Lamu Yoga Festival Teachers 2022
Abigail is a Transpersonal Integrative Psychotherapist with 20 years plus experience. She has a BSc (Hons) degree in Psychology and a MA in Transpersonal Psychotherapy and Counselling as well as many other psychological, spiritual and wisdom trainings. She works with individual’s, couples and groups specialising in transformation, growth and connection. Her passion is in deep inner and transgenerational healing and connection and the dance between Spirituality and Science, the Unknown and the Relative. To this end she works with Trauma, Human Condition/Issues, Shadow, Breath, Family Constellations, NLP, EMDR, Essence, Point of Light and the Transpersonal. She loves to compassionately integrate a diverse range of methodologies so she is always exploring, inquiring and discovering the Mystery and the Magic of the interplay between the Psychological and the Esoteric, this she feels allows and creates the Space for Grace and the Essential Wisdom to manifest in our everyday lives. Miracles are all around us if we open to them!!
She facilitates Women’s groups, Empowerment processes and Essential retreats. She teaches Inner Child work, Shadow work, Breathwork and trains people in Psychotherapy and Psychology. She is a facilitator and leader in the Path of love process and a supervisor for qualified Psychotherapists. Her passion for authenticity and transformation is contagious. Her website is: www.potentialcharisma.com Instagram: Abigailiq1 and Email: abigail@usa.com
Alexandra is registered with AUSactive Australia as a qualified fitness leader, Yoga Alliance International in Ashtanga and Vinyasa Flow, and is a certified Weight Management Practitioner, Art Therapist and International Artist. She presents her yoga and fitness classes internationally in Australia, Africa and Europe. Alexandra blends years of experience as a fitness instructor and yoga teacher into, AquaYoga, YogaCore™, SUP yoga and Qigong/Yogaflow (a combination of Qigong breathing and creative flow to strengthen the body and increase the immune system). Alexandra’s classes encompass fluid imaginative asanas focused on core strength combinations, guaranteed to challenge and balance mind, body and soul.
To be updated…
Amina Foramitti is an accredited Health Coach, certified by the Institute of Integrative Nutrition (IIN), the leading global nutrition school. (www.integrativenutrition.com).
She also holds a Master’s Degree in Holistic Therapies, Microbiome and Autoimmune Diseases from Regenera University (Spain), a leading medical institution specializing in integrative medicine.
As a certified Health Coach, Amina is passionate about acting as a supportive mentor and wellness authority to help clients feel their best through the development and application of food and lifestyle changes.
She uses a holistic or integrative approach to both diet and lifestyle to improve her clients’ health. Working as a guide towards an overall healthier life, Amina considers her clients’ nutrition patterns, relationships, physical fitness, spirituality, and more.
Amina is also a yoga teacher, having undergone a 2‑year teacher training that included Sanskrit, meditation, Ayurveda, and history.
She regularly hosts full immersion workshops and wellness retreats aimed at motivating and fast-tracking her clients to the adoption of a healthier lifestyle.
Amina is from Argentina, but her home is now Nairobi, where she lives with her husband and 3 children.
“Free Spirit – Libre Espiritu”, two words that encapsulate the loving and wild at Heart, Bindi.
Born and raised in Kenya, she started practicing Trapeze Yoga 5 Years ago and through her love and passion for the practice became a Yoga Body Certified Trapeze Instructor and Breath Coach.
While many of the yoga poses we do on the Yoga Trapeze look very similar to their mat-based counterparts, the dynamics are unique. The Yoga Trapeze, a therapeutic inversion device builds strength, flexibility and balance. This practice promotes a strong core and healthy back. Apart from being super fun hanging upside down, when the body is in an inverted position, more space opens between each vertebra. The trapeze is an amazing tool to strengthen and stretch your whole upper body, shoulders, arms and core. It adds in the missing ‘pull’ motion lacking in mat-based classes.
The trapeze is a fantastic prop that assists one to get deeper into passive backbends and hold them for longer periods of time, thus allowing for spinal decompression.
The beauty of this practice is that one can see the world from the “right side down”. It is suitable for everyone no matter your flexibility or yoga practice level. Bindi integrates a variety of strength, traction, core, and balance moves in the routine. The practice starts with some breath work and wraps up with a beautiful, guided meditation.
Bernard is an acrobat and yoga instructor, certified in Baptiste yoga and Acroyoga. He has been practicing yoga for 9 years and acroyoga for 4 years. Since taking his teachers training, Acroyoga became Bernard’s passion that changed his life. Within his classes, Bernard likes to use his acrobatic background to bring people together and helps them discover more about their bodies.
