A B O U T
YOGA TEACHER
BANYAN GALLAGHER
A poet is someone
Who can pour Light into a cup,
Then raise it to nourish
Your beautiful parched, holy mouth.
– Hafiz
Banyan dreams of living in a world where people laugh more. A facilitator of equal parts sincerity and silliness, Banyan creates a safe environment where all forms of experience, from vulnerability to dynamism, are safe to be fully felt. His teaching style is free from dogma, and full of opportunity for self-discovery. He intends to open every door, without ever telling a student which door to go through. Banyan dances daringly along the edges of many yoga traditions and lineages, inviting students to question every rule and experience the depth of the teachings for themselves.
As a past semi-pro athlete, Banyan’s fascination with all things movement-related led him to in-depth studies of martial arts, firedance, circus clowning, ballet, motorcycle racing, human dissection, philosophy, mystical poetry, (but wait, there’s more!) and finally meditation: the ultimate movement of stillness.
Banyan synthesizes these diverse interests into a lesson for all of us — that happiness and awakening are ours for the taking. He offers a balance of playfulness and tradition, innovative modern practice and ancient knowledge. As his student, you may find yourself realizing that everything is possible with consistency, dedication and focus, and that everything is worthwhile when it is punctuated with laughter.
A certified E-RYT 500, Banyan spreads his love of life throughout the world in three to five Yoga Alliance-certified trainings a year at the 200 and 300 hour level, as well as assorted trainings and workshops.
Please click here to discover where in the world you can find him. And then give him a smile.
What Others Say
“I had some of the deepest experiences in classes taught by Banyan. He has such a clear and deep understanding of tantric philosophy and presents it in very inspiring and authentic ways, so everybody gets it. I left the retreat feeling inspired as a yoga teacher, and I can’t wait to study with him again. He is a person with integrity and honesty who manages to keep lecture and class light and full of joy.”
DAGMAR SPREMBERG
Yogi and Studio Owner
“I have an extensive movement background. I was raised in a yoga community & studied yoga & dance from the age of 5. I’ve dabbled in the martial arts, studied pilates & am a certified yoga instructor myself. To this day, I’m yet to meet a yoga instructor of Banyan’s high caliber. His insight into the body is profound. Though it may have developed over years of studying various movement forms, one feels that he is guided by an instinctive wisdom more powerful than the knowledge gleaned from those experiences alone. It is for this reason and from having personally reaped the benefits of his teachings that I am confident in his mastery and in recommending Banyan to anyone interested in studying yoga or deepening their connection with life.”
SRIKANTA BAREFOOT
Artist and Choreographer
Cirque Du Soleil
