About

Our ethos at Soul Studies is to encourage our students to commit to a lifelong journey of learning and passion fuelled way of sharing Yoga.

The practice of yoga is a process of rewilding our innate connection with ourselves.

These teachings touch every layer of who we are from the physical to our soul. When we embody the connection of these teachings that stretches off the mat into our daily life, we have greater sense of direction in all of life’s experiences.

Our holistic approach to these teachings encourages a path of self discovery to allow our students to illuminate their true authentic way of sharing yoga.

Certifications completed

Michelle Chan - ERYT - 500 YACEP 500 hour Vinyasa Yoga Training Body Mind Life - 50 hour Advanced assisting and energetics - Simon Park - 25 hour Find the teacher within - Maty Ezraty - 50 hour Super Sequencing - Body Mind Life - 50 hour Pre & Postnatal Training - Body Mind Life - Breathing with Tigers 7 Day Training - Shiva Rea - 50 hour Advanced Yoga Energetics - Body Mind Life - 50 hour Yin Yoga & Mindfulness - Sarah Owen - 60 hour Yin & Myofascial Release - Nicky Hadjithoma - 20 hour Better Way to Flow: Preventing Injuries - Jason Crandell - 50 hour Vinyasa Krama - Rod Stryker - BPharm (Hons) University of Auckland Kirsten Nielsen: - 200hr Ashtanga Vinyasa trained - 300hr - Advanced Vinyasa - 800hr Purna Yoga – Byron Yoga - 100hr Yin Yoga – Byron Yoga - 100hr Restorative Yoga – Byron Yoga - 100hr Pre-Post Natal Training – Byron Yoga - 22hr – Yoga Anatomy – David Keil - 2 Year Diploma in Yoga Management - Meditation teacher IVHHD Certified - Holistic Counsellor IVHHD Certified

Main style taught

Michelle Chan: Vinyasa, Yin, Myofascial Release , Pre/Postnatal Kirsten Nielsen: Vinyasa, Restorative, Yin , Meditation, Pre/postnatal

Your unique style of teaching

Michelle Chan: Michelle's teaching embraces the multidimensional aspects of yoga. With her passion in creative sequencing, her classes are playful, soulful and intelligent to lead you on a path of self discovery. Kirsten Nielsen: A mixture of deep contemplation through meditation, intelligent peak pose sequences, loud tribal music, bad jokes, cheeky smiles and soulful words inspired by all my years as a student on the yoga mat

Your mantra

Michelle Chan: I bow to the Divine wisdom of All That Is, I bow to the teacher within (Ong Namo Guru Dev Namo) Kirsten Nielsen: GururBrahma GururVishnu GururDevo Maheshwaraha Guru Saakshaat ParaBrahma Tasmai Sri Gurave Namaha - The mantra asks for the ability to see the guru in all names and forms, and even to acknowledge, love and serve the guru who you cannot see, who is beyond all visible forms. The guru is your own self, the inner guiding lig.

Your mentors

Michelle Chan: Noelle Connolly, Rachael Coopes Kirsten Nielsen: Dice Ida Klein, Cassie Lee, Ghata Engles

Your favourite hobby

Michelle Chan: Being out in nature however that looks, surfing Kirsten Nielsen: Surfing for sure!

Your guilty pleasure

Michelle Chan: Devouring spoonfuls of peanut butter Kirsten Nielsen: Singing and dancing to country music (specifically the Dixie Chicks) in my car

Instagram account

@soul.studiesyoga @michellealisayoga @kirstennielsenyoga

If you were not a teacher, what whould you be?

Michelle Chan: I'd probably still be working as a pharmacist which is a field of work that I still love. It was apparent to me when it was the right time to embark on the path of yoga teaching as every roadblock I set for myself created the most perfectly paved path! I never looked back. Kirsten Nielsen: I would probably be a full time disability support worker, I do it now part time and I absolutely love it! And maybe I would be a dolphin trainer that would be a cool job!