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MASTER TEACHERS

2025

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Laruga Glaser

Laruga Glaser has practiced Ashtanga yoga for over 28 years, studying in Mysore, India, with the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and now with R. Sharath Jois. Certified to teach up to Advanced B, she has made over 15 trips to Mysore, continuing to grow as a student and teacher. Laruga shares her deep passion for the practice globally, inspiring others to realize their potential while honoring the lineage.

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David Swenson

David Swenson began practicing yoga at 13, guided by his brother Doug. In 1973, he was introduced to Ashtanga Yoga by David Williams and Nancy Gilgoff in Encinitas, California. He met Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in 1975 and later traveled to Mysore, India, where he learned the full Ashtanga system. Today, David is recognized as one of the foremost Ashtanga Yoga practitioners and teaches worldwide.

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Kino MacGregor

Kino MacGregor is a renowned Ashtanga Yoga teacher, author, and co-founder of Miami Life Center. With over two decades of practice, she is one of the few people worldwide to receive certification to teach Ashtanga Yoga by Pattabhi Jois in Mysore, India. Kino is dedicated to sharing the transformative power of Ashtanga through her global teaching, online platforms, and publications.

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Dena Kingsberg

Dena Kingsberg has been studying and practicing traditional Ashtanga Yoga for over 40 years. She is a devoted long term student of the late Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. She remains committed, deeply inspired and continuously amazed by the vast healing potential of this life changing practice. Dena has a disciplined, yet lyrical style of teaching with a holistic approach that looks beyond external form to inspire a passion for self-inquiry and reflection.

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Richard Freeman

Richard Freeman has been a student of yoga since 1968, studying various traditions across Asia, including Sufism, Zen, and Bhakti, which he integrates into Ashtanga yoga as taught by K. Pattabhi Jois. His deep knowledge of both Western and Eastern philosophy, along with his unique, metaphorical teaching style, makes him a respected instructor at the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado, and worldwide.

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Mary Taylor

Mary Taylor is a seasoned Ashtanga Yoga teacher with over three decades of experience. She began her practice under the guidance of Pattabhi Jois in the early 1980s and has since become a respected instructor known for her compassionate and insightful teaching style. Mary co-founded the Yoga Workshop in Boulder, Colorado, with her husband, Richard Freeman, and continues to share her deep understanding of yoga through classes, workshops, and writings.

Jessica Walden

ASSISTANT TEACHERS

2025

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Steve Dwelley

Authorized / Certified Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

Steve Dwelley is a dedicated Ashtanga Yoga teacher and studio owner based in Santa Barbara, California. With decades of experience, Steve brings a deep understanding of the traditional Ashtanga method to his teaching, fostering both discipline and inspiration in his students. His studio serves as a welcoming space for practitioners of all levels to explore and deepen their yoga practice.

Diana Christianson

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LEADING SPECIAL WORKSHOP

Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

Diana Christinson is the founder and director of Pacific Ashtanga Yoga Shala in Dana Point, California. With over 30 years of teaching experience, she is among a select group certified by Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Rangaswamy to teach the first and second series of Ashtanga yoga. Diana began her yoga journey in 1987 in Kyoto, Japan, and has since made multiple trips to India to deepen her practice. Holding a master's degree in psychology, she integrates Eastern philosophies and meditation into her teaching, inspiring students to maintain both physical and mental health through yoga..

Jim Jamila

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Authorized Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

Jim Jamila is a devoted Ashtanga yoga practitioner and teacher with over two decades of experience, based in Los Angeles. In January 2013, his journey led him to Mysore, India, where he began studying under Sharath Jois, immersing himself in the traditional teachings of Ashtanga yoga. Jim’s passion for preserving and sharing this lineage shines through in his teaching. With a grounded and approachable style, he encourages students to explore the depth and discipline of their practice, fostering growth, transformation, and mindfulness both on and off the mat.  .

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Jack Wiseman

Authorized / Certified Ashtanga Yoga Teacher

Jack Wiseman is a devoted Ashtanga Yoga practitioner and teacher with more than 35 years of experience. Known for his uncomplicated instruction and sensitive adjustments Jack brings a relaxed warmth to the teaching environment.

He is a beautiful example of a loving father and husband inspiring many on and off the mat.

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MODERATOR / ASSISTANT TEACHER

Jessica Walden

Jessica began practicing Ashtanga Yoga in 1994 and studied extensively in Mysore, India, from 2001 to 2011 with Patthabi Jois, Sharath, and Saraswati. She earned a Level 2 Teaching Authorization Certificate from KPJAYI in 2009 and has taught at renowned studios in the USA and Australia, including Tim Miller’s Shala and Jois Yoga, and has assisted Sharath at KPJAYI Mysore. Twelve years ago, Jessica suffered a major spinal injury, which initially caused fear and pain and often requires invasive surgery to stabilize the spine. However, she chose not to undergo surgery, instead using the injury to reshape her practice with a focus on inner awareness and accessing subtle energies to cultivate gentle strength, grace, and flexibility. Jessica sees herself as a lifelong student and approaches teaching by helping students find self-acceptance, control, grace, and effortlessness in their own practice.

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