Ashtanga Yoga’s Eightfold Path

Ashtanga yoga traces its lineage to an ancient sage, Vamana Rishi.

Sri. K. Pattabhi Jois, the founder of the Ashtanga method, studied yoga with T. Krishnamacharya. at the age of 12, in 1927, and continued his formal study with his teacher until 1954. 

Pattabhi Jois spent more than 70 years of his life dedicated to practicing and teaching Ashtanga yoga.

R. Sarath Jois

Sharath Jois is the grandson of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

Sharath began learning yoga from his grandfather as a young boy, and began serious study and assisting his grandfather when he was 19. He studied and practiced all six series with his grandfather, and taught with him for twenty years. He continues to carry on the lineage.

Polly studied with Sharath for a transformational three months in 2012.

Peter Sanson

Peter Sanson teaches traditional Ashtanga Yoga, as taught to him over a twenty-one year course of study under late Yoga Guru Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

With Guruji's blessing, Peter holds Advanced B teaching certification issued by the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, Mysore.

Peter has been teaching the first four series of Ashtanga Yoga for over 20 years.

Polly’s first introduction to Ashtanga was with Peter in 2007. She stumbled into his Gisborne summer workshop, not knowing that she was learning from one of the most respected teachers in Ashtanga.

She had the great fortune to practice with Peter in his workshops over the next five years, preparing her for the inevitable trip to practice with Sharath in Mysore, India.

Louise Ellis

Louise Ellis is a direct and long-term student of Sri K Pattabhi Jois and one of the few women to have been certified by him to teach Ashtanga yoga.

She began her yoga practice in 1971 with the traditional study of hatha yoga, pranayama and philosophy under Swami Vishnudevananda.

Louise's background as both a student and teacher in several diverse systems of yoga spans over forty- years.

Polly studied with Louise in Rishikesh, India from 2016-2019. Louise’s mystical, nurturing, yet grounded approach to yoga has been a huge support.

David Garrigues

David Garrigues is among a small group of Ashtanga yoga teachers who received teaching certificate directly from the late founding master of ashtanga yoga Sri K Pattabhi Jois.

David met Pattabhi Jois in 1993 and over the next 16 years he traveled to Mysore India more than 12 times to study with the great yoga master.

Polly began her intensive studies with David in 2019. David’s strong athletic background, creativity, and out-of-the-box teaching style have catapulted Polly’s life, practice, and work. She is massively grateful to call DG her teacher.

The Advaita -Vedanta Teachings of Non-duality.

Swami Atmananda

Swami Atmananda Udasin is a teacher of the Direct Path of Non-Duality according to the tradition of Advaita Vedanta. After a brief career as a university lecturer, he spent ten years in solitude, first at a hermitage near Jerusalem and later in North India. Towards the end of this long retreat, he embraced Sanatana Dharma and, in 2001, received initiation into sannyasa (monastic renunciation) from his beloved and long-time spiritual Master, H.H. Sri Chandra Swami Udasin.

Two years later, he felt a call to move closer to the Ganges, and start a small monastic community to support spiritual seekers of all religious traditions.

Polly has had the great privilege to study the sacred texts with SwamiJi since 2016. His humble wisdom, depth of knowledge, and strong teaching have been a pillar of support on Polly’s path.

Shanti Mayi

Shanti Mayi is the only western woman, to teach the grace of her lineage of Indian sages.

A Mystic, she speaks from her own direct spirituality, which points back to the self. 

Shanti Mayi teaches the importance of practice and encourages meditation, breathing, japa, and bhakti. She guides us to peace and liberation by dropping unserving thoughts, and returning to our breath with awareness. 

Shanti Mayi has been an inspiration to Polly as a female spiritual role model. Her no-nonsense teaching style and wide open heart have touched the depths of Polly’s soul, and she is eternally grateful.

OM Baba

Shortly after meeting his Master, Saccha Baba, Om Baba clearly realized the meaningless of the world. He cut all ties with his past life and dedicated himself to the path of Truth. 

Saccha Baba initiated him in the order of Sannyasins, and asked him to embrace a silent and reclusive life.

For seven years Om Baba stayed in silence and seclusion. Free from all distractions, he dived deeply in the traditional Yogic practices and in the study of the scriptures. He practiced with great enthusiasm the four main paths of Yoga: Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Bhakti Yoga and Jnana Yoga.

Polly’s studies with OM Baba began in 2014. He has been a bright light and shining example for her, guiding her patiently on the path of yoga.

Traditional Balinese Healing and Ritual.

Adi Buddha

Adi Buddha is a Balinese priest and healer dedicated to serving people. He has a strong connection to the Ancestors, Gods, and Nature. 

Healing people of “incurable” disease, performing purifying ceremonies, and tirelessly serving from his heart, he has participated in countless “miracles.” 

He is deeply devoted to ritual, ceremony, prayer, and spiritual pilgrimage. His beaming smile and wide open heart are living testament to his strong connection to the Divine. 

Polly apprenticed with Adi Buddha for two years. He initiated her in Balinese traditional healing practices, ritual, and ceremony.

Vipassana Meditation

S.N. Goenka

S. N. Goenka was a Burmese-Indian teacher of Vipassanā meditation. Born in Burma to an Indian business family, he moved to India in 1969 and started teaching meditation. His teaching emphasises Buddha's path to liberation: equanimous awareness of the breath stills the mind and results in true happiness.

Polly sat her first ten-day Vipassana Course with S.N. Goenka in 2010, and has completed five 10-day courses since. Vipassana meditation, as taught by S.N. Goenka, changed the course of her life.

Breathwork

Dana Devi Delong and Ashanna Solaris

Dana Devi Delong and Ashanna Solaris, founders of Clarity Breathwork, have been teaching from the rebirthing lineage of Mahavatar Babaji and Leonard Orr for over thirty years. 

Clarity Breathwork activates the subconscious mind and brings awareness not easily accessed through traditional therapy. 

A circular breath in and out of the mouth -with no pause- opens the energy channels in the body and allows suppressed emotions, physical blocks, unserving beliefs, memories, fight/flight/freeze patterns, and addictions to surface and release. 

Polly certified in Clarity breathwork in 2017. Breathwork has been a powerful addition to Polly’s channeling. She almost always includes breathwork in her sessions.

Gitan Tonkov

Giten Tonkov, developer of the BioDynamic Breath & Trauma Release System®, masterfully teaches a synthesis of traditional body work combined with Osho’s Diamond Breath©. BBTR is a powerful, life changing technique that triggers and releases deeply held trauma, relieves stress, anxiety, depression, and addresses the cause of addiction.

Polly trained with Gitan in 2016. She uses BBTR often in her in-person work with clients, especially those recovering from trauma, or wanting to make a quantum consciousness shift.

For more info on breathwork and it’s benefits: Read Polly’s breathwork article on Tiny Buddha

Theta Healing

Erika Johannson

Erika Johansson is a certified practitioner and instructor of ThetaHealing®.

ThetaHealing® works by utilising the power of our natural brainwaves to access the subconscious where we create a deep, positive change instantly. It works on all levels of your being including; physical, emotional, mental and spiritual by clearing the blocks and obstacles that are preventing you from achieving your fullest potential in life.

Polly trained in Advanced Theta Healing with the amazing Erika in 2014. She uses her Theta Healing skills daily. They are a treasured tool in her chest.