Petri Räisänen (born August 13, 1967) is an internationally renowned
and respected yoga teacher. A devoted student of his guru Sri K.
Patthabi Jois (1915– 2009) and Paramaguru R. Sharath Jois. Petri
carefully passes on his Guru’s exact teachings.
Petri started practicing Ashtanga yoga in 1989 and teaching in 1991. He
is co-owner and director of Ashtanga Yoga Helsinki, one of the world’s
most established Aṣṭāṅga Yoga shalas. Sri K. Pattabhi Jois blessed the
school to teach the traditional Ashtanga method.
In his yogic path Petri has studied with respected Ashtanga yoga
instructors such as Derek Ireland (his first certified teacher), Radha
Warrell, Lino Miele, Gwendoline Hunt, Eddie Stern, R. Sharath Jois and
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.
Petri focuses on integrating healing and therapy with yoga, meeting
student’s individual needs and guiding their progress. His friendly,
relaxed behaviour and intuitive perception give an open, energetic and
meditative atmosphere to his classes. Petri’s Mysore teaching gives you
an opportunity to experience the wholeness of the practice, and his
teachings aims to lead to an experience of deep concentration
(pratyahara) and meditation (dhyana).
Petri has been written two books on the subjects of Ashtanga Yoga. First
one “Ashtanga Yoga – In the tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois” was first
published in Swedish in 2005 and in English in 2013. The intermediate
series book “Nadi Sodhana” was released in Finnish in 2007 and English
in 2017. Both book are written from the interviews with Sri K. Pattabhi
Jois and R. Sharath Jois, the masters of Ashtanga Yoga system. They
illustrate uniquely the Primary and Intermediate series practice, benefits
and tradition as it is taught in Mysore, India.
Petri’s variety of body-therapy work
Petri started studying the Finnish Folk-healing tradition called
Jäsenkorjaus (Bone-setting), with the Finnish healing masters in 1988.
In his 12 years of studies and 10 years of Folk-healing work he learned –
besides of variety of Bone-setting adjustments – energy healing and
cupping. He also studied Swedish massage, Naturopathy, Natural
Cosmetics, Reiki, Reflexology and Hawaiian Shamanism. Petri has 25
years of Ashtanga Yoga-teaching experience and 28 years of personal
Yoga practice.
Her deep love and dedication for Yoga starts 20 years ago while immersing herself into Ayurvedic studies and since then both disciplines are a central part of her daily life.
Until 2022 she lives in Amsterdam where she holds for over 10 years an Ashtanga Mysore Program at the prestigious school Delight Yoga where she has the privilege to assist, study and learn from some of the most world renowned Ashtanga Yoga teachers.
Her main guides nowadays are Petri Räisänen who has a great role in bringing to her practice and teaching the elements of contemplation, inner quiet and a broader perspective towards yoga and its evolution over the past decades, and Eddie Stern who has opened a big window into how to experience the practice as a source of steadiness and self observation and as a tool of expansion of awareness in all aspects of life and being.
Today she very happily teaches Ashtanga Yoga and Ayurveda between Amsterdam and Rome as a way to share her love and dedication for these so unique disciplines that can enrich our lives with extraordinary vitality and creativity on all levels.