About Anna

about anna

为汉语，把页移下来 (for Chinese Translation scroll down)

For nearly 20 years, Anna Kolacny has been studying eastern religion and philosophy. Her first exploration of yoga happened when she was 15 yrs old in the wooded hills outside of northwest Chicago. Having no teacher to guide her except an old poster written in Sanskrit, it wouldn't be until many years later that Anna would be able to experience the real power of the practice. In 2001, while living in Los Angeles, Anna suffered a minor neck injury and turned to yoga for relief. Shortly afterwards, she discovered the therapeutic benefits of Anusara^® Yoga. Quickly she recognized her own transformation as she not only healed the outer body, but started to heal the inner self. Yoga was the link that aligned the mind and body and heart.

This journey of discovery and growth has taken Anna to different parts of the globe as she continues to deepen her understanding of this ancient practice. For the last 9 years, Anna has devotedly spent thousands of hours with many senior level Anusara^® teachers, including Anusara founder himself, John Friend. She attributes her current wave of enrichment to the beauty of her Tantric Philosophy and Meditation teachers Carlos Pomeda, Douglas Brooks, and Sally Kempton (Swami Durgananda). Over the years, Anna has had the fortunate to train with many delightful teachers in various traditions, but it has been Anusara Yoga that has taught her how to live and teach from the heart.

As a licensed Anusara-Inspired^TM Yoga teacher, Anna energetically combines her extensive background in health, nutrition and yoga philosophy to create an environment that allows students to discover and nurture the self while deepening and refining their physical yoga practice. Her classes are dynamic and playful and challenge both the mind and body. Presently, Anna travels and teaches primarily around China and Asia. To see her full schedule, click here.

In 2008, Anna moved to India to deepen her knowledge of traditional yoga as it is taught in the north and south of the country. Anna spent months living in Rishikesh (the birthplace of yoga) and Mysore (South India). Staying in yoga ashrams and with local Indian families, Anna traveled to study with a myriad of Indian teachers. Having experienced a number of leg and foot injuries while training for a marathon the previous year, Anna spent much of 2008 healing and rehabilitating her leg, foot, ankle, and knee. This shift on focus allowed Anna the opportunity to strengthen herself from the inside. Deepening her non-physical yoga practices, she concentrated her yogic studies on learning Sanskrit, Pranayama, Mudras, Kriyas, Bhakti and Jnana. Of all the many wonderful masters, Anna says her single biggest teacher is the beauty of the Indian family.

"Nowhere else have I seen such genuine warmth and open heartedness towards a stranger than from these kind people who are often perceived by contemporary society as being people who have so little. But what they have is more than anything money could buy. It is their boundless love and sincere generosity that will bring me back again and again."

Today, Anna brings that same generosity of spirit to her students. Whatever city you might be in, if you meet her by chance or by intention, there is no doubt she will have many things to share. In every city she teaches, Anna contributes a portion of her workshops and classes to local charities to benefit the people in that area. With the help of caring students and friends, Anna has helped raised money for Homeless people in Los Angeles, Earthquake victims in Sichuan, China, poor rural farmers in Inner Mongolia, Flood Victims in Vietnam, Orphans in North India, and most recently in the Qinghai Earthquake. By studying with Anna, you too can help support others in need.

关于安娜

安娜-科拉妮学习东方宗教学和哲学近20年。她第一次的瑜伽体验发生在15岁的时候。除了一张用梵文制作的老旧海报之外，没有任何老师引导她。几年后，安娜就开始领略到瑜伽真正的力量。2001年，住在洛杉矶的安娜由于脖子上的轻伤转而向瑜伽寻求帮助。很快，她发现了阿奴萨拉瑜伽有着独特的理疗作用。在很短的时间内，她不但经历了外在身体的修复，更是开始了内心的转变。瑜伽成为意识和身体连接的纽带。这次经历和成长将安娜带去世界各地继续深入学习和理解这古老的习练。过去8年，安娜跟随包括阿奴萨拉瑜伽创始人John Friend等许多阿奴萨拉瑜伽大师进行了上千小时的学习。安娜将她现在的愉悦富饶的状态归功于密宗哲学和她的冥想导师Carlos Pomeda, Sally Kempton (Swami Durgananda)和Douglas Brooks。同时，安娜也有幸跟随BNS Iyengar, 昆达里尼瑜伽上师Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa，流瑜伽大师Shiva Rea以及后弯体式上师 Guru Aacharya Venkatesh等诸位大师学习。

安娜积极地将她在健康、营养学及瑜伽哲学等方面的丰富知识结合在一起,创造出让学员通过深化和精细的体式练习，不断发现和调整自我的特殊氛围。她的课程既充满活力又富有乐趣，是对身体和意识的双重挑战。目前，安娜主要在亚洲旅行和授课。在这里查看她的行程安排。

2008年，安娜到印度去学习瑜伽，她分别在瑜伽之都瑞诗凯诗，迈索尔，德里和喀拉拉生活和学习，她住在瑜伽静修中心或者与当地居民一起生活。安娜四处游学，跟随很多老师习练瑜伽。

2007 年安娜的腿脚因为马拉松的训练多次受伤，她花了很长时间去恢复受伤的部位。这次经历让安娜转向内在的修炼。她开始专注于呼吸控制、契合法、清洁法、奉爱以及思辨。安娜跟随包括著名的BNS Iyengar,后弯体式上师Guru Acharya Venkatesh, 梵文博士Dr M.A. Jayashree,冥想及哲学大师Narasimhan等多位大师学习。安娜说，在所有这些优秀的大师里，她最好的老师是淳朴的印度家庭。

“我没有在其他什么地方见到过如此真诚的温暖和开怀的心胸。他们所拥有的无法用金钱来衡量。那无尽的慷慨和真挚的爱一次次将我带回去。”
今天，安娜带着同样的慷慨和慈悲给她的学生。不论你在哪个城市，不论你和她是偶遇还是安排好的见面，毫无疑问，她都会有一些感悟与你分享。在每一个安娜所教课的城市，她都会捐出一部分工作坊和课程的收入给当地的基金会去帮助需要帮助的人。迄今为止，安娜已经出资帮助过洛杉矶一些无家可归的人，也为中国四川汶川地震中受灾的群众以及内蒙古的贫困农民筹集过款项。接下来是为越南受洪水灾害的人们筹集资金。与安娜一起学习，你也可以参与到帮助他人的队伍中来。