Meet The Team

FESTIVAL CURATOR

Vishwam is a Heart Minister, Trainer & Teacher, helping the wisdom of the heart to share itself around the world. Vishwam began formally teaching yoga in 2011 and has completed well over 500 hours of teacher training. He’s led classes across the UK, from Bournemouth to Shetland, as well as different areas in the USA — his country of birth.

Whether he’s offering an extra gentle class or a challenging asana practice, Vishwam’s approach is playful, poetic and deeply grounded in an awareness of yogic science. He’s also a writer, a gentle anarchist and a practitioner of permaculture who love to listen - to people, to the land, to life itself.

PROGRAMME CURATOR

Kamala (also known as Elise Yuill Cohen) is known for her unique contemporary style of mantra music, which she offers alongside her husband Charlie Bishop. Formerly a folk-singer songwriter, Elise has released 3 albums & 1 EP spanning folk and sacred music genres, toured internationally. As heart music ambassador to Heart of Living Yoga her Lakshmi mantra album donates 50% of the proceeds to the foundation's charity work.

She also plays in the Freedom Fields Ceilidh band, teaches Yoga & Pilates Teacher, is a Women’s Circle Facilitator / Coach, and a devoted mother.

FESTIVAL CURATOR

Hanuman is an intuitive healer, a heart minister, a heart of healing and heart meditation facilitator and trustee for the Heart Of Living Yoga Foundation. He loves to teach and serve with humour, integrity and love for the benefit of all.

Hanuman is part of the Heart Of Healing training team, guiding others in the gentle art of self-healing and in supporting the healing of others. He is also one of the Heart Festival organisers and enjoys creative engineering as well as being a non-conformist. Hanuman is a dedicated practitioner of the path of Jnana yoga.

PRODUCTION AND SITE CO-ORDINATOR

Rev. Laura Ireland is an ordained interfaith minister and the founder of Sacred Sister Women’s Community. With a heart firmly rooted in 30 years of practice as an Aromatherapist and Holistic Coach, she brings you home to your one true wild and sacred heart. Laura's passion lies in supporting women to discover and heal the life traumas that hold them back, enabling them to uncover and share the true power within, recognise their worth, and co-create magic together.

Laura also loves being in nature, finds joy in facilitating retreats and gatherings, and connects with her heart in it’s fullest expression, when life is in gentle flow.

HEALING AREA COORDINATOR

Ammaprema has trained in several diverse healing arts and now specialises in working with cetacean consciousness, her collection of gongs/ crystal and Tibetan bowls and developing apprenticeships in Healing with Sacred Sound, with guides and clear intention. She deeply values and supports the work and ethics of Heart of Living Yoga, and practices both Gentle Yoga and Chi Gung alongside sound therapy. Ammaprema has visited some of the projects we support in Brazil and Sri Lanka.

She is helping the team co-ordinate the healing area of the festival.

SOCIAL MEDIA & WEBSITE

Bhuwanaswari is a BWY Yoga Teacher with many years experience; teaching classes, workshops & retreats in the UK & Europe. Bhuwaneswari teaches Luna Rhythms Yoga and has an online academy where people may study with her remotely.

Govinda taught Yoga for many years before training as a Feldenkrais Practitioner & offers both group classes & individual Functional Integration sessions. He has a love for the Brazilian Amazon, & has spent time living with an indigenous tribe studying their healing modalities.

ARTIST LIASON

Kiana has a background in TV Production and works as Systemic Family Therapist. She is also the bookings manager and event assistant for Premanjali music. At Heart Festival she is the Artist Liaison supporting the smooth running of the programme.

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR

Vandana ha attended Heart of Living Yoga events for a number of years and helped to organise some of them. As a counsellor, and voluntary organiser for Freezone festival, she will be using her skills, passion and experience to support the volunteers and the Heart team ensure everyone has a fantastic time. Being volunteer coordinator at this year's Heart Festival is a pleasure - karma yoga is important and joyful for her, as is meeting old and making new friends in a compassionate, loving, authentic and fun environment.

VISUAL ARTS CO-ORDINATOR

Tejas Rowan, is a Writer/Illustrator and Artist. An initiate of the Heart of Living Yoga Foundation, and a Heart Meditation Facilitator. Joining the team as the Visual Arts Co-ordinator, Tejas will be decorating the sacred spaces and, as last year after doing too good a job sorting out the program boards!