and Peach Friedman, with whom he completed an advanced 300hr certification in The Maze Method, along with a year mentorship with Noah; and Mitch Burnett and Olga Oskorbina, whom he completed a 75 hour Jivamukti Spiritual Warrior training at Jivamukti Barcelona. Nick is also a Certified Rocket Ashtanga Instructor and has completed over 200 advanced hours in The Rocket System as taught by Larry Schultz with Amber Gean Espelage in Cincinatti, Oh and in Tamarindo, Costa Rica. Nick is a daily Ashtanga practitioner, practicing second series and is deeply appreciative to his teacher Todd Rodrick at Ashtanga Atlanta.
Nick contributes much of his understanding of the philosophical roots of the yoga tradition to studying with Brother Shankara, a Vedanta monk from the Vedanta Center of Atlanta, for many years. Brother Shankara left his body in 2024.
Nick pulls from his broad range of training to help him meet students where they are in their yoga journey. Nick’s teaching methodology is modern and approachable, but not necessarily easy. His classes are often anatomical and technical but always taught from the heart. His classes will educate you, challenge you, and are always accessible. Expect to leave feeling empowered and met where you are.
Follow Purnima on Instagram
Purnima Maria Langen is an Island Girl from Hawaii who moved to the Island of NYC, where she discovered her passion and path in life as a Jivamukti Yoga Teacher. She became inspired to become a Jivamukti Yoga teacher after taking classes at Gold’s Gym with Sandhi Gayatri Ferreira. Her focus and devotion to the discipline of Kung Fu helped her transition to the discipline and study of Yoga. In 2007 she was certified at the 300 Hour level under the Co Founders of Jivamukti Yoga, Sharon Gannon and David Life. In 2009 she completed her 500 Hours apprenticeship under the guidance of Julie Kirkpatrick and Maria Preuster, becoming certified as an 800 Hours Jivamukti Yoga teacher.
From 2007-2013 Purnima was a manager at the Jivamukti Yoga Center in Union Square. She also coordinated Jivamukti Yoga Retreats around the world. She has taught with Parashakti (Dance of Liberation) at the Omega Institute. In 2012 she was blessed to be a guest teacher in the Philippines, the land of her ancestors. She has also taught at the second Jivamukti Yoga franchise in Jersey City.
Purnima seeks to offer classes that are filled with joy, expansiveness and upliftment. She believes that breath and moving from the heart can allow you to go within, to see the light within you. She believes that Yoga is for everyone and every body. Her students are also her teachers. She is a Nicherin Buddhist and member of the Soka Gakkai International. She is guided by a quote by her mentor Daisaku Ikeda: “It’s the Heart that matters most.”
Katie Rose is an advanced-level Jivamukti Yoga Teacher with the highest possible accreditations with Yoga Alliance and Yoga Australia and has taught yoga for over twenty years.
Katie is a published author of several books (her newest Trust Life, Trust Yourself, Find Peace can be found here).
Follow Katie Rose on Instagram
Katie's website => bhaktirose.com.au
Rima Rabbath has had an incredible journey! Visit the Chai Shop to hear about her transformation from Professional Tennis Player to MBA Student, Fancy Business Woman, Jivamukti Teacher, and current incarnation as Souk Studio Co-Owner.
Get to Souk (they offer online classes as well)
Rima's website => soukofrima.com
April 2025 FOTM => The Jewel in the Heart of the Lotus
FOTM April 2025 Playlist by Candida
More on Candida => candidavivalda.com
Follow Candida on Instagram
Her name is Jamie Logan and she is an animal advocate, YouTuber, filmmaker, yogi, content creator and podcast host. She is based in NYC and makes videos that get people thinking— Some call it ruining lives and pushing her agenda but she is committed to sharing an obvious truth that most people tend to ignore.
Follow Jamie on Instagram
Jamie has a lot of offerings => click here to find out more
Documentaries:
Jamie and Sharon are on tour! Get tickets here => Sharon Gannon Tour
Mayela Gonzalez (who's incidentally a former DJ) is influenced by her love of music, mantra, and Eastern Philosophy. Mayela sits down with Chris as they talk about the obstacles and inspiration she encountered as yoga transformed her from a stressed out designer into a studio owner.
note: after the interview Mayela-ji remembered the name of the artist who gave the concert at Woodstock => Paul McMahon
