| Staff
for the 2009/10 season will include:- |
Paula
Vidakovic
I am originally from Croatia,
and was born on a lovely Spring day in May in
the early 70s. I spent my teenage years
living under a Communist Yugoslavian system
which brought a unique yet interesting
life experience, when one looks back!.. |
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I
now live in London, where I am living my dream,
working hard in my chosen field of Yoga and
Pilates, and taking each and every opportunity
to travel and bring my teachings with me!
I did not study Yoga to begin with, though
I have been a passionate practitioner for
well over twelve years....In my previous life
I was a journalist, after graduating in Political
Science Journalism and doing a Masters
in Communication. My career began in a well-known
TV News Agency in London - and it was here
that I discovered my career was not fulfilling
my dreams or desires... In fact it seemed
to be standing for everything I was not!...
Always
my first love and interests have been sport
Tennis, Table-Tennis... Sliding down
hills aka Skiing, Snowboarding and
floating aka Swimming
and amongst
all of these sports and my long working hours
I found myself with even more muscular
tension in my body.... So I needed an answer
and fast! I therefore decided to explore various
other forms of relaxation using exercise and
arrived at Yoga. The minute I practised Yoga
I instantly fell in love with it! From my
very first class, I came back fully stretched
in all my muscles, but at the same time I
realised I felt calm, centred and completely
dazed by what I had just experienced. I had
to learn more!...

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I
have taken up Yoga Teacher Training with the
eminent and charismatic Simon Low, at his well
respected Yoga Academy and I also attained the
British Wheel of Yoga and Yoga Alliance Certification.
It changed my life, I have never looked back.
The warmth in my heart and the smile on my face
are as a result of this. On a lighter
note my Birth Number adds up to number
9. In Numerology which I
did for fun I suddenly discovered I reflect
its qualities it says a No
9 embodies mankinds highest principles.
They are tolerant of all and feel genuine love
for everyone. Their compassion and willingness
to try to heal others is boundless...
They desire to make people happy, to laugh!
and will do all it can to ensure those around
them are aware of how grand a gift Life
is...
To summarise there are a number of magnificent
ever inspiring modern teachers, that we have
crossed paths in different parts of the
world for different learning and growing
experiences.... I am therefore immensely grateful
to the wonderful knowledge given to me by Sean
Corn (Vinyasa Flow), Baron Baptiste (Power Yoga),
Cindy Lee (Hatha Yoga), David Swensen (Ashtanga
Yoga), Tias Little (Iyengar Yoga), and Donna
Farhi. I bring to each lesson my joy for life
my happy spirit and most of all my love
of teaching ....This is me... Namaste to all
of you. PAULA |
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Susie
Philip Á Holistic Nutrition
Consultant (CertEd
iDiet and Nutrition, ITEC)
London based Susie has taught
through schools in:- Barnet, Brent, Hampstead,
Hertfordshire, Highgate & Islington & had a
successful career influencing the minds of the
next generation. She has been recruited on several
occasions to teach on P & O World Á Cruises,
taking her so far to Australia, Dubai, Egypt,
India & South Africa. As Susie has had the natural
health as well as Travel Bug Á since her teens
- this has not proved much of a problem for
her to work with!... |
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She
was head-hunted Á in the early 2000Ãs to live
and work out of Tampa Bay, Florida, USA Á
where she advised on Nutrition for private
residences who had daily medical supervision.
(The guests being more senior in years and
very appreciative of SusieÃs input). Once
back in the Uk again, she formed the London
Diet & Nutrition Clinic. She specialises in
Food Intolerance and will be bringing her
Vega Testing Machine & Kits out Á to work
on our clientele with. She will also bring
with her the patented œBio-Detox Foot Spa”
Á which enables each client to gently start
their own detox process, by soaking the feet
in specially prepared minerals Á and allowing
the body to loosen stored toxins which will
be expelled through the skin in their feet
& into the spa bowl.
She will do individual personal consultations,
in a comprehensive manner Á to ensure each
guest detoxÃs in the most suitable way for
them. There will be a personalised eating
plan & a provision (with some extra fees applicable)
of:- An after care service/follow up by email
- to ensure the onward success of all the
work she has put into place with each guest.
