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CERTIFICATIONS AND BACKGROUND

Raja/Hatha Yoga

In 1993, Sara began her first 500-hour yoga teacher training program with Erich Schiffman, studying his Krishnamurti-informed “Freeform Style.” This intense mentorship evolved into over 1500 hours of study in the classic apprenticeship (oversight) model. Her next 500-hour certification was with Maty Ezraty and Lisa Walford in the Yoga Works system, based on the Ashtanga and Iyengar lineages. She has dedicated many years to deep study of these two traditions with numerous senior teachers.

She embarked on her third 500-hour training with John Friend in his Anusara Style, then went on to complete several follow up trainings with him, including therapeutics and advanced asana seminars. While soon thereafter she parted ways with Friend for ideological reasons, this training grounded her teaching in alignment principles that would prove to be invaluable to teaching asana to large groups. Many years later she did a 50-hour training with Ramaswami in the Vinyasa Krama style. Sara is certified with Yoga Alliance at the 500 hr level.

Bhakti Yoga

In the late 1990’s, Sara discovered the path of Bhakti Yoga (devotional practice) when she met her teacher Amrita Anandamayi (Amma). Their encounter ignited a deep commitment to the study of bhajans, rituals, and visualization. It was during this time that she met friend and mentor Krishna Das, who taught her the power of mantra, japa, and self-acceptance as a spiritual practice. After being introduced to his friend Sharon Salzberg, Master Teacher of Metta (Lovingkindness practice), Sara completed a 10-day silent retreat with Salzberg at Spirit Rock and continues the Metta practice today. She also completed an Ayurveda immersion with master teacher, Dr. Robert Svoboda and, in the mid-’00s, met teacher Amarananda Bhairavan with whom she began her study in the goddess lineages, full pantheon deity worship, and tattva shuddhi.

Karma Yoga

Amma is known to millions worldwide as a spiritual teacher, however, her philanthropic efforts (Karma Yoga) are unparalleled. Her organization, “Embracing the World,” serves millions of people in over 40 countries and includes a hospital, university, orphanage, women’s shelter, disaster relief and green initiatives, healthcare, and many more charitable endeavors. To learn more about Amma and support her efforts, please visit amma.org.

Jnana Yoga

The late 1990’s also led Ivanhoe to the path of Jnana Yoga (The Yoga of Study.) After taking her first contemplative studies class in 1999 with Dr. Christopher Chapple at Loyola Marymount University, she continued on to complete a full certification in Green Yoga, a robust training in ecology, social action, and contemplative practice. Her dedication to the study of Yoga Philosophy compelled her to dive into texts such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Samkhya Karika, Yoga Sutra, the Bhagavad Gita, Gherenda Samhita, Shiva Samhita, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika as well as some rudimentary Sanskrit studies. Sara continued to audit theology classes until the Master’s Degree program was created in Yoga Studies, deepening her knowledge by reading the ancient texts in their original Sanskrit as she took courses in Buddhism, Jainism, and Mysticism. In 2015 she graduated with the inaugural class as the Student Senator for Bellarmine College.