Jeff Phenix - Lead Teacher
We’re delighted to have Jeff Phenix, one of the UK’s leading and most respected yoga teachers, leading the Yoga West teacher training program.

Jeff has been practising yoga and meditation regularly for almost 25 years and teaching for 18 years. He trained yoga teachers for around 10 years as lead teacher on triyoga’s teacher training course and has received Yoga Alliance’s highest level of certification (E-RYT 500/senior teacher).

His decision to convert his love of yoga into enrolling on a teacher training program was one of the most important in his life and he is delighted and honoured to support you in this exciting new step in your practice and life.

Jeff has a seriously playful and mindful unique teaching style which is varied, creative and influenced by many different schools: the emphasis on breath and movement of vinyasa flow; the precision of Iyengar; the heart orientated grace of Anusara and the spirituality and traditional philosophy of Jivamukti and Satyananda schools.

Jeff was a contributing author on the book ‘Everyone Try Yoga’ and teaches workshops, yoga weekends and retreats both in the UK and internationally. To find out more about Jeff go to https://jeffphenixyoga.com/

ASANA, TEACHING TECHNIQUE, THE YOGA BODY, ASSISTS

Zeena Kalisperides - Co-lead Teacher
Zeena leads the Mysore yoga programme at Yoga West. Both Yoga West and her Mysore students are delighted she will play such an active role in this teacher training.

Zeena is an Ashtanga Mysore practitioner and teacher with over twenty years of practice and ten years of teaching experience. Having studied biochemistry and dental surgery to degree level and worked as a dentist in the NHS for eight years, Zeena has a scientific, medical and yogic knowledge of the body and mind. She believes that anyone is capable of experiencing health, strength and vitality in all areas of one’s life through these daily rituals. She continues to study and practice under the guidance of her teacher Hamish Hendry, as well as studying the complementary ancient practices of ayurveda and jyotish, teachings of the Vedas and tantric philosophies.

She is passionate about sharing yoga practices in their whole form, honouring the traditional roots from where they came so that students can receive a comprehensive understanding of these practises. She aims to inspire students to experience yoga practices as both a playground for enquiry and growth as well as a mirror to reflect to us where and how we may bring more balance to our lives.

To find out more about Zeena go to https://zeenakaliyoga.wordpress.com/

ASANA, ASHTANGA SEQUENCING, ASSISTS

Pete Cherry
Pete is one of the most knowledgeable teachers of meditation and pranayama.

He discovered yoga and meditation in 2003 as a way to alleviate the physical and mental stresses of prolonged touring as a musician. Having graduated from Oxford with a Modern History degree in 1998, he went on to undertake a career as a bass player working with musicians from Beyonce to Joss Stone on David Letterman and Jay Leno.

Yoga and meditation gave him radical changes in strength and mental clarity. The physical benefits deepened and led him to develop an interest in Pranayama (breath control), the practices of Zen and the study of Sanskrit. Pete trained with Erich Schiffman and has also studied with some of the world’s leading teachers including renowned anatomist Leslie Kaminoff, master Power Yoga teacher Fred Busch, Daizan Julian Skinner the first westerner to become a Zen master, and Dr Shrikrishna, one of India’s foremost authorities on the study of breath control. Pete holds a First Class Master’s Degree from SOAS in Buddhist Studies and Sanskrit and is currently undertaking a PhD.

Pete’s passion is to enable all students to experience the richness of self awareness and the startling benefits of regular mind training.

To find out more about Pete go to http://www.theclearmindcompany.com/

PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY

PRANAYAMA AND MEDITATION

Brodie Bass

Brodie is one of the most well respected and loved teacher at Yoga West; a fantastic communicator he uses his skills to consistently deliver fantastic classes and get the most our of his students. Prior to working as a teacher Brodie worked for many years as a performer and actor.

In his classes he inspires strength, calm, playfulness and joyful creativity while focusing on the breath to encourage and develop a mind body connection, which is further enhanced by his use of imagery to help focus the mind in a powerful and positive way, leaving his students feeling uplifted and empowered by their own sense of goodness and their own Divine Nature which lies within.

Practiced in various forms of Yoga - Bikram, Ashtanga, Jivamukti - He has a keen interest in Vinyasa Flow & Yin Yoga and in further developing his own awareness and that of his fellow yogis in Anusara Yoga- a heart based practice cultivating the Physical and Spiritual Divinity within.

