Stephanie Culen has been practicing yoga and movement for nearly 20 years and has been teaching yoga since 1999. Stephanie discovered yoga through fitness and dance. She appreciates the transformative effects, both physically and emotionally, of all movement disciplines, notably yoga, but also including sports, dance and other therapeutic modalities. Stephanie continues to share her discoveries and understanding of the yoga practice and philosophy from a psycho-somatic-emotive foundation. She is a certified Hatha Yoga teacher through the Himalayan Institute, a certified Power Vinyasa Yoga teacher through Baron Baptiste, a certified PreNatal Khalsa Way® teacher through Golden Bridge Yoga and is a registered experienced yoga teacher with the Yoga Alliance. Stephanie has a Masters of Science in Education from Sarah Lawrence College. She continues to be a life-long student of love, spirit and humanity. She is the founder of Boomerang YogaTM, a fundraising events-planning organization that creates yoga classes and events for adults to raise money for children’s causes in the fields of education, literacy, and art. Stephanie has been featured in several lifestyle and fitness magazines and is recognized as a premier yoga. She was voted “best” yoga teacher by New York Magazine and selected by New York Moves as one of New York City's "Power Women on the Rise" for 2006. In 2007 Stephanie was selected by Self to be the spokesperson for the “Ultimate De-Stress with Yoga” DVD, one part of the magazine’s Fitness Series for 2008. Stephanie is currently the National Yoga Events Producer for Equinox Fitness Clubs. For more information click here.
Derek Beres is the creator of EarthRise YogaTM, a Vinyasa-based practice with an emphasis on the physical aspect of asanas, as well as jnana and bhakti yogas. He currently teaches thirteen weekly classes at Equinox Fitness, and one weekend class at East West Yoga in New York City. Derek travels internationally as an instructor and lecturer on yoga, as well as his work in international music as a journalist and DJ. His fourth book, Sound Agaisnt Flame: The Process of Yoga and Atheism in America, will be published in June 2008. He is a red belt/conditioning teacher in the Budokon system, certified in Thai Yoga Massage and is President of the charitable organization, Boomerang YogaTM. For several years he has worked in the yoga, international music and natural foods industries, tying together common threads between them as new global cultures emerge. As Krishna Das stated, "Derek Beres is part reporter and part prophet standing in the middle of the eye of the World Music storm that is raining new musical genres on the Earth today, each one fused by the love of song and spirit." Derek began the undertaking of jnana yoga in 1993, which led to his embracing all aspects of a yogic lifestyle. When he began to move in accordance with the philosophies of yoga, the "union" that both the words yoga and religion entail opened up to him. Since the journey is the destination, the greatest teaching he has learned is lila - play. That is what he hopes to share most with his students as he continues on this path. For more information click here.
GUEST TEACHERS: 2008 SESSION (more to be announced soon)
Jason R. Brown, LMT, E-RYT 500, is the anatomy teacher for the 2008 training. Jason’s journey in yoga began at the Integral Yoga Institute in 1995, where he practiced and eventually taught a very traditional form of hatha yoga. His path then led to OM Yoga, a vinyasa-style that emphasizes flow, precision, and mindfulness. He completed teacher training at OM, taught regular classes there for several years, and eventually went on to join their teacher training faculty. Jason has also studied anatomy, massage therapy and exercise science at the Swedish Institute, and Zen Buddhism with Thich Nhat Hahn and at Zen Mountain Monastery. He currently teaches anatomy in teacher training programs throughout the New York City area, and through Anatomy Studies for Yoga Teachers, a comprehensive program he developed for yoga teachers who want a more formal education in anatomy. Jason also recently created Zenyasa™ -- a contemporary style of yoga that fuses elements of Zen Buddhism, Vinyasa yoga, and therapeutic exercise conditioning. He teaches Zenyasa™ style classes and workshops at Yoga Works, and offers private lessons and therapeutic massage out of his studio in Columbus Circle. For more information click here.
K. Michael Ferranti will be our Ayurveda/nutrition teacher for the 2008 course. K. Michael Ferranti is a medically trained professional, integrating both eastern and western medical traditions for over a decade. He is an Ayurvedic Practitioner and Educator, specializing in combining therapies such as reflexology, iridology, aromatherapy, diet and nutritional counseling, herbal remedies, and Reiki to gain balance in the body, mind, and soul. He studied Ayurveda at the Kripalu School of Ayurveda, in Lenox, Massachusetts. Highlights of his Ayurvedic gurukula education include being taught by great Ayurvedic vidyas such as Dr. Vasant Lad, Dr. John Douillard, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Dr. Shekar Annambhotla, Dr. Jay Apte, and Dr. Sunil Joshi. K. Michael Ferranti is a licensed allopathic, western medical practitioner, who currently specializes in dermatology in New York City. Past specialties include internal medicine, cardiology, oncology, and emergency medicine. He is currently giving lectures on Ayurvedic Healing and seeing clients at East West Living/Himalayan Institute on 5th Avenue in New York City. He uses yoga, meditation, and breathing techniques in his own life to gain a higher level of consciousness, relaxation, and peace. For more information click here.
Carlos Pomeda will be conducting a workshop on Yoga philosophy during the 2008 training. Originally from Madrid, Spain, Carlos received formal, traditional training in yoga during almost 18 years as a monk of the Sarasvati order, 9 of which he spent in India, in the Siddha Yoga Ashram, studying and practicing under the guidance of Swami Muktananda and Gurumayi Chidvilasananda. During this time he learned the various systems of Indian Philosophy, immersed himself in the practice of yoga and became one of the senior teaching monks of the tradition—teaching meditation and philosophy to tens of thousands of students around the world. He combines this experience and traditional training with an academic background that includes two Masters' degrees: one in Sanskrit from UC Berkeley and another one, in Religious Studies, from UC Santa Barbara. Carlos currently lives in Austin, Texas, and has recently created a set of 6 DVD’s titled “The Wisdom of Yoga,” a series of practical workshops on the history, philosophy and practices of the yoga tradition. As a teacher, Carlos is known for his love of the Indian yoga traditions, his insight, his humor, his deep empathy with his audiences and his ability to convey the deepest scriptural teachings in a way that is clear, meaningful and applicable. For more information click here.
