Diana Christinson
Certified Ashtanga Yoga Teacher
Diana Christinson is the founder and Director of Pacific Ashtanga Yoga Shala in Dana Point, CA.
She is one of an honored group of students who studied with and received certification to teach the first and second series of Ashtanga yoga by its founder, Shri K Pattabhi Jois, and his grandson, Sharat Rangaswamy, at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India.
She is one of an honored group of students who studied with and received certification to teach the first and second series of Ashtanga yoga by its founder, Shri K Pattabhi Jois, and his grandson, Sharat Rangaswamy, at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India.
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Diana lived in Asia for two years and began her yoga practice in Kyoto, Japan in 1987, which inspired her lifelong studies of Eastern Philosophy. She began teaching yoga in 1996, and in 1999, after practicing yoga for more than a decade, Diana took the first of 9 trips to India to study at the Ashtanga Yoga Institute. She founded Pacific Ashtanga Yoga Shala in 2005.
With a Master’s degree in Psychology, and an appreciation for Eastern philosophies and meditation, Diana’s approach is anchored by her passion to inspire students to use their yoga practice to keep their mind and body healthy. Teaching with an understanding and refinement informed by her anatomical knowledge and keen sense of touch, she is committed to the importance of the student-teacher connection and focuses on helping each student create a practice that is distinctive to the individual. |
Diana teaches all levels of classes and workshops at Pacific Ashtanga, and was recently honored to serve as one of the assistant teachers in 2015 and 2016 at the Ashtanga Yoga Confluence, a world-renowned forum for Ashtanga. She leads wellness retreats at the Montage Resort in Laguna Beach, CA, as well as local and international yoga retreats focused on wellness, yoga theory and philosophy. Diana also teaches on-site corporate classes for businesses who want to reduce stress levels, increase focus and improve the physical health of their employees.
Devoted to sharing her knowledge and inspiring physical and mental health, Diana delivers lectures at Chapman University, and is a guest editor for the Orange County Register. She also posts weekly videos to the Pacific Ashtanga Yoga YouTube Channel, including inspirational teachings, yoga videos, and Pacific Ashtanga 30 day’s meditation outreach program. |
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Diana is President of Merit Field Foundation, Inc., a California non-profit corporation, founded in 1999. The Foundation supports the Monastic Tibetan community in Nepal and India. Its mission is to teach and encourage simple meditation techniques to reduce stress and improve internal peace and happiness.
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Striving for a continually deepening personal practice, Diana practices and has taken 1st and 2nd series training classes under local teacher, Tim Miller, an original student in the lineage of Pattabhi Jois, and the founder of Ashtanga Yoga Center in Encinitas, CA.
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Find out more about Diana and her book Your Golden Journey and online courses here:
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DianaChristinson.com Author, Teacher, Founder, Inspirational Guide Having experienced and witnessed the power of inspiration on people’s ability to grow and transform, Diana's years of living and teaching health practices has reaffirmed her belief that if we choose we can change, heal, and grow from the inside out. |
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Diana's Message
Pacific Ashtanga Yoga Shala Blessing
May the view of the vast blue ocean remind you of your infinite possibility.
May this community raise your energy to support your highest potential.
May the sound of breath stir a deep connection to your soul and your calling.
May the unique scent of incense bring you a peace, knowing you are home,
surrounded by love and support.
May this practice be a light on your path.
May the light you are brighten the path for others.
May you feel surrounded by light and inspired by its illumination in all you do.
May you always take this practice out these doors and into the corners of your life.
making the world a brighter place.
Thank you for being part of the light of our beautiful mangrove tree we call, Shala.
It is an honor to be a little lightning bug on your path.
~ With love and gratitude, Diana
Diana on Yoga and Life
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Diana's Anniversary Hopes, Tips, and Intentions
Always practice Balance. - Practice Dedication & discipline, balanced with with surrender & joy. Breath is your number one fuel - Make specific commitments and goals for your breath in practice and in life. "Work in the invisible at least as hard as the visible" ~ Rumi - Practice mindfulness rather than mindless bringing consciousness to practice and life. "Loosen your toes" ~ Guruji 
"Yes, you doing tomorrow." ~ Guruji
- Try your best; then let it go. There is always tomorrow. Move from your core. - Bandhas builds strength and creates lightness. Take them home and use them. Maintain your joy. - Practice smiling and laughing whenever possible. Respect and honor yourself. - Remember to tell yourself what a great job you are doing. Finish Each practice with thank you. - Every practice has a gift. An opportunity to acknowledge your incredible heath and blessing. |
- Lift the toes and root down deep into the floor to ground from the inside into the depth of your body and soul. Find depth in rooting. Become your biggest most expansive self.
The asana serves you. You do not serve the asana. - Ask the question: Is the pose serving me and how? Always assess & reassess. - Modify your pose - it is your pose. (try this with life-relationships, work...) The practice is a dance. Enjoy moving with it. - Move forward, enjoy the change, moving back, witnessing. Everyday observing. Practice effort balanced with non-attachment. 
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2024 Commitment to Lucky Me
Lucky Me Project coming soon
2020 Committed to Practicing Love
Committed to the year of practicing love and making our communities and world a loving and bright place.
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Metta Meditation
Our community completed our first year of practicing a daily loving kindness meditation on
November 10th, 2019. Please join us in committing to 365 days of practicing LOVE.
Here’s to another year of raising the light and vibration.
Together our prayers and energy will make the world brighter.
"Go through the day as if you were the Dali Lama undercover." -Jack Kornfield
Sit in silence. With eyes closed, imagine a light coming from a huge, extravagant source. See the light move through the top of your head and into your entire body, filling and surrounding you with vibrant light. When you feel the energy in and around you, offer your prayer:
May I be filled with love and kindness.
May I be safe from inner and outer danger.
May I be vibrantly healthy in mind, body and spirit.
May I be at ease and at peace.
May I receive this light and be a light in the world.
See and feel the light around you grow and expand to a larger orb of energy surrounding you. Welcome the ones you love. Invite your family, friends, pets, people you love on the other side into the light. Offer your prayer:
May you be filled with love and kindness.
May you be safe from inner and outer danger.
May you be vibrantly healthy in mind, body and spirit.
May you be at ease and at peace.
May you receive this light and be a light in the world.
Extending the light beyond your orb of loved ones. Include people you feel have hurt you, misunderstood you, those that have a different perspective on life, those you find a challenge to love.
May you be filled with love and kindness.
May you be safe from inner and outer danger.
May you be vibrantly healthy mind, body and spirit.
May you be at ease and at peace.
May you receive this light and be a light in the world.