SATI CHMELAR
Shannon Rose Chmelar (Sati) was born in Frankfurt, Germany and raised in the US, Italy, and Japan. Her conscious spiritual journey began in adolescence after experiencing a series of transcendental awakenings. This gave her a thirst to know the divine nature underlying existence and led her to various practices that use the body as a form of spiritual inquiry. At first, she explored this through the study of dance in her teens and shifted to experimental performance throughout her 20’s at Bennington College in Vermont and later, in Florida.

Sati began to practice yoga in 2001 under her root teacher, Shri Hamilton-Hubbard. She fell in love with vinyasa-based practice and eventually devoted herself to the traditional Ashtanga Yoga system after studying under Manju Jois. She credits Manju-ji for leading her to a profound awakening on the yogic path that eventually changed her life in an unparalleled way. Other teachers that she has studied with who have deeply influenced her practice include Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Sharath Rangaswamy, Saraswathi Ranagaswamy, Jeff and Harmony Lichty, Tim Feldmann, Greg Nardi and David Ingalls. Sati has been teaching since 2004, having completed over 680 hours of yoga teacher training including programs directed by David Swenson and Paul Dallaghan. She continues to study with various senior Ashtanga teachers as well as spend extensive time uncovering knowledge from practicing in solitude. Sati’s philosophical studies have been focused in the wisdom traditions of Advaita Vedanta, Samkhya and Tibetan Buddhism. She has completed advanced Yoga Sutra and Bhagavad-Gita study under Professor Nagaraja Rao in Thailand, and more recently, spent several months in Nepal studying the Madhamikya philosophy of Tibetan Buddhism under Khenpo Dr. Ngawang Jorden. In 2011, she relocated to Nepal and India to further her language studies in Sanskrit and Tibetan and philosophical training in Tibetan Buddhism.

In 2006, Sati traveled to Thailand and completed extensive study of Thai Massage. While in the city of Chiang Mai she completed over 400 hours of training in Thai Massage including private study with Rinraya "Ohm" Pankosol at the Sunshine School. She graduated from the 11 week Comprehensive Professional and Teacher Training Program at the ITM School directed by Chongkol "John" Setthakorn. She took part in several community service projects teaching and giving Thai Massage to those of the Thai community in need, as well as completing additional courses in Thai Foot Reflexology and Thai Herbal Compress. In the U.S. Sati pursued additional study in Thai Massage under Ariela Grodner. She attended the renowned Florida School of Massage in Gainesville, Florida and became nationally certified and licensed in the state of Florida in June 2008. Sati aims to facilitate personal insight and healing through the medium of touch, meditative focus and loving-kindness.

Sati is dedicated to facilitating the transmission of ancient yogic teachings with humility and ever-evolving awareness. Her dedication to the traditional practice of Ashtanga Yoga and philosophical inquiry continually feeds her teaching. She encourages students to cultivate a deep love and devotional attitude that nourishes their practice over a lifetime. Her work in massage informs her exploration of how touch can be used as a healing and transformative tool within yoga. She leads retreats, classes, workshops, and teacher training intensives in the U.S. and abroad and strives to educate her students on all the dimensions of yogic practice.

In 2011 Sati collaborated with Matthew Colaciello Williams on the creation of Vasudhaiva, an international tour and retreat company. To learn more about Vasudhaiva click on the link or visit www.vasudhaiva.com