There will be various offers Á the client
can take up to ensure they have Susie œat
their side” if not in person Á but certainly
by ŒCyber Meansà to continue the good work
they start in Thailand in their home country.
In her spare time Susie is an avid Keep Fit
fiend! She loves her daily jogs in the more
wilder parts of the London suburbs, plus Power
Walking, Body-Pump, Swimming, Yoga (in all
its various guises) and last but not least
Á all forms of Dance! If any Beatles fans
out there wish to invite Susie to Twist...she
is very keen to try... Susie will be offering
the chance to do 1-2-1 personal training throughout
your stay Á please enquire directly with her
as to all your requirements. Lastly for her
charity work Á Susie is an avid supporter
of ADHD and has helped out its sufferers with
specialised diets & services as required.
We welcome her to the team with open arms....Welcome
Susie!
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Professor
Nadir R Farid,
MBBS, FRCP, FRCP (C), FACP, Endocrinologist, Harley
Street, London (pictured on left)
www.diagnosemefirst.com/
Mr
Michael Zenonos DMD, holistic dentistry and
laser clinician, Cyprus (on the right) http://www.drzenonos.com/
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Nausika
Loukides
Nausika qualified as a yoga instructor at the Vivekananda
Yoga Research Foundation in Bangalore, India and has
been a A practitioner of this Eastern life philosophy
since childhood. Driven by her own inward journey,
she is inspired to help others embark on a life-changing
exploration of the self through the practice of yoga.
Her classes focus on pranayama and asana practice.
Nausikas background in environmental sciences
supplements the yoga teaching as the self is so closely
interlinked with nature. Nausika founded and runs
the Ananta Yoga Centre in Skoulli, Paphos, where she
holds regular classes and workshops. |
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Siridatta
- Kundalini Yoga. Inspirational Workshops. Personal
Advisor. Holistic Escapes is delighted to welcome
Siridatta to our Palolem Beach Retreat. With a wealth
of experience in Kundalini Yoga Practices, she will
introduce us to both a relaxing and dynamic style
of yoga. Her afternoon classes will leave us both
relaxed and enlightened into a new way of relieving
daily stress from our lives. Siridatta practises
and teaches all over the world. As a Reiki Master
she will be taking specialised classes and private
one-to-ones in this subject during her stay.
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Ann
S Klein
Ann has been practising yoga since the age of
19. She had the privilege of being trained by
a yogi in her private home over several years
- and even had the joy of being given an Indian
head massage at the end of her two-hour lesson
- followed by home-made Indian cuisine... (not
all lessons, since these valued moments, have
included such indulgences - but the happy memories
live on!!) |
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She
opened her holiday retreat company in 1996
because she could not find the quality and
variety of services (holistic and also spiritual)
that she required. Through her extensive world
travel including wonderful sojourns into mother
India, she has sought out the finest therapists,
yoga teachers, protocol with medical practitioners
available to work with her abroad , and so
she can provide a comprehensive health tourism
experience for her valued clients.
Ann
has a natural gift - from childhood - to see/
intuit colours and to incorporate this system
of healing, plus encompassing the complementary
areas of her reiki training, crystals training,
counselling training and stage one NLP training,
into her specialised and complete healing
session/ treatments. She is a natural psychic,
and only with her client's permission, she
will pass on valuable information she is offered
for the person she is working with. Ann offers
guided colour visualisations as part of her
course and in her private working life, outside
the retreats. She is always open to her clients
and staff, for one to one consultations, and
likes to integrate as wide a spectrum of personalities
and backgrounds from her valued staff as is
available - at any given time - for her holidays.
Therefore
through her extensive travels she has gleaned
and put together a "hit team" of
qualified people from all over the world.
She looks forward to meeting you at one of
her upcoming holidays, and hopes you will
thoroughly enjoy the experience. Namaste!..........
