Elena De Martin meets Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga at the end of the 90’s. Her wish to further investigate this discipline which immediately fascinates her, leeds her to meet Lino Miele, who becomes her first teacher and whom she would follow as his assistant for many years in Italy and abroad.

Since 2000 she visits India every year. In 2001, for the first time, she meets Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in Mysore (south of India) where she attends the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute founded by him. Wishing to go into her yogic experience more thoroughly and reach the source of its tradition, from 2005 she intensifies her staying in Mysore by studying for long periods under the guidance of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, his daughter Sarasvati and his grandson R. Sharath.

In 2007 she moves to Mysore with her son for over one year and dedicates herself to the intensive study of Ashtanga Yoga.
She increasingly approaches the path of comprehension and deepening of the yogic experience, studies Sanskrit, Yoga philosophy, the Scriptures and their chanting under the guidance of Indian teachers M.A. Jayashree and M.A. Narasimhan. The nearness to such extraordinary teachers and the intensive study in the Indian country turn to be an extremely meaningful experience in her personal path of transformation and comprehension of yoga as an intrinsic value of great depth to apply to everyday life.

Elena constantly travels to Mysore, several times a year where she continues her studies under the guidance of  R. Sharath Jois (successor of Guruji deceased in 2009) whom she hosted in Milan in September 2011.
Her continuous travels to India keep alive in her that passion and love for yoga that brought so much to her life and that she shares everyday through her teaching.

During one of her most significant paths of yogic knowledge, she meets Richard Freeman for an intensive study program, and recognizes in him a great comprehension of the yogic message in addition to a rare capacity of interpretation of it according to the western thought.

Besides the study of Ashtanga, she approaches Vipassana meditation in  2001, according to the teaching of master S.N. Goenka, this regular practice contributed to bring  further consciousness to the research path started through yoga.

Elena has been a teacher in Milan since 2001, she holds seminars in Italy and abroad and obtained the authorization to teach Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga from the “Sri K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute" in Mysore.

 

Barbara Lunardon discoverd Yoga after a deep personal modulation within the realm of bodywork, in particular dance (classical, jazz and contemporary), as well as a long-term experience in teaching different physical disciplines.

After graduating in Physical Education at the ISEF Institute of Lombardy, she proceeded to learn Matwork Pilates technique, of which she is a certified instructor. Barbara integrates her own knowledge with the study of postural aspects, techniques of relaxation, applied kinesiology and reflexology.

Her activity articulates carefully, in an in-depth way, about body dynamics, until she discovers the Ashtanga Yoga method, following a retreat with Lino Miele.

Because of her athletic preparation, her open mental attitude and of her self-discipline that allow her to meticulously apply the yogic practice, Barbara’s path within Ashtanga brings her quickly to reach an advanced level of practice; also thanks to the continuous attendance at Lino Miele’s seminars and to the important work done through the teaching of Elena De Martin, whom she followed since the beginning, and of whom she becomes a serious and assiduous student . The relationship of trust that develops between them, sprang a collaboration in the teaching practice too; Barbara assists Elena in her lessons and retreats and began to teach classes herself in 2006.

During the last years  she took part in several seminars with successful Ashtanga Yoga teachers such as Kino Mc Gregor , Tim Feldmann and  Paul Dallaghan and she attended the teacher training with David Swenson in Italy. She traveled  to Goa, India, in December 2008 where she studied with David Swenson and with Dena Kingsberg. She is studying with teacher Gabriella Cella following a path aimed at deepening the symbolic aspect of yoga bound to the feminine universe and she is also attending a specialisation course for teachers that focuses on the study of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali with Moiz Palaci and Renata Angiolini at the Italian Association of Raja Yoga of Milan.