Mandana Anahita,

B.SC (Psych) 2004, Art-therapy graduated 2006

Mental health and Art therapy were the basic fields of my initial professional training for six years. Through a dance internship introducing Iyengar Yoga, I discovered that my essence was rooted in the natural healthcare path. Touched deeply by therapeutic body work, opening a new sensory understanding of compassion, I understood that my path was into mastering the art of self-healing for giving back genuinely.

Mandana has also studied with Seniors Iyengar teachers, Father Joe Pereira (India), Carrie Owerko(New York), Louie Ettling (Vancouver), Manouso Manos(U.S) and Ramanand Patel (U.S) With an open mind, she has also studied with the remarquable Chuck Miller, well known as the teachers of Ashtanga teachers.

After 10 years of teaching for groups in different milieu, Mandana can now be counted among the amazing crew of teachers holding 500H of Yoga teacher Training. In 2019, she dedicated a year to focus and share her time with colleagues and build up a community of passionate learners.

In January 2020, Mandana settled back in Vancouver, and created in 9 months a full Yoga class Schedule with 13 classes, along with outdoor free events, conferences and teaching for UVIC and French-speaking organizations in Metro Vancouver and Surrey, BC.

To add more therapeutic knowledge into her teaching in november 2021 she specialized in pelvic floor realignment following Leila Stuart wisdom.

In January 2023 she officially welcome her students at Studio Olympe, her new teaching sacred space, teaching bilingual classes.

In 2022, she finally have been offered the E-RYT500 by Yoga Alliance, which made her officially a Yoga teacher trainer skilled.

She is currently teaching classes in French and a few other bilingual classes as well. Being known by her students, as someone with “joie de vivre”, in honor of their continuous encouragement and happiness, she changed the name of Expansion Yoga Yatra to IKIJAI YOGA SOURCE. She was inspired by the Japanese name IKIGAI, which represents today the source and spirit of her teaching.

Having more skills and knowledge in therapeutic Yoga, her goal is to refine her teaching and offer more tools for beginners teachers, and long-term students.

Today, Doug Keller and the Iyengar philosophy are influencing tremendously her teaching and her own yoga practice. Here a little bio:

Bachelor in Sciences and Arts : Psychology, 2003-2004
Training in Ethnopsychology with Dr. Jose Adolfo Segura, 2005-2008
Post-degree Certificate in Art-therapy, UQAT, 2004-2006
Studied Master degree in Art-Therapy, UQAT, 2006-2009
Registered Yoga teacher (Iyengar oriented), United Yoga Montreal, certified, 2010.
Certified Prenatal Yoga teacher by Janice Clarfield ,2011.
Certified continuous training 300h advanced YTT, United Yoga Montreal,2017-2019
Registered Massage Therapist
- Thai Yoga Bodywork therapist, since 2009.
- Specialized on elderly and prenatal massage 2011
Studied Bharata Natya dance with Arnab Bandyopadhyay in 2011.
Dance critic Journalist for Dance News Montreal online Magazine.2011-2013
Assistant Teacher for Thai Yoga massage programs
E-RYT500 in 2022 Registered as an Expert E- Registered Yoga Teacher

“I have been taking bilingual yoga with Mandana for over a year now and its like I learn something awesome each class. The yoga makes me feel like I’m becoming to be more strong, aware, and flexible with my body. It feels like it's a different exercise where it's more meditative than when I do skateboarding or snowboarding. I feel like the yoga complement all my sports and now I do even better. Always a fun day with Mandana!” Annika (yogi student)