Sofia Araujo
Sofia Araujo is a yoga teacher, therapist, chef and writer that shares an enthusiastic passion for holistic health and movement education. She is trained in the alchemy of the 5 Elements through Yoga, Ayurveda, Macrobiotic Nutrition and Counselling, Ayurvedic Yoga Massage and Chi Nei Tsang (Visceral Massage) with over 1500 hours of certified yoga studies.
Her ability to listen people through their movements, breath rhythms and nature cycles is what makes her a skilful yoga therapist, teacher and holistic health counsellor. She offers a view on the human experience that is rich in mindful movement and committed in living in awareness with the principles of Nature.
She is the director of international Swara Yoga School and travels extensively, educating people from all backgrounds and nationalities. She has also developed the social entrepreneurial aspect to her business and sponsors several yoga and meditation projects to unprivileged communities in countries like Indonesia, India, Belize, Guinea-Bissau and Nepal. Full Bio >>
Amber Sawyer
As an Embodiment Facilitator, Amber shares the joy of living through holistic practices of yoga, active meditations, and elemental wellness, as well as combines these offerings with her service as a birth doula and holistic guide for pregnancy / postpartum women. With nearly 20 years of study and practice in Yoga, Ayurveda and Meditation, as well as a PhD in Biomedical Engineering in the field of stem-cell tissue repair, Amber brings a unique perspective on healing and self-discovery through the influence of scientific and ancient wisdoms.
After founding and running a center for meditation and yoga in Singapore for nearly 10 years, Amber shifted into her current offerings, which include mothering a vibrant little one, continued work with group immersions and retreats, biannually leading 5-Elements and Prenatal/Postnatal Yoga Teacher Trainings, and working on a more individual basis of empowering others to find their inner and outer harmony through a variety of practices including breathwork, nutrition, constitutional analysis, yoga, meditation and daily rhythms. Part of this dharma particularly focuses on empowering women to have a conscious pregnancy, birth experience and preparedness for motherhood.
She teaches the 5 Elements Yoga Teacher Trainings at Swara Yoga School. Full Bio >>
Hugo Abecassis
It was through an act of pure altruism that yoga entered the life and heart of Hugo Abecassis. His mother did yoga, but a long time had passed since she’d attended a class and Hugo wanted to motivate her to go back to doing it regularly.
Even though, in this first class, Hugo had no idea what he was doing he found his path. He even asked his teacher, who gave him a handkerchief for a pranayama exercise if he was supposed to blow his nose in it, which made the entire class laugh. But even with this, he felt at home.
Afterwards, Hugo tried countless methods of yoga. Ashtanga Vinyasa, Shivanada Yoga, Dynamic Yoga and Acro Yoga, among others. Hugo says he is “appreciative of every method, as long as it is well performed”. Currently, he practices more frequently the Iyengar method — a method that he considers a piece of art and an extraordinary legacy to yoga —, guaranteeing that “even though sometimes it may look like a very physical practice, with time it also becomes a way for us to know ourselves”. Full Bio >>
Emily Baxter
Emily is a movement specialist, acrobatics teacher, teacher trainer, anatomy nerd and perpetual student of the body. She is the founder of international school and community Partner Acrobatics and Integrated Yin Yoga. She has taught more than a dozen yoga teacher trainings as a movement and anatomy consultant for other international yoga schools.
Originally from Ottawa, Canada, for 15 years Emily has studied numerous movement modalities including various styles of yoga. Her extensive background in postural assessment and exercise based postural re- alignment therapy has rewarded Emily the ability to help people rehabilitate from injuries, move out of pain and regain joy, ease and playfulness in their lives.
She is certified as a Hatha Yoga Teacher from Kaivalyadhama, Yin Yoga Teacher and is currently studying at the Egoscue university to become a certified Egoscue Therapist.
Emily's teaching style blends humor and fun into clear, precise, thoughtful instruction. She is known for her contagious enthusiasm and never ending energy.
Emily co-teaches the Organic Harvest Retreat.
Atira Tan
A world traveler and seeker of authenticity, Atira’s 16 years of yoga immersion shines through in her distinct style of teaching. Through the practice of deep listening, alignment and healing, she inspires and empowers students through her infectious exuberance, courage and joy for life, to live an authentic life in peace, joy and purpose, on and off the yoga mat.
Atira has been immersed in various forms of yoga styles, including Classical Hatha, Yin, Ashtanga, Iyengar, Vinyasa Flow. However, it wasn't until her training in the Anusara style of Yoga when her teaching style blossomed. She has over 1000 hours of education in yoga teacher trainings that she has attended all over the world and is certified in Anusara, Yin Yoga, Tigress Yoga and Embodied Flow.
She is the Founder and Executive Director of Art2Healing Project, a non-profit organization assisting sex trafficked women and children globally.
Over 11 years, she has set up several yoga, art therapy, women’s health and trauma informed programs, from the refugee camps in Burma, to the slums of Nepal.
Atira is an international speaker, yoga teacher, author, art therapist & facilitator. She is passionate in empowering others to be leaders in social change, serving and loving the world wholeheartedly, courageously & sustainably.
Atira co-teaches the 100 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in Women´s Health & Leadership.
Sebastian Bruno
Sebastian Bruno is the co-founder and director of Thai Vedic Yoga. Originally from Portugal, Sebastian has been immersed in the study and practice of healing arts for the past 14 years.
He is qualified in a variety of healing modalities that he uses both in his trainings and private sessions, such as: Thai Massage, Ayurvedic Yoga Massage, Aromatherapy, Chi Nei Tsang, Reflexology, Thai Vedic Yoga, Hatta and Tantra Yoga, Qi Gong, Taoist practices, Meditation, Fire-walking and Dance.
Certified Thai Massage teacher and practitioner by The Healing Hands Foundation - Nepal and the Thai Minister of Education- Thailand, Yoga Teacher and Fire-walking instructor, Sebastian teaches worldwide, inspiring and being inspired in his travels.
Sebastian co-teaches the 7 Day Holistic Health Retreat in Swara Yoga School.
Cathy Pearson
Cathy has been involved with yoga since 1996. Since then she has spent the years living between Thailand, India & Ireland (more recently Bali) deepening her understanding of the vast layers of yoga. She is a certified yoga teacher from Yoga Arts Australia and over the years she has studied various styles of yoga including Iyengar, Hatha, Ashtanga & meditation, as well as being a qualified Cellular Healing Therapist.
This varied experience has led her to express her understanding of yoga in a dynamic way and teaches it as a transformational process that explores the individuality of each person. Her classes place emphasis on a deep connection with the breath, clarity and stillness of the mind, strength, balance, a graceful flow of moving mediation and the exploration of consciousness.
She is a guest teacher in Swara Yoga School's 7 Day Holistic Health Retreat where she teaches yoga and facilitates transformational healing processes, adding a depth to these retreats that is essential for personal and professional growth.