Bernard has trained as an Aerial Yoga instructor with AER Africa and graduated from “Dare to AER: Aerial and Flow Arts scholarship program”
Billy is a freelance Yoga Teacher and a professional Dancer/Choreographer since 2010 to date. With both Sarakasi Trust & Wapi Wapi Crew Billy, has travelled the world as a performer and as a choreographer, won awards like Orange Beat Ya Street and Malta Guinness Pan African Championship. With Africa Yoga Project, he has worked as a yoga teacher, Development Director and Teacher Training Facilitator.
During the festival he will offer Afro-dance Classes which is a mix of dance and vinyasa flow yoga. The sessions involve vinyasa flow plus a mix of either African contemporary dance and modern Afro-dance. By the end of each session you will have flowed through a vinyasa sequence and learned a choreography based on African movements on Afrobeat Music.
I have been teaching Yoga classes for over 30 years.
As a qualified Yoga teacher (Yoga Vidya, Karuna Yoga, Kundalini practitioner) and Focus Trainer, I combine elements of different styles of Yoga and Body awareness practices in my classes into a unique blend. Breath and movement, flowing sequences, precision work in asanas or a special sequence of Kundalini Kriyas and Mantra meditation make up a class.
During the Festival this year Kundalini Flow classes will be my main Focus.
Visit ‘Christel Flowers Yoga’ for inspiration.
Deborah is an Ayurvedic practitioner and Yoga instructor currently living in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. She has studied and practiced Ayurveda and Yoga at the American University of Complementary Medicine in Beverly Hills, California and has achieved a certificate from the renowned international Sivananda Yoga Vendanta Forest Academy in Vrindavan, India.
After completing her studies, she started her journey teaching yoga in Europe, the United States and currently in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. Her aim is to serve people with the ancient and traditional knowledge of yoga and Ayurveda by providing practices of discipline and awareness of the body, mind and spirit.
In 2013, she opened the very first Ayurveda and Yoga center – Tulsi, Ayurvedic Massage, Yoga and Wellness Center in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia. Tulsi is an oasis for regeneration and continues to offer a range of services dedicated to bringing peace and harmony to individuals of different demographics. Some of her services include; Yoga, Yoga retreats, Pilates and Ayurvedic treatments — massages, consultations and workshops.
The Center offers yoga lessons several times a week, with classifications of beginner, all-level, prenatal and kids yoga, they do this so everyone has a chance to experience the unlimited positive effects yoga can bring.
When giving an Ayurvedic massage, they use special handcrafted organic oils and herbs to aid in deep nourishment of cells, tissues and energy channels, maximizing the healing process. They believe using these Ayurvedic oils is a potent contributor in maintaining harmony and balance.
Fred is a certified yoga instructor from Africa Yoga Project (AYP), and has joined the AYP Academy. After dancing for many years, he tried yoga and immediately fell in love. It was here that his journey of being a yoga instructor began. He completed his first 200hr Baptiste power yoga vinyasa teacher training in Nairobi and Naivasha, led by Paige Elenson, the co-founder of the Africa Yoga project, and Kristine Mooney, a Baptiste yoga senior teacher. Prior to this training, he had been partaking in various types of yoga as his practice, which allowed him to become a more powerful teacher.
He later became certified in Art of Assisting, Baptiste Art of assisting and Thai massage therapy training, a yoga teacher training catering to children with special needs, led by Sonia Sumar (known as Shiva Karmy). This yoga type is a therapeutic approach for infants and children with down syndrome and cerebral palsy. He also did Acro yoga teacher training, and later completed a human anatomy class in 2016 to better understand the human body through a yoga practice
He chose to become a yoga teacher because of his own transformation he had through the practice. His inspiration is giving back to the community the gift that was shared to him.
Heran was born in Ethiopia in 1984 and adopted to the Netherlands at the age of 3. Even as a little girl, Heran felt the need to comprehend & heal herself, a deep seated passion to gain insights and witness collective growth. Twenty years ago, while studying Tropical Forestry & Nature Conservation at University in the Netherlands, Heran discovered yoga. The first time on a yoga mat, she intuitively knew that yoga did not just ground her, but opened a safe space, a spiritual vortex, a gateway to multiple dimensions and astral projection, outside of the realms of duality & competition. She finally felt free to just BE… A healer was born and her spirit would continue to guide her on her Roots journey. As a repatriated Ethiopian adoptee, a mother of 3, Heran continues her quest to equanimity, happiness and liberty.
Heran is an environmentalist, educational consultant, Wellness & Empowerment Coach, Roots Searcher, Cultural Event Organizer, Writer, Poet, Blogger & Influencer. She is the Deputy Head of the African Artist Peace Initiative in Ethiopia under the African Union.
Joanne Ball – Burgess (B.A., M.Ed) , a resident of Nairobi, Kenya & citizen of the world was born and raised in Bermuda.
