Program Faculty

Yogi, mystic, and practitioner of Ayurveda, Mas has become an influential teacher, speaker, and author of Ayurveda, Yoga, and Vedantic philosophy. His diverse background includes athletics, therapeutics, science, ecology, all of which he integrates into a dynamic synthesis that has lead him to become an innovative voice in the field of integral yoga and Ayurveda. He offers unique certification and educational programs internationally and maintains an active counseling practice that embraces Vedanta, Ayurveda, and Vedic astrology. His approach is influenced by the lineages of Paramahansa Yogananda of the Self Realization Fellowship and Swami Jyotirmayananda the last direct disciple of Swami Sivananda, and in 2014 he appeared in the triumphant film Awake, The Life Of Yogananda. In 2017 his innovative work in the field was published, Sun, Moon & Earth: The Sacred Relationship of Yoga & Ayurveda is now available in over 15 countries and continues to inspire many to live an evolutionary life. As director of Dancing Shiva, an educational organization based in southern California, he promotes health, wellness, and societal reform by means of embracing universal spirituality, individuality, and a natural approach to lifestyle. In 2019 Mas launched MoreLife Market,  an e-commerce online superstore that provides premium ayurvedic products for yoga practitioners and lifestyle enthusiasts.

As an Ayurvedic Practitioner, Mas maintains an active clinical consulting practice in southern California and internationally. Over the years he has seen all types of patients-clients for various reasons ranging from acute intestinal disorders to many common diseases of our time such as weight loss, diabetes, respiratory disorders, digestive issues, skin problems, anxiety, and nervousness, poor sleep, emotional issues, and general lifestyle counseling. Through medical astrology (Jyotish), his consultations place a strong emphasis on identifying the mental-emotional causes of imbalance to the doshas and developing practical lifestyle guidelines to enable the individual to restore balance and perfect health. In each consultation, his recommendations include simple lifestyle suggestions related to diet, herbs, an astrological presentation of the birth chart, exercises, and therapies, or other modalities that may be beneficial to your specific issues.

A yoga teacher and ayurvedic counselor based in Los Angeles, California. Her teaching focuses on healing by encouraging a deeper connection to nature and life itself through the higher awareness and cultivation of Prana. Johanna's formative studies began with a broad discipline rooted in academic scholarship, yoga and bodywork practicum and energy healing. She is trained at the 200-hour level from the Center for Yoga/Yoga Works and at the 500-hour level from Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda as well as level 1 & 2 in Jyotish from the Academy of Vedic Arts and Science. Additionally she is trained at Reiki levels 1 and 2 and is also a certified Pancha Karma therapist having completed training and clinical internship at Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda. Johanna has a BA in Religious Studies and Asian Studies from CSUN and an MA in Yoga Studies from LMU. She is a lifetime student of Sanskrit and Classical Indian Philosophy, having received her certificate in Yoga Philosophy from LMU Yoga Studies.

Johanna is a senior Yoga and Ayurveda teacher at Dancing Shiva and serves as a main faculty member for the advanced programs, workshops and semi-private tutorials for the Yoga and Ayurveda Teacher Certification and Lifestyle Enhancement Program.

As an Associate Professor in the Kinesiology Department at Santa Monica College, Johanna teaches beginning, intermediate and advanced yoga to young college aged adults. Her classes focus on āsana (yogic postures as meditation in action), prānayāmā (breath work), mantra chanting, mauna (silence), visualization and concentration techniques to invoke stillness, and enter into meditative states. In addition, Johanna is a visiting teacher and lecturer with the Kerala Ayurveda School in Fremont, California bringing the union of the sister sciences of Yoga and Ayurveda to students of Ayurvedic Medicine. Johanna's training in Ayurveda & Yogic and Religious scholarship aids her in bringing context of the cultural worldview in which Yoga emerged through food, views on mental and physical health and historical, cultural and linguistic backgrounds of the Yoga practice. Johanna travels annually to India, a homeland of the Yoga tradition, in order to sustain and continue the deepening of study and practice to bring back to her students in the US. Johanna has learned from the Iyengars in Pune, Maharashtra, Jain Yoga from the Jain Vishva Bharati University in Ladnun, Rajasthan, and the International School for Jain Studies in New Delhi, Masterji Vishwanath of Mysore, Kaivalyadhama in Lonavla, Maharashtra, Hatha Yoga in Rishikesh at Parmarth Niketan, and at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in Kerala, India. She continues her Ayurveda and Philosophy studies with Drs. Robert Svoboda, Dr. Sumit Kesarkar and Dr. Kavitha Chinnayan.

