Yoga Academy of North America

Yoga Academy of North America is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization and a subsidiary of North American Gurukul, Inc.  YANA's mission is to provide high-quality education in the Satyananda tradition.  We also work to provide scholarships to deserving students and to inform the public about the benefits of SATYANANDA YOGA®.



Students from across the USA and from countries such as Israel, Colombia, Spain, Poland, and India have participated in the Yogic Studies and Teacher Training programs offered in Cleveland.  We maintain a residential facility for visiting faculty and students.  You are welcome to arrange a personal appointment to tour our studios, meet the staff, and look over course materials - simply contact us at info@yogaacademyna.org or 216.371.9760.

YANA

Swami Atmarupa Saraswati, Director of Education for YANA
Education Director, Swami Atmarupa Saraswati





Executive Course Coordinator, Sannyasi Atmadarshan

STAFF

Swami Atmarupa Saraswati was the first Level 2 Accredited Satyananda Yoga instructor in North America.  She is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists and is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the E-RYT 500 hour level, which requires over 2000 teaching hours.Prior to following her passion for yoga teaching, Atmarupa was a certified registered nurse anesthetist for over 25 years and taught anesthesia for 10 years at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation. Atmarupa is also the Founder and Director of Atma Center, a yoga studio in Cleveland Heights, Ohio, which has been open since 1996.


Swami Atmarupa is available to present at your venue on topics such as modifications for common medical conditions, the Yoga Sutras, and yoga physiology (chakras, koshas).  Complete details are available here.

Atmadarshan is a Level 2 Accredited Satyananda Yoga instructor who is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the E-RYT 500 level.  Before and after graduating from Case Western Reserve University, Atmadarshan worked with University Hospitals of Cleveland in the Department of Biological Psychiatry.  She is co-author of a paper investigating biological indicators of medication response in patients with schizophrenia.  Atmadarshan is also the Assistant Director of the Atma Center.


Atmadarshan presents regularly on yoga psychology and the Bhagavad Gita and is available to lead workshops on these and other topics.  A detailed topic list and contact information are available here.
Who teaches the YANA courses?

YANA's courses are taught by accredited Satyananda Yoga instructors.  Instructors with Level 1 accreditation have successfully completed Yogic Studies Level 1 and Teacher Training Level 1, encompassing over 500 hours of class attendance and study; instructors with Level 2 accreditation have completed Yogic Studies Level 2 and Teacher Training Level 2, for a total of over 1000 hours of coursework.  Accredited instructors must also maintain Continuing Education requirements.

Most YANA instructors also have college degrees and extensive experience in their fields of specialty.  Our faculty includes

  • a nurse
  • former nurse anesthetist
  • an occupational therapist
  • a massage therapist
  • a school teacher trained to work with special needs children
  • ...and many other professionals.
YANA instructors

Above:  some of YANA's teaching staff, including:

Back row, starting from left
  • KarmaDharana, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor
  • Deb Smith, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor
  • Margot Zapp, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor

Middle row, from left:
  • Debbie Dobrzeniecki, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor
  • Mantram, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor

Middle row, right:
  • Swami Atmarupa Saraswati, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor

Front row:
  • Atmadarshan, Level 2 Satyananda Yoga Instructor
  • Maitri, canine yoga instructor