MAJA AT A GLANCE:
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Yoga Teacher (YTT300) - Trained in:
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Integral Vinyasa - within the Parahamsa Yogananda lineage - integrating asana (movement) pranayama (breathwork) meditation and yogic philosophy
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Yin Yoga - based on Traditional Chinese Medicine
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Restorative Yoga
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Trauma-Informed Yoga
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Pre & Postnatal Yoga
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Mindfulness & Meditation Teacher - Developed through sustained personal practice and study, with guidance from ordained Buddhist priests and monks from various lineages.
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Advanced Training in Buddhist Psychology & Therapeutic Practice (3yrs) - International Therapy Institute (ITZI) affiliated to the Amida Pureland Buddhist Order. A practice-based training in applied Buddhist psychology, integrating models of the mind with contemplative and relational approaches to therapeutic work, with a focus on awareness-based engagement with cognitive and behavioural patterns.
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Foundational studies in Buddhist Philosophy
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Ayurveda studies (1 year) completed under guidance of an Ayurvedic doctor through the Ayurvedic Training & Research Centre, Jaipur, India.
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Functional Anatomy (foundational studies)
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Usui Reiki Master (Certified)
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Sound Therapy Practitioner
Hello, my name is Maja.
I'm a YTT300 yoga teacher, mindfulness and Buddhist meditation teacher, as well as a wife, mum and a few things besides. I live on an off-the-grid farm outside Greyton, and I teach yoga, meditation and complementary offerings from Amandari Yoga Shala in the pretty village of Greyton.
My path has been shaped by over three decades of personal practice and a decade of sharing yoga and meditation. I discovered Buddhism in Thailand in 1992, a moment that would shape the direction of my life. What began as curiosity became a lifelong practice, guided by respected teachers, Buddhist monks and nuns whose wisdom still inspires my practice and teaching.
Over the years, I explored a range of traditions - including TM (Transcendental Meditation), Vipassana, Kadampa Buddhism, and Zen - before finding a true sense of home within the Soto Zen tradition. I remain especially inspired by Zen Master Shunryu Suzuki Roshi, whose teachings continue to resonate deeply in my life and work.
In 2010, our family made a lifestyle shift from Cape Town city life to a farm in Stellenbosch - the beginning of a more intentional, inwardly-guided way of living. After 15 years as a business owner in the film industry, I stepped away to immerse myself fully in study, practice and teaching meditation - a three-year period that felt like a long and meaningful self-retreat.
A significant part of my journey was a rigorous three-year training in Buddhist Psychology and therapeutic practice through ITZI (International Therapy Zen Institute) affiliated to the Amida Pureland Buddhist order. This period offered a structured exploration of applied Buddhist Psychology, integrating models of the mind with contemplative and relational approaches to working with attention, thought patterns, identity and attachments. The studies took up 8 hours every day, 5 days a week, and the immersive quality of those studies, together with the research required, was deeply humbling and transformative. It continues to inspire both my personal practice and my work with others.
Along with these studies, I completed 1 year of Ayurveda studies through the Ayurvedic Training and Research Centre in Jaipur, India. I was also drawn to energy work and became a certified Usui Reiki Master, while beginning to explore the subtle effects of sound through singing bowls.
In 2013, I was invited to teach Mindfulness Meditation at a yoga studio in Stellenbosch. From the start I loved yoga - it felt like a moving meditation. I went on to complete my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Integral Vinyasa within the Parahamsa Yogananda lineage. Integral means teaching yoga classes that are about more than simply the movement. It means integrating asana (movement) with pranayama (breathwork) meditation and yogic philosophy. I love the rich combination, weaving it together. It can feel a bit like a tapestry or a dance
It's when I discovered Yin Yoga (based on Traditional Chinese Medicine) that I really found my home. I immediately appreciated the meditative qualities of it, and went on to complete my 50-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training. I added 50-hour Pre- and Postnatal Yoga Teacher Training - bringing together movement and stillness, strength and softness.
Since then, I have continued my studies in Yoga & Meditation, Functional Anatomy, Trauma-Informed Yoga and somatic practices. I remain a student of Buddhist and Yogic philosophy, to deepen and keep my own practice and teaching aligned and alive.
Creating a supportive, healing environment is at the heart of everything I offer and I hold that responsibility with great reverence.
One of my Buddhist teachers once told me:: “Teach what moves you.” I've never forgotten that, and I share what has shaped my own path. I look forward to welcoming you.