Our team is what makes the heart and soul of Purna Yoga Retreat Centre. Our staff members are like our family and we care for each other with deep respect and love which is palpable and can be felt by anyone who comes to experience our retreat centre. We all work together in unison to ensure a smooth operation and more importantly a cosy familial atmosphere, which encourages that which we wish to promote with our yoga activities – opening up and reconnecting with self, healing on an inner level and developing a strong personal connection with the life force within, all the while empowering each other in the process.
Manohar Shrestha
Founder, Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Manohar comes from a family with a long yoga tradition and he started practicing yoga at a young age. His father Purna, who is a medical professional, has always been passionate about daily yoga and meditation practice and Manohar grew up immersed in his father's dedication to natural health and yoga, listening to the stories of his dream of one day opening a yoga centre.
In his early twenties Manohar set off in the search for his path in life. He completed his travel and tourism degree and travelled Europe before he felt an inner calling and he returned to where he began – to yoga.
Manohar has completed his pre-teacher training in 2006 following which he gained experience in teaching yoga to Nepali children and youth. Later the same year Manohar started working as a manager for a yoga centre for two years. He completed his yogic studies certificate in 2008 at the Bihar School of Yoga, Munger, India and gained a wealth of knowledge and deep understanding of yoga, which today makes him a very knowledgeable, attentive and caring yoga teacher. Manohar is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance as E-RYT 200 and RYT 500.
In 2008 Manohar started up Nepal Yoga Trek
www.nepalyogatrek.com, an innovative approach to trekking in the Himalayas combined with yoga, which has become increasingly popular. This led to his opening of a yoga studio and later PEP Nepal empowerment project
www.pepnepal.org. Until finally, with support and help of the Purna Yoga team and family, he was able to fulfil his father's (and by then also his own) dream of opening a yoga retreat centre.
Laxman Shrestha
Manager, Supervisor & Yoga Teacher Assistant
Laxman comes from Kalesti village in Tanahun district of Nepal. His father is an electrician and with his work he inspired him to become interested in all things electronic. Laxman initially planned to become an electronics engineer and he started his studies in the subject. He was a conscientious student, but as the course progressed he found some personal difficulties and he developed depression, anxiety and couldn’t contain his unhappiness and frustration. After much struggle and searching for relief he had heard about yoga and finally he found that he could release his tension and calm his mind. Laxman underwent one month yoga teachers training in Patanjali Yoga at Patanjali Yog Samithi in Kathmandu in early 2017. At Purna Yoga Retreat he spends a lot of time studying yoga science and developing his personal yoga practice and he enjoys his newfound peace of mind.
Laxman has also learnt to play harmonium at Indrayeni Sangit Pathashala music school in Pokhara. He wishes to become a fully qualified yoga teacher in the near future and in his free time he still enjoys fixing all things electronic. He is always running around here and there helping out everyone and managing everything in the retreat as well as replying emails and arranging the bookings.
Maheshwar Man Shrestha
Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Maheswar took up the practice of yoga at the age of fifteen and from 1993 to 1996 he underwent 3 years of formal yoga training after which he started to work as a yoga instructor in Kathmandu. He received his advanced yoga training at Arogya Dham Yoga in Nepal in 2000 and was consequently invited to work in Singapore for two years to pass on his extensive knowledge and profound understanding of yoga.
Maheswar completed his diploma in Yoga Teacher training at Yoga Vidya Gurukul in India in 2007 and has been a keen promoter of the benefits of yoga since he first started his own practice, vividly remembering his immune system as being very poor, making him suffer from high fever, stomach pain and tonsil problems two or three times a year before he became involved in yoga. Through his diligent daily practice he noticed major improvements to his health and once he realized the benefits, yoga became a major part of his life. Maheswar firmly believes that everybody who practices yoga regularly will definitely see improvements in their health and wellbeing.
