I searched for truth after I lost it.... I was a good boy who grew up in a dangerous area of Los Angeles, Culver City. Fortunately, my parents were religious and each Sunday my two brothers, mother and father went to church. Eventually I become an alter boy, I loved the ritual of church. The various ceremonies of church, lighting the candles, singing about God was my first formal yoga. Then one day during the Service I had a vision of the divine Blue Pearl. Innocence is purity.

Then adolescence, and I became lost in the teenage dramas of relationships, drugs and the pressures and lifestyle of LA. What a gift now as I look back.

Grace enters the backdoor when we are left feeling homeless with a heart open to God. Praying one day, I asked for a teacher, and on May 19th, 1989 I met Gurumayi, in Los Angeles. Through the awakening of my heart through shaktipat diksha, an earnest desire to know myself began, and I formally began Siddha Yoga Meditation. I lived in Gurumayi's ashram's in both New York and India, learning Sanskrit chants, practicing hours of meditation and devoted my self to seva. These years of study and service are deeply embeded within my heart, mind and body. I learned hatha yoga in the Ashram, met many teacher's of Kashmir Shivaism and the goddess tradition of Shri Vidya.

I took my first hatha yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Works in 2001 taught by Maty Erzaty (Astanga yoga) and Lisa Walford (Iyengar yoga). I learned tremendously from them both in asana and attitude. During my visits back to the Gurumayi's Ashram I took many workshops with John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga. In Los Angeles I found City Yoga and began taking workshops and attending The Practice, a 3-hour advanced practice in a deep atmosphere of play, support and detail.

In 2003, I was offered a teaching job in Zurich, Switzerland to open an “L.A” style yoga studio, today known as AirYoga. I knew once again this was grace flowing into my life and an opportunity to grow. Moving to a new culture and bringing a new style of yoga to Zurich has been a practice in yoga. I was certified as an Anusara Yoga Instructor January 1st, 2006. Presently, I hold trainings and retreats as well as host many incredible Anusara Yoga teachers visiting Zurich.


John Friend has masterfully blended philosophy, precise alignment and brought 1000’s of people together to experience open-heartedness and support in the Anusara Yoga community. I am deeply and humbly grateful to all my teachers for their grace and guidance, helping me live my truth. My life is service and seeing students awaken to their ability to create a life of truth, happiness, and love is the greatest!

Om Namah Shivaya