who we are

Elias Ananiadis is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500), a founding member of the Registered Yoga School (RYS) of Conscious Yoga Teacher Training and the organisation called Conscious Yoga Academy. Elias was raised at the south suburbs of Athens in an affluent environment close to the sea. He excelled in school, sports, especially swimming where he competed at national level and enjoyed a connection with the water element, plants and animals. From an early age he had a profound curiosity for the human experience and reasonated deeply with the values of truth, freedom and fairness. At the age of 18 he moved to England to study. There he achieved BEng, MSc, MPhil and IMechE status in engineering. That is also when he came in touch with yoga for the first time. Although he knew there was a different path ahead of him he was guided to gain valuable life experience and pursued a career in engineering and management. During that time he was integral for the execution of significant investments in renewable energy exceeding €100mil. and personally invested in property, tourism and tech projects. In 2009 his first awakening happened through a health issue. He was diagnosed with a type cancer and when faced with the possibility of transition, he understood that his life to have meaning he ought to be of contribution to others. Once his health had improved, he went deeper into his practice of yoga and underwent significant personal growth trainings. Later he pursued a karma yoga project where others athletes together with him would cross a sea to inspire others involved with cancer using just windsurfing, kite surfing, kayaks and small sailing boats. This gave birth to a team called Surfers4Life that today includes more than 300 members that wish to grow through offering service to others that led to the Well Being Festivals that have spread the use of meditation and yoga to more than 10,000 people, the Spirit Film Festivals that raised the consciousness of more than 2,500 people and many other meaningful projects. A full kundalini awakening happened in 2012 and the spiritual teacher Paramahansa Yogananda came to his life. In 2013 he visited India to receive initiation in Kriya yoga. Since then he has received accreditations as an experienced Yoga Teacher E-RYT 500, a Life Coach, a Sound, Aroma and Energy Healer and also acts as the co-founder of Kathy’s Island Retreat, Kallipoli and Conscious Yoga Academy. He works towards the completion of a number of books in relation to life, personal growth, conscious communities and what is possible on the spiritual path. He continues to practice Karma, Raja, Bhakti and Kriya Yoga and to inspire others to be of selfless contribution. He pursues ever-higher states of consciousness and has devoted his life to causes that have positive and meaningful impact to humanity.

Kathrine is the founder of Kathy’s Island Retreat and comes from Oslo, Norway. In 2010 she moved from Oslo to Karpathos with her family and she currently lives in the capital town, Pigadia with her three children. She is an open-minded, spiritual person, always looking to learn new things about herself and personal growth is very important to her. She loves running Kathy’s Island Retreat and practicing yoga as these experiences gives her the chance to meet new people, practice yoga, learn from others and hence grow as a human being. As a yoga teacher she is humble and open and loves the challenges teaching offers. She tries to practice yoga both on and off the mat, on a daily basis, as she knows from experience what an amazing impact the practice of yoga and meditation has on herself and for the people around her.

As a child, Persefoni had always been fascinated by her fellow human beings. She felt a strong urge to understand them and to explore human nature so as, through this knowledge, to be able to help people by contributing to their evolution towards a higher ideal. At first, she tried to approach these concepts and goals through her University education, by pursuing a degree in Philosophy, Pedagogy and Psychology at the University of Athens. However, soon she realised that this academic approach was not enough. Thus, began her journey of internal exploration, her personal odyssey of self-knowledge, which in 2004 led her to learn meditation.