Joanne’s journey towards yoga began with dance. She has formal training in West African Dance, Modern Contemporary dance, Lyrical & Ballet coupled with East African traditional dances, Hip Hop & Dancehall as well as some dabbling in Musical Theatre. Joanne believes that dance for her is a gift and that her gift of freedom through dance helps to liberate ad bring healing and health to others.
Joanne completed her 200-hour Yoga Teacher Certification through Yoga Zanzibar. Joanne is certified to teach Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga-based Flow and Yin Yoga along with Yoga Nidra. She is an intuitive healer and dream interpreter by nature.
Joanne brings a unique approach to her Vinyasa Flow practice where one is able to explore dance-integrated fluidity. This unique approach provides the space for moving meditation of exuberant joy and expression.
Better known throughout East Africa by her stage name Judge Jo‑1, she is a multitalented dancer in jazz funk, hip hop afro-fusion, dancehall and dance fitness. She is also a choreographer, singer, songwriter, author and educator. As the longest serving female judge for East Africa’s widely acclaimed dance competition show “Sakata Mashariki” on Citizen TV, Jo‑1 emerged as the unparalleled breath of fresh air the dance industry lacked thus generating her a beloved fan base.
Jo‑1 earned her Master’s in Education in 2008 where her research was based in understanding how the performing arts can enhance the learning model in school curricula. She has taught, performed, judged and choreographed dance in the USA, Israel, Cyprus, Egypt, Bermuda, Rwanda, China, Uganda & Kenya.
Born and raised in Kenya, Kelly has made quite a name for himself as a talented, dedicated and qualified yoga teacher and once a trainer to International supermodel Naomi Campbell.
Kelly is trained and qualified as a Power vinyasa flow yoga teacher with the Africa Yoga Project and has been teaching yoga since 2013. He is also an experienced Hatha yoga and Sup Yoga(Paddle Board Yoga) teaching daily classes in Lamu. He also facilitate and organizes teacher trainings in Lamu. In his practice as a yoga teacher and organizer of monthly yoga retreats in Lamu, Kelly has been able to meet, interact and socialized with people from all walks of life. He is also the vice chairperson of Lamu Yoga Festival.
Yoga is a daily practice of surrendering to the power of now and honoring one’s truth. My inspiration and creativity come from a life fueled by love, honesty and courage and the journey of acceptance and trust. I believe in the value of conscious movement that cultivates strength, flexibility and awareness
In Vinyasa Flow, My teaching style consists of fun, intuitive flowing asanas that inspire curiosity about the body and invite an internal feeling of awakening. I like to weave pranayama and yoga philosophy into the practice and I am excited when a student transcends his or her own boundaries. Expect to be lead through an intelligent sequence of postures, playful transitions, with hands on adjustments and helpful alignment cues designed to build deeper communication between the body and mind
I will also incorporate Animal Flow which is a bodyweight program that’s centered largely around ground-based work. It features animal-style movements that encourage core stability and strength, improve speed, power, endurance and body awareness.— all without any fitness equipment.
I am a shiatsu practitioner and reiki level II. My love for the subtle body as well as physical body can be identified in the way I teach. I support the health of the physical body, whilst producing a positive influence on ones inner landscape.
In 2017 I began leading 200hr Yoga Teacher Trainings. Every cell in my body, my intuition, my heart, my gut and my soul are screaming that I have found my dharma.
2022 will see me co leading a 30hr Continued Education module in Creative Sequencing after the festival ends. Stay on for a few extra days and enjoy paradise whilst you gain some new ideas on ways to move.
http://karunayogajourneys.com/
https://www.yogauganda.com/
www.leylameredith.juiceplus.com
https://linktr.ee/Karunalifestyle
Leo Lourdes is the founder of YS Yoga and founded Yogasphere with yoga in rooftops, retreats and planting trees including launching his first yoga studio in The Shard and across multiple venues.
He has been practising yoga and helping his clients transform their lives starting first in London’s Harley Street as a wellness and Executive coach. He specialises in Hatha Yoga, Yoga and Vinyasa Flow classes. As a Harley street therapist and coach, Leo creates a naturally relaxed, fun, playful and inspiring environment in his yoga classes and retreats to explore and create awareness within the body and overcome challenges through both yoga and meditation.
He is a singer-songwriter and works on a variety of music projects. At 22 years of age, he recalls sitting on his therapy couch in Harley Street as a coach, listening to his client express their problems and it dawned on him that his client could benefit from both yoga and not just the ‘talking cures’ of therapy and executive coaching. It made perfect sense to him to merge the two aspects of psychology and yoga as an absolute alignment of his purpose.
Leo is particularly interested in the psycho-physical benefits of yoga. He believes that yoga practice and philosophy provides a great framework for an individual to connect and explore themselves and their world. In his view, yoga is actually a phenomenal tool to empower people in their modern lives to transcend and reach a euphoric, authentic space in themselves. He finds that flexibility is key to having a more fulfilling life. He lives in Primrose Hill, London. He is currently completing a 400 page hardtop book with all his proceeds going to charity on the subject of yoga published by Rizzoli and distributed globally by Penguin Randomhouse.