Kushvendra Singh
Yoga & Meditation Teacher
Kush originally comes from Varanasi in India and he has been living in Nepal since 2015. Kush has become interested in yoga after his father passed away, this is when he started pondering the questions of life and death and came across yoga philosophy. Kush says that since he has begun his yoga practice he developed calmness, contentment, lightness of spirit and intuition. He says that he now has the energy to seek the truth and living in the state of happiness and love has become the essence of his life. Besides the spiritual benefits he has also experienced some physical benefits of yoga as his ailing lungs have healed since he started his practice. Kush has completed his yoga teacher training from Parimukti Academy in India in 2015 and in early 2018 he underwent a Yoga Therapy course with Yoga Vidya Gurukul and Iyengar Yoga course. He is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance as E-RYT 200. Kush has been teaching Hatha yoga, Asthanga yoga and meditation with Purna Yoga Retreat since 2016. In his free time Kush likes to cook, go for long walks with no destination, travel, meet people and share his knowledge, trek in the mountains and enjoy the silence.
Lina Wang
(Coordinator to China region)
Lina Wang, a passionate and dedicated yoga enthusiast who has embraced the practice of yoga and has also become a seasoned professional in the field, has completed rigorous yoga instructor courses. Lina is a practitioner and also holds certified expertise in guiding others through the transformative journey of yoga.
With over six years of experience in this field, Lina Wang has honed her skills and knowledge, becoming a beacon of inspiration for those seeking a holistic approach to well-being. Her journey began as a personal quest for balance and inner peace, but it soon evolved into a mission to share the profound benefits of yoga with others.
Lina's commitment to her craft is evident in her role as a Country Coordinator for Purna Yoga in China region. This position reflects her expertise and leadership within the global yoga community. As a coordinator, she plays a crucial role in spreading the teachings of Purna Yoga, And shoulders the responsibility of overseeing and coordinating all Purna Yoga activities within China region Her duties include facilitating communication between regional stakeholders, organizing and promoting events and workshops, oversees financial reporting, and collaborates with relevant stakeholders to optimize resource allocation and ensuring adherence to the principles and standards of Purna Yoga.
One of Lina's standout qualities is her mastery of various yoga techniques and her impeccable performance in this sector. Her dedication to continuous learning and personal growth has allowed her to achieve a level of proficiency that resonates with both novice practitioners and seasoned yogis alike. Whether executing intricate asanas or guiding a meditation session, Lina's skill and grace make her a sought-after figure in the yoga community.
Lina's achievement is a testament to her unwavering commitment to the principles of yoga and its ability to bring about positive change. Her journey from a passionate enthusiast to a seasoned professional and country coordinator in China is a testament to the transformative power of yoga. In the ever-growing landscape of wellness and mindfulness, Lina stands as a shining example of what dedication, expertise, and a genuine love for the practice can achieve in the world of yoga.
国家协调员至中国地区
王丽娜是一位热情且专注的瑜伽爱好者，她拥抱了瑜伽的实践，并且在这个领域也成为了经验丰富的专业人士。她已经完成了严格的瑜伽教练课程，是一位实践者，同时也具有指导他人进行瑜伽转化之旅的认证专业知识。
拥有超过六年的这个领域经验，王丽娜已经磨练了自己的技能和知识，成为了寻求全面健康方法的人们的灵感明灯。她的旅程始于对平衡和内心平静的个人追求，但很快演变成了一项与他人分享瑜伽深远好处的使命。
王丽娜对自己工作的执着在她作为普尔纳瑜伽在中国和台湾地区的国家协调员的角色中得到了体现。这个职位反映了她在全球瑜伽界的专业知识和领导力。作为协调员，她在传播普尔纳瑜伽的教义方面发挥着至关重要的作用，并肩负着监督和协调中国地区所有普尔纳瑜伽活动的责任。她的职责包括促进地区利益相关者之间的沟通，组织和推广活动和研讨会，监督财务报告，并与相关利益相关者合作，优化资源配置，确保遵守普尔纳瑜伽的原则和标准。
王丽娜的一项突出特质是她对各种瑜伽技巧的精通，以及她在这个领域的无可挑剔的表现。她对持续学习和个人成长的执着使她达到了一种能够与初学者和老练的瑜伽爱好者产生共鸣的水平。无论是执行复杂的体式还是引导冥想，王丽娜的技艺和优雅都使她成为瑜伽界中备受追捧的人物。
王丽娜的成就证明了她对瑜伽原则的坚定承诺以及瑜伽带来积极变化的能力。从一位热情的爱好者到一位经验丰富的专业人士，再到中国地区的国家协调员，她的旅程证明了瑜伽的变革力量。在不断增长的健康和正念领域，王丽娜是奉献、专业知识和对实践的真诚爱的光辉典范.
