TEACHERS

RACHEL NYSTROM

Rachel started practicing yoga in 1999 and became a committed, daily practitioner of the Ashtanga method in 2002. She made her first trip to Mysore to study with the lineage in 2008. She has since made ten more trips to study with R Sharath Jois in India. Rachel holds Level 2 Authorization and is qualified to teach the full Primary and Intermediate Series. She began teaching yoga in 2003 and established AYH in 2013; it continues to be the only traditional Mysore program in Houston led by an authorized Ashtanga teacher.

Rachel believes that the Ashtanga Yoga method is an opportunity for personal transformation, allowing for significant insights into all aspects of oneself, and that continuity is the key to developing this awareness and truly reaping the benefits of the practice. Rachel is originally from Connecticut and has been a licensed Physical Therapist since 1998, bringing to her teaching a wealth of movement analysis and musculoskeletal expertise.

Rachel is filled with gratitude to her teacher R Sharath Jois for guiding her and giving her his blessing to share this transformative practice with others. She is grateful to the teachers that help support her in sharing the practice at AYH, and is honored and humbled by all the practitioners who allow her to hold the space for them.

ERIK HARDENBOL

Erik began practicing yoga in 1991 and adopted a daily Ashtanga practice in 1997 under the guidance of David Swenson. He began teaching yoga in 1998, and his first trip to study under R Sharath Jois was in 2009. He has since made seven trips to the source and received Level 1 Authorization from the Institute. Erik is originally from the Netherlands and works as a Geologist.

EE KACHINSKI

EE started practicing yoga in 2004 and became a committed practitioner of the Ashtanga method in 2006. She began practicing at AYH in 2013 when it opened. She made her first trip to Mysore to study with the lineage in 2011. She has since made three trips and received Level 2 Authorization from R Sharath Jois. She began assisting at AYH in 2014 under the mentorship of Rachel. EE has lived most of her life in Texas and is an Optometrist by profession.

GILL MCCLEAN

Gill started practicing Ashtanga in 2001 and became a traditional practitioner under the guidance of David Keil in 2005. She opened The Yoga Spot, North East Scotland’s first yoga studio to offer traditional Ashtanga classes, in 2007 before relocating to Houston in 2013. She has practiced at AYH since that time and, in 2014, became part of the teaching team. She traveled to India in 2017 to study under R Sharath Jois. Gill is originally from Glasgow and is currently the Director of Professional Development for Pure Edge Inc., whose primary purpose is to bring health and wellness to children in the public school system.

MATT SWEENEY

Matt began a daily Ashtanga practice 2010 under the guidance of John Campbell following an extensive personal exploration of movement, having earned his BFA in dance, and becoming a fully certified STOTT PILATES instructor. His first trip to study with R Sharath Jois was in 2012. He has since made three trips to study with the lineage and holds Level 2 Authorization. Matt has taught yoga and Pilates full time since 2008 and upon relocating to Houston in 2018, quickly became part of the AYH community and teaching team. Matt is originally from North Carolina. In addition to teaching at AYH, he offers private Pilates and yoga instruction through Montrose Mindful Movement.

Alice Vieville

Alice started daily ashtanga practice in 2014 after being introduced to the method in Andorra, Europe. She began practicing at AYH in 2016 and made her first trip to Mysore to study with the lineage that same year. She has a background in teaching yoga to school age children and began assisting at AYH in 2019 under Rachel’s mentorship. Alice is originally from South-Eastern France. She is a Spanish and French language teacher, having taught in Europe, China, and now in the US.

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