Sandra Jara Yoga
Sandra Patricia Jara Peña (she/her)
from Bogota, Colombia living in Vancouver, Canada
Sandra is a Iyengar Yoga teacher, trauma informed yoga instructor, mindfulness meditation and Breathwork facilitator.
She discovered yoga and meditation over twenty-five years ago and since then has dedicated herself to understanding and enjoying the relationship between body, mind and spirit. Sandra has received multiple yoga certificates, attended several Vipassana retreats, and recently after four-year Iyengar Yoga teacher training she received her certification.
How the physical body works has been central to her formal education and includes training as a dentist, knowledge of anatomy, and an exploration of body mechanics. The more she studied the whole of our being, the more she understood how the mind works and how to manage fear, anxiety, and overcome trauma through self-compassion and self-love.
With her training in yoga outreach workshops, conscious movement, social justice and relax deeply, she has learned to create brave and inclusive spaces, focusing on respect, recognition of others, and the use of inviting and conscious language.
Sandra enjoys time to nurture herself with trail running, gravel cycling, and bikepacking, as well as Knitting while sitting in her Colombian hammock.
I love the freedom offered by yoga and Meditation, I have been practicing for over 25 years and have a profound feeling of gratefulness towards my teachers who have helped me build this path. These teachers taught me how to develop my self practice and teach it to others: Danny Paradise, Angelo Cecchi, Antonella Accinelli, Usha Devi, Sindu V. Nayar, Maria Escudero & Lucas Nunes, Ryan Leier, Eddie Modestini and Kristin Bosteels, Dustin Fruson, Arun Ji, Fr Joe, Patricia Fernandes, Louie Ettling and Hiroko Demichelis.
The study of how the physical body works has been central to my formal education, from my background as a dentist and my knowledge of anatomy I explore body mechanics. The further I study the rest of our being, the more I develop and understanding of how the mind works, especially in managing fear, anxiety, and overcoming trauma through yoga.
I encourage my students to practice with the sound of their own breathing and listening their bodies, how it opens, contracts, releases and how suddenly with an adjustment they can enter the asana and the experience is transformed. Also, I encourage them to feel the body, aligning it, inviting gently to go a little farther, support it, and explore the asana to see what is beyond.
Education, Training and Certifications
▪ Iyengar Yoga Certified Teacher
Mentors Louie Ettling & Patricia Fernandes
▪ Mindfulness Meditation and Breathwork Teacher Training
200 Hour Meditation Teacher Training Dec 2021
The Lab of Meditation Method
▪ Trauma Informed Yoga, Conscious Movement,
Social justice Jan 2021
United Nations Foundation
▪ Relax Deeply
40-hours Eddie Modestini- Kristin Bosteels 2020
▪ Support, alignment and Pranayama -Breathwork -
200-hours Eddie Modestini- Kristin Bosteels 2020
Yoga on the inside. Maya Yoga.
▪ Trauma Informed Level Advance Certification
Yoga Outreach AdvanceTraining, Vancouver, BC Mar 2019
▪ Wim Hof Method Breathwork Vancouver February 2018
▪ 4-week Immersion Training Eddie Modestini
Iyengar Yoga Maya Yoga, Maui, Hawaii, USA Jul 2018
▪ Trauma Informed Level I Certification
Yoga Outreach Core Training, Vancouver, BC Sep 2017
▪ First Aid Mental Health Certification
YWCA, Vancouver, BC Nov 2017
▪ Food Safe Training Program
Vancouver Coastal Health, Vancouver, BC Jul 2017
▪ 4-week Intensive Training Iyengar Yoga Usha Devi Omkarananda Ashram, Rishikesh, India Feb 2016
▪ Ayurveda Certification
NLAM National Library of Ayurveda Medicine, India Nov 2016
▪ 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training
Tulasidam School Of Yoga Pada, India - Spain
Yoga Alliance International Certificate Mar 2015
▪ Master Clinical Hypnosis for Pain and Anxiety Management
University of Barcelona 2011
▪ Dentist Colombian College of Dentistry, Colombia 1998
Some Yoga Workshops
▪ Gabriella Giubilaro, Iyengar Yoga, Florencia Italia 2023
▪ Louie Ettling, Iyengar Yoga, Haida Gwaii, Vancouver Virtual Summer retreat 2021
▪ Angelo Checci, Study of the anatomy and biomechanics of the human body to practice 2021
▪ Louie Ettling, Iyengar Yoga, Yogaspace, Vancouver Virtual Summer retreat 2020
▪ Eddie Modestini- Kristin Bosteels 5 Days Pranayama Intensive
▪ Louie Ettling, Iyengar Yoga, Yogaspace, Vancouver 2019, 2020, 2021and Patricia Fernandes 2021Regular classes
▪ Louie Ettling, Urban Retreat, Vancouver Jul 8 -13 2019
▪ Angelo Checci, Alignmnet Yoga, Berlin German Oct 2018
▪ Arun Ji, Iyengar Yoga, Yoga Bindu, Barcelona, Spain Oct 2018
▪ Eddie Modestini, Iyengar, One Yoga, Vancouver, BC
Apr 2018, May 2017 & Nov 2017
Eddie Modestini & Kristin Bosteels, Iyengar Yoga, Hawaii,
Julio 2018
▪ Cesar Caldera, Ashtanga, La Shala, Barcelona, Spain Apr 2017
▪ Nowhere YogaLab, Hatha Vinyasa, Barcelona, Spain Apr 2017
▪ Danny Paradise, Ashtanga Yoga, Turkey & Molokai, Hawaii Jul 2015 & Mar 2017
▪ Dustin Fruson, Ashtanga, One Yoga Vancouver, Feb & Dec 2016
▪ David Swenson, Ashtanga, Vancouver, BC Apr 2016
▪ Ryan Leyer, One Yoga Vancouver, BC 2015 - 2018
▪ Antonella Ashtanga Yoga, Barcelona, Spain 2015
▪ Angelo Cecchi Aligment Yoga, Barcelona, Spain 2013 - 2015
▪ Lucas & Maria Acroyoga, Barcelona, Spain 2010 - 2014
▪ Pau Castellsague Acroyoga, Barcelona, Spain 2011
▪ Different Teachers, Colombia & Spain 2004 - 2010
▪ Carlos Diaz Hatha Yoga, Colombia 2000 -2003
Meditation
▪ Vipassana 10 day , Catalunya, Spain, 2010 & 2013
▪ Vipassana 10 day Merrit ,BC Canada 2016
Dentistry & Health Sciences - Education
Master in Dental Cosmetic and Aesthetic ESCOE, Barcelona 2014
Master in Clinical Hypnosis for pain Management, University of Barcelona 2011
Master in Implantology and Surgery ESI, Barcelona 2009
Master in Neurofocal Dentistry SNOC, Colombia 2008
Dentist Colombian College of Dentistry, Colombia 1998