The ISHTA Studio of Yoga & Health is proud of the unique and collective energies of the teachers of the studio and the differing teaching styles. They not only bring a wealth of knowledge and wisdom each within them, but all resonate with the shared love of yoga and the eternal spirit from which it was born.
We welcome you to try all of their classes!
Wendy Wood (Nandiva)
Wendy is an initiate of Kavi Yogiraj Mani Finger and has been practising yoga for over thirty years. Wendy believes that by linking the mind and body with the breath we create a centred, harmonious feeling.Wendy Wood (Nandiva) is an initiate of Kavi Yogiraj Mani Finger and has been practising yoga for over thirty years. After Mani left to live in the USA in the later part of his life, Wendy, inspired by the teachings of her guru, mentor and wonderful friend, continued the tradition of ISHTA by creating the ISHTA School of Yoga & Health.
Nandiva – a spiritual name given to Wendy by her guru – is a name derived from the Bilaspur goddess Naina Devi who, being the goddess of eyes, saw things that most others could not see.
Contact: To contact Nandiva, call (011) 880 3601/ 082 338 8153 or email az.oc1371592367.low@1371592367avidn1371592367an1371592367
Debbie Lutrin
Debbie began practicing yoga at the age of 11 and has been teaching at ISHTA for over 10 years. Since her first encounter with yoga Debbie felt a strong sense of what it had to offer – not only physically, but on mental, psychological and spiritual levels too.Debbie says yoga provides her with a firm centredness a feeling of deep harmony and balance. Yoga, she says, helps us to connect more profoundly with ourselves, with others and with the universe – an essential practice for our busy, modern lives.
Debbie’s inspirational, physically assertive and precise teaching methods brings with it her experienced calm and you will leave, having connected body and mind, re-energised and completely invigorated.
Debbie’s inspirational, physically assertive and precise teaching methods brings with it her experienced calm and you will leave, having connected body and mind, re-energised and completely invigorated.
Contact: To contact Debbie, call 082 459 1170
Bernice Funk
Bernice brings many years of teaching to the ISHTA School of Yoga & Health, herself an initiate of Kavi Yogiraj Mani Finger. Registered with The Chiropractors, Homoeopaths and Allied Health Service Professions Council of South Africa as a Remedial Yoga Therapy Teacher, Bernice’s classes are restorative, calming and deeply healing.Through her teaching and her extended occupation as a wellness and holistic stress facilitator in the corporate world, Bernice helps students develop self-awareness and, through her understanding and experience of yoga, its teachings and techniques, offers personal growth and transformation to her students. Helping students tap into their emotional intelligence too, her teaching style is accessible, practical and experiential.
Contact: To contact Bernice, email az.oc1371592367.bewm1371592367@yknu1371592367feb1371592367
Theoni Papoutsis
Theoni teaches Pregnancy yoga at the ISHTA School of Yoga & Health and is also a qualified Doula, certified HypnoBirthing practitioner and aromatherapist.Theoni is passionate about creating the right environment for a child to enter the world and believes in the capacity and courage of women to face life’s journey and all its challenges. With a sensitive and practical approach to your wellness during pregnancy, Theoni guides students on a yoga journey that they will be enriched through, learn from, delight in and ultimately, treasure.
Contact: To contact Theoni, call 083 229 3253 or visit www.consciousbirth.co.za for more information.
Contact: To contact Theoni, call 083 229 3253 or visit www.consciousbirth.co.za for more information.
Itta Roussos (Ravi)
Itta has studied the flow of energy in the body through different forms of yoga including Kundalini yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, yoga and meditation with the Himalayan Institute (Swami Veda Bharati) and through the Tao (self-study). Itta has developed a wonderful system of healing which she has incorporated into her Kundalini teachings that she teaches to full, lively classes at ISHTA.Contact: To contact Ravi, call 082 441 6745 or email moc.s1371592367ossuo1371592367ratti1371592367@atti1371592367.
Wendy Young
Wendy is a qualified yoga teacher and holistic wellbeing coach. She has been practicing yoga for 12 years and has trained in India, Thailand and in the United Kingdom at a Satyananda-inspired yoga ashram. Wendy has studied traditional Thai massage, Ayurvedic oil massage (Chavutti Thirumal), nutrition, Ayurveda, Jin Shin Jyutsu, Buddhist meditation and is also a Reiki master. She regularly attends workshops and retreats to deepen her practice and further her understanding of yoga, herself and life. She has been teaching yoga for 7 years and has a calm, caring and down to earth approach.Contact: To contact Wendy call 072 800 4982 or email az.oc1371592367.gniv1371592367il-es1371592367iw@yd1371592367new1371592367
Karin Geldenhuys
Karin’s yoga journey started as a search for an alternative form of exercise after a wear and tear injury while long distance running. Her searches lead her to yoga and what she calls “a reunion with her soul”. Karin began practicing yoga at the ISHTA School of Yoga & Health and says it is now here where she is privileged to share her love of yoga.Qualifying as a Kundalini yoga teacher in India in 2003, Karin opened the Shakti Khaya Yoga centre on Linksfield Ridge. A two-year trip to India and an unfortunate armed robbery later, this journey lead Karin to qualify as a Trauma Healing therapist, and she now offers trauma counseling from her centre in Linksfield.