Through the splendid practice of meditation she was soon led to Yoga. Yoga made her realise that all Powers and Truths of the Universe reside within the human beings, within ourselves. This is how after 5 years of meditation experience she traveled many times to India – the mother of Yoga – to get even more in touch with the qualities and philosophy of Yoga. In India she visited many different ashrams and met many yoga teachers who inspired her even more to proceed down the yogic path. She discovered that Yoga is the path which unites the external with the internal, the higher with the lower. Her approach to Yoga is a form of a holistic therapy which impacts upon all the levels of the human being – the physical/material, the emotional and the intellectual. She offers classes that combine practices from Ηatha Yoga and Satyananda Yoga. Specialised classes include Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga, Kids Yoga, Aromatherapy, Diet, Thibetan bowls, Theta Healing, as well as the very dear to me Bach Herbal remedies. She practices and teaches Yoga with the light of the insight that it helps human beings discover their roots and the deeper causes of the issues that concern them, at the same time while offering practices and valuable solutions which can help them grow and progress spiritually by bringing them closer to their true nature – happiness.  She has already completed 620 hours of yoga teacher education and her classes have a dynamic character. They combine physical with meditative practices and she approaches yoga with respect and gratitude, appreciating the physical vitality and vigor but also the esoteric knowledge that this practice can gracefully reveal to us. From 2018 is an active member of Conscious Yoga Academy and she teaches in Yoga Teacher Trainings. She trained at the system of Satyananda Yoga , in Satyananda Ashram of Greece – Hatha Yoga. She has also studied Prenatal and Postnatal Yoga, Kids Yoga, Nada and Mantra Yoga Training, Yoga and depression with Swami Sivamurti Saraswati at Satyananda Ashram Greece, Yoga and neck/back issues, Theta Healing, Scaravelli Yoga workshop, she is certified in Bach Flower Remedies, Clinical aromatherapy and Reiki.

Vicky Woods was born in Athens in 1982. She studied communications and worked as a producer of Events in well-known production companies. From an early age she studied dancing, but her search for a deeper “communication” with her body and deeper self led her to a more alternative approach to life.

In 1998 she became aware of Yoga and Meditation and she attended the Pan-European “Rainbow Festival” where she first came in contact with the Reiki System. Taking the first level of Reiki energy therapy in 2003, along with personal practice in Yoga, she overcame personal health problems and this pushed her even deeper into seeking knowledge about self-healing. In 2009, she came in touch with traditional Thai massage and appreciating its healing abilities, she goes deeper into it with respectable teachers in Greece and Thailand. By taking the Hatha Yoga teacher’s degree from N.Y.S.Y.S studio and traveling to northern Thailand, Jonas Westring attends the Anusara Yoga Teaching Seminars, In Belgium, she takes her degree in Swing and Yin Yoga, where she has been teaching for about two years the courses and the Studio in which she works. The need for personal development through trips led her to India where she moved into the Ashtanga system. She continues studying in Ashtanga’s system by taking her graduation from Christina Karytinos and Manju Jois (son of Pattabhi Jois) In recent years, she lived and taught in Belgium * Vyniassa * Ashtanga * Swing Aerial yoga and * Yin in a well-known Yoga studio. In Gandhi in 2012, she helps to co-operate and develop a new school-based school, while her teaching in many urban studios spreads the vyniassas method that until then has not been so widespread. Seminars on the world are helping her develop her personal teaching identity. BAKTI FLOW YOGA – RUSTY WELLS ANUSARA – ELENA BROWER (NEW YORK) PRANA FLOW – SHIVA REA (Utrecht NEDERLANS) PRALAYA YOGa – BUSTANY (Gent Belgium) PETER STERIOS (Gent Belgium) Global Yoga Teacher and Musician – CRIS SAVEZ – (Bruges Belgium) DAVID LUREY and many others (Terschelling Yoga Festival of NEDERLANDS) Primary Series of Ashtanga – Yoga VASISTA Rigveda text analysis – MARIA TSAKONA Satsangs – Swami Buddh Puri Ji Maharaj Seminars – Analysis of Sanskrit texts by Mr. Vassiliadis and Mr. Maneta. ext ….. Her love for music and the remembrance of beautiful ideas through her bring her close to the kirtans where her side frames her with the guitar melody and teaches us how to name and enjoy the vibration. Having completed over 700 hours studying in Yoga and being a warm supporter of the right communication with ourselves, we are attending tutorials for counseling parents and continuing her studies at Therapiutic Counceling, specializing in the person-centered approach of Carl Rogers. Simultaneously she is specializing in the GORDONS method as an educator on the right communication and Counseling Parents. In her lessons her goal is to prepare the body and inspire the soul so that everyone can work with him on a personal level and all together towards the good. They want to bring us close to communal ways of thinking and to open a communication channel that we have deep inside us, in our truth.

