Bernie Gourley

While living in India, I completed my RYT 200 in at A1000 Yoga and RYT500 at Amrutha Bindu Yoga. I also hold a certification in the teaching of Children's Yoga, also from A1000 Yoga in Bangalore. I will begin teaching private lessons on the east side of Atlanta (i.e. the Stone Mountain) area in the Spring of 2026.My practice and teaching emphasize breathwork as well as postural yoga and is informed by Jñāna yoga (the yoga of knowledge and self-realization.) The teaching I received heavily emphasized sakshi bhava (dispassionate witnessing,) and that concept has had a profound influence on my practice and is responsible for much of my personal growth.My history with movement systems predates my yoga education. I practiced martial arts for over twenty-five years. Most of my martial arts experience is with Japanese Kobudo -- traditional martial arts. However, I've also dabbled in Muay Thai, Taijiquan, and Kalaripayattu. I also studied Thai Yoga Bodywork (TYB,) a system that combines acupressure and assisted stretching and which complements yoga nicely. I've studied TYB both in India, through the IMOSHA, and in Thailand at Wat Pho. My particular interests include: combatives optimized yoga, breathwork, yoga for stress management, and yoga as a means to increase quality of life into old age.