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Mark Stephens MA, CYT, ERYT–500
Mark Stephens Quick Facts
Main Areas: Yoga Teacher TrainingBest Sellers: Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations & Techniques
Career Focus: Teacher, Author, Entrepreneur, Social Change Activist
Affiliation: Vinaysa Flow Yoga Teacher Training, Mark Stephens Yoga, Santa Cruz Yoga
Renowned yoga teacher trainer and author of the national bestseller Teaching Yoga: Essential Foundations and Techniques (North Atlantic Books, 2010), Mark Stephens has practiced yoga consistently for over 20 years, has taught since 1995, and has trained over 1,000 yoga teachers across North America since 1998.
Mark Stephens' expertise draws from deep study of yoga history and philosophy, anatomy and physiology, biomechanics and kiniseology, plus years of practical experience on his yoga mat, exploring Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga Vinaysa, Iyengar, Anusara, Power, Tantra and other styles.
Stephens founded and directed the national non-profit Yoga Inside Foundation from 1997–2005, bringing free yoga programs into over 300 inner city schools, treatment centers, prisons, hospices, and other alternative settings in 42 states. He received Yoga Journal's 1st Annual Karma Yoga Award in 2000 for this intiiative.
Stephens writes the "Art of Asana" and "Teachers" columns for Yoga International magazine, leads workshops and yoga teacher training programs nationally and internationally, and offers yoga retreats globally.
After many years in L.A. and founding L.A. Yoga Center, Stephens now lives and teaches in his native town of Santa Cruz, California, where he is director of Santa Cruz Yoga.
Favorite Quotes & Thoughts from Mark Stephens
It's not about how far you go, but how you go.
Point: Let your yoga practice be your practice, true to your intention, and practice in a way that feels comfortable and sustainable while exploring in a way that feels significant.
Breathe as though your life depends on it.
Point: The full awakening of the breath in yoga asana practice is the key to going as deeply as you can, feeling as subtly as you can, and opening to the possibility of deep change in your life.
Guru? Gee, you are you!
Point: The best yoga teacher you will ever have is alive and well inside of you. Much of the practice is about leaning to hear, listen to, and honor your inner teacher.
Getting Started With Mark Stephens
You can learn more about Mark Stephens and his approach to yoga teacher training by visiting his website.
