Meet our Professional Faculty

Get to know our faculty. Meet the founder Ana Lucia Farina, see who teaches in our 300h Teacher Trainings in Costa Rica and Bali, and explore our amazing Online Teachers.

Get to know our founder

**Ana Lucía Fariña**

**Costa Rica • E-RYT 500 • MBA. Ma.**
Hi! I am Analu, born and raised in San José, Costa Rica, citizen of the Earth.
*¨Who am I?*¨- Was always my deepest question. I spend decades searching for truth in all religions, in many countries and with all the great sages and *¨gurus¨,* and I finally returned back to where I began, within, to the essence of my own spirit and heart.
Nomadic by nature and free spirited - I have traveled and traveled, lived in many different countries and enjoyed life to its fullest, riding its waves and honoring its darkness and light - *an important core teaching for m*e. I find myself at home in Bali, a place I treasure as sacred; yet I live everywhere, wherever my heart takes me.
Inspired by my own life experiences, the teachings that have been passed on to me and my quest to discover myself and embrace my own spirituality, I founded **Pranaluz Conscious Living**, dedicated to support individuals in the own path of awakening to a conscious life. I offer retreats, classes, education, sound healing journeys, mentorship, travel journeys, and I am passionate for creating unique experiences for personal growth at all levels of being and worldwide.
**I am here to serve you.** - *Thank you for stopping by.*

E-RYT500 & YACEP- certified yoga teacher since 2009.

Graduated from her 200 & 300 hrs programs from Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica 2009 & 2010

Yoga additional education: Iyengar & Hatha Yoga, Yoga for children, Yoga Dance, Aerial Yoga, Yin Yoga, Yoga therapy, Prenatal and Postnanal +1000 hrs in trainings, Sound Healing (3 trainings), Pranic Healing and Reiki.
Her Yoga teachings are very much inspired on traditional Hatha Yoga, Tibetan buddhism and Advaita Vedanta.
Healing: She offers sound healing yoga and akashic records readings to support individuals in the personal growth & healing.
Loves: Coffee, dark chocolate, good music, a lot of cheese, the ocean, dolphins and whales and adores all animals, so she doesn’t eat them :)
Inspirational fascinating people: children, her grandmother, J. Krishnamurti, Ramana Maharsi, Allan Watts, Joseph Capmbell, Paramhansa Yogananda, Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Saint Francis of Asis, Jesus, Budha, Mary, Saint Germain, Marco Polo, Leonardo Da Vincci, Frida Kahlo, Thich Nhat Hanh, Einstein, Alejandro Jodorowsky, Nietzsche, Mandela, Beethoven, and so many more…

In the past: Worked 9 years in corporate multinational business in management, marketing and Human Resources.

Degrees: Bachelors in Business Administration, MBA from TEC Costa Rica, Master of Arts in Environmental Leadership from Buddhist University Naropa in Boulder, CO. U.S.A.
Music is her medicine: Trained in Nada Yoga, 3 Sound healing trainings and Kirtan / Bhakti Yoga in India. - Born to a family of talented musicians and teachers, she is a multi instrumental musician ( voice, piano, guitar, harmonium, flute, hand pan amongst many).

Tour leading/Retreats/Trainings: Since 2007, lead groups into cultural, adventure & spiritual-focus travel tours throughout all Central American countries, Mexico, Panama, South East Asia, India & Bali, Indonesia. Analu has hosted retreats since 2009 all over Costa Rica and internationally in India, Guatemala, Perú, Chile, USA, South East Asia, Singapore and Bali. YTTs in Costa Rica, Thailand, India and Bali.

Lineage: Since young age inspired by her mother and grandmother, spent her life learning, practicing and studying with and from diverse masters and lineages of teachers such as: Zen Master Thich Nhat Hanh, The Dalai Lama, Sri Mooji, Ramana Maharsi and Buddhism (Shambhala,Tibetan, Vipassana and Mahayana traditions); Metaphysics and healing arts.
Most recently in Bali, learning healing from Balinese priests and priestesses.
Inspired by the masters she studied with, by life and her love to be on service to others, she shares the teachings now with others.

