 Lilian Bianchi first became involved with Yoga in her early teens. Inspired by Autobiography of a Yogi by Paramahansa Yogananda, she started attending meditation gatherings and asana classes in her native Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Interested in getting a deeper understanding of the ancient tradition and spirituality of Yoga, Lilian pursued and completed, in 1982, an extensive Yoga Teacher Training program under the guidance of Professor Vayuananda. In the same year she attended an international Yoga conference in Zinal, Switzerland and had the opportunity to study with Gérard Blitz and Swami Satchidananda.
While living in Brazil, Lilian experienced various forms of creative movement and body-centered psychotherapy. She also received a degree in History and studied languages and music.
Lilian immigrated to Vancouver in 1986, where she studied the Iyengar method of Hatha Yoga with Claudia MacDonald, Gioia Irwin, and other respected international teachers.
 In 1988 Lilian met senior teacher Sandra Sammartino who became her mentor and a continual source of inspiration. She received certification from Sandra as a Yoga teacher in 1996, and as a Yoga Teacher's Trainer in 2004. Other inspiring teachers on Lilian's path have been Angela Farmer, Swami Radha, and master yogi Baba Hari Dass.
Lilian has been teaching Yoga since 1982. Her teachings are rooted in the classical eight-limbed system of Patanjali. She understands Yoga as an energy-based healing art for the integration of Body, Mind, and Spirit. Lilian is registered with the Canadian Yoga Alliance as a RYT Gold..
 Lilian is an honorary member of the International Federation of Yoga. This world-wide organization, founded in 1987 in Montevideo Uruguay, has its roots in the work of Swami Asuri Kapila (1901-1955), a direct disciple of Sri Ramana Maharishi.
 Lilian's dear teacher Vayuananda was a direct disciple of Swami Asuri Kapila. Born in Argentina, Vayuananda ( Ovideo Carlos Trotta) was one of the pioneer teachers of Yoga in Brazil. He taught in Rio de Janeiro from 1956 until his passing in 1987.
An avid student of Love, Lilian is known for her warmth, depth, and ability to adapt the practices of Yoga to individual needs. She brings to her classes a knowledge of the physical and the energy bodies combined with an understanding of the philosophy of Yoga. The insights and affirmations she shares come from her own heartfelt experience.
For ten years Lilian taught at community centres, schools, and senior facilities in the Vancouver area. Since her move to Duncan in 1996, Lilian has been teaching classes for all levels at her home studio and at other locations in the Cowichan Valley. She also offers Yoga for clients of the Mental Health Unit in Duncan and for clients at Cedars in Cobble Hill. She has also taught workshops in Brazil and in the Cayman Islands.
"My mission is to share the heart of Yoga, honouring it as a healing path for the integration of body, mind, and spirit. We come together to cultivate awareness and to fulfill our true potential."
|
