Clarissa Benke

I was born in Santiago, Chile and moved to New Zealand/Aotearoa in 2010 in search of a new adventure and different lifestyle. It was here in New Zealand that I discovered Yoga at Sangha and started on a path of self discovery.

I began with a dedicated 26&2 practice that became almost a daily ritual, a safe haven where the world fell away and I nourished myself in mind, body and spirit. After living with anxiety and regular panic attacks I began to address the root cause and heal from past trauma. The breathing in particular was a tremendous tool, which led me to delve into Hatha Yoga more broadly and want to learn more about the techniques and origins of Yoga.

I travelled to India to begin my teaching journey, undertaking a 200 hour teaching training with “Rishikesh Yogpeeth” school of yoga. I returned and began sharing the knowledge and practices that I knew from my own experience could benefit individuals, my community and humanity in general.

Through the years I have continued to expand my knowledge. I have completed Yin, Meditation and Mindfulness teacher training and a variety of workshops including Trauma based Yoga and Anatomy courses. Working through a bulged disc in my spine with a full time teaching schedule presented me with a BIG challenge, but it led me to try Suna Pilates, which was the perfect compliment to my practice, and I soon added this training to my belt and began offering Hot Pilates classes. My goal is to guide you to get in touch with your most authentic self by becoming aware of your breathing, your body, your mind, your feelings and your life.