Madhvi Dalal is a Dancer/Choreographer, Reiki Master and Yoga Instructor. With an infectious passion for yoga, and over 1000 hours of training, Madhvi serves the International Yoga Day Committee that conducts volunteer yoga outreach events for underprivileged children, slums and prisons. Madhvi has taught adults and children in various places nationally and internationally. She teaches at festivals and also runs her own yoga retreats. She believes in the role of Yoga in impacting lives holistically. Her classes are a mix of movement, meditation, and breath work. Madhvi creates a positive group atmosphere in her classes, emphasizing personal growth, letting go and cultivating love.
She has been trained in Hatha yoga with Conrad Paul, Yoga Professionals, London and has specialized in prenatal yoga with CamYoga, Cambridge.
Marcella started practicing yoga in 1998 with her Tibetan Dzogchen Master Namkai Norbu Rimpoche in Italy. During that time, she also became a practitioner of Reiki Levels 1 and 2.
After moving to Lamu, she continued to practise yoga with the local yoga community. In 2018, Marcella graduated from the Karuna Yoga Journey 200h TT held in Lamu and YIN YOGA TT 100 hours in 2020.
Marcella’s journey continued and she developed an interest for sound as a tool for healing, she is a Gong Practitioner graduate of Torino, Italy, with Jens Zygar a Gong scientist
Using a mix of sound healing tools she developed a practice of quantum healing and sound and she is passionate about it.
Mareen Pasedag is a Holistic Healer and Medium. Her main tools are Quantum Healing, Spiritual Life Consulting, Massage, Nutrition and teaching Yoga, which she all combined in her concept LANI Berlin. LANI stands for Love — Accept — Nourish — Inspire. Her mission is to assist people to find acceptance and love within themselves and to learn to treat themselves the best way possible. And by doing so, inspiring others to do the same.
Her spiritual journey and search for answers really began as a child and was taken on a deeper path when she got introduced to Yoga in 2005. She practiced Hatha, Kundalini and Bikram Yoga until she moved into becoming a teacher herself in 2016. Her trainings include Sivananda Yoga, Pre & Postnatal and 5 Elements Yin & Yang Hatha Yoga.
Especially the profound movement of energy with the 5 elements Yoga won her heart. Combining the energetic aspects of working with the meridian lines known from Chinese Medicine while doing Yoga. The ability to align all elements within you by practicing Yoga is a tool she also uses on her Fasting & 5 Elements Yoga Retreats she offers twice a year in Europe. Mareen is based in Berlin and focused to work more internationally.
Instagram: lani_berlin_
Facebook: laniberlin
Web: lani-berlin.de
Maria has been practicing pole since the year 2016. She came to Kenya in 2022 where she joined shakti studios as a pole instructor and later through her passion for hoop, she started practicing and is now an amazing hoop instructor,
Her signature style is a blend of tricks and transitions.
“If you wanted to try but did not start yet, then give it a chance now and the outcome will surprise you”
Shakti Studio is a fitness studio lacated in Nairobi, Kilimani. They offer a variety of aerial disciplines including aerial hoop, aerial silks, aerial yoga, yoga, pole fitness and belly dancing.
Monika Fauth is the owner of Banana House and founder of the Lamu Yoga Festival. She has been teaching yoga since 2000. Monika’s training and certification comes through the Art of Living.
Monika is an energetic, enthusiastic, radiant soul who always seeks opportunities for personal growth while bringing inspiration and joy to the people in her community.
Her current inspiration is to bridge the gap between cultures by bringing in more wisdom for women and to establish a Happiness center “Furaha, be happy & serve”.
Sound healer, travel blogger, backpacker, child of the earth, meditator on rocks, giver of loving hugs, simple soul of love.
Narissa Allibhai is a sound healing practitioner trained in Nepal and India. She works with the Tibetan singing bowls, to cleanse and activate the chakras, send one into a deep transcendental meditation, iron out mental and emotional stresses, and loosen up body and energetic blockages.
Under her practice, “Child of the Earth,” Narissa teaches Nada yoga, Hatha yoga, Pranayama and various forms of meditation. She works with the earth energy as guide and channel for all her practices and life decisions. During her sessions, she tends to the individual needs of her students or clients, and works from a deep space of love. People describe their experience as calming, relaxing, rejuvenating, healing, transforming, transporting and transcendent.
She is digging deep into the roots of Afrikan spirituality (Kenya being the land of her birth) and Asian spirituality (India being the land of her blood).