As Buddhism quotes:-"Find at least one
good quality in everyone, no matter how many
defects are visible to you" and "Flexibility
enables me to move
with time, slipping through life as gently
and as strongly as possible" - Brahma
Kumaris
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Elizabeth
Walker
- Aromatherapy Massage/ Therapist.
"I was introduced to Massage Therapy (aged 10)
20 years ago when I was diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid
Arthritis. Not only did massage relieve the pain,
it also improved the mobility of the affected joints.
Massage is an excellent tool for mental relaxation
but also for physiological well being, internal cleansing
and detoxifying the body of metabolic and environmental
pollutants. I have been a practitioner of Sport Massage
Therapy for 3 years both on shore and at sea using
Swedish Massage and Stretching techniques to reawaken
the body and mind. Your body will tell you what it
needs to be strong, healthy and full of live when
you allow yourself to stop and listen." |
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Nicky
Coville - Sivananda-style Tutor
and Astanga Tutor.
"Yoga is to me like solid ground after
after years at sea. When my life has been
full of changes and movement, yoga has been
my rock. There are many paths, and all lead
ultimately to the same place. As with most
modern day mystics I have explored many different
practices, and found it hard to find one way
that I could immerse myself in. Years went
by, I searched and experienced many things.
The time came when I recognized I wanted to
share what I had learned on my journey. To
my surprise I came to the realization that
yoga had been there all the time, and had
slowly slowly transformed me. Old and trusted,
tried and tested...Yoga was a way to share
the magic that had helped me heal, and gives
me hope for the future. My mother was the
first to share her knowledge of yoga with
me when I was only 8. Since then I have practised
and taught yoga all over the world. A lot
of my training took place in South India,
but many other great teachers have helped
me along the way. In the four years that I've
been teaching I've taught at Festivals, in
Ashrams, on retreats and yoga holidays. On
the beach or in fancy hotels, in the hills
of Thailand and the serene beauty of central
France, and of course in Cyprus. Yoga has
created a sense of continuity and stability
in the absence of a permanent home or environment.
My life revolves these days around my spiritual
practice. At the heart of my spiritual practice
is Yoga "
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Eroz
and Frida
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Michael
Bailey
Sitting in the Rose Gardens of St
Albans Cathedral contemplating my biography for
the web site, I began to recall my personal journey
into yoga (20 years ago) and Pilates (6 years ago)
and how best to recount this journey.
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I
became involved in the fitness industry 13 years
ago at Harpenden Country Fitness Club. By then I
had taught myself everything from cycling to running
to circuit training, weight lifting, aerobics and
even hip-hop dance instruction. As I realized I
had come full circle in my training and education
of the fitness world, I knew there was something
still missing. So I began to look into the many
styles and practices of yoga (and all that this
entailed). My research lead me to attend lessons
in Astanga, Hatha and Iyenger, eventually qualifying
under the tuition of Paul Dallaghan and Neil Barker
in Koh Samui, Thailand.
By
the end of my qualifying period, I found this experience
had been life changing and continued
to enhance my practice under the guidance of Sri.
K. Pattabhi Jois, in Mysore. With him I completed
3 months further study. I would spend hours watching
fellow pupils and teaching staff and move
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(I have also watched Break Dancers, Martial Arts
students, Gymnasts, Sportsmen and Sportswomen
in a similar fashion).
The
reasoning behind this for me was to produce the
most dynamic, yet flowing and easy to remedy style
of posture work. What I mean is I would develop
a sequence of movement in which each individual
in my class could move from one asana to the next
with the easiest flow of movement (with
a strong emphasis on the individuals Breath
Control and Alignment).
When
I was 15 in St Albans I studied Callanetics and
enjoyed how this new style of exercise made me feel,
especially how it sculpted my torso.
Years later, I came across a Pilates lesson in my
local private gym. It made me realize how similar
it was to Callanetics, which I had learned as a
teenager at my sisters gym. It occurred to
me how I could combine practices of all three mediums
and make a super-power lesson in which
all those combined elements came together to really
Work-Out the body and give the individual
the most comprehensive of tuition.
Seven
years ago I began training to become a Pilates teacher
at the Pilates Institute, London. My tutor was Michael
King who was world-renowned. Since then I have gone
to Joseph Pilates original studio in New York
and The New York Pilates Studio too.
