Your Guides on the Yoga Journey
Our Teachers
Committed, Dedicated, passionate
The Swara Yoga Academy Teachers are a soul family who have dedicated their lives to the ongoing practice, study, and transmission of these life-changing teachings.
Our teachers are of the highest calibre, each holding a very unique set of skills and passions which have their roots in different lineages. As a collective, we embrace our diverse approaches and viewpoints, which give our trainings colour and depth. We cover a broad spectrum of subjects which are allocated to each teacher according to their expertise and passion. As leaders on the courses, we are here for you, to help you learn and grow in the way you wish to.
Randall O'Leary
Founder and Director of Swara yoga
Randall has been a dedicated explorer of Yoga since 1991. Alongside his studies of classical Hatha Yoga, Randall has studied a variety of styles including Iyengar, Jivamukti and Viniyoga.
Randall began teaching in 1995, and began the Jungle Yoga Teacher Training School which delivered 200 Hour & 300 Hour Teacher Trainings for over 10 years, merging into the Swara Yoga Academy in 2018.
Randall’s teaching style is primarily focused on cultivating an asana practice that builds & sustains a high level of Prana – our life force energy. Inspired through his studies of Tai Qi and Viniyoga, Randall shares his unique approach to Pranayama, which he called Swara Yoga. This system gradually deepens into Advanced Pranayama sequences which allow his students access to a comprehensive, embodied understanding of the infinite power within the breath.
Randall’s classes are enriched with philosophy stemming from his studies of Hatha Yoga, Tantra, Ayurveda & Indian Mysticism, and are balanced by his unapologetically playful nature and love for Reggae music.
In 2006, after many years studying with his Guru in India, Randall was initiated into the ancient Indian spiritual order of Sadhus and is honoured to share many unique tools from his sacred tradition.
It is his aim to inspire every student to pursue a practice that is overflowing with energy and joy, that spills out into their world and transforms their relationship with life itself.
Marcela Mota
Marcela is originally from Brazil but spends most of her time in Thailand, Bali and Europe teaching Yoga Teacher Trainings, Immersions and Retreats. In her 10 years of practice, she has taught more than 15 Teacher Trainings and certified over 300 Yoga Teachers from all over the world.
Marcela is 500 hours RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) with Yoga Alliance, trained in 5 Elements Yoga Therapy, Ashtanga, Rocket Vinyasa and Yin Yoga and co-Founder of the 5 Elements Wisdom Academy.
With a Bachelor in International Affairs and a Masters in Business Economics and Management of Sustainability, she worked for the United Nations as well as in corporate and public sectors for many years. Through yoga and meditation, she found transformation. She was finally able to hear the calling of her soul and have the courage and self-confidence to go live it. For her, this is what yoga is all about. A pathway to become the most authentic version of ourselves.
With her passion of understanding the world thru the lenses of the 5 Elements of Nature and her admiration of the human complexity, combined with her caring and playful personality, Marcela creates the perfect environment for her students to go inwards and explore their true nature as well as learn the tools to assist others in their own unique journeys.
Hayley Lander
Hayley is an Internationally Certified yoga teacher specializing in Yin, Yoga Therapy, Vinyasa/Hatha Flow and Yoga Nidra with over 700 hours of training in Yoga. She is an Advanced Certified Mat-Based Pilates Instructor, as well as a classically trained ballet dancer, an intuitive Reiki energy healer and trained bodyworker.
Hayley was raised in Liverpool, England. She left home at 17 and moved to London to pursue a career in professional dancing.
She has a deep understanding of the physical body but only when she discovered Yoga to help her through a critical turning point in her life; she learnt and understood how important it was to connect the physical body, with the mind and the soul.
Her teaching style focuses on the awareness of breath in order to stay present, while incorporating the importance of strength and postural alignment to facilitate a healthy strong physical body. As a Reiki Healer, with her knowledge of Chinese Medicine and her interest in the subtle energy body she has learnt to look a little deeper at the physical manifestations of emotional or energetic blockages, using Yoga as therapy to not only cure the symptoms of pain or discomfort but to eventually heal them completely with dedicated time and Practice.
Hayley is passionate about sharing the gift of yoga, using the knowledge and tools she has gained to assist and guide others onto their own unique path as she embraces her own spiritual journey.
Simone Mackay
A nomadic Canadian raised and educated in Switzerland, Simone worked as a counselor specializing in women’s issues before adopting the simple, free and romantic life of a traveling Yogini. Simone has studied and taught Yoga throughout Asia across the past two decades. She co-founded the School of Sacred Arts (SOSA) in Bali, running Yoga Teachers Trainings since 2008.
The roots of Simone’s practice and teachings are eclectic in nature, drawing upon a wealth of study, various cultural lenses and wisdom traditions. Through her connection to nature, it’s cycles, it’s spirit, and her knowledge of holistic healing, Simone serves as a conduit for the ‘Wise Woman’. She advocates the necessity of holding reverence for Mother Earth and her gifts and therefore all of Life and its inherent interconnection.
Simone passionately utilizes the ancient tools of Yoga and Yoga Nidra, North American inspired medicine wheel teachings in synergy with the Plant Teachers and shamanism of South America. In doing so she offers a multifaceted perspective that gently encourages you on your way back home to your own heart space. Since 2012, Simone has facilitated Yoga & Plant Medicine Journeys in Peru. She now also holds focussed Yoga Nidra Trainings worldwide.
Simone guides those who cross her path to learn to trust their own heart’s guidance, holding space with gentle grace and deep presence.
Tobias Tang Oernebjerg
Tobias is the founder and creator of The 5 Elements Wisdom Academy. He is a Chinese Medicine Practitioner, acupuncturist, Master Face Reader, body worker and therapist with 15 years of clinical practise in the field of ancient healing.
Originally from Denmark, now teaching and living with his wife Marcela and baby boy, between Asia and Europe. Tobias has dedicated his life to bringing The Wisdom of Nature and the Elements to the world and has to date assisted more than 15.000 people in healing and health improvement, through the various healing modalities.
Tobias is passionate about free-diving as a meditative practice and the exploration of our aquatic Nature, while his biggest teacher has become his son, which adequately is named Ocean.:)
If we can decipher the meaning of the Elements within us we get the tools to live in
harmony with ourselves and the Nature that surrounds us. Discovering our True Nature is the greatest gift we can give to ourselves. May we all prosper and live happy, healthy lives:)
