Bio

The mind behind Avra Yoga Studio is Maria, who grew up in Greece and has drawn inspiration from different cultures and experiences over the years.

At home in Greece, she studied economics and went on to be successful in corporate marketing, working hard, aiming high, and channelling her energy into her work. This was her life for over 20 years, and then in 2016 she moved to Dubai with her young family where she is now settled and continuing to work.

When Maria first moved to Dubai, she realised that she needed to pursue something that truly fulfilled her emotional needs. She took up yoga initially as part of her workout routine and quickly fell in love. Her passion for Asthanga and Iyengar yoga developed from a simple workout to something that Maria would practice for hours each day. It became a safe space of deep self-awareness and spiritual connection for her, feeling her body and mind become stronger and healthier with every session.

Maria quickly realised the value of this exercise in self-reflection, as outside of her sessions she began to notice positive changes in her behaviours and attitudes. She found herself becoming a better mother to her young twins, more attentive and present for the people around her. Maria’s life-changing yoga journey was just beginning.

Realising the immense positive impact that yoga practice was having on her emotional and physical health, Maria decided to travel to India, staying for a month in Mysore, Karnataka. During this month, she studied yoga intensively at AyurYoga Eco Ashram, learning Hatha Yoga under the guidance of Swami Vivekananda. She has since been back to India several times to continue her journey of learning with practice and workshops.

Already an advocate for the benefits of yoga and now considering herself an eternal yoga student, Maria returned to Dubai where she enrolled in a teacher training course. She used this qualification to begin teaching yoga classes and sharing her knowledge and experience with others. Maria is a Yoga Alliance certified teacher and fully trained in Hatha and Power yoga, and she now wants to expand her teaching.

Maria has set up her own yoga studio back in Athens where she grew up. Avra Yoga Studio is named after the Greek word for “aura”, signalling itself as a safe space to relax, learn, and explore in personal spirituality. As a teacher, Maria believes that yoga can benefit everyone, so her studio encourages people of all kinds to visit, embrace yoga, and develop on their own journey.

I am a Yoga Alliance certified yoga teacher. I studied Hatha Yoga in India under the lineage of Swami Vivekananda and I teach all levels of Hatha and Power yoga.