Website: http://nomadgirltales.com/sound-healing/
FB 1: Child of the Earth — Sound Healing Ke
FB 2: Nomad Girl Tales
IG & Twitter: @nomadgirltales (Child of the Earth)
@nomadgirltales (Child of the Earth) on FB, IG, Twitter
Nimu teaches from the heart. While teaching, she connects to her students individually. She begins her classes with breathing techniques and meditation exercises to help people connect physically, mentally, and emotionally.
Nimu had practiced Yoga on and off since 2012. She moved to Shela, Lamu in 2016 where Yoga is a way of life for many and her interest in yoga grew. Nimu’s background is in Mental Health specialising in working with young people and she has always been fascinated at how the two can come together.
In Lamu, she practiced with different teachers who taught different styles of Yoga. 3 years later, her dream was realised and she is now a Kanga trained qualified teacher, Class of 2020. She
then has gone on and trained in Yin Yoga. Yin yoga offers a wealth of benefits that may help you to alleviate pain and tension, relieve stress and anxiety, and improve your overall well-being. The practice of holding a pose for an extended period teaches you to sit with and observe uncomfortable emotions, thoughts, or physical sensations as they arise.
In 2022 she completed her Kids Yoga Teacher training.
Nitin Dawar is Art of Living’s international faculty & an eminent singer. An MBA in finance with a decade of successful corporate career with top MNCs, Nitin is now dedicated to serving the society through his motivational skills & music. He teaches Art of Living’s Happiness Program, Wellness Program, Corporate programs, Youth Leadership & Empowerment, Yoga program & more. Also a graduate in India classical music, he is a composer, writer, guitarist « a live performer with many music albums to his credit crossing millions of views online,
After attending his first Art of Living workshop , Nitin experienced a transformation within which reaffirmed his strong urge to serve the humanity. The first meeting with the founder of the Art of Living, Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, inspired him «: gave him a vision for his life. After completing the teacher’s training, he bid adieu to his corporate life and embarked upon a journey of self-discovery & service. In last 10 years, he has traveled extensively across the globe to conduct various programs & music concerts.
In India, Nitin is considered a youth icon for his substantial role in the historic “India Against Corruption” movement initiated by Sri Sri, Anna Hazare & other notable social activists of India in 2011. As a core member of the movement, he has written, composed & sung many patriotic & motivational songs which became the anthems across the country. He has been a guest celebrity singer in Zee TV”s popular show “Sa Re Ga Ma Pa”. His very popular theme songs for big social movements like “Yamuna River Cleaning” and “Clean Delhi Drive” became household names « motivated people to come on the grounds to serve enthusiastically thus proving that music can unite people for a cause.
Nitin has worked extensively in African continent in countries like Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Nigeria, Malawi etc. He conducted Youth Leadership Training Program in Kibera — the biggest slum in whole Africa joined by youths from 4 different slums. He initiated “Smile Africa” — a workshop to inculcate health, wellness, yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, fitness & music into the lives of local residents of Africa. These programs have gained popularity with thousands of youth joining & getting benefits out of it. He has also taught & transformed thousands of hardcore prisoners in 4 different prisons in Africa including some remote areas.
Nitin’s vision is to spread peace, humanity & music to the whole World helping people live stress free, healthy & happy life.
Paul runs the Watamu Treehouse Retreat Centre down the coastline a bit from Lamu, where he teaches Dru Yoga and Dru Meditation, as well as runs adventure trips and retreats.
This is the 8th year Paul is teaching at the Lamu Festival, and this year he will teach Dru Yoga and Meditation Classes with Vera Gubbels, as well as a workshop on “Living in Steady Wisdom with the Bhagavad Gita” – a workshop that will introduce participants to the timeless secrets of success contained in one of the world’s oldest books. It is a joyous and experiential workshop, full of yoga, meditation, partner work, breathwork and philosophy – all aimed at participants achieving definite practical outcomes in your daily life.
The Dru Yoga taught by Paul and Vera is a graceful and potent form of yoga, based on soft flowing movements, directed breathing and visualization. Dru works on body, mind and spirit—improving strength and flexibility, creating core stability, removing energy blockages, building a heightened feeling of positivity, and deeply relaxing and rejuvenating your whole being. People call Dru the ‘yoga of the heart’ — come and open your heart in a Dru Yoga session.
For as long as I can remember, I have been searching for answers that could explain the universe and its inhabitants. I believed that science would satisfy my curiosity. Years of rigorous study in obtaining a masters of chemical engineering went some way toward supplying explanations – but then I found the ancient yoga tradition. I learned that spiritual traditions were formed by spiritual scientists who utilized their lives as laboratories to experiment on experience, and perfect aspects of experience. They made the unseen seen.
The combination of a deep dedication to the study and practice of samkhya philosophy and yoga, and my scientific background helps me to meld the ancient knowledge with current science, making it more accessible to contemporary minds. It is with deep gratitude that I share the physical, psychological and spiritual learnings of my practice.
