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Jessica Heynis

Jessica was born in South Africa into a conservative society shaped by many years of apartheid. She was always very aware of what it meant to be 'other' or 'different' and found education and travel to be powerful tools to investigate not only difference, but also what it is that people and places have in common. Jessica pursued a course of study in Economics, earning a series of scholarships that eventually allowed her to complete a PhD in Economics at the University of Cambridge. Her area of study related to the use of economic tools to examine questions not traditionally within the economic realm. After completing her PhD she returned to South Africa where she taught Economics at the University of Cape Town and worked as an economist for a private bank.

It was around this time that she started practicing yoga on a regular basis. Initially yoga was just another form of exercise, but with time she noticed that life outside the yoga studio started looking slightly different. Her career as a left-brain dwelling economist started to resonate less and she realized that she was increasingly interested in exploring the world of yoga in greater depth. She left the academic and corporate world and concentrated on building a personal practice and exploring a series of long-neglected right brain activities. She has since completed a teacher training program with Jim Harrington in Cape Town in 2009 and currently teaches yoga with her partner Philippe.

Jessica loves many things, one of which is a quotation by Walt Whitman that reads: 'Do I contradict myself? Very well, then I contradict myself, I am large, I contain multitudes.' She believes that the world is there to be explored and that one must seek to integrate both in oneself and in one's way of life the many contradictory experiences and opportunities that life in a modern, contemporary society has to offer. On any given day this may include swimming, cycling, hiking, diving, skiing, drawing, playing the piano, pursuing her interest in art or design or architecture or literature, travelling, baking or dressing up, never forgetting to breathe.

Jessica Heynis

Philippe Brawerman

Philippe was born in Belgium where he lived the early part of his life as a child fascinated by the wonders of the world and with a special interest in mathematics and physics. The ideas discussed in quantum physics were particularly appealing - that we consist of matter and energy and that our position in space is never certain.

As a competitive skier Philippe became aware of the body in space in a different, more physical dimension and would employ breathing techniques during training that would later re-appear in his life in a yogic context.

After completing degrees in engineering and an MBA, Philippe started working as a software developer at IBM. His career in the high tech industry progressed rapidly as he took on different responsibilities in a number of different companies. To maintain balance and clarity and to restore perspective Philippe chose to precede each change in job with a long trip. He spent long periods of time in Asia, where he was increasingly exposed to the philosophy and sensibility of yoga.

His corporate career culminated in him becoming president of Cisco Systems EMEA in the early 90's. He experienced the stellar growth of the company and gained experience in managing a very large corporate entity in a rapidly changing environment. Philippe finished the 90s by exiting the corporate world with the knowledge that he had achieved what he had aimed to professionally and with the wish to pursue other aspects of life. Extensive travel, photography, diving, treasure hunting and fatherhood have all been part of this new chapter.

The start of his yoga journey coincided with the end of his corporate career. He started practicing regularly and reconnected to a systematic form of body work that he greatly enjoyed. Since then yoga has since become a place where he feels at home and in 2009 he completed a Yoga Alliance certified teacher training programme with Jim Harrington in Cape Town. He currently teaches yoga with his partner Jessica.

Philippe Brawerman