Our core lead faculty Costa Rica

200 & 300 Hour Training Programs

**Marco Amador**

Costa Rica • Fisioterapeuta- Profesor de Anatomía
Marco Amador es un fisioterapeuta con fascinación por el movimiento humano y vocación para apoyar a sus clientes a cumplir sus sueños. Graduado con honores en la carrera de Terapia Física de la Universidad de Costa Rica y de la Universidad Santa Paula. Inició su vida deportiva a corta edad, compitiendo en natación, atletismo y ciclismo desde el colegio y universidad.
Actualmente compite en triatlón y carreras de campo traviesa patrocinado por varias marcas internacionales. Toda esta experiencia lo llevó a interesarse cada vez más en descubrir formas para potenciar el cuerpo humano y encontrar formas de honrar la unión de cuerpo, mente y espíritu. Es así como decide desde el año 2007 iniciar estudios en yoga y también como entrenador personal.
En su búsqueda en el mundo del yoga de más de 14 años, Marco logra estudiar con grandes maestros en India (4 ocasiones en Mysore), EEUU (Tim Miller, Douglas Brooks, Richard Freeman, John Friend entre otros) y Costa Rica. Además formo parte del staff del primer Teacher Training de Yoga Works en Latinoamerica y actualmente da clases de ***“Anatomía Aplicada al Yoga”*** en 3 países. Descubrió grandes enseñanzas que comparte en sus clases, pero decidió que necesitaba conocer más sistemas de movimiento y se certificó como personal trainer, instructor de spinning, pesas y Crossfit. Creó el sistema de entrenamiento ZENFIT, el cual une los mejores ejercicios de cada sistema de entrenamiento. Actualmente tiene clientes de 6 países en Latinoamérica con clases online y un centro de entrenamiento en San José, Costa Rica.

**Carmela Valverde** .

Costa Rica • E-RYT-500 • Therapy- Pranaluz Grad
Costarican yoga instructor who since the year 2007 dedicates her life to this tradition for the soul. Passionate about the understanding of the language of the body through the Vinayas Flow in many different forms but mostly the going deep and slow into the inner space. Along with other techniques like Soundtherapy, Non Violent Communication and her love for Psychology, she teaches and motivates about the value of looking into the emotional spectrum with compassion and resting mindfully within the heart space. Carmela is a PRANALUZ YTT program co-leader in SPANISH and also for our presencial program in Costa Rica for ENGLISH speakers.
**Yoga education:**
YTT 200 hrs from Yoga Mandir School, Costa Rica 2007.
Yoga and Philosophy Immersions and YTT with Anusara Yoga School, Costa Rica and Geneva 2009-2011.
YTT 300 hrs Pranaluz Conscious Living School, Costa Rica 2021.
**Additional trainings:**
Certified Yoga Thai Massage Therapist with Itzhak Helman, Costa Rica 2007-2010
Certified Non Violent Communication Coach, Conversable Costa Rica, 2019.
Sound Healing Therapist from the Institución Española de Sonoterapia, 2020.
College education:
BA. Psychology, UNIBE Costa Rica.
BA. Journalism, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica.
BA. Photography, Universidad Veritas Costa Rica.

Online Core Faculty (English)

Pablo Alvarez E-RYT-500 - Anatomy

Pablo has a unique combination of knowledge and skills. In Yoga he is an expert in dynamic yoga, yoga therapy, anatomy and adjustments and he has a deep understanding of yoga philosophy. He is also one of the top yoga wall trainers worldwide and one of the few trainers authorized by Larry Schultz to teach Rocket Trainings. He studied in India with Sharat Arora and M.S. Viswanath, fondly known as Masterji. He is a posture expert, has a sports background, has being winner in martial arts competitions, studying anatomy since age 14. Now he is also a Certified Personal Trainer and has a Sports Nutrition and Weight Management Certification. He uses this knowledge to coach his clients into transforming their life and achieving their goals. He is an Advanced Rolfing Structural Integration Therapist that has been mentored by some of the best rolfers alive such as Dr. Peter Schwind. In his practice he is extremely effective and his level of expertise has taken him around the world, giving sessions, education, workshops and courses. Pablo developed a system Therapeutic Alignment Vinyasa (TAV) to teach yoga that not only include the original teachings from Krishnamacharya and the Heart of Yoga, but also integrate principles for posture and movement to make the practice intelligent and effective. His has certified hundreds of students and continues to spread the love for the practice of yoga and awareness to human kind. With a degree in Music by the Arts University of Cuba, he is always passionate, rhythmic, humorous in his way of delivering the knowledge. https://www.rolfbody.com
Ana Lucía Fariña E -RYT-500 - Lead Teacher

