Denise Zaverdas

Having been an athlete and dancer into adulthood, discovering yoga late in my thirties was the missing piece of my unending fascination of human form and function. Experiencing movement linked to the meditative rhythm of the breath was and is a magical ride to the very center of my being. After a decade-long sojourn into the world of advertising, from agency work to commercial film editing and production, I did the thing you are not supposed to do after finishing a yoga teacher training. I quit my day job. In 2000, I dove head and heart into teaching yoga full time, and embarked upon a journey of exploration, inquiry, learning, and unlearning with the deep curiosity of a seeker.

As an E-RYT 500 and with a B.S. degree in Kinesiology, I love offering space for students to 

flow with the dynamic nature of the breath and tune into their inner master for guidance. I have had the great honor of studying with many visionaries and masters of yoga in many different styles, mostly in the lineage of Sri Tirumalai Krishnamacharya: Ashtanga, Forrest, Restorative, Yin, and Vinyasa Yoga. I am eternally grateful to those who carried the torch before me, and I strive to carry the Light with an open heart.

I also have extensive experience in yoga studio management – as Assistant Director of the Santa Barbara Yoga Center, and then as the founder of Montecito Yoga (MoYo). I have facilitated and taught many teacher trainings and workshops, and am particularly keen on refining the practice for beginners and those with special needs. 

My classes emphasize spirit, breath, structure, strength, and fluidity. I am a perpetual student, and my current understanding is that Yoga is about relationship: our inner relationship with Self and Spirit, and our outer relationship with fellow travelers and the world around us. I enjoy crafting each unique class, based on the needs of the students, as a moving meditation, in preparation for stillness and a seated practice.