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My holistic wellness journey began in 2000, during the recovery period of a sports accident that caused me a severe spinal fracture, when I was 26 years old. This injury and the healing process was a transformational turning point in my life. The very first spiritual training that I attended was the powerful healing energy work: Reiki. Later, I began to explore various spiritual paths and other energy healing modalities, which led me to yoga. I started practicing yoga, ​to help with my lower back pain, to manage stress, nervous system and for emotional regulation, while I was working full time as a corporate relations consultant in Istanbul. After full recovery, I become a disciplined yoga & mindfulness meditation practitioner and a certified yoga instructor.

 

In 2004, I completed my first yoga teacher training (vyasa-Vivekananda Yoga Therapy University). I was given the name "Divya" by my teacher, meaning 'divine power'. After my training, I volunteered to work as a teacher assistant for Vyasa YICC for two years and then started to work at several yoga studios full time in Istanbul. In the meantime, I began teaching yoga to children of all age groups at schools, creating the first children's yoga program and the first kids' yoga website in Turkey, the 'yOgaMini Project'.​ In 2008, I published a Turkish children's yoga book called 'Lotus Çiçekleri-yOgaMini Projesi' and donated the earnings of my book to support children's education in a public school in Malawi. ​

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After moving to South Africa with my husband and daughter, I came across the Tibetian Buddhist lineage, Shambhala (shambhala.org) at a Buddhist Retreat Center and I decided to pursue my mindfulness & meditation trainings with Shambhala. I have been following the Tibetan Buddhist Shambhala lineage for more than a decade now. Upon completion of the first part of the trainings at Shambhala centers in South Africa, USA, The Netherlands and France, I received the special Shambhala name 'Good Awake Sunlight'.

 

​Upon moving back to Turkey, I co-founded a yoga studio with my colleague in Izmir. During the following years, I also started giving private therapeutic yoga sessions for clients with various ailments and chronic conditions such as MS, scoliosis, ALS, chronic lower back pain, herniated disc issues, ADD, depression, anxiety, panic attack, fibromyalgia, adrenal fatigue and burnout, in addition to baby yoga and prenatal yoga classes. 

Between the years 2011-2017; I completed Paul & Suzee Grilley’s Yin Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Thai massage Level I-II and Level III certification trainings in The Netherlands and in Thailand. In addition,  I have received Wellness Coaching certification training from NESTA Spencer Institute and In 2017, I founded my company 'Holistic Wellness' in The Netherlands. I attended several seminars and workshops regarding trauma-sensitive yoga and taught 'Recovery Yoga' classes for addiction at a recovery center in Amsterdam for three years. In 2022, I received Traditional Chinese Medicine and Yoga trainings and became a yoga Medicine teacher. In 2025, I became a certified Menopause Wellness Coach.​ I had the privilege to attend several trainings, International yoga conferences, workshops and retreats with world-renowned teachers, such as Sarah Powers, Paul Grilley, Cyndi Lee, Seane Corn, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Mooji, Peter Levine, Lee Holden, Donna Eden, Farrah Garan and Tiffany Cruikshank. Click here to find more information about the education/trainings that I have attended. I also have organised several yoga, meditation, breathing techniques, coaching and Yoga Nidra workshops in the past years.

 

I am also an avid Karma yoga practitioner and actively participate in various Seva/volunteer yoga projects since 1998 in Turkey, South Africa, Malawi, The Netherlands and India, especially regarding children's and teens' health & education.  I took part in seva projects such as delivering medicine to Himalayan villages and I also volunteered as a yoga teacher in Parmarth Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh, India.  Click here to find more about my Seva work and volunteer projects. 

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Throughout these years, I have written over 90 articles (in Turkish and English) about my travels, yoga, mindfulness, meditation, Thai massage and sailing. My articles in Turkish can be found in my blog: YogaDivya.net . Some of these articles were published in the following magazines: Yelken Dünyası, Trendsetter, Tempo and digital yoga magazine 'Yoga Dergisi'.

 

​ I currently reside in Amsterdam, in The Netherlands and I offer online/in person group & private yoga classes, holistic wellness coaching and various Holistic Wellness programs.​