Ana Lucía Fariña E -RYT-500 Mba.Ma.
Ana Lu is native of Costa Rica, a musician, yoga and meditaition instructor and sound healer; the founder of Pranaluz Conscious Living. Since 2009, she has been offering classes, yoga teacher trainings, workshops and wellness retreats worldwide.
She graduated from Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica where she received her 500hrs yoga certifications in 2009, and deepened her spiritual studies in India, Bali, Nepal and the west studying and learning with diverse renown teachers. She currently teaches 200 and 300 hour YTT programs in Costa Rica, Bali and India, as well as international wellness retreats and travel. A Musician since young age, Bhakti yogi practitioner, she believes in the healing power of mantra and sound. She offers kirtans and sound healings sessions, plays diverse instruments like piano, harmonium, hand pan, guitar and sings.
Analu has an MBA from Costa Rica and a Masters in Environmental Leadership from Naropa University (a Buddhist inspired university) located in Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.; where she also had the opportunity to deepen her spiritual practice in meditation, mindfulness and Tibetan Buddhism. She has dedicated her life to studying self-inquiry through inspired by eastern traditions like Yoga, Advaita Vedanta and Buddhism.
Sree Devi Bringi- India/USA.- Hinduism & Indian Philosophy

She is a native of South India where she received formal training in yoga, meditation, Sanskrit, and Hindu religious and spiritual traditions. As a retired faculty member in Yoga Studies at Naropa University in Boulder, Colorado, Sreedevi offers invited classes and workshops at yoga festivals , YTT courses, and yoga centers on topics such as yoga nidra meditation, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras, Sacred Sanskrit for spiritual practice, yoga philosophy, Goddess traditions of India, Shiva-Shakti Tantra and sacred Indian texts. She has been co-teaching a course for the online Hanuman Academy on the “Five Elements of Yoga”, and has presented for a few years at the Hanuman Festival, Moksha Festival, and at the Grand Valley Yoga Festival. She has also participated in several interviews and inter-faith panel discussions on yoga-related topics through the Shambhala Mountain Center, Naropa University, the Legacy Foundation, and other spiritual /religious organizations and venues. With graduate degrees in Chemistry, Atmospheric sciences, and Environmental Education, Sreedevi likes to infuse scientific perspectives into ancient Vedanta-Yoga-Tantra teachings and practices. Her prior teaching careers in Chemistry and Science Education have been at the public school, community college and university levels in Fort Collins, Colorado. In a newly published textbook entitled, “Beacons of Dharma”, Sreedevi has written an invited chapter about Amma, the charismatic ‘hugging saint’ of India, including the 3 paths of yoga, and the shakti principle.
Claudia Gallo E-RYT- 500 - Asana & Yoga Nidra

Originally from San Jose, Costa Rica, Claudia has spent the last ten years of her life travelling and working around the world. She did her first 200 hrs Teacher training in India at Himalaya Yoga Valley in 2011 and her 300 hrs was completed in 2017 in New York at Yoga Works. She has deepened her practice traveling around Southeast Asia and USA taking workshops and other trainings constantly. She has been a full- time yoga teacher for the past 4-5 years. She’s also worked as a studio manager in Kuala Lumpur and organizes her own yoga events and wellness and adventure retreats around the globe.
Shivananda ( D.C.Leiro)- Norway/ Bali - Ayurveda & Classical Yogic Philosophy

DC Leiro or Shivananda, is originally from Norway, but he has lived most of his life in Asia, particularly in Bali, He started studying Vedic texts as a young teenager in Norway. Driven by a deeper thirst for Indian philosophy and yoga, he moved to the United States in his early twenties to study Ayurveda with Dr. Vasant Lad at the Ayurvedic Institute. It was there he met Hart de Fouw (2000) who later became his Jyotish teacher for over a decade. The last 4 years DC has been a student under Pandit Sanjat Rath from a traditiona family linegae of astrologers from Puri, Orissa. DC Leiro bridges his western upbringing and the doctrine of Indian philosophy, to offer a unique approach to deliver chart readings with his inspections.
Ben McKinnon E RYT-500 - Dream Yoga

