Speakers and guests

Todd Ovokaitys, M.D.

Invited Speaker

Dr. Todd Ovokaitys did undergraduate studies at Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois. He was first in his class with the highest possible grade point average. He was accepted into an accelerated medical training program at the prestigious Johns Hopkins University, from which he received his MD degree. In further training at Georgetown University Hospital, he achieved specialty status in Internal Medicine, Pulmonary Medicine and Critical Care Medicine. His present academic status is as an Associate Professor of Medicine at Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. After his medical training he had inspired insights into applied biophysics. This resulted in creating and globally patenting a new form of ultra-rapid light impulse generation. While lasers are used as the light source the wave form generation is far more complex and permits stimulating and activating molecules in novel ways. The applications have included complete inactivation of HIV without drugs, improved bioavailability of nutrients and therapeutic compounds, enhancing the yields and nutrient density of agricultural crops to feed the world with the highest quality food and laser guided stem cell therapy. The latter application has shown the ability to repair or regenerate a variety of injured organ systems much better and faster than before. The implications for reversing aging and raising the bar for longevity are just starting to be explored. As a related area of study of sound vibrations as opposed to light vibrations, the doctor has also developed a method resembling chanting monks described as the pineal toning technique. Either as an individual practice or as a choir with 300-900 people, this method produces complex overtone harmonics and resonance structures. This reduces stress, produces enhanced states of consciousness, and has been associated with a variety of health benefits.

André Riehl

Invited Speaker

André Riehl is a Yoga student since 1972. He lived in a Himalayan monastery before spending several years in a spiritual quest in India among masters and instructors of diverse traditions. He had the opportunity to deepen his spiritual practice with Kashmiri Babu, an ascetic monk in the Shivaite tradition. He was profoundly touched by his contact with J. Krishnamurti and Sri Ma Ananda Moyi. It was finally his decisive meeting of Chandra Swami in the Brahmanic lineage of the Udasins that allowed him to integrate all the previous teachings. Returning to France, he studied teaching yoga in the schools of Swami Shivananda, Lucien Ferrer, Nil Haoutoff and Sri T.K.V. Desikachar and became a teacher himself. Author and translator of a dozen of spiritual works, as well as of several articles in specialized magazines, he produced a few audio-video materials of traditional yoga practices. In 1992, he became president of the Federation of Traditional Yoga and he opened schools of Yoga teaching (in Toulouse, Paris, Bretagne, Le Mans and Switzerland). He is a certified teacher in NIDRA YOGA by the «Federation of Traditional Yoga» – France; European Federation, and the “National Yoga Confederation of India.” He participated in the creation of two alternative conventions in Paris – “Live and Work differently” (a convention of social alternatives), and “Alternative Health” (a convention of Complementary Medicine and traditional health practices) and he was the program director for 10 years. He participated in numerous radio and television broadcasts and is invited to yoga conferences worldwide. Desiring to participate in the transmission and the preservation of the yogic culture, he dedicates himself to transmit authentic teachings combining ancestral knowledge with contemporary attitudes through courses, seminars, and trainings. The teaching he offers combines practices allowing integrating the diverse facets which form our identity and our way of being in the world.

Nicolae Catrina (Adinathananda)

Invited Speaker

Nicolae Catrina (Adinathananda) is a yoga teacher with more than 30 years’ experience, under the spiritual guidance of Gregorian Bivolaru. He is the founder of the only Kashmir Shaivism course outside India, which was born 20 years ago and offers, in a unique way, adapted to the western mindframe, to thousands of students from Romania and other countries around the world, the richness and depth of this spiritual tradition. His profound interest in various forms of authentic spirituality and his spiritual intuition helped him to create several other courses, among which Tantric Alchemy, Enneagram, Esoteric I Ching, so on. He also founded a unique system for revealing the Divine Self, Atman, based on a supramental yet very accessible approach, which helped and inspired thousands of students reach their spiritual essence. He is the author of several books on Shaivism, Yoga, Tantra, spiritual art, etc. As a sanskritologist, he has done translations of important yogic and tantric texts, like Saundaryalahari, Shiva Samhita or Gheranda Samhita. For his Shaivism students, he offers the translation and the esoteric practical knowledge of many traditional texts, including Shiva Sutras, Spanda Karikas and Vijnana Bhairava Tantra.

