The Inspiration Behind the Anusara Elements Membership & Where Some of Our Anusara Elements Teachers Are Now

by Jeanine Plaiche, B.A.
Certified Anusara Yoga Teacher
Director of Professional Development 
Anusara School of Hatha Yoga

The Anusara School of Hatha Yoga first debuted the Anusara Elements licensed membership in 2014. The license was created with newly 200-hour Anusara teacher training graduates in mind. 

Prior to 2014, Anusara teachers would begin their membership at the Anusara-Inspired level. This membership was available to Anusara teacher training students who already had two (2) years of yoga teaching experience. 

The Anusara-Inspired membership, however, was not available to those who had just graduated from their Anusara teacher training and were brand new to teaching yoga. This left many new teachers without a teaching community to support them. Recognizing this need, our School’s administration was inspired to begin the Anusara Elements teaching membership.

With an active Anusara Elements membership, teachers can: 

• Distinguish themselves from other Hatha yoga teachers by calling themselves Anusara Elements teacher and/or teaching Anusara Elements yoga classes;
• Gain the necessary teaching experience to apply for the Anusara-Inspired membership;
• Stay immersed in the Anusara community and make use of the resources available to Anusara teachers through our website’s Teachers’ Lounge.

For teachers new to teaching yoga, Anusara Elements is the first step on the Anusara yoga teaching path (also known as the Professional Development Continuum). This continuum offers teachers a step-by-step process that supports them in their continued learning of Anusara yoga and refinement as Anusara yoga teachers. 

With practice, Anusara Elements teachers learn how to artistically bring the Anusara elements together to create a basic and well balanced Anusara yoga class. This skill of presenting a basic Anusara class is something that all Elements teachers eventually demonstrate when they complete their first official class evaluation as part of the process of becoming Anusara-Inspired teachers. This is a milestone for any teacher interested in teaching classes or workshops as an Anusara teacher or in moving towards the Anusara Certification process.  

The inclusion of the Anusara Elements membership means that all those who are passionate about Anusara yoga can become a part of our growing community. Since its launch in 2014, many Elements teachers have accepted the challenge of journeying through our Professional Development Continuum. Many who started as Elements teachers are now Anusara-Inspired.  Some are now even Certified Anusara teachers (see the list of names below and join me in congratulating them). 

Of course, as we know, the journey is infinite and never really ends. The journey we are all on, individually and collectively, is proof of this. The fact that our School continues to grow is a sign that ALL Anusara teachers are accepting the most important challenge of all: Making a difference in people’s lives, inspiring others to follow their hearts and helping all students feel they belong.

Salutations to all and may your journey continue to be nourishing and fruitful. Om Shanti.

Current Certified Anusara members who started as Anusara Elements teachers: 

Dixie Bachmeier – USA (Anusara Elements in 2014, Certified in 2017)
Victoria Ewing – USA (Anusara Elements in 2016, Certified in 2019)
Susan Meier – Peru (Anusara Elements in 2016, Certified in 2019)
Anna Soencksen – Germany (Anusara Elements in 2014, Certified in 2017)
Sabine Voelk-Rombach – Germany (Anusara Elements in 2014, Certified in 2018)
Stacie Kaleel – USA (Elements in 2015, Certified in 2021)

Current Anusara-Inspired members who started as Anusara Elements teachers: 

Argentina: Vanina Perera
Australia: Justine Thompson, Carlie Orlandi