Shivani O`Brien is founder of Venus Yoga (a style of yoga that honors universal feminine principles and sisterhood-community dynamics) and Living Shizen (a series of holistic health programs created in Japan).
For the last decade Japan has been her base and she toured the country and the world (Spain, China, India) leading various workshops and retreats designed to empower and inspire people to design lives of health and peak performance. She taught regularly at Sun and Moon Yoga Studio in Tokyo and Sugata Yoga Studio in Kamakura. She has lead workshops at prestigious business firms and some major events, including the Japan`s Yoga Fest , the Madarin Oriental Hotel, Tokyo, `Water and Peace Global Forum 2010`(where she was also the MC), and the Hayama Heart Center.
Shivani`s approaches to yoga and holistic wellness have been featured in numerous media formats, including the Japan Times, Metropolis (Japan`s No 1 English magazine),
the Japanese edition of `ACHIEVE` magazine by Success Media, Kamakura and Shonan FM Radio, Toyota`s Gazoo~ iRoute Casting Video, Veggy Steady Go and NHK World Television and NTVs famous show, 99 Size. She regularly features in Japan`s yoga magazines including `Yogini` and writes articles for Yoga Yomu~a national wide free magazine.
Shivani also specializes in relaxation/ back pain~freeing techniques. She draws from her experience with severe asthma and scoliosis and shares with people the techniques that liberated her from a chronic pain. After experiencing marriage and divorce in Japan, Shivani created the Venus Yoga Goddess `Lifeshops’ . The Lifeshops may last from 3 hours to 3 days and are designed to inspire and educate women about their body and mind. She teaches yoga/qigong techniques that nurture female sexuality, elicit natural healing, awaken inner wisdom and foster self-empowerment. In 2010 (Febraury-March) she lead her first Venus Yoga yoga teacher training program designed to holistically empower women personally, professional and in their local community in Japan.
Shivani has organized and co-organized various retreats and workshops for international teachers including Gurmukh Khalsa, Rebecca Pflum, Shashi Solluna and Sebastian Bruno.
Shivani is also passionate dancer, hoop dancer and musical theatre actress.
Shivani moved to Bali in June 2010 to deepen her experience of a life that honors nature and ritual and share with other people the bliss of the Bali experience.
What is unique about Shivani`s approach to teaching yoga?
Even in a large group Shivani always seeks to ensure students receive a `private lesson` experience. She deeply values communication with each student and asks them if they have any injuries and what they would like to focus on in their practice today before class begins. When she first began yoga over 12 years ago she had severe spinal pain (due to scoliosis) and asthma (both now dormant thanks to yoga). Many teachers tried to push and pull her into certain poses without inquiring about her health or physical situation. Often they hurt her and she always found it strange that she was never offered alternatives despite the fact that her body was very different from most people. In India and China she was privileged to study one on one with master teachers. She learnt the importance of student-teacher communication and honoring individual needs. Hence she encourages students to communicate with her before, during and after class. She like to create a blissful group dynamic while ensuring that each student feels their personal needs are being cared for.
SARA-SHIVANI 