As a teacher, Karin reflects the divine teacher that lives in and through all of us. As she says, “Yoga lives through and within me. I pursue the sweet spot where courage and compassion meet.”
Contact: To contact Karin, email moc.l1371592367iamg@1371592367legni1371592367rak1371592367 or call (011) 616 3789 or 083 226 9834
John Malherbe
John has practiced various styles of yoga – having started with Kundalini Yoga in 2005, Ashtanga and Hatha styles soon followed and for the next three years John developed a solid yoga practice and foundation from where to teach and spread his love and gentle wisdom of the yoga teachings.John teaches Ashtanga yoga at ISHTA as well as a new style he developed that combines and incorporates these much-loved yoga influences into a style he describes as Hatha Fusion. John’s energetic yet flowing Ashtanga yoga classes will help you move into richer, deeper physical and mental states and his structured Hatha Fusion classes, incorporating a blend of Ashtanga, Hatha and Kundalini energies are taught from a his unique spiritual perspective and offers wide benefits to many a yoga practitioner.
Contact: To contact John, emailaz.oc1371592367.soid1371592367utsed1371592367ol@ma1371592367j 1371592367
Marina Contardo
Marina’s introduction to ISHTA yoga came about as a young girl when she was at school with Kavi Yogiraj Mani Finger’s daughter, Lisa. Yoga was introduced to her at this early age and it became a lifelong journey and commitment for Marina who has over 35 years of teaching experience.Marina encourages and teaches with a relaxed yet mindful awareness of the yoga teachings, psychology and philosophy which she believes offers the internal equipoise we need to create healthy, sustainable lifestyles for ourselves.
As Chairperson of Yoga Teachers Fellowship of Southern Africa, Marina offers a 500-hour ISHTA Teachers’ Training Course (with an International Yoga Federation affiliation) at the ISHTA Studio of Yoga and Health. Further to her philosophy degree, Marina has also studied reflexology, Reiki, Shiatsu and Advanced Counseling through Unisa as a Hospice bereavement, loss counselor and care giver.
Contact: To contact Marina call 083 300 3512/ 011 886 2117 or email az.oc1371592367.fty@1371592367anira1371592367m1371592367. You can also visit the YTF website at www.ytf.co.za.
Patsy Finger
Having always been a seeker, studying most of the major religions of the world, Patsy was introduced to yoga by her father-in-law and founder of ISHTA Yoga, Mani Finger. Patsy found yoga to be an extension of all that she held to be true. After immigrating to America in 1996, she completed a teacher training with Alan Finger and taught yoga at the studio she opened in Boca Raton Florida, 13 years ago. Studying under teachers such as Rod Stryker, Aadil Pakival, John Friend, Angela Farmer and Shiva Ray in the States, Patsy has developed a unique and personalised style but says that her roots are be very firmly planted in the ISHTA tradition, founded by Mani and Alan.Having studied a number of energy healing modalities too including Reiki, Healing Touch, Crystal Healing and Intuitive Healing, in addition, Patsy will be introducing Crystal Healings, Thai Yoga Massage and One on One yoga that includes Patsy’s unique Yogassage at ISHTA’s Crystal Healing Room.
Contact: To contact Patsy, call 079 327 0370 or email moc.l1371592367oa@al1371592367lasta1371592367p1371592367
Jason Hallman
Jason trained in the US as a Kripalu yoga teacher in 2005. An American, he lived in Copenhagen for four years before moving to South Africa, where he has lived and taught in Johannesburg for the past three years. In addition to yoga, Jason studies meditation techniques with a variety of Buddhist teachers. He has completed teacher training in Jon Kabat-Zinn’s Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction. All of Jason’s yoga classes emphasize meditation in motion, focusing on cultivating awareness. His approach to physical postures includes instruction on proper alignment and developing stronger energetic sensitivity. When not teaching, Jason also works as a communications consultant in the NGO sector.
Contact: To contact Jason, email moc.l1371592367iamg@137159236727nai1371592367nosaj1371592367 or call 072 357 1754
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