Alessandro graduated university with a degree in Business Management and he worked in the shipping sector for a few years. Seeking a calmer and more inspired lifestyle, he abandoned his carrier and he travelled to Antigua, Caribbean, to start a new life. After staying there for six years, and after realizing that changes to external circumstances do not actually mean much, he decided to dedicate himself to yoga, and he started practicing intensely.

He met with the great yogi Sri Sri Sri Satchidananda who taught him the foundations of the ancient Hatha Yoga tradition. In Italy, he studied with Walter Ruta (Tirak) and he started teaching and supporting the development of the Pramiti Yoga School. At a later time, he decided to experience life in an Ashram, which brought him to Greece, where he met his guru, Swami Shivamurti Saraswati, and where he spent a few years in the Satyananda Ashram in the Paiania region in Attica. There, he studied the principles of Karma Yoga and the traditional teachings of Satyananda. Since 2010, he lives in Lagonisi, and he teaches in Athens and throughout the region of Attica.

 

 

 

Elena Eleftheriadi is from the Greek island of Karpathos. She moved to Athens at the age 13 for educational reasons, and thats where she was introduced to yoga for the first time. She had her first yoga class and thats where the journey began. After many yoga classes she decided to travel to Agonda, in India for her 200hrs of TTC, where she received her certification. Ever since she have practiced and taught Ashtanga yoga in several places such as Bali and Athens. She now lives more permanently on the island of Karpathos where she teaches and embraces yoga in her everyday lifestyle. One thing she reminds herself before every class is that yoga has existed since many thousands of years ago and will continue to exist for many more. She is just the means to pass yoga to others, with respect, love and her best personal effort.

 

Liz understands that each student is unique in his or her abilities and reasons for practicing yoga. She seeks the perfect balance between the mental and physical aspects of yoga. She teaches a safe, fun, and creative class and has a genuine interest in student success.

Liz practices yoga because movement and mindfulness have made a deep and profound impact on her life. They’ve taught her how to live more compassionately towards herself and others, have helped her overcome serious illness and chronic pain, and have led her to become physically stronger and more emotionally resilient. They’ve helped her discover and accept herself and her journey.

Her mat allowed her the space to realise she is better in everything she does if she takes care of herself; and that she is not selfish for doing so—that, in fact, taking the time to care for herself is the prerequisite for experiencing the kind of feel-good joy and satisfaction she has been seeking.

Her mindfulness journey started one evening after she returned to her cramped studio apartment from a long day at my first college internship. She was feeling anxious because she was new to the city and hadn’t made any friends yet, and her body was feeling restless. At the time, she thought the most important thing in life was to be successful in business and to make lots of money. Her mind was constantly racing and she was consumed by fear of failure. She filled every waking moment worrying about her internship and future career goals, and she completely neglected her physical and emotional well-being.

Then, she looked outside her window and noticed a yoga studio across the street. She still doesn’t know what inside her told her to visit that night, but she is so happy she did. Something in the class clicked with her and finally felt a few moments of ease for the first time in years. She certainly wasn’t a natural at the postures, but the practice and the people were so inviting and supportive. She felt better about her body, too, and that didn’t usually happen with exercise classes.

She booked her second session immediately and slowly began to build a regular routine. That summer changed her life in many ways, but the most meaningful way had nothing to do with the internship she had been pouring all her time and energy into (although it would take her years to figure that out).

From there I started down a path of learning and exploration that has led me to discover the magic that happens when you rediscover what already exists within and allow the mind, body, and breath to connect.

For her, yoga is about creating space in our body and mind to overcome obstacles and find a sense of peace and calm. Her goal is to help others find this release so that they can move through life with a greater sense of ease.

