At Byron Yoga Centre, our experienced and passionate teachers are at the heart of everything we do. Each of our instructors brings their own unique style, extensive knowledge, and a deep commitment to the practice of yoga. Whether you’re new to yoga or a seasoned practitioner, our teachers are dedicated to guiding you through a transformative journey of physical, mental, and spiritual well-being. With a focus on mindfulness, alignment, and connection, our team creates a warm and inclusive environment where everyone can explore their potential and deepen their practice.
Meet Our Byron Yoga Teacher Trainers
John Ogilvie is the CEO and Founder of Byron Yoga Centre. He is also one of Australia’s most respected and experienced teachers.
John has been practising yoga for more than 45 years and teaching for over 40. John developed his signature style of yoga, Purna Yoga, after 20 years of disciplined yoga training including both the Iyengar and Ashtanga lineages. Purna integrates asanas, breathing techniques, meditation and philosophical principles.
The Purna method John teaches focuses on safety through intelligent sequencing, individual attention including hands-on assists, and the use of props to support optimal alignment. John’s teaching style is entertaining and accessible. His instructions are clear and simple, always encouraging students to listen to their own body’s needs and only work at a level appropriate to the individual, at any given time.
John encourages students at all levels to build flexibility, strength and stamina of body, mind and spirit. Many students discover, as a consequence, that yoga becomes a way of life. You can read John’s inspiring story here.
Marita is our Head Teacher Trainer at Byron Yoga Centre.
As a gymnast from a young age, Marita realised early on that she’s happiest upside-down – and when she found yoga, it was love at first Downward Dog.
She began teaching Iyengar-influenced yoga in 2002 after apprenticing with her first teacher. A few years later, Marita discovered vinyasa yoga, and relished the freedom of flowing through movement and connecting with breath – her yoga practice became a moving meditation. Marita’s teaching can now be described as alignment-based vinyasa.
When teaching, Marita aims to instill the peace and happiness that she experiences through yoga within her students. By both challenging and nurturing, she teaches people to stretch and strengthen their muscles, but also to breathe, to stand tall, and to live with compassion.
Erin guides a holistic yoga practice and holds a nurturing space for deepening presence and insight. She believes yoga is a technique for transformation and that by developing awareness, we create opportunities for shifts towards greater well-being and fulfilment.
Erin has been teaching yoga since 2010. She also draws on 20 years’ experience facilitating positive change for clients in their health and wellness. Her background and educational accomplishments bring together yoga, exercise and health science (BSc), psychology (MSc Coaching Psychology), and mindfulness training.
She discovered yoga in university, finding it a compliment to playing competitive sport and studying exercise science. She later realised the importance of a dedicated practice in dealing with the adverse effects of sustained stress. She decided to deepen her yogic knowledge through teacher training.
Her teaching is influenced by her mentors and the styles of traditional Hatha, Vinyasa flow, Restorative and Yin Yoga. She regularly teaches on teacher trainings and retreats.
Bec teaches traditional hatha, incorporating correct Purna alignment and offering modifications for students. She emphasises body awareness, functional movement and breath, intentionally guiding students into the more subtle aspects of practice.
With an effective focus on stability of mind and preparing for meditation, Bec’s calm, centred energy and teaching style facilitates a powerful depth to her classes. She has a university degree in Kinesiology, biology and psychology and has completed over 1000 hours of study with Byron Yoga Centre, Creature Yoga and The Practice Bali.
Bec primarily works on the teacher trainings and is extremely dedicated to teaching and also to her own study of yoga, energetics, ayurveda and life. She continues to explore her practice under the guidance of her teachers and loves exploring and sharing this practice. Her passion for yoga shines through in everything she does.
Dan enjoys teaching an alignment-based flow, working with the energy in the room. He weaves in breath, meditation and philosophy, encouraging his students to deepen their practice, from purely physical exercise, to embrace an overall yogic lifestyle.
He is passionate about sharing the knowledge he has learnt over many years. Having completed his first Level 1 training in India in 2017 Dan has since undertaken his Level 2 with Byron Yoga Centre plus completed an Acro Yoga teacher training in 2018. He loves seeing people grasp new concepts and become confident with new skills. This in-turn has helped deepen his love these practices.