To find out more about Brodie go to https://www.brodiebass.com/

VINYASA SEQUENCING 

COMMUNICATION

Mia Gemmecke

Mia has been teaching yoga for 4 years now and loves how versatile the practice can be. You’ll find her teaching fun & creative vinyasa classes incorporating inversions and the odd handstand workshop., all with a well curated playlist. No matter which class you make it to, whether online or in person, expect to sweat, smile & leave feeling relaxed and uplifted. 

On this training Mia will guide you through the making of the perfect playlist to marry up with your flow, show ways of creating light narrative & emotional arks through class or how to pick music that creates a nice ambient background if you feel that’d suit your teaching better. Just as music can be the making of many classes it’s also important to learn where music might not sit as well in a workshop or class, this is also something you will explore on this module with Mia. 

To find out more about Mia go to https://www.girlonthegreenyoga.com/

VINYASA SEQUENCING 

YOGA AND MUSIC

Veronika Kloucek
Veronika is a qualified, accredited and registered integrative psychotherapist & counsellor, mindfulness facilitator, and yoga teacher & trainer with over ten years’ experience working with individuals, couples, and groups in various capacities. In addition to running a psychotherapeutic practice, she works part-time in the NHS offering both open-ended and time-limited therapy. Her special interest lies in relationship difficulties, cross-cultural issues, and trauma.

A converted business professional dedicated to promoting emotional and mental health and wellbeing, Veronika brings both a pragmatic and holistic perspective to her work. Alongside her therapeutic practice, she facilitates personal development workshops combining her experience and expertise in the corporate world, psychology, yoga and mindfulness. 

Veronika’s thinking is based on an embodied mind and the integrative approach allows her to bring together traditional therapeutic theories with evidence-based models and contemporary relational ideas that are grounded in findings from neurobiology. She draws on psychoanalytic and psychodynamic thought, attachment- and regulation theories, sensorimotor and body-awareness approaches to trauma treatment, mindfulness and cognitive behavioural therapy.

To find out more about Veronika go to https://veronikakloucek.com/

PERSONAL TRANSFORMATION

Cal Wansbrough

Cal is a passionate and experienced ERYT 500-hour certified vinyasa flow and yin yoga teacher. She has trained extensively with renown US teachers Paul Grilley, Baron Baptiste, and Tiffany Cruishank, and continues to learn under her main teacher, Paul Grilley. Cal teaches both vinyasa and yin, the latter being her true love, and where she experienced true transformation.

She teaches from a sound anatomical base, understanding that every-body is fundamentally different, and encouraging this to be explored on the mat. She is passionate about anatomy and applying this to yoga, having learnt anatomy extensively through numerous courses, and teaches the anatomy section of YA certified 200 hours TTs for various yoga studios throughout London. She also runs her own Yin Teacher Training courses of both 100 hours and 50 hours, and a Women’s Health and Yoga 30-hour module.

Cal is also trained acupuncturist, graduating from the renown college of Integrated Chinese Medicine and offers integrated Five Element and TCM acupuncture treatments as well as cupping and guasha therapy in London. She specialises in Women’s Health and Fertility.

You can find more about Cal on http://yogainthebigsmoke.co.uk

ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY

James Muthana

James is the Founder of Yoga West and its sister company, YogaAt, which he has managed for about 10 years. James sets the purpose, vision, values and strategy for each business and manages their teams.  Before setting up his yoga businesses he worked in finance for 10 years mainly in private equity where he raised and invested money into private equity funds. He has been featured in most of the UK press and on a number of TV channels and worked closely with Arianna Huffington to launch Thrive in the UK. His professional mission is to help everyone to discover a different self and his personal and professional experience is that yoga is one of the most powerful tools to deliver this transformation.In his module he will describe the global yoga and wellbeing sector and support each of you to begin the work that ultimately will create a business plan that meets your economic and personal needs while helping others to use yoga and meditation to grow and evolve. He also offers all graduates a one-to-one exit interview after the training to review agreed actions from the module and to flesh out further your yoga business plan. His aim is that each one of you is able to meet your financial needs from doing what you love and transforming the lives of others. 

YOGA AND BUSINESS