Stephanie Nelson

Stephanie first started practicing yoga in NYC in the mid nineties while taking a break from her graduate studies.  She studied several different yoga traditions, Integral, Sivananda, Jivamukti, Iyengar, eventually discovering Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.  Soon after moving to New Zealand in 2002, she began a 2½year teaching apprenticeship in Ashtanga at the Auckland Yoga Academy (YA500).  Since her graduation, Stephanie has been teaching yoga full time. She is the founder and director of Waiheke Island Ashtanga Yoga and The Breathing Space, an Experienced-RYT 500 instructor with the Yoga Alliance, and an Ambassador for Lululemon Athletica Britomart.

Stephanie regularly studies with senior certified Ashtanga teachers, Peter Sanson and Dena Kingsberg.  She has traveled to Mysore India and to the US to practice with the late Ashtanga Guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, and his grandson Sharath Rangaswamy.  She is ever grateful, humbled, and inspired by her teachers and her students.

Stephanie wishes to share this transformative yoga practice with all who are willing, inspire students to practice yoga daily, and have a bit of fun along the way. In addition to her passion for yoga, Stephanie has a dynamic family life with her partner and her three children.  Life is rich and vibrant!