meet marisa

Born in South Africa in the Karoo. Marisa has been living on the island of Zanzibar since 2003. She fell in love with the island’s ambience, colors, turquoise blue ocean, simplicity of lifestyle, its people and sunsets.

Marisa van Vuuren is the founder of Yoga Zanzibar – the one and only yoga alternative in Zanzibar offering yoga retreats throughout the year since 2009.

Marisa is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with the worldwide Yoga Alliance. She teaches dynamic Hatha based on Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow and Kundalini Yoga, bringing awareness into mindfulness and energy flow. Marisa has been practicing yoga for over 18 years. She also teaches the Art & Science of Yoga 200hr Teacher Training Program certifying yoga teachers.

Marisa’s vision is to be of service to others through sharing the tools of yoga with her teachings. She is passionate about life, yoga, travelling, the ocean, dancing Tango, playing drums and painting.

“I see yoga as ‘practical psychology’ – providing the tools to cope with daily life and its challenges. Yoga’s direct positive effect on the body & mind transforms the relationship with ourselves and the world we live in. Yoga leads to self-acceptance and self-love which leads to realizing our true passions and gifts in life and the courage to follow our dreams to live a fulfilled life.”

Marisa van Vuuren

Palma

Vinyasa flow yoga teacher
Teaching Period 1 July - 31 Dec 2023

In 2005 Palma attended her first Yoga Class, and was immediately fascinated with the Ashtanga Yoga System. Since then it ́s been a long beautiful journey discovering the depths of the practice.

She was so impressed with the positive benefits of the practice on her own body, mind and life in general, that she decided to participate in a 4 year Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training in order to share her passion with as many people as possible. She realized quickly that yoga was not only her professional calling -it is her dharma, her spiritual path.

Through her daily Yoga practice, self-study, 4 year Ashtanga Yoga teacher training, 50 hour Yin Yoga teacher training, as well as her extensive experience studying with such well-known teachers, such as Manju Jois, Dr. Ronald Steiner (Arjuna), Petri Räisänen, Kathy Cooper, Shankara Darby, Govinda Kai, Clayton Horton, Joe Barnett etc., she ́s developed in-depth personal understanding of and authority on many types of Yoga. Most impactful perhaps though, was her 4 month study at the Siri K. Pattabhi Join Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Mysore, India.

Palma teaches the traditional Ashtanga Yoga method, as well as Hatha Flow and Yin Yoga. Her classes are always student-oriented and full of heart, and her conviction that Yoga has the power to transform her students keeps her enthusiastically engaged as she conveys the many facets of this System. Students can expect mindful and precise adjustments, individualized lesson plans, dynamic meditation practices, and a healthy dose of fun!

Parallel to her yoga career, Palma is also active as Life Coach, offering online seminars and coaching programs that help people develop self-esteem/self- love, overcome their personal obstacles and to live the life of her dreams.