Meet Ben Ben is a Registered Nurse in Mental Health, a Firefighter, a qualified Yoga Teacher in Vinyasa Krama and Yin Yoga, a personal trainer, a massage therapist and a lover of handmade jewellery and photography. He has been involved in Yoga, Bodywork and Healthcare for 20 years and is passionate about sharing his love of Yoga, breathwork, bodywork and sound healing with those tired and weary in a world of ever increasing speed. He is heavily influenced by Tibetan Buddhism and the path of Vajrayana (Tantric Buddhism) and Dzogchen. In his spare time when not fighting fires, nursing, teaching or running workshops he is an avid traveller and surfer. Online workshops at: https://benmackinnonyoga.podia.com/

Online Core Faculty (Spanish)

Ana Lucía Fariña E -RYT-500 - (Costa Rica)- Profesora lÍder -Filosofía- Arte de enseñanza- Asana- Meditación

Ana Lucía Fariña E-RYT-500 Mba.Ma. Ana Lu es nativa de Costa Rica, música, instructora de yoga y meditación y sanadora de sonido; el fundador de Pranaluz Vida Consciente. Desde 2009, ha estado ofreciendo clases, formaciones de profesores de yoga, talleres y retiros de bienestar en todo el mundo.
Se graduó del Instituto de Yoga de Nosara en Costa Rica donde recibió sus certificaciones de yoga de 500 horas en 2009 y profundizó sus estudios espirituales en India, Bali, Nepal y occidente estudiando y aprendiendo con diversos maestros de renombre. Actualmente imparte programas YTT de 200 y 300 horas en Costa Rica, Bali e India, así como viajes y retiros de bienestar internacionales.
Músico desde joven, practicante de Bhakti yogui, cree en el poder curativo del mantra y el sonido. Ofrece kirtans y sesiones de sanación con sonido, toca diversos instrumentos como piano, armonio, hand pan, guitarra y canta. Analu tiene un MBA de Costa Rica y una Maestría en Liderazgo Ambiental de la Universidad de Naropa (una universidad de inspiración budista) ubicada en Boulder, Colorado, EE. UU.; donde también tuvo la oportunidad de profundizar su práctica espiritual en meditación, mindfulness y budismo tibetano. Ha dedicado su vida al estudio de la auto-indagación a través de tradiciones orientales como el Yoga, el Advaita Vedanta y el Budismo.
Pablo Alvarez E-RYT-500 -( Mexico)- Anatomía

Pablo tiene una combinación única de conocimientos y habilidades. En Yoga es un experto en yoga dinámico, terapia de yoga, anatomía y ajustes y tiene un profundo conocimiento de la filosofía del yoga. También es uno de los mejores entrenadores de pared de yoga en todo el mundo y uno de los pocos entrenadores autorizados por Larry Schultz para enseñar Rocket Trainings. Estudió en India con Sharat Arora y M.S. Viswanath, cariñosamente conocido como Masterji.
Es un experto en postura, tiene experiencia en deportes, ha sido ganador en competencias de artes marciales, estudia anatomía desde los 14 años. Ahora también es un entrenador personal certificado y tiene una certificación de nutrición deportiva y control de peso. Utiliza este conocimiento para entrenar a sus clientes a transformar su vida y lograr sus metas. Es un terapeuta avanzado de integración estructural de Rolfing que ha sido asesorado por algunos de los mejores rodillos vivos como el Dr. Peter Schwind. En su práctica es sumamente efectivo y su nivel de experiencia lo ha llevado por todo el mundo, impartiendo sesiones, educación, talleres y cursos. Pablo desarrolló un sistema de Alineamiento Terapéutico Vinyasa (TAV) para enseñar yoga que no solo incluye las enseñanzas originales de Krishnamacharya y el Corazón del Yoga, sino que también integra principios de postura y movimiento para hacer la práctica inteligente y efectiva. Ha certificado a cientos de estudiantes y continúa difundiendo el amor por la práctica del yoga y la conciencia a la humanidad. Licenciado en Música por la Universidad de las Artes de Cuba, siempre es apasionado, rítmico, humorístico en su forma de transmitir los conocimientos.
Carmen Valverde E-RYT500 - ( Costa Rica)-Asana & Comunicación no violenta