Saddam has practiced yoga for over 7 years which prepared him for his Yoga Teacher Training at Africa Yoga Project (AYP) graduating with certificates in level 2, Trauma sensitive: Mind Body Well-being, acro yoga and Your Own Determination (YOD).
He describes his personality as fun, kind and patient with his teaching style as energizing and one that fosters personal growth. When not in the studio you may find Saddam performing both Nationally and Internationally in contortion, juggling, fire and acrobatics.
This self-trained artist possesses the motivation and discipline to accomplish his dreams and push boundaries. Credits include: Circus 254 Kenya, Chimelong Circus Company China and Techno phone 8 Launch Savova Stanley. He had a several year hiatus performing overseas and enrolling in MedSchool.
Salim Rollins has dedicated his professional life to empowering communities through wellness and cultural arts programs. He’s the Co-director of Synergy Yoga, a registered Yoga Alliance school that curates international yoga retreats; teacher trainings; Thai massage certification; and works as a consultant with Yoga Alliance for their international and equity programs. Salim has maintained a dedicated yoga practice since 2000 and studied with several master teachers throughout India and the U.S.
He has organized numerous wellness festivals and retreats including Synergy Journeys Peru; Synergy Journeys Lamu; Feel Good In Zanzibar; Nairobeing: The Wellness Experience; the Divine Feminine, Sacred Masculine series in Kenya; and Yoga on Dub among others.
Salim’s teaching philosophy centers on community upliftment; self-accountability; liberation from pain; cultivating an intuitive practice that enables students to find the source of their healing within; and ultimately conscious reconnection with the divine self.
In addition to his work with Synergy, Salim is a Contra-Mestre of the Afro-Brazilian martial art, Capoeira Angola, which he has been practicing since 1995. For more than twenty years, Salim has managed and taught youth empowerment programming.
He is the founder and director of Kibera Rising – a community program that uses Capoeira Angola, breakdance, and an empowerment program for teen girls to impart critical life skills and expanded life choices to youth in the Kibera slum in Nairobi, Kenya. Salim deeply values his mission of sharing healing practices and curating wellness spaces with communities throughout the world.
Samanta has been dedicated to mind-body health for over 20 years. With a lifetime spent practicing Yoga, Jazz Technique and Bharatnatyam, she is able to combine unique perspectives about wellbeing, healing and physiology. Samanta’s work centers on Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Ayurvedic and Thai osteo bodywork and abdominal chi neitsan Therapies, Diet /Nutrition ‚Vedic Chanting dance movement therapy , Nlp , Singing bowls and sound healing . In July 2008, she partnered with Shaleen Parekh to open India’s first boutique yoga studio, Yoga Sutra. (www.yogasutra.co.in)
Samanta’s personal journey began when as a teenager, she became a performer with noted choreographer Shiamak Davar. After 15 years as a lead performer, she transitioned into practicing and teaching yoga in the year 2000. Samanta was the Wellness programme director with Swaswara – an eco holistic, yoga ayurveda retreat from Oct 2011- March 2012 where she trained yoga teachers for 6 months and helped in defining the yoga and detox programmes on offer. Over the last ten years she has explored and mastered several healing therapies for the mind and body.
Samanta blends a wealth of knowledge and experience to create a unique approach that unites awareness with movement, breath, heart, and humour. She teaches workshops and retreats around the world.
With over 25 years of discipleship and teaching, my offerings are inspired by the many rivers of Yoga’s time-honored practices. This multi-lineage reverence allows me to remain intuitively spontaneous in my relationship with you and the moment.
Through an array of creative methods, we explore the limits of the physical body; its alignment, strengths and flexibilities. Be observant of our mind and emotions, as witness. We invite the breath as pranic illuminator, queen of the mind, unifier, as invitation to the now, and guru of letting go and surrender.
Getting out of our habitual patterns with these powerful alchemies, helps us to transcend our stories, our stiffness, our compensations, our chatter of body and mind.
I hope classes end leaving you with your body feeling lighter, more fluid, free. Less tension and stiffness. A deeper ability to breathe in a more nourishing way. More mental clarity. A sense of ease, peace. Heightened intuition. A sense of being a part of something greater. More love.
Please see each class for specific details.
One Yoga Academy was founded in 2009. A school where the Integration of the roots of Yoga & Tantra were brought home with a modern twist. These International Certification Trainings & Courses include;
200hr & 500 hr YTT, Art of Meditation, Kundalini & The Chakras, Yoga Nidra. Offered live and in Hybrid/Retreat form throughout the year. Check out the webpage and talk to me for more details.
I was born in Montreal, Canada. I moved to Lebanon where I live and raised my 4 children.