Expressing
yourself and enjoying life is a firm hobby
of mine and I like to share in class both the serious
side (mind, body, spirit experience) and the Fun,
Joy and Laughter that we all feel through CONNECTION
to both one another and the Beautiful Life Force
that runs through the room as we exercise together.
Being self-aware is one of the greatest
gifts as a teacher I can bestow on my
class. This is my way of teaching. This is my joy
and purpose in life. The first time I felt the vibration
of OM and felt the coursing humming travel through
me I realized something. As a child I had suffered
with anemia (low iron count) and used to hum to
myself to alleviate my mood/symptoms. Years later
I begin and complete my lessons smiling as I commence
OM!
To
sum up:- I have been very fortunate to train with
and learn from some inspiring and informed teachers
(Wisdom is my friend). I have been humbled and give
thanks to everyone and each experience that has
shaped my path. As my new chapter begins in the
dawn of 2010 I am keenly awaiting my chance to teach
you and take you to the next level through my fitness
training and meditation courses and help you realize:-
Your Journey
.
My motto:- Teach with love and honesty. Lead by
example.
Namaste. Michael Bailey
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Roni
Sapir
Principal and Director
www.east-west.co.il
Roni hails from the Northern City of Haifa, Israel
and has moved and studied around the world - to reach
the well deserved success and recognition inside the
world of health, he has today. His university studies
in computers (a main and very popular line of study
inside Israel) together with geography and gave him
one insight into possible career choices he could
make post study.... |
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But
in the early 1980s and he was exposed to Ancient
Chinese Medicine and in particular Acupuncture and
where by chance, on television and he saw a programme
showing Open Heart chest surgery using only acupuncture
anaesthesia, which completely changed his life.
There were no drugs used in this procedure and Roni
felt there and then, he must study something as
powerful and yet as natural as Ancient Chinese Medicine.
In
1982 Roni began the long road to study at the Israeli
college of Complementary Medicine and by 1984 he
had decided that Chinese Medicine must be studied
on the basis of Chinese Classics and started to
look for the best place to learn Chinese Medicine
around the world.
In 1985 Roni started his 8 years of study at the
International College of Oriental Medicine, in England.
The inspiration of his future chosen career path
of both practitioner, lecturer, school principle
and international speaker was down to the teachings
he received from Dr van Buren at the college. Roni
was inspired and drew much knowledge on all levels
from his time at the college and its teachings.
In 1993 he returned to Israel, to begin his dream
and began his practise. He strongly believes in
the beauty and way of health and living that Chinese
Medicine brings to the life of all who embrace it.
He says and Creating the way of accomplishment
cost a high price of totality, loyalty, determination,
responsibility and humanity. The action must involve
two parallel ways, one is the spreading the medicine
around the population all around, the other is to
teach and train the therapists, clinicians and researchers
to the highest possible standard. (Roni always
has a waiting list for his time inside the clinic
and where up to 200 patients a day are seen by his
well respected staff).
In 1997 Roni founded the Israeli Centre of Classic
Chinese Medicine and it was called East-West, where
it remains today in one of the busiest areas inside
central Tel Aviv. He has worked with the Chinese
Authorities for the last 12 years and also with
a number of hospitals around China. To this date
Roni is still sought after to teach in China and
as well as keeping his commitments to his own school
inside Israel.
By 2010, around three thousand graduates completed
their studies at the school, and now practice in
many avenues and under his guidance and around the
world. Several return weekly and as part of the
team at the schools well known clinics. Throughout
Israel and beyond, the school is known as a centre
of excellence for both learning and receiving treatments.
Under his guidance and daily inspiration, the East-West
school offers a highly successful and fully subscribed
four year course of Classic Chinese Medicine, Chinese
Herbal Medicine with Pharmacy. Inside the school
there is a well stocked library, working dispensing
pharmacy, classic Chinese products shop. There are
currently running Chinese Medicine programmes in
hotels and health resorts nationally, which brings
him to work with Holistic Escapes on further ways
to bring this wonderful knowledge and results of
tried and tested treatments, to an even wider audience.