Mihai Stoian (Advaitananda)

Invited Speaker

Advaita Stoian is an advanced practitioner, teacher, author, researcher, philosopher, and life coach, who has been practicing and teaching Yoga and Tantra for more than 25 years within the International Federation of Yoga and Meditation ATMAN. Through his intensive spiritual practice, Advaita has attained the practical understanding of life’s deepest mechanisms, becoming a treasure for all who want to walk the path by themselves. His practical knowledge unites with his modern scientific formation, which results in highly effective guidance that addresses the practitioner, and is perfectly adapted to the views of our contemporary world. He is also a prolific proponent of current sociological issues, and, since the beginning of the new millennia, has introduced fundamental concepts that are now being used to shape the landscape of human rights: spiritual human rights, soul ecology and hygiene of the consciousness. Perhaps Advaita’s greatest contribution to modern-day spirituality is in his providing the opportunity for many people to come into contact and deeply understand the amazing value of the spiritual practices and teachings revealed by his spiritual mentor, the great spiritual master, Gregorian Bivolaru. Advaita is the co-author of the internationally acclaimed Tantra Intensive Course which is taught throughout the world. Annually he lectures at many retreats and conferences, including the International Meditation Retreat for Revealing the Supreme Self in Paradise Retreat Center, Denmark, Tantra Festivals throughout Europe, different workshops for spiritualising relationship, and the esteemed Maha Vidya series of retreats held in Romania and Denmark.

Adina Stoian

Adina Stoian is a tantra and yoga teacher with vast experience (more than 20 years) in working with spiritual knowledge through courses, seminars and workshops all over the world. Together with her beloved husband, Advaitananda, and under the guidance of her master Grieg (who is famous for his modern approach to the ancient Yoga and Tantra teachings), she has devoted her life to promote the tantric vision. Through her work and personal practice, she explores human existence and transformation, the couple relationship, spiritual evolution, the role of women in Tantra and the importance of spirituality for our modern world. Together with Advaitananda, Adina is the co – author of the Intensive Tantra Course and she is the founder and author of the Tantra for Women courses which are setting the new spiritual standard for the modern woman. She teaches extensively throughout the world in lectures, camps and seminars in majority of European countries, Central and South America, India, Thailand, etc. being an alive example of a tantric woman.

Ph.D. Doru Bodea

Dr. Phys. Doru Bodea (Ph.D.) is teaching Yoga from different Traditions (such as: Hatha Yoga, Tantra Yoga, Svara Yoga, Karma Yoga, Raja Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Laya Yoga a. o.) for many year throughout Europe giving classes, workshops, seminars and speaking in a variety of congresses, fairs, forums and festivals of spirituality as one of the leading teachers of ATMAN International Federation of Yoga and Meditation. His elaborate scientific background of research and teaching in the field of modern physics interestingly kept deepening his faith in the relevance of his spiritual experiences and understanding allowing him to bring together the perspectives of science and spirituality in his work. Doru Bodea was born in Sebes, Romania in 1971 and was raised by his parents in Alba Iulia, Romania. Details on his carrer as physics researcher and yoga teacher you find here. Currently he lives in Berlin.

Swami Mahalayananda

Swami Mahalayananda has a background in law. He also specialized in clinical psychotherapy, different forms of massage and Chinese martial art. He’s been a yoga teacher for 20 years in different countries. He currently lives in Portugal where he founded a yoga school almost 10 years ago. He has a special interest in and love for Kashmir Shaivism and initiatic art. And he’s always looking for new inspiration for a lecture or workshop.

Ph.D. Octav Fercheluc

24 years of experience as a yoga practitioner (since 1992), 12 years of experience as a yoga instructor (in Romania, Spain, Argentina, Chile and Uruguay). Graduate from the yoga instructor course organized by the Federation of Yoga and Meditation ATMAN in 2009. Coordinator of the Academy of Traditional Yoga ANANDA – Uruguay. Coordinator of a program of Community Yoga in Uruguay. Organizer of two editions of the Scientific Yoga Symposium in Uruguay. Teacher of yoga, tantra and meditation courses. Graduate from the Faculty of Mathematics in Bucharest, PhD in Mathematics in 1999.

Zoltan Bartha

Zoltan practices astrology and yoga since 1994, being self-taught in the field of astrology. He teaches yoga, and in 1996 he initiated the first study group of astrology. In 1998 he founded the Centre for Astrological Research and Applications “Helios” from Cluj Napoca, operating successfully since then in this area, and sharing with others his experience as an astrologer.

Ph.D. Daniela Vasile

Daniela has a doctorate in medical sciences and she is studying Ayurveda in AMN since 1998. She started teaching the Indian science of life in 2008. She is intensely preoccupied by music therapy, other natural methods for maintaining health and healing, spirituality, art and avant-garde science.

Irina Childs, MBA

Holding 2 licences and Masters one in Engineering and one in Management (MBA) Irina E Childs works as Management Consultant managing multimillion£ technology projects. She also teaches yoga, holds conferences on The Art of Happiness and coordinates researchers that are developing new methods of Integral Education. Aiming to reach the peak of potential both in herself as well as in her teams and students, Irina is an unconventional Leader of the Integral Studies Academy. You can meet and connect with Irina during her classes, conferences or directly by sending an email.