Sister Tibebwa is a Wisdom Healer, she heals with herbs, detoxing, colloidal metals, the wise word, nutrition, reconnecting people to their pleasure, yoga, trauma release, emotional intelligence and elemental healing, she is most known for being a mother to many, planting trees and growing forests, building community, planting food, sowing peace through conflict resolution, and has a special focus on women’s empowerment and the importance of equally valuing the gifts of the Feminine as well as the Masculine in our world.
Tibebwa holds New and Full-Moon celebrations with focused intention meditations to encourage the human family to reconnect with the moon and the natural cycles of nature.
She offers bespoke detoxing experience, crafting a unique focused intention meditation with you and an individual detox program with a selection of detox herbs chosen for your particular needs and with care, she takes you through your 3 day personalised detox process and beyond.
Please do connect with her on WhatsApp +254792337908!
Peace, Love and Healing!
Sumali, a Yoga practitioner/teacher, has been practicing Yoga from Childhood due to involvement in Bharata Natyam. However, after a long break due to family commitments, she started practicing Yoga actively for more than 10 years. During this practice she was interested in teaching and took the path of becoming a teacher by way of further studies in Yoga with reputed institutes in India from 2017. Accordingly, she has done many teacher trainings (more than 1,000 hours) and is currently conducting classes at her own studio (Sadhana Yog Shala) in Mombasa, Kenya. She provides both physical and online classes for Iyengar/Ashtanga yoga, pre-post-natal yoga, Kids yoga and yoga for senior citizens.
She is currently undertaking a Level 2 certification in Ayurveda therapist from Ayuskama Ayurveda Institute (online learning), Himachal, India (2022)
As part of Karma Yoga, she does voluntary yoga classes
Tamara enjoys the playful styles of yoga. In yoga – as in life – she believes in trying, falling, laughing and getting up again. The foundation of her yoga is Vinyasa Flow – She loves flowing sequences and the fusion of movement and breath. Using the techniques of Vinyasa Flow, she’s expanded her practice into SUP yoga, aerial yoga and acro-yoga; these styles give her the opportunity to experiment, to practise and to play.
She’s 500hrs certified by Yoga Alliance. She did her first 200hrs teacher training with Karuna Yoga Journeys in Vinyasa Flow on the island of Lamu, Kenya. She followed this with 200hrs teacher training with ULU Yoga in multi-styles – aerial yoga, acro-yoga, SUP yoga and Hatha – on the island of Koh Phan Ngan, Thailand. And most recently she did 200hrs teacher training with Karuna Yoga Journeys in Yin.
She enjoyed dance and gymnastics all her life. As a child she loved backflipping into water, or jumping off cliffs into rockpools, and still enjoys the rush of excitement this brings. She believes when we try new things, we focus entirely on the fresh activity and let go of all outside distractions. This is a form of meditation in motion, which is the basis of yoga. She also believes that when we incorporate this movement and breathing into our days, it becomes a way of life not a part-time activity. Yoga isn’t just on the mat – or on the SUP – it’s all day, every day. Health, mindfulness, movement and fun fuse to form yoga.
“So many yogis in so many countries have helped me along my yoga path and I owe my love of yoga to all of them”.
Vera lives in the Netherlands and has been teaching Dru yoga and meditation for more than 20 years. She is a senior trainer and mentor on the Dru Yoga Teacher Training Course in the Netherlands and UK.
She teaches on the Dru Online-Studios and Yoga TV, and runs a few international retreats each year. She offers workshops and masterclasses in Hormonal Yoga, Mudra, Yoga Dance, Gayatri and Bhagavad Gita. She is also an Ayurvedic Therapeutic Masseur, and works with people one-on-one,
creating programmes to develop people’s own Sadhana (spiritual practice) combining massage, yoga, pranayama and meditation to create more balance and reconnect with their Heart and soul purpose.
During the Lamu Yoga Festival Vera will be teaching a Dru Yoga class that will include the unique Ganesh Namaskara, and also offer workshops on Hormonal yoga and the Bhagavad Gita. All her classes involve flowing yoga, meditation, relaxation, breathwork and yogic principles.
At the festival, Vera will also be offering Ayurvedic therapeutic massages.
Lamu Yoga Festival Therapists 2022
We will be offering a chance to get an assortment of therapies, facilitated by some of the best therapists we have on Lamu island. You shall be required to book for either of their services at the registration desk in Shela Bazaar, as you are picking up your festival ticket. Treat yourself to a therapy session for a full wellness emersion.
Awham is a Thaivedic bodywork masseur and a yoga instructor. He has been in wellness practice for about 7 years studying in Kenya and Thailand. For the past 4 years He has been successfully working with different people, families, YTTs and Yoga retreats around Kenya and international regular clients.