Dan has a profound interest in Eastern philosophies and has studied many different modalities including Reiki, studying Tai Chi at a Chinese Shaolin temple, learning about Buddhism and meditation while living in a Buddhist monastery, and travelling across India to study different forms of Yoga.
Aurora is a Teacher Trainer and Retreat Host at Byron Yoga Centre since 2016. Also an Emotional Wellbeing Coach – Aurora is known for her calm and compassionate space holding. In her classes she interweaves slow flow Hatha, Restorative and Yin Yoga styles.
Aurora began practising yoga 20 years ago and spent most of her adult life in the UK as a Trainer, Coach and Event Organiser, and it was here that she became aware of the very real nature of burn out.
This led her to delve deeper into yoga and to study the womb and cycles by which the feminine energies are governed. She shares her personal Shakti journey as co-host with Tabata on our Women’s Retreats, and in her classes.
Aurora hopes to inspire her students to reconnect deeply with themselves, align and shine in their true essence, and make space for what’s truly important – on and off the mat.
Elle has been teaching yoga over 10 years and has a strong focus on alignments and core. Her classes are designed to be safe and accessible for all levels.
She originally trained as an Ashtanga Yoga Teacher and now enjoys leading more gentle classes, always with mindfulness practices as a central theme. Elle guides her students to focus on the breath and her classes are gentle and relaxing for the body and mind. She describes her classes as like a dance with the breath, calming and nurturing.
Meditation is also an important part of her teaching style and practice as she has been fortunate to study Zen Buddhism for the last 8 years.
She simply loves teaching yoga and bringing all the benefits of this ancient practice to the students so they can enjoy vitality, calm and serenity in their yoga practice and daily lives.
Chris started practicing yoga asana while he served in the Military. It reduced stress and was particularly helpful in processing traumatic experiences from his time deployed to Afghanistan.
After 14 years service, he left the Military and went straight into yoga teacher training, completing his Level 1 in Bali and then Level 2 and the Certificate IV with Byron Yoga Centre. He has also studied with Trauma-Sensitive Australia, Trauma Centre Trauma-Sensitive Yoga and completed the Byron Yoga Centre Remedial Yoga course with Maria Kirsten.
He currently balances his time between family, working with Byron Yoga Centre to deliver Trauma-Aware Yoga Teacher Trainings and running Frontline Yoga which provides Trauma-aware Yoga to the Military, First Responder and Emergency Services community.
Tabata has been practicing yoga for 15 years and loves to combine Yoga with Astrology to bring the stars to each class. Her passion is women’s health and teaching yoga according to the moon cycle. She hosts the Sacred Women’s Retreats at Byron Yoga Retreat Centre.
In 2010 she began a self-discovery adventure leaving Brazil for Findhorn in Scotland. She then moved to Totnes in the UK for a Masters Degree and learnt more about yoga, meditation and astrology, also travelling to several spiritual and sustainable communities on different continents.
Back in Brazil in 2013 Tabata lived at a Tantric Ashram studying Biopsychology and Tantra. From that moment on her yoga teaching started to develop and she found her personal style of teaching – the combination of her passions: Yoga and Astrology.
Tabata has also written an incredible book ‘Burst Into Bloom’. It will give you an overview of Yoga and Ayurveda, and the interconnection between these disciplines and a woman’s cycles. Tabata shares her life experience, transformations to realise her full potential and her true path in serving women in the journey to go beyond what we reflect in the mirror to find our PURPOSE in life and our inner fulfilment of happiness and bliss.
Includes incredibly empowering topics such as a women’s cycle, hormones, fertility, pregnancy, early pregnancy loss, and menopause. Learn more here.
Judy is founder of The Yoga Room, and leads our Part Time Level 1 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in Sydney. She has enjoyed a full-time career as a yoga teacher and senior teacher trainer for over 30 years, and her reputation is acknowledged both here in Australia and overseas.
