Our Teachers

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Founder of Vī Yoga and Here Begins Yoga, Ryan is a 500 Hour E- RYT teacher with the Yoga Alliance and has led the yoga program and studio development of multiple studios and programs since the early 2000's. Ryan is beyond grateful and appreciative of his dear friends and  teachers, including Dave and Cheryl Oliver, Krista Cahill, Maty Ezraty and so many others. He leads dynamic classes that balance strength and flexibility with an infusion of yoga language and philosophy in a fun and playful way. Ryan learned quickly in his yoga studies that there was more to yoga than the asana. Off the mat, he enjoys spending time with his family.

Co-founder of Vī Yoga, Abby started practicing yoga in 1999 when she purchased David Swenson’s Ashtanga Yoga: The Practice Manual. For the next 14 years she used that book as her teacher in her nearly daily Ashtanga practice. In 2013 she visited Yasa Yoga for the first time while doing graduate studies in Santa Barbara. There she met the owners Ryan and Stephanie and saw the immense value of their alignment informed vinyasa instruction. The following year she completed her 200 hour teacher training at Yasa. She enjoys getting into the technical aspects of alignment within an Ashtanga based practice. You can expect to build strength and stamina in her dynamic classes. When she’s not teaching yoga, she runs Wild Veil Perfume, one of the only grower-perfume and enfleurage houses worldwide, that she founded in 2013. Abby loves to incorporate her own fragrant plant extractions into her yoga classes and workshops.

With a background in dance, Stephanie immediately fell in love with the practice of yoga. From the physical asana practice to the ability to tap into the spiritual offerings of the practice, Stephanie knew her journey into yoga would be a life long practice. She considers herself to always be a student of yoga. She fuels her teaching practice with a continual investment in her personal practice and studies, striving for continued refinement and transformation. Stephanie initially began her studies in Arizona at At One Yoga and Authentic Yoga Teacher Training with Dave and Cheryl Oliver. She completed the Advanced SmartFlow Teacher Training program with Annie Carpenter. She has studied with Dona Holleman, the late Maty Ezraty and Brock and Krista Cahill. She is a 500-E-RYT registered with the Yoga Alliance. 

Teaching classes throughout Scottsdale and Phoenix, Stephanie connected with  Ryan Besler. Together, they created YASA Yoga. YASA Yoga initially began as a teacher training school in Arizona and then evolved into the most highly reviewed, Best of Santa Barbara (2012-2013) yoga studio in beautiful Santa Barbara.   From the business, to teaching classes to teaching teachers, Ryan and Stephanie dedicated themselves to building community and sharing their passion of teaching yoga. Stephanie is honored to have been an Ambassador for Lululemon in Scottsdale and Santa Barbara, Lole Ambassador teaching both Yellow and White LOLE events and a Manduka Ambassador. 

Whether you come in for class, schedule a private lesson, enroll in a workshop or a teacher training, Stephanie will be in service to help you connect to the physical strength and playful nature of the asana practice, coupled with learning the deep roots of the language and philosophy of the practice, ultimately, to be able to tap into your center - your true nature, your joy.