photo by bashir anastas
ANANDA MA YOGA
Ariane Wlasak L.Ac., better know as Ananda Ma, is a licensed Acupuncturist, Herbalist and a certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher who trained at the renowned Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. She is inspired by yoga as an extremely potent healing tool, a holistic practice, and a way of life that connects body, mind, and spirit. For Ariane, yoga is a life-long mindfulness practice for people of all ages, which begins for her by creating a strong connection and love for nature.
In 1996, Ariane moved from Germany to San Francisco and the beautiful Bay Area to develop her life's path. Following her heart, she then visited India in 1997 to study yoga in Mysore and visited Krishnamacharya's Yoga Foundation in Madras to connect to the roots of yoga. Since then, Ariane has become a dedicated Iyengar yoga teacher, practitioner and student of renowned senior teacher Manouso Manos, and she has twice been to Pune, India to study with the Iyengar family. She is inspired by Geeta Iyengar, the daughter of B.K.S. Iyengar, with her special gift of precision and the change she brings about with her ability to identify specific conditions.
Ariane received a Master of Science degree in Traditional Chinese Medicine from the American College of Traditional Chinese Medicine (ACTCM). She is licensed by the Board in the State of California to practice Acupuncture and Traditional Chinese Medicine. In her private Acupuncture practice Ariane cultivates an approach to restore wellness. Ariane studied Acupressure, Qigong, Tui Na and related advanced healing techniques at the Acupressure Institute in Berkeley, as well as studying with respected acupuncturists and herbalists from China such as Doctor Baibing Zhu L.Ac.
As part of her clinical training and education she interned one year at the California Pacific Medical Center (CPMC) in San Francisco, where she received advanced Acupuncture training strategies for the treatment of stroke, traumatic brain injury and healthcare innovations. She also had the honor to give Acupuncture treatments to the homeless community in San Francisco, at Glide Memorial Church, and the ACTCM Community Clinic and Auricular Clinic. Her experience in Traditional Chinese Medicine enriches her daily practice and teaching of Iyengar Yoga. The International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) has accepted Ariane as certified Yoga Therapist, and she is passionate about bridging the gap between yoga and healthcare.