Sapana Tamang
Massage Therapist
Sapana comes from Nuwakot in Trisuli district and she moved to Pokhara in 2012. She comes from a typical small village with strong farming traditions and she moved to the city in search of other work opportunities and to improve the quality of life for her daughter. Sapana was introduced to massage therapy shortly after moving to Pokhara and she was happy to receive an offer of massage training from Mountain Spa in Pokhara. She underwent comprehensive massage training where she learned Ayurvedic Massage, Deep Tissue Massage, Thai Massage and Trekkers Massage and she has been working at Mountain Spa for three years after completion of her training. In 2015 Sapana started working at Purna Yoga Retreat and straight away she received glowing reviews from our guests. In 2017 Sapana underwent another training, where she learned a new massage style – Hawaiian Lomi Lomi massage and she has now added this new technique to her set of skills. In her free time Sapana likes to travel to her home village to visit family and friends.
Binod Lama
Cook
Binod is gentle, quiet and diligent by nature and he infuses his cooking with special care and attention to detail. We enjoy his healthful and yummy meals as much as we enjoy his company and his friendship. Binod’s first working experience was in India, Goa in 2013 where he spent 6 months learning and gaining experience as a cook in Green Hearts Hotel. Following this he returned to Nepal and worked as a cook in the Heaven Guest House in Manang for 1 year before joining Purna Yoga in 2014. Binod enjoys learning new things and in free time he returns to his home village and helps his family in farming vegetables.
Kumar Moktan
Cook
Kumar comes from a large family in one of the villages in Makwanpur district. He is one of eight siblings so he left home in his early teens to find himself a job and a vocation. He travelled to India where he started working as kitchen help first and then learned cooking. He first started working as a cook in "Shanu's Restaurant" in Goa for 2 years and then at "Manu Guest House" in Manali for 3 years. After returning to Nepal he joined Purna Yoga and now we cannot imagine our center without him. Kumar is very dedicated and he simply enjoys cooking so his meals are infused with his enthusiasm and taste extra special. Kumar also enjoys listening to Nepali folk music.
Raj Kumar Moktan
Cook
Raj Kumar comes from a village in the area of Agra in Makwanpur district. He is the eldest of five siblings so he helps his parents to look after his younger brother and sisters. Few years ago his cousin encouraged him to travel to India where he started working as kitchen help. With time he learned how to cook at a seafood restaurant and he stayed in Goa for over a year. After coming back to Nepal he joined Purna Yoga and now it’s hard to picture our kitchen without him. Raj Kumar loves music and singing almost as much as cooking and our guests often hear his renditions of Nepali songs while he prepares the meals.
Maya Basnet
Housekeeping
Maya comes from Sindhuli in the south of Nepal and she has moved to Pokhara with her family in 2014. Maya has three children
and she lives with her husband and mother in law in the neighbouring village. Her children attend the local school and pop in
to the retreat center on their way to classes almost every day. Maya is quiet, dedicated, dependable and hardworking and she
always has a smile for everyone. Outside of our center she looks after some livestock, grows vegetables and sells them in the
local neighbourhood and in her free time she enjoys knitting and watching Hindi movies.
Agnieszka Syrek
Advisor
Agnieszka comes from a long tradition of natural health practitioners and she has been active in the field of yoga and alternative therapies for over 10 years. During this time she has been involved with many natural healing modalities like Kinesiology, Ayurvedic and Holistic Nutrition, Hatha Yoga, Aromatherapy, Acupressure, Chakra Therapy, Herbalism, Hypnotherapy, Reiki, Shamanism, Sound Healing, Ayurvedic and Lomi Lomi Massage. She has run a successful complementary medicine and natural health clinic in Dublin, Ireland for 5 years prior to moving to Nepal in 2013 and co-founding Purna Yoga Retreat.
Agnieszka is a Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher and is especially passionate about the transformational power of working with the body through Hatha yoga and through Lomi Lomi bodywork - a Hawaiian massage technique, which can be a deeply healing experience. Agnieszka is the first massage therapist to introduce Lomi Lomi bodywork in Nepal and she has organized training in this technique to other massage therapists in Nepal.
Agnieszka currently divides her time between Europe and Nepal. She is actively involved in promoting Purna Yoga overseas as well as acting as a mentor and advisor on site.
