Archives: Teachers

Lalit is the Founding Director of Himalaya Yoga Valley and leads all 200 & 300 hour Teacher Training Programs at the school. Lalit began studying at traditional Indian yoga schools known as Gurukulams at the age of 7 and he is honoured to have studied yoga under some of the most well-known and respected yoga Masters in India.

Lisa is from Cork where she commenced her yoga practice in 2007, initially to help with back problems. Following a yoga lifestyle is an integral part of Lisa’s daily life and she believes that practicing yoga in all its forms is essential for managing the stresses of modern living. She completed her 200 hr Teacher Training course with Yogachara Lalit Kumar at the Himalaya Yoga Valley Centre in Goa in 2011 and has practiced and studied closely under Lalit ever since.

Originally from Cork, Jared found his passion for Yoga in 2015 while training Jiu-Jitsu in the United States. Jared went on to study meditation at the Burlington Shambhala Centre in Vermont which encouraged him to dedicate his life to yoga. In 2017 he moved back to Ireland to begin his teacher training with Himalaya Yoga Valley in Cork. Since completing the course he has fostered his passion for yoga and sharing the awareness and empowerment that you acquire through regular yoga practice.

Jim started his yoga journey at the age of 39. In a short period he noticed the mental and emotional benefits of a regular practice. His passion for teaching grew from leading practices, under the guidance of Himalaya Yoga Valley, to multi-national troops while serving overseas with the UN. He enrolled in HYVC Yoga Teacher Training in Goa in 2013. Since then he has taught in a variety of settings including the Irish Defence Forces and the Slí Eile Farm Project where he is a voluntary teacher.

Carolann’s journey in yoga began in her late teens when her sister convinced her to go along to a class. It wasn’t until she was later diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis, and yoga was recommended by her doctor, that she found a regular practice. She was amazed by the positive effects that yoga had on both her physical and mental ability to tackle her diagnosis and it became a huge part of her life.

Mary was in her early sixties when her daughter brought her along to a yoga class. It just took that first class to alter her whole way of thinking and she completed the Level One teacher training programme with Himalaya Yoga Valley in 2016, and then was an intern on the 200 hour teacher training in Cork 2017. In spring 2018, she also completed the 500 hour teacher training in the Himalaya Centre in Goa and continues to inspire her students and practice regularly

Gavin initially trained as a yoga instructor in 2013 where he completed his diploma in fitness yoga where he taught for two years. In 2015 he travelled to Himalaya Yoga Valley to complete his 200hr and then in early 2020 went back to complete his 50 hr intense. As well as being dedicated in yoga, Gavin is also a personal trainer and head coach working in an environment to help students with their physical and mental health.

From London, Annabel has been practicing yoga since her late teens. While growing up, her mother was managing a health condition caused by stress. She used yoga as a tool to help her and Annabel saw the positive mental and physical effects yoga offered. In 2018 she decided to change her lifestyle and completed her initial TTC and internship with Himalaya Yoga Valley.

Karen’s interest in yoga was first sparked when attending local yoga classes in West Cork at the age of 16. Her practice has helped her grow stronger, more confident and mindful. It has also been extremely beneficial during times when stress and anxiety arose throughout my life allowing me to support and care for myself in a healthy way. In 2018, she began practicing regularly in Himalaya Yoga Valley centre in Cork. She completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training course in Himalaya’s centre in Goa in December 2019

Niamh started yoga for the exercise and relaxation aspects and have stayed for the lifestyle and life lessons it teaches. She completed her Yoga Teacher Training in Goa with Himalaya Yoga Valley and has been teaching regularly since. She has a background in health psychology and am undertaking a PhD in emotional aspects of diabetes care. Niamh loves to see the impact yoga has on our students’ lives, which they may not be expecting of consciously seeking out, but they experience on their yoga journey.