Get to Know Your Yoga Instructor
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Diana ChristinsonDiana 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. 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. |
Staci BinaWhen Staci Bina walked into her first yoga class in 2004, she knew that she would never be the same. She found something that changed the way she saw her body, her life and the universe around her. And so the journey began…
She became certified to teach yoga at the Institute of Progressive Therapies in San Diego and went on to study at the Ashtanga Yoga Center with Tim Miller, where she received her first and second series teacher trainings. She has also studied at Karma Kids Yoga, New York and received training to teach children and teens. Staci is honored to be teaching and sharing her passion for the practice with others. "Watching the practice spill off the mat and into people's lives is the greatest reward." |
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Timea AgnewTimea was born and raised in Budapest Hungary, where she studied Modern Dance until she moved to the United States at age 19.
Her first yoga class was at the local gym where she was inspired by her teacher's deep respect for the healing and calming effect of yoga. After taking a few different styles of yoga classes in 2007 she knew it was the Ashtanga Method which she wanted to pursue. From there on she studied this traditional form of yoga. Her teacher training was with master teacher Tim Miller on the Primary Series. Over the years she was fortune to study with many of the most respected Ashtanga teachers like Sharat Rangaswamy, David Swenson, Nancy Gilgoff, Richard Freeman, Kino MacGregor and many more. When she is not doing yoga Timea is helping her husband Terrill's business and devoting much of her time to their two daughters Sophie and Vienna. |
Josh PlotkinAn Ashtangi at heart, Josh studies many styles of yoga. He believes each discipline rooted in form and functionality offers unique benefits to individual practitioners. His classes are focused on combining the principals of breath, gaze and movement to create a practice equal in strength and grace, a moving meditation.
500 HR Yogaworks 30 Adjustment Intensive with David Regelin See Josh's video Folding and Floating. |
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Joyce BattersbyJoyce is certified as a 200-hour RYT through Yoga Alliance. She has been practicing yoga for over 10 years, and is a devoted Ashtangi. Joyce has been a student under Diana since 2015, she is currently an intern at the Pacific Ashtanga Shala. Joyce studies with Tim Miller on a regular basis and had participated in his teacher training on June of 2017.
Joyce is a life-long Buddhist and practices vipassana and concentration meditation. Her interest in Buddhism and breath meditation led her to yoga. Joyce views yoga practice, and teaching, as acts of generosity and compassion with spiritual significance for both the student and teacher. Physical and mental fitness are priceless. |
May YacoobMay trained as yin yoga instructor in France where she taught yin yoga for past two summers. Until Covid May had chair yoga and yoga for seniors class over a period of 14 years. May is trained in a number of yoga disciplines and has been practicing ashtanga with her teacher Diana over the past 16 years.
May is trained as a public health doctor and has worked globally in this area for 30 years working with major international organizations based in Washington DC. Since moving to California May has taught health and behavioral sciences at Chapman University for 13 years until 2023. |
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