Yazdan Raees

Yazdan was introduced to transcendental meditation by his father as a young child. At the age of 17, he left Iran for India, where he learned Sudarshan Kriya, which was taught by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar, and started his regular yoga practice with master Akshar in Bangalore. Yazdan left India after five years for Turkey and studied Hatha Yoga & Mindfulness Meditation with David Cornwell at Cihangir Yoga. He started practicing Ashtanga/Vinyasa Krama with Ken the Rolfer in Istanbul and continued his practice with Mark Darby, Shankara Darby and Ron Reid in Toronto and Vijay Amar in Goa. He studied Yoga philosophy with Dr. Ganesh Rao and learned Ayurvedic Abhyanga from Dr. Shashirekha in India. Yazdan studies Therapeutic Yoga and Natural Healing as well as Philosophy and Mythology with his teacher Dr. Mohammad Ahyaee. He continues his volunteer work with the Companions of Ariya Institute in the field of sustainable local conservation of "Biocultural Diversity" and with Bhante Debongshi (Buddhananda Bhikkhu) at Dhammanjali Meditation Centre. Yazdan feels blessed to practice and has served at Vipassana Meditation courses as taught by S.N. Goenka in the tradition of Sayagyi U Ba Khin in India, Nepal, Iran, and Canada. He is a member of the National Manual Osteopathic Society and the Society of Osteopaths of Canada and studied Osteopathic Manual therapy with Dr. Shahin Pourgol at the National Academy of Osteopathy in Toronto. Yazdan has a great interest in Craniosacral therapy and Myofascial bodywork and has benefited from the insightful guidance of Pamela Crosson-Fournier in Toronto and Bodhi (Erik Emanuel Fenz) in Goa.
He is currently continuing his education in the field of Botanical Medicine through National University of Medical Sciences.