Irena Bartolec

Irena Bartolec is an authorized KPJAYI Yoga Teacher, currently based in Costa Rica. She holds and organizes annual Retreats, Workshops, and Teacher Trainings internationally in Bali, Europe, and beyond. Irena has 17 years of extensive teaching experience in the fields of Yoga, Health, and Mindfulness. She is the Creator and Director at Ashtanga Yoga Mama, established in 2014. Irena has studied Yoga and Meditation extensively with Sri. K. Patthabi Jois, Sharat R. Jois, Rolf Naujokat, Richard Freeman, Lino Miele, Nancy Gilgoff, Eddie Stern, Dr. Jayashree and Prof. Narasimhan, Sharon Salzberg, Bodhi College. Their great wealth of knowledge, generosity, and tutelage have formed the pillars for Irena’s own yogic teaching style, and accompanying philosophies. Irena’s refined teaching philosophy balances well-honed strength with proper alignment, ensuring that students develop an extensive yet firm Yoga practice, equally pledging importance on Creativity, Individuality, Discipline and Tradition. In 2004 Irena opened The Body Element Studio in her hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. She designed, conceptualized, created, managed, owned, and taught at Body Element for 10 years. Her passion for Yoga and Wellness supplied Irena with the vision and fortitude to establish the first traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa program in Croatia. Her early teaching choices and business inceptions laid the foundation for a rapidly growing and currently successful Yoga community in Croatia. In 2014 Irena Bartolec moved to Bali where she taught at Seminyak Yoga Shala until May 2019. She developed and lead their Ashtanga Yoga program, overseeing and teaching a very successful and influential Mysore program that drew students from all over the world. Irena is a creator and lead teacher for the Cosmos Yoga Academy Teacher training program. She is a published writer on The Medium, and contributor at Sensa lifestyle Magazine since 2008.