Beautiful Guest Teachers in our 2024 Autumn Programs

We are thrilled to welcome two wonderful guest teachers for our Autumn programs, each bringing a unique blend of expertise, passion, and insight to our community. As we embrace the season of transformation, these seasoned instructors will guide us through enriching experiences designed to deepen our practice and expand our understanding.

Below, you'll find profiles and photos of each guest teacher, offering a glimpse into the diverse backgrounds and rich experiences they bring to our sessions. Join us in welcoming these inspiring individuals who are sure to make this autumn not just a time of change, but a season of profound growth and learning.

Jennifer Winther / Yoga and Meditation teacher

Jennifer Winther is a Los Angeles based yoga and meditation teacher who is deeply dedicated to practice as a path of individual and collective liberation. Whoever you are, whatever you’ve been through, our practice welcomes us into present awareness, to heal, together. 

Jennifer organizes and leads classes, workshops, courses, and retreats, locally and internationally. One of her true joys as a teacher is witnessing the transformation of beginner students and first-time retreat participants as they embrace a new, empowering path of healing and joyful living. Jennifer’s classes range from the athletic to deeply spiritual, from yin yoga to deep rest and restorative practice. She teaches flowy classes, slow and strong classes, fusion classes (with elements from qigong and other martial arts), traditional pranayama classes, trauma release sessions, yoga nidra, and guided meditation classes. In her classes, there is no rushing, and zero performative nonsense. When you practice with Jennifer, you are invited to practice to know yourself better, and to touch the richness of life. 

In 2018, Jennifer founded Yoga Leaders, a hub for teacher training that honors the roots of yoga, empowers teachers to work outside of boutique studios, and offers continuing education, practice, and engagement in the world. As faculty of the Garrison Institute’s Contemplative Based Resilience program, Jennifer also brings mindful movement and meditation practices directly into workplaces where healthcare and other “front line” workers care for the suffering of others in their daily work. 

Before landing in Los Angeles in 2001 to complete a doctoral degree at UCLA (sociology), Jennifer spent a number of years working in New York City, and before that, many years living in Japan. She attended university in Osaka, holds an M.Ed. from Hiroshima University, and did her doctoral dissertation research at Tokyo and Hosei Universities. She pivoted from academics to healing after starting a family and battling breast cancer, pouring herself into study, practice, and sharing with others what she has learned. 

Proudly mixed race (Japanese, Norwegian, and French), Jennifer delights in bringing people together to nurture deeper understanding across the identities that separate us. She looks forward to meeting all who journey to Prana Japan Retreats and to breathe the country air of her ancestral homeland again (perhaps she’s most excited about taking a proper bath!).

Website: https://jenniferwinther.com
Instagram: @jenniferwintheryoga

Eva Zavala / Yoga Teacher and a Studio Owner

Eva is a student and experienced yoga teacher as well as the owner
of one of the most respected studios in Northern Spain, located in Bilbao: 108-CIENTŌCHO-Yoga Studio.

Originally from Mexico, she is also a mother and a nomadic soul. She discovered yoga in Mexico in 2010 and has maintained a committed daily practice since then. Eva is completely immersed in this path of devotion and service through her classes, having been a full-time yoga teacher since 2014. She teaches regular classes for different experience yogis, intensives, workshops, and programs dedicated to practitioners who are looking to deepen their understanding of this practice.

Her sadhana is primarily based on Hatha Yoga (asana and meditation), Jñana Yoga (studies of texts rooted in non-dual tantric philosophy), and Bhakti Yoga (studies of mantra and Vedic chanting). She offers alignment-based, intelligent, efficient, and heartfelt classes. Her main areas of study include Anusara Yoga, Therapeutics, Trauma & the Nervous System, Iyengar Yoga, Biomechanics & Anatomy, Naād Yoga (the Yoga of Sound), Tantric Philosophy, Meditation, Mantra Recitation, and more recently, Vedic Chanting with more than 1,100h registered hours + hundreds of self studies.

In addition to being the CEO of her studio, she organizes international yoga retreats around the globe and leads corporate yoga sessions for companies interested in creating a better environment for their employees. "Yoga is my life, and I have the great honor of sharing my love and passion with everyone interested in having a more joyful and meaningful life. I believe that the world needs more calm minds and soft hearts; yogi by yogi, we move towards this collective evolution."

Studio Website: https://www.108yogastudio.com
Instagram: @eva_zavala_yoguini

We extend our heartfelt thanks to each of our guest teachers who will join us this autumn, enriching our program with their knowledge and passion. The inclusion of such diverse and talented instructors not only broadens the spectrum of teachings available but also deepens the learning experience for all participants. Their unique perspectives and innovative approaches bring invaluable variety to our sessions, ensuring that every encounter is both enlightening and inspiring.

We are profoundly grateful for their contributions and are excited to see how their presence enhances our community's journey this season.