Roni is keen to travel at this point in his career
to expose to as many new people as possible the
benefits and relief his type of natural healing
treatments can bring.
In recognition of his works, continued studies,
teachings and inspired devotion to the world of
Classic Chinese Medicine and Roni has been given
the following honours.
Director at the World Federation of Chinese Medicine
Societies, China.Council member at the academic
committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine
Societies, China.Council member of the Cancer Research
committee of the World Federation of Chinese Medicine
Societies, China.President of the Israeli Association
of Classic Chinese Medicine PractitionersAcademic
Dean of East-West and The Israeli Centre of Classic
Chinese Medicine
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| Anton
Simmha
- presenter and teacher in association
with GMTV'S MS PENNY SMITH of UK'S top selling video
for POWER YOGA. Anton will be co-presenting his unique
Yoga Teaching Style in Palolem for our courses, due
to take place from Spring. He will be demonstrating
to the group both asana work, pranayama, chanting
and meditation skills and techniques. He
will offer an insight into Yoga-related subjects through
his workshops |
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Rachel
Petrou
I first came to yoga when I was pregnant with my
first child nine years ago and immediately fell
in love with it, I had always been into health and
fitness but felt yoga was much more than just exercise,
it became part of my life, and I explored lots of
different styles. I continued my studies with The
British Wheel of Yoga, finishing my three-year teaching
diploma. I have been on numerous workshops and retreats,
and continue to add to my experience. I teach dynamic
hatha, power yoga, ashtanga, yoga trance dance and
yoga bugs. I am also a qualified Pilates mat and
Pilates reformer teacher. Being a yoga teacher to
me is a vocation and a way of life. It is so familiar
and fresh every time I practice and I try to bring
this into my teaching. Yoga is a fantastic way to
express love, joy and peace. I feel priviliged that
I can share my experiences and observations
with others, so they can too enjoy the wonderful,
healing journey to the Self

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"Yoga
is a light, which once lit will never dim. The better
your practice the brighter the flame." B
K S Iyengar |
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| Ursula
Avins
- Master Crystal Healer, Reiki and Karuna Teacher,
Life Coach, Vortex Healer and Alternative Therapist,
Ursula has been working with crystals and energy healing
since 1992. She trained with leading teachers in the
UK and USA including Simon Treselyan (UK), Lesley
Carol (UK), Michael Orminston (UK), Shimara Kumara
(UK), Melody (USA), Alton Kamon (Aus) and Amorah Quan
Yin (USA). She has studied Reiki with various Masters,
over the past 9 years incorporating 8 different forms
and received her Mastership training in the temples
and Pyramids of Egypt. Ursula will be available to
give treatments throughout your stay this Spring and
Summer. She will also be running workshops in Crystal
Healing and Reiki. The Crystal Healing workshops will
incorporate the use and properties of crystals for
personal development and healing. They will also include
meditations, layouts, sound work and information on
energy anatomy and colour. Reiki courses include all
teaching, manuals and certificates. |
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Jill
McKenzie
- Massage therapist/ physiotherapy massage specialist
- text follows |
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Rebecca
Zambetakis - Ananda Marga Yoga Teacher.
"I am a yoga teacher with the Ananda Marga school
of yoga. Ananda Marga means Path of Bliss and thats
exactly what I feel I am walking on. From a child
I was always searching for something more, I finally
found the truth five years ago when I started yoga
and meditation. I found myself, I found inner peace
,I found the beauty in life and how we can have a
beautiful, healthy life. Wanting to share these things
and much more I went on a teacher training course.
Ananda Marga has training around the world, India,
America and Europe. My training was in Malta and follow
up courses and seminars in Greece and Cyprus. We follow
the Ashtaunga system o f yoga and meditation, meaning
'The Eight Limbs' of yoga. With Hatha asanas, breathing
excersises, self massage and deep relaxation the class
will leave you feeling full of positive energy. Energy
from practices that are thousands of years old. Feel
wonderful, peacefull, happy from within, where it
counts." |
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Carolina
plus One
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