Udaya Sun

I discovered yoga by chance as a teenager, but growing up in a small Idaho town in the mid-1980s meant there were no classes or teachers nearby. Fortunately, I was gifted Light on Yoga by B.K.S. Iyengar, which became my manual for many years.

In the early 90s, while attending Northern Arizona University, I worked as a personal trainer and fitness class instructor. My first formal yoga teacher was a Kripalu-trained instructor in Sedona, who mentored me and trained me to teach yoga. Soon after, I launched the first yoga classes at the Flagstaff Athletic Club, introducing yoga at a time when it was just starting to gain traction in the fitness world.

Yoga quickly became my passion, and I devoted myself to learning. I trained at Kripalu, studied with teachers of various styles, and immersed myself in the Ashtanga series under the guidance of a student of Pattabhi Jois while living in my van outside Santa Fe. My yoga journey also took me to India twice, where I spent several months at a time living in ashrams and attending yoga classes across the country. In Thailand, I earned advanced certifications in Thai Yoga Massage during two extended trips. I later became a certified Hot Yoga teacher in Hawaii.

To share my love of yoga, I opened my own studio. Faced with a shortage of instructors, I began a yoga teacher training program, certifying and mentoring many teachers over the years who continue to teach today.

After more than three decades of practice and teaching, yoga remains my lifelong passion. Now based in Bisbee, I am honored to share the gifts of yoga with this community and to inspire others to build a personal practice that supports their own growth and well-being.