We’ve had a pretty amazing line-up of international teachers in studio this year.

With Maty Ezraty, Simon Park and Meghan Currie having led a series of yoga trainings and workshops to date, we thought we’d had our fair share of international talent. But as it turns out, there’s more to come!

In August we’re set to host Joan Hyman. If you’re not yet familiar with Joan, she’s often referred to as the ‘yoga teachers’ teacher’. 

Yet despite being one of the biggest names on the celebrity yoga teaching scene (Colin Farrell and Vince Vaughn are both fans) Joan’s feet remain firmly on the ground. Her teachings are heartfelt, authentic and rooted in the classical yoga tradition.

To train with Joan Hyman is to train with a true yoga master. Joan is the person our very own Noelle Connolly credits as one of the teachers who transformed her into the incredible yoga teacher she is today.

Ahead of her five workshops in studio, we sat down with Joan for a quick chat on the mat.

We can’t wait to have you back at BodyMindLife next month! You travel a lot – what have you been up to since we last saw you?

In the past two years I have traveled around the world multiple times teaching trainings, retreats, and workshops. I‘ve also kept up with my own studies and have dedicated time to  practice and replenishing in nature!

Tell us a little about your teaching style?

My teaching style is a fusion Ashtanga and Iyengar yoga.I have been a dedicated Ashtanga practitioner for almost 20 years and love the dynamic and energizing effects of the practice. My secondary practice is Iyengar yoga, I love the detail to alignment, the precision in the poses, and the use of props to make the poses accessible for everyone. My class is focused and will transform your body mind and spirit.

You’re based in LA. What is life like there for you?

I have lived in LA for almost 20 years and gave up my weekly group classes almost two years ago. This has left a tremendous amount of space for me to travel the world and teach to an international market.  

When I go back to Los Angeles, I use it as a way to replenish and still teach, but have much more balance. The yoga classes and food are great in LA and help me get my glow back from traveling! I still have clients and teach some group classes at YogaWorks, and guest teach the teacher trainings at YogaWorks and Wanderlust.  

We’re lucky to have you for five workshops – who are these masterclasses for?

The  workshops and the master classes I am offering at BodyMindLife are for anyone looking to deepen their yoga practice and their understanding on how their body works. I teach all levels from beginners to the advanced practitioner and I have lead teacher trainings for over a decade so always love a room full of teachers.

What can students expect from a session with you?

I have a deep understanding of how the body works. I studied exercise science in college and was considering to be a physical therapist at one point in my life. I didn’t pick up an anatomy book until about 15 years later when I started leading the teacher trainings at YogaWorks. I have a dance background too, which also has helped my understanding of how the body works, so my classes teach how to manage your energy in efficient way and how to work with misalignments and injuries. I also have practiced advanced yoga for many years so love to make challenging poses accessible for everyone.

Do you have any advice for those new to the world of yoga and meditation?

For those of you that are new to yoga and meditation, my advice is to dedicate yourself to one teacher and practice for as long as you can. If you jump around and explore different practices and different teachers, which is OK to do in the beginning, but once you find something that resonates with you, stick to it so you can dig the well of knowledge deep.

What words or teachings do you live by?

I think because I have practiced ashtanga yoga for many years, it has taught me to really stay in the process of life. In the words of Pattabhi Jois, ‘practice and all is coming’.  To me this means stay with the steps in the way life is being presented and the outcome will be deeply aligned with your true nature.

Joan Hyman is hosting five masterclasses in studio from 16-18 August. See the full line-up.