His Thaivedic massage is a 90minutes holistic approach that unites three highly effective healing modalities (traditional Thai Ayurveda and yoga) working towards nourishing the nervous system and balancing the body elements.
It’s a dry and clothes on treatment that involves working with meridians, gentle pressure points, stretches and twists to work on treating the body as a whole.
Fred will offer Intonga, Thai Massage, Relaxing massage, Deep tissue massage, Sidai, Hotstone and Reflexology.
Price is between KSH 4,500 – 6,500.
- Private or small group Yoga Dance: (Price depends on the group size)
- Intuitive Angel Card Reading: 50 USD
- Dream Interpretation: 50 USD
Hannah is a licensed practitioner of Chinese Medicine practicing acupuncture, guasha, cupping therapy and moxibustion to treat a wide variety of issues such as pain, digestive disorders, sleep, mental health problems such as depression and anxiety and menstrual issue.
Makiko is a Ayuverdic body care, Chakra activation and Soul healing therapist in Shela.
Her services include;
Harmony treatment – high frequency healing session resetting your chakras with aromatherapy oils customized for you.
Targeted energy healing – Alleviates pain and eases tension by going beyond the usual superficial massage
Shirodara treatment – An Ayurvedic healing technique that involves poruing liquid – usually oil – onto your forehead to counter stress, increase mental clarity and waken intuition for soul growth .
Distance/ Remote healing – The use of complementary therapies that focus ligh and information in energy frequencies from a physical distance.
She recommends these treatments if you;
- Want to reset your body and mind
- Are stressed and feeling tired
- Want an energy purification and balancing
**All treatments are Ksh.6,000
Mareen Pasedag is a Holistic Healer and Medium. Her main tools are Quantum Healing, Spiritual Life Consulting, Massage, Nutrition and teaching Yoga, which she all combined in her concept LANI Berlin. LANI stands for Love — Accept — Nourish — Inspire. Her mission is to assist people to find acceptance and love within themselves and to learn to treat themselves the best way possible. And by doing so, inspiring others to do the same.
Her spiritual journey and search for answers really began as a child and was taken on a deeper path when she got introduced to Yoga in 2005. She practiced Hatha, Kundalini and Bikram Yoga until she moved into becoming a teacher herself in 2016. Her trainings include Sivananda Yoga, Pre & Postnatal and 5 Elements Yin & Yang Hatha Yoga.
Especially the profound movement of energy with the 5 elements Yoga won her heart. Combining the energetic aspects of working with the meridian lines known from Chinese Medicine while doing Yoga. The ability to align all elements within you by practicing Yoga is a tool she also uses on her Fasting & 5 Elements Yoga Retreats she offers twice a year in Europe. Mareen is based in Berlin and focused to work more internationally.
Instagram: lani_berlin_
Facebook: laniberlin
Web: lani-berlin.de
Monika Fauth is a loving advocate for people, community and overall well-being.
During the festival Monika offers space to hold for you, so that you discover your own strength and wellbeing. Her therapy takes you into a journey of yourself, into your body, through breath, creating awareness, exploring upcoming emotions and listening.
As a well-travelled, adventurous soul with a penchant for improving the lives of others — Monika shows up for her roles as CEO, Wife, Mother, Founder, Yoga Teacher, Guide and Mentor as a loving being who loves to serve those seeking to access new levels of alignment with their divine power as well as sexual lifeforce energy.
Her training as a Valley Coach, Yoga and Art of Living Teacher, Breathwork and Meditation practitioner, her ongoing training for Holistic Counselor, have all served the growth and impact of her creations with which she seeks to impact others through sharing her knowledge and experience. These include the notable Banana House and Wellness Centre, the world-renowned Lamu Yoga Festival, Lamu Furaha and various community projects on the island of Lamu, off the Kenyan Coast. On her personal level she guided and encouraged many younger people to stand in their own power.
Session 45 min/ 3000 ksh @Small Banana House
Samantha will offer Thai massage and abdominal massage sessions that can be combined with sound healing.
Prices:
1 hour is — 100 USD (12,000 KSH)
1 and a half hours — 150 USD (17,500 KSH)
To be updated…
At the festival, Vera will be offering Abhyanga — an Ayurvedic body massage with warm medicinal herbal oil. The oil is customized for you, based on your constitution, any health issues and your vitality. The in-depth Ayurvedic massage provides body and mind cleansing, nourishment and relaxation. The oil and massage helps to accelerate the removal of waste, relieve the muscles and bring the body and mind into a state of relaxation. Circulation-promoting techniques are combined with the stimulation of special marma points — Ayurvedic pressure points, which have a great similarity with the (much younger and Marma-based) Chinese acupuncture points. The aim in this massage is to bring the 5 elements in balance in the 3 doshas Kapha, Pitta and Vata .
Price: 70 euro — 1.15 minutes — 8000 KES