Elena Von Dönhoff

Elena von Dönhoff is an internationally recognized journalist, humanitarian, and yogi. As a child of Swedish diplomats, she grew up living around the world. Her yoga journey started in 1992 while studying history at Oxford University. Inspired by reading about Gwyneth Paltrow’s yoga practice in Hollywood, Elena became the youngest member of the only class she could find - an older adults practice taught by the wife of a professor. While living in London, she studied Ashtanga and Iyengar with Cat de Rham. Marriage led her to Chile, Dublin, and South Africa. Throughout this period, she wrote a doctoral thesis about the Mapuche medicine men, began producing television reports and worked for a German NGO. She also became the mother of 4 children. In 2007 Elena did a teacher training in Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga in South Africa, a teacher training in Kundalini Yoga with Pritam Kaur Khalsa and Guru Dharam in 2009, and a Yin Yoga teacher training with Biff Mitthoefer. Elena has also studied with renown teachers Shiva Rea, Seane Corne, Sharon Gannon, David Life, and Gurmukh. For many years, she ran a yoga studio blending her practice with philosophy and chanting. Elena now lives in Stockholm with her kids, dogs, and horses, and hosts monthly kirtan circles and produces reports for Swedish Television. Her latest piece is an interview with family members and representatives of jailed Saudi human rights activists Abdullah al-Hamid, Mohammad Fahad Al-Qahani and Walleed who received the alternative Nobel prize - the Right Livelihood Award, for their visionary efforts to reform Saudi Arabia’s totalitarian political system. Her mission is to inspire those of us living in the West to never take our freedom for granted or forget how lucky we are.