Judy originally completed her Iyengar training in South Africa, and now teaches a multi-faceted approach, blending the art of asana practice with the science and mechanics of movement.
She teaches with both humour and passion and encourages her students to move beyond their perceived limitations. Judy’s teachings focus on a therapeutic approach to the practice, making yoga safe for all.
Swami Pujan (Stephan Kahlert).
Stephan who is also known affectionately by his students as Swami Pujan, has over twenty five years’ experience as a meditation practitioner and teacher in the Soto Zen, Vipassana, Vedanta and yoga traditions. He has taught overseas on many occasions in his capacity as a meditation teacher. Stephan trained as a yoga teacher with John Ogilvie in 2005.
He teaches meditation and Hindu philosophy on retreats and teacher training at the Centre. His style is light-hearted, humorous, engaging and fun. Along with his wife Bettina, Stephan regularly travels to India to deepen his practice.
Bettina first did yoga more than 30 years ago and became serious during pregnancy 20 years ago. She trained as a fitness instructor 20 years ago and more recently complemented this with Pilates teacher training. Bettina has done 4 different yoga teacher trainings, most recently with John Ogilvie and has recently been studying the use of yoga nidra in rehabilitation, recording a CD in India.
Bettina’s classes emphasise the core, pelvic floor and the bandhas. Bettina has been lucky to meet with and learn from several spiritual masters, including B.K.S. Iyengar, Pattabi Jois, T.K.V. Desikachar and Clive Sheridan.
Maria Kirsten was a senior yoga teacher, yoga therapist and occupational therapist. She passed away peacefully after a short cancer illness in April 2021. We have left her bio here to honour her memory and in kindness to anyone who knew and therefore loved her, (it was impossible not to love Maria).
Anyone who had the pleasure of meeting Maria knows that she is a very special teacher and a wonderful soul. Vibrant in her nature, dynamic in her delivery, graceful and humble in her teachings and compassionate beyond measure. Maria passionately shared her knowledge, wisdom and heart with our community for many years, and reached so many people through her work, both with Byron Yoga Centre, and with her own project, Yoga for Grown Ups.
Maria was dedicated to sharing accessible yoga with all kinds of people, and that’s exactly what she did (always with a laugh, or two). She lived in integrity, gave endlessly and inspired many.
Chloe has been teaching yoga in schools and yoga studios for over a decade. She is a registered E-RYT® 500 senior teacher with Yoga Alliance and therefore any course undertaken with her can be credited as professional development hours.
As a qualified high school teacher Chloe has an intricate understanding of the education system and the practicalities of teaching yoga and mindfulness for teenagers. She has worked in schools in New South Wales and the UK with young people from year 7 to 12, exploring various techniques and practices that are simple and sustainable for both staff and students.
Chloe is currently working in schools in Newcastle NSW in a learning support and wellbeing role. She was previously working in London sharing yoga and wellbeing education in schools. Prior to this she was a trainer at Byron Yoga Centre for several years.
Jade is an ACA (Australian Counselling Association) registered counsellor, a Yoga Alliance accredited E-RYT500 senior yoga teacher and a musician.
Jade’s personal yoga practice began in 2007 and she has been teaching since 2015. She is trained in the specialised areas of pre and post natal yoga, yoga for seniors, remedial yoga, restorative and yin yoga.
Over the years Jade has completed trainings, immersions and workshops in Europe, Indonesia, India and Australia, gaining insight from practicing with many renowned teachers including Simon Borg-Olivier, Maria Kirsten, Carlos Pomeda, Elena Brower, Lizzie Lasater, Clive Sheridan and Gwyn Williams among others.
A mother of two spirited daughters and partner to Rory, Jade’s love of music, often brings sound and soul to the yoga room. Jade has practiced yoga through both of her pregnancies and continues uses the tools of yogic practice to support her body, mind and her parenting.
With a belief that yoga should be adapted for the individual, not the individual adapted to the yoga; Jade’s warm nature shines through in her teaching.
