Chrissy Johnston

Senior Yoga & Breathwork Instructor- 25/Oct

Chrissy brings over 45 years of experience in yoga practice, including nearly three decades as a dedicated and creative teacher. Her work integrates traditional yoga, breathwork, and energy-based practices into a holistic approach to health and well-being.

She gained her Yoga Teacher Certification from the Integral Yoga Academy (under Savitri Devi) in 1997 in Whitianga, and is qualified as a yoga practitioner, teacher, and therapist. In 1999, she furthered her studies with the Yoga for Health Foundation in Ickwell Bury, UK, where she developed a deeper understanding of yoga as a holistic system for health, emphasizing that self-realization lies at the heart of true well-being and happiness.

Chrissy is also a Reiki Master (3rd Degree, Usui Method), offering initiations and ongoing support through refresher groups. Her work with energy awareness and the concept of universal life force energy is seamlessly integrated into her teaching.

In 2004, she completed Tutor Training for Limited Mobility in Tauranga, where she worked with individuals with physical limitations at the C.C.S. pool and Matua Hall. This experience has given her a strong foundation in supporting older adults and those with reduced mobility, helping them improve function, confidence, and quality of life.

For the past 16 years, Chrissy has been leading her weekly "Breath, Stretch & Move" classes in Bayfair, Tauranga. These sessions are thoughtfully designed, particularly for people over 50, and combine breathwork, gentle movement, Qi Gong principles, and full-body awareness.

Her classes focus on:

🌷Developing awareness of breath—its rhythm, pattern, and sound

🌷Enhancing energy flow throughout the body

🌷Improving balance, coordination, and focus to help prevent falls

🌷Gentle spinal movements to stimulate energy centres and increase circulation

Each session concludes with a guided meditation, often using imagery of natural environments such as streams, forests, beaches, or water—bringing participants into a state of deep calm, clarity, and inner focus.

Chrissy is passionate about helping people understand that the body is more than just a physical structure—that body, mind, and spirit are deeply interconnected. Through her teaching, she empowers individuals to reconnect with their inner resources, cultivate vitality, and experience a greater sense of well-being.

She shares this guiding philosophy:

“All knowledge lies within us.

May the torch we light

help others to see the path.”