Johanna’s yoga classes are integral in nature. She teaches an alignment based system of Hatha yoga with a strong focus on detoxification of mind and body through Ayurveda, asana and pranayama as tools to clear away blockages impeding spiritual progress. Her knowledge of Ayurvedic concepts of Marma therapy, the 7 dhatus (tissues) and Chikitsa (therapy) broaden her scope of teaching asana. And her love of jnana yoga (study) coupled with bhakti devotional yoga is at the heart of her teaching focus. She feels this approach allows her students to understand and learn about the yoga and Ayurveda tradition that they are practicing while simultaneously experiencing their own self-realization and healing.

A devotee of Santana Dharma at the heart of all matters, Johanna has found her lineage home in the path of the Yogini through Shakta Tantra, and is an initiate into Sri Vidya Upasana and other practices.

Professor Dr. Gunvant Yeola is the Principal and Head of the Department of Kayachikitsa (Ayurved medicine) at Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Center, Pune, India. He is Director of International Academy of Ayurved, Pune, India. He is a Consultant at TanMan Ayurvedic Research Center, Bhukum, Pune. He is M.D.; Ph.D. in Kayachikitsa (Ayurved) from Pune University and M.A. in Sanskrit. He is having 20 years of teaching experience and is a Post Graduate teacher/guide. 15 students completed PG under his guidance and 6 students are doing research work. He is a recognized Ph. D guide in Kayachikitsa of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik, Tilak Maharashtra Vidyapeeth (University), Pune, and Dr. D. Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune (Deemed to be University). He is a Board of Studies member (BOS) of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences, Nashik and Dean of Ayurveda at Dr. D.Y. Patil Vidyapeeth, Pune (Deemed to be University).

He is the owner of Shree Vishwangad Ayurved, Panchakarma and Yoga Clinic, Sahakar Nagar, Pune. He is an associate Prof. Dr. D Y Patil College Of Ayurved & Research Center, Pimpri, Pune, and the recently appointed as the Secretary for the International Academy of Ayurved. He has been invited as guest speaker for International Seminars internationally several times and was invited as a guest speaker and chairperson for UNESCO conference March 2021, Portugal.

Dr Yogesh Kutte (M.D Ayurved Rachana Sharir) is a member of the International Academy of Ayurveda.

• Designation: Associate Professor, Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Ayurved & Research Centre, Pimpri, Pune - 18 (Maharashtra, India)
• Clinical Experience: Working as Private Ayurved Physician & Panchakarma Consultant in Pune since 10 years
• Areas of Interest: Musculoskeletal disorders, Male/Female Infertility
• Teaching Experience to International Students: Have taught Marma Basics & Marma Chikitsa to several International students in last 6 years

• Ayurvedacharya (BAMS) / Ayurveda Vachaspati in Panchakarma (MD in Panchakarma)
• Former Secretary and a lifetime member of IAA
• International consultant of Ayurveda and Panchakarma
• Consulting and Visiting Physician at AMAYUR, Lisbon (Portugal)
• Consecutive experience of three years for teaching, consulting, organizing the learning & training process for the students from Dancing Shiva School of Ayurved and Yoga, USA and Shuddha Dharma Mandalam, Brazil from 2015 to 2018 in Pune city
• Consecutive experience of about four to five years for teaching, consulting, organizing the learning & training process for the students from different parts of the world viz., Romania, Italy, France, Austria, Germany, Netherlands, etc.. Completed post-graduation i.e. M.D. (in Panchakarma) from the well-recognized institute- Dr. D. Y. Patil College of Ayurved and Research Centre, Pune (State of Maharashtra) in 2018.

B.A.M.S 1995 University of Pune, India / M.D. 2000 University of Pune, India / D.Ayu.D. 2005 Tilak Maharashtra University, Pune, India

• Practicing Ayurved Medicine & Panchakarma at “Rigved Ayurved Clinic” Pune, India, with Clinical experience since 1995.
• Ex Professor (Dept of Dravyaguna) at Shree Ayurved College, Nagpur, MS, India & Tilak Ayurved College, Pune, MS, India.
• Teaching experience of 18 yrs.

Sam Geppi (Sadasiva) is the author of "Yoga and Vedic Astrology" and The Ascendant-108 Planets of Vedic Astrology". He is the founder of the American Academy of Vedic Art and Science - which offers level 1-3 Certification programs in Vedic Astrology. Currently, the Academy has more than 120 students enrolled. Sam is certified level 1 and 2 through ACVA and CVA and was hired by Dattatreya Shiva Baba to teach the first Astroved Vedic Astrology Certification Program in 2010.