Meet Our Byron Yoga Retreat Hosts
Elise’s background in personal training and holistic wellness guided her own wellness journey, which led her to yoga in 2013. Since then, she has traveled to India to complete her 200-hour Level 1 training in Hatha and Ashtanga, followed by numerous additional trainings at Byron Yoga Centre. Elise has been teaching yoga since 2015 and has led hundreds of retreats. She loves connecting with guests and sharing her passion for yoga. Elise believes there is a form of yoga for everyone, and her goal is to help students discover their unique path.
Ross has a love for sharing the ancient wisdom teachings of Yoga and Mindfulness, teachings that have profoundly changed the course of his own life. His favourite thing is when others feel for themselves the healing, nourishing and transformative effects of these simple and time tested practices and principles. He is particularly passionate about helping to facilitate mental wellbeing.
Ross qualified as a yoga teacher in 2013 joining the Byron Yoga Centre team in 2016 where he continues to facilitate retreat groups to this day.
He has completed a Post-Graduate Diploma in Yoga Therapy with world renowned teacher and yoga therapist Dr N. Chandrasekaran, as well as trainings in various meditation techniques, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Trauma Aware Yoga, Zen Thai Shiatsu massage, and Reiki.
Ross loves swimming in the ocean, enjoying yoga, meditation, and good food… learning, teaching, playing, and walking…and enjoying time with his wife Mariana, their two sons Benji and Jesse, and their cat Shanti, in the Northern Rivers of New South Wales, Australia.
Meet Stella, a dedicated yoga practicioner and teacher specializing in Traditional Tantric Hatha Yoga. Her journey into yoga began as a quest for spiritual awakening and self-discovery, leading her to embrace a path focused on soul remembrance through ancient practices.
Stella’s approach to teaching is deeply rooted in the wisdom of Traditional Tantric Hatha Yoga.
Her classes are designed to go beyond physical postures, emphasizing fewer poses held for longer durations. This method allows students to delve into the subtleties of energy flow within their bodies, fostering a profound connection with their inner selves.
Central to Stella’s teaching is the belief that yoga is accessible to everyone, regardless of their physical abilities. She encourages students to cultivate inner awareness and reconnect with their true essence. For Stella, yoga is not merely about flexibility but about nurturing a stable
mind and grounding oneself in the present moment before harnessing the flow of prana, or life force energy.
In Stella’s classes, you will find a sanctuary where calmness and grounding prevail, creating a space for spiritual growth and personal transformation. Through her gentle guidance, students are empowered to explore the depths of their being and rediscover their authentic selves.
Colin’s love of yoga was born in Edinburgh at the age of 21 with a rigorous Ashtanga practice. He has been involved in many styles over the years, across a number of countries, from Iyengar to Hot Yoga and most recently Vinyasa, Yin and Myofascial Release.
He began teaching by accident in 2019, completing his Level 1 course in Sydney and has been teaching weekly ever since. Furthering his experience through the Level 2 at Byron Yoga Centre in 2023, he then attended the Restore Training (Yin and Myofascial) with Lennox Yoga later that year.
With an emphasis on bringing together breath, alignment, presence, music and poetry, he endeavours to bring the full open hearted; depth of yoga to participants. With a sprinkling of occasionally good humour, his passion is to meet people wherever they are, regardless of age, sex, body type, injuries and capability.
Maya brings a unique blend of athletic experience and mindful movement to her yoga teaching, rooted in her background as a sports instructor and training with BYC. A lifelong student, she embraces the power of slow, intentional movement as a gateway to deeper life understanding—a philosophy that has fueled her passion for YIN yoga. Maya believes in the importance of alignment and encourages the use of props to honor the individuality of each body, creating a supportive and safe practice for her students.
Richard Mouthaan (Rich) is our Byron Yoga Studio Manager!
Coming to the Yoga way later in life, he has now embraced it completely, and wants to assist others to do the same. Level 1 Teacher, Trauma Aware,
Remedial, and Seniors qualified through BYC, with over 500 hours of teacher training completed. Rich is a Veteran and served 25 years in the Australian Army, and has been drawn to Yoga to address mental and physical injuries, without the requirement for prescription drugs and alcohol. His own personal experience with Yoga has had a profound effect on his quality of life, and he wants to pass on this experience.