Pistis Zadoff

Pistis Zadoff has been a yoga practitioner since 1999, and joined the ATMAN Yoga federation schools in 2002. He became a Yoga instructor in 2007 and a Shaivism Instructor in 2015. He has taught in various countries including India, Israel, Romania, England and Czech Republic. After fracturing his arm in an accident in 2013 he developed an interest in alternative healing methods including Orgone energy, bio-circuitry and frequency treatments. Using these methods he succeeded to heal the fracture, to the surprise of the doctors that thought that it cannot be done without surgical intervention. Since then he has been promoting the use of these healing techniques, making them accessible to those interested and conducting experiments for developing new directions in nontraditional healing. 

Elisabeta Bugu

Elisabeta practices yoga at MISA Yoga School since 1990, being particularly attracted to Ayurveda, the Indian science of life which she teaches since 2000, as well as to Tantra Yoga, which is one of her favorite subject of study.

Ph.D. Marius Petrilă

Marius has a Ph.D. in forestry and practices yoga at MISA Yoga School since 1991. He pays particular attention to the practice of Tantra Yoga.

Cristian Alexandru

Cristian has a constant spiritual practice for over 30 years and he is a yoga teacher for 24 years. He’s engineer in automation and computers, neuroscience researcher, specialized in the study of altered states of consciousness. He is also the creator of some advanced audio programs designed on the one hand, for stimulation, balancing and growth of brain performances and on the other hand for the beneficial reconfiguration of the subconscious.

Alexandru Cristian Ion

Cristi is an engineer and physicist and practices yoga in MISA Yoga School since 1990 and he became a yoga teacher in 1992. His great passions are discovering God in every aspect of the manifestation, exploring the multiple dimensions of consciousness and he also aims to help in both the reunification of genuine science with spirituality and putting them at the service of man’s spiritual evolution.

Dana Meculescu

Dana practice yoga at MISA Yoga School since 1992, but she’s also studying in parallel Shivaism, Enneagram tradition, Tantric Alchemy, and I Ching. She is coordinating music therapy courses organized by Resonance Association, which she teaches in Bucharest.

Mircea Morariu

Mircea practices and teaches yoga with passion since 1990. Of the many open lines of this millenary spiritual science, he is particularly interested in the practice of meditation, awakening and control of the fundamental energy Kundalini, awakening of the soul and Tantra system.

Ciprian Fodor

Ciprian was attracted by the fundamental branch of Tantra Yoga for over 20 years, and, with the help of the Spiritual Guide, he had the revelation that this is his spiritual mission specific path. He summed methodology by which those who have affinities and a living spiritual openness towards Tantra can easily get results. He gives Tantra workshops and conferences in several countries.

Atifalina Rusu

She’s practicing yoga at MISA Yoga School since 1997. She graduated the AstroHelios free practice of astrology and practices astrology since 1998. She is coordinating music therapy courses organized by Resonance Association in Alba Iulia and Bucharest. She graduated from the Academy of Visual Arts “Ioan Andreescu” from Cluj-Napoca.

Gladys Anițescu

Gladys is a nutritionist and practices yoga at MISA Yoga School since 1994. She coordinates esoteric music and music courses since 2012. She’s also interested in Romanian folk music and dance from ancient times until today, the practical applications of music and pure sounds in harmonizing and healing of the human being.

Jayson Acs

Jayson was introduced to the science of yoga in 1988 and then in 1990 he began to practice it consistently in the courses organized by MISA Yoga School. He teaches yoga since 1991 and started to specialize in the practice of different alternative therapies since 1994. His study is focused on health issues through the prism of spiritual evolution, especially understanding how God and the angels help us to progress spiritually.

Tatiana Davydova

Tatiana completed 8 years of the MISA Yoga course and 3 years of Tantra course. She started Yoga Teachers training in 2014 and she will be graduating in 2017. In the same time, she’s attending the Tantra Teachers training in Denmark in 2016, which she will be graduating in 2018-2019. Graduated as a building engineer, she’s now about to get her degree in psychology; field of interests includes learning different ways of how we can improve our psycho-emotional state and wellbeing in order to live a more harmonious life. Therefore it was possible to combine a final project at the Yoga Teachers Training and a diploma project at the Psychology Department of the St. Petersburg State University to develop an experimental research on how practice of yoga (and of techniques for sublimation of energies, in particular) affects people’s emotional state.

Simona Popescu

Simona is a general practitioner with expertise in acupuncture and a master in couple and family psychology. She practices yoga since 1991 and since 1992 she teaches yoga at the MISA yoga school. Among others, she is a festival organizer for Erotical Emancipation and a course of sexual continence in Timișoara. She also organizez courses, conferences and workshops for women – Esoteric Kama Sutra.

Dănuț Adrian Șerban

I started practicing yoga in 2003, then Ayurveda in 2006 and since 2015 I’m a lecturer of Ayurveda. My hobbies revolve around oriental philosophy and practical ways of balancing the human being.