Instructora de Yoga costarricense que desde el año 2007 dedica su vida a esta tradición para el alma. Apasionada por la comprensión del lenguaje del cuerpo a través del Vinyasa Flow con la intención de ir profundo a los espacios internos. Acompañada de otras técnicas como la Terapia de Sonido, La Comunicación No Violenta y su amor por la Psicología, enseña y motiva sobre el valor de mirar hacia el espectro emocional con compasión y descansar en la presencia de lo que surge. Carmela es co-líder del programa PRANALUZ YTT en ESPAÑOL y también en nuestro programa presencial en Costa Rica en INGLÉS.
Educación de yoga:
• YTT 200 hrs de la Escuela Yoga Mandir, Costa Rica 2007.
• Inmersiones de Yoga y Filosofía y YTT con Anusara Yoga School, Costa Rica y Ginebra 2009-2011.
• YTT 300 hrs Pranaluz Conscious Living School, Costa Rica 2021.
Entrenamientos adicionales:
• Terapeuta certificada de Masaje Tailandés por Itzhak Helman, Costa Rica 2007-2010
• Coach Certificada en Comunicación No Violenta, Conversable Costa Rica, 2019.
• Terapeuta de Sonido de la Institución Española de Sonoterapia, 2020.
Educación universitaria:
BA. Psicología, UNIBE Costa Rica.
BA. Periodismo, Universidad Latina de Costa Rica.
BA. Fotografía, Universidad Veritas Costa Rica.
@yohabatsu
Carolina Baeza- ( Chile)-Ayurveda

Creadora de OmDharma Yoga & Ayurveda y Balance "Alquimias Ayurvedas", nacida en Punta Arenas, al extremo sur de Chile.
Instructora de Hatha Yoga desde el 2016 y constante formación en Iyengar Yoga. Terapeuta de Medicina Ayurveda en formación permanente en India y Chile desde el 2016. Inicia su camino del Yoga el año 2010 producto de fuertes dolencias físicas por una escoliosis lumbar, descubre la sanación a través del Yoga y la Ayurveda, e inicia su proceso formativo, hace 4 años dejó su trabajo de oficina para entregarse por entero a su pasión; difundir el Yoga y Ayurveda para tod@s quienes lo necesiten, trabaja en retiros Wellness en Bali (Indonesia) e India, como instructora de Yoga y terapias de Ayurveda en Chile y en otras partes del mundo, dictando talleres grupales, atenciones y clases individuales de manera presencial y online, que incluyen alimentación, meditación, técnicas de respiración, fitoterapia, masajes, aromaterapia, Yoga terapia, entre otros.
Actualmente viviendo en India, se especializa en técnicas de Rasayana (rejuvenecimiento) Ayurveda, en el ámbito académico como docente en formaciones de Yoga y de Terapeutas en Medicina Ayurveda en escuelas de Chile y otras partes del mundo.
Conoce más de ella en instagram @omdharmayoga o www.omdharmayoga.com y en su canal de Spotify Omdharma Yoga.
Manuel Gomez Ma -( Costa Rica)-Psicólogo terapeuta especialista en Psicología Psico-somática

Manu nació y se crió en Costa Rica. Se graduó de la Escuela de Psicología de la Universidad de Costa Rica y recibió su maestría en Psicología Somática de la Universidad de Naropa, una universidad de inspiración budista en Boulder, Colorado, donde reside actualmente con su esposa y su perro. Apasionado por las intersecciones entre cuerpo y mente desde una perspectiva psicológica, Manu se centra en esta unidad funcional de la mente-cuerpo, que se basa en la premisa de que lo que sucede en la mente se refleja en el cuerpo y viceversa. Manu basa su enfoque en la neurociencia y la atención plena para guiar a los clientes hacia el desarrollo de la capacidad de observarse mejor a sí mismos y las interacciones de su cuerpo mental; para enfocarse, sanar y crecer como un ser humano integral que avanza hacia lo más fundamental, inspirador y poderoso en sus vidas. Manu también es instructor de meditación, estudiante de budismo, músico y apasionado de los deportes al aire libre.
Manu basa su enfoque en la neurociencia y la atención plena para guiar a los clientes hacia el desarrollo de la capacidad de observarse mejor a sí mismos y las interacciones de su cuerpo mental; para enfocarse, sanar y crecer como un ser humano integral que avanza hacia lo más fundamental, inspirador y poderoso en sus vidas. Manu también es instructor de meditación, estudiante de budismo, músico y apasionado de los deportes al aire libre.
SOFIA SHIAPACASSE- (Chile)- Asana