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Yogiraj Alan Finger, ISHTA lineage founder, has been teaching yoga for over forty-five years. Born in Johannesburg, South Africa, Alan began his study at the age of fifteen, waking at 4:30 every morning for three hours of practice with his father, Kavi Yogi Mani Finger, who was personally initiated by renowned yogi Paramahansa Yogananda. The home ashram Mani created was visited frequently by the Tantric teachers who became the primary influences on Alan and the ISHTA lineage. Alan has been training teachers in the ISHTA lineage for over 32 years. The Yoga Zone and Be Yoga Teacher Trainings were created around Alan's teachings and for four years, he was a figurehead in the Yoga Works Teacher Training. Teachers that have studied under Alan's tutelage include Rod Stryker, (founder of Pure Yoga, which later became Para Yoga) Lisa Matkin (featured in Yoga Zone DVDs and Fit Yoga magazines) Twee Merrigan, (senior assistant to Shiva Rea) and Beverly Murphy (co-founder of Be Yoga and lead trainer in Mind Body University). Alan shares with his students not only his vast knowledge in the hidden sciences of yoga, but also a sense of joy and humor to the practice.
One of the pre-eminent Western Tantric yoga masters currently teaching, Alan offers popular "Power Meditation" classes at the ISHTA world headquarters studio in New York City, and workshops on ISHTA, Tantra, and Meditation in New York and at conferences and retreats worldwide.
 Sarah Platt
Sarah
was introduced to yoga while living in Taiwan as a dancer, choreographer, and English teacher. Her curiosity of both Eastern philosophy and physical wellness led her to the ISHTA lineage, where she received her 500 hour yoga certification in 2004. Sarah has traveled all over the US as a senior assistant to Yogiraj Alan Finger and has served as junior mentor in the Yoga Works Teacher Training Program. She has worked exclusively with Ayurvedic doctor Scott Gerson, MD and helped to create the yoga program for his Yogayurveda Shala. Sarah is featured in the Be Yoga Japan Stress Relief DVD and served as yoga advisor for YogaLife magazine. She has also most recently joined in a partnership with Alan Finger to open the new ISHTA Yoga and Spa headquarters. Sarah teaches a challenging, yet intelligent flow class that opens the body on both a physical and pranic level.
 Wendy Newton
After studying yoga informally since age 16, Wendy was introduced to Alan Finger and ISHTA Yoga in 2001 and completed the Be Yoga ISHTA teacher training in 2004. She is also certified in Polarity Therapy, a form of energetic body-work grounded in principles of yoga and Ayurveda. Wendy creates a spacious and nurturing environment in her asana classes, which are strength-building while encouraging a spirit of non-competition and introspection in which the student can begin to understand the effect of the asana on the energetic system. She strives to make both the physical and meditative yogic practices accessible to all her students, including those new to yoga and those with physical or other challenges.
 Peter Ferko
Peter
began practicing yoga more than twenty years ago at Alan Finger's Yoga Works in Los Angeles. He studied there with Rod Stryker and Patricia Townsend. He studied meditation with Yogananda's Self Realization Fellowship where he learned Kriya Yoga techniques. He sampled Iyengar and Ashtanga styles before landing back with Alan upon moving to New York in 1999. After decades of practice, he obtained the Yoga Alliance 500-hour teaching certification from Be Yoga's training program. Peter's approach to yoga involves tuning out the voices that tell us what we can't do physically and why we're not "enlightened" and tuning in to the inner yoga. In addition to his yoga pursuits, Peter is a multi-media artist and brings creativity, imagery, and a sense of humor to his teaching.
 Douglass Stewart
Steward
has been practicing yoga for nearly 20 years, receiving his first training from Jonathan Watts in the Iyengar tradition. After working professionally as a ballet dancer Douglass received training from Charles Matkin, Lisa Bennett, Richard Viella and Alan Finger at Yoga Zone and is s senior ISHTA Yoga teacher. His classes move slowly and meticulously through the postures giving you the opportunity to observe tendencies that perhaps have lead to misalignments. Douglass supports the practice with philosophy, anatomy and down right humor to keep you lovingly in the moment.
 Susan Bowen
Susan
owns Thrive Yoga and was inspired to open the yoga center to offer options for a healthy lifestyle and a more peaceful life to the metro DC community. Susan first studied yoga in the '80s and has used yoga and meditation to manage the challenges of family tragedies, a high-stress corporate career, unexplained premonitions, and to just feel peaceful during an ordinary day. Susan will be the facilitator and a mentor in the Teacher Training Program.
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