Her E-RYT designation means that she is an “experienced” yoga teacher who has  taught more 1000 hours of yoga throughout her career. She considers herself a student first and foremost, and has been traveling near and far to learn from inspirational teachers. Some of my most memorable trainings include:

• 300 hour RYT • 20 hour – Yoga for Osteoporosis • 18 hour – YoKid Training • 15 hour – Prenatal and Postnatal Training • 30 hour – Yoga Advanced Bridge Training • 15 hour –  Mindful Therapy for Veterans • 12 hour –  Restorative Teacher training • 25 hour – Yoga Teacher Training • 200 hour RYT –  Flow Yoga

 

Vittoria is a Certified Yoga Teacher (RYT) and Sound Healer from the Conscious Yoga Academy.

She graduated from the 200h training in May 2022, and added a Sound Healing Trainer certification in September 2023. With a deep commitment to alignment and safety, Vittoria’s Yoga classes are suitable for both beginners and advanced practitioners. In her classes, she incorporates essential oils, sound healing instruments and guided relaxation. She has experience teaching across business and private settings, where she shares her passion to help practitioners discover their Inner strength, creating a sacred space for healing and transformation.

Vittoria’s journey started in Udine, in the North-East of Italy, where she attended her schools, but it wasn’t until she spent a transformative year in the United States at the age 18 that her passion for diverse cultures and new ways of thinking truly ignited. 

Opting for a degree in Psychology, her focus continued to shape towards understanding human behavior and how healing works. The year 2014 marked a pivotal moment for her, where she discovered the depth of Hatha yoga and Vipassana meditation, recognizing its impact on her physical and mental states.

She continued her higher education with a Master’s in Management, which offered her the chance to continue her cultural exploration by studying and working in five different countries. Her highlight was a semester in Thailand, where she dived into the roots of Buddhism and Hinduism and attended retreats in the nature.

After her studies, she moved to Berlin, where she started a career in Human Resources.

In 2022, she decided to leave her job and dedicate fully to her Inner discovery: she completed the 200h Yoga teacher training in Karpathos, which was a turning point in her life.

It revealed her Soul’s purpose of guiding others to their Inner light through yoga, meditation, and healing. She then earned a certification in Sound Healing and has been exploring how to support energetic healing with the use of tuning forks, voice and other instruments. Since then, she has been supporting the academy’s trainings with Asana classes, sound healing, and Bhakti yoga practices, as well as continuing her exploration of Buddhism in Berlin. Further, her professional journey now incorporates the teaching of yoga in business and private settings.

On a journey to become a Deep Transformational Coach and a sound healer, she’s dedicated to her spiritual growth and the expression of her Soul’s purpose, devoting her life to helping herself and others make positive changes for happiness, harmony, and freedom.

 

 

Julian’s early years were steeped in the serenity of nature, living near a forest and spending countless hours hiking in the mountains. This deep connection with nature laid the foundation for his lifelong journey towards holistic well-being.
With both parents working as physiotherapists at a rehabilitation center, Julian was immersed in the world of physiotherapy, anatomy, rehabilitation, and sports science from a young age. This environment nurtured his understanding of the human body and its capacity for healing.
As a youth, Julian excelled in sports, achieving professional levels in triathlon and later focusing on basketball. However, his dreams of a sports career were abruptly altered when he was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. This pivotal moment redirected his focus towards healing, leading him to discover Ayurveda and yoga.
Simultaneously drawn to the financial world, Julian pursued a banking career, where he supported young entrepreneurs in the circular economy with financial backing and coaching. Despite his success, a family event in 2023 prompted him to seek a deeper purpose.
This search brought Julian to Buddhism and meditation, where he found profound peace and elevated states of consciousness. In 2024, Julian made a decisive change to live and be of service through Conscious Yoga Academy and the Conscious Community of Kallipoli. As a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), he has centered his life around contribution and devotion to higher causes. Julian’s daily practice consists of karma yoga, meditation, and bhakti yoga. His journey reflects a harmonious blend of physical, spiritual, and professional milestones, all converging to guide him on his path of awakening.