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Co-creators
Yogini, Rolfer Kimberly Johnson
 Rooted in the Krishnamacharya lineage, Kimberly has deeply explored Viniyoga, Iyengar yoga, and Ashtanga yoga, and finds the heart of her practice to be a continual return to self-inquiry. Her classes are informed by her background in dance, Structural Integration, the Feldenkrais method, Advaita Vedanta, and Sanskrit. She experienced a huge awakening of the heart on Ilha Grande, which led to the birth of her daughter Cecilia, who is now two years old. She now lives in Rio de Janeiro with some of the warmest people on Earth. And she is always just a day away from the island!
Kimberly has been teaching yoga all over the world (in New York City, San Diego, Chicago, Boulder, Thailand, Malaysia and Brazil) for the past ten years.
Integral Travel is thrilled to collaborate with Kimberly for the "Rhythms of Rio" journey in Brazil.
Social Activists Ouyporn and Ginger
 
Ouyporn and Ginger are the founders of the International Women's Partnership for Peace and Justice (IWP), a spiritually based feminist organization working to support grassroots women's activism in Thailand and the Asian region. Since 2002, IWP has led workshops, retreats and training courses which share in common the integration of feminism, social action and spirituality for sustainability and transformation at the personal, community and society levels. Building on freelance work they have done throughout Thailand and the region since 1997, their goal is to work systematically and strategically with grassroots groups over a sustained period of time, practicing a partnership culture that has spirituality as a core foundation of social activism. This is their effort to create alternatives to the hierarchical systems that dominate mainstream institutions and even progressive social movements. Currently, they work with women's organizations, community peace groups, NGOs and grassroots activists in Thailand, Burma, India, and Sri Lanka. Integral Travel is honored to collaborate with Ouyporn and Ginger for the "Engaged Buddhism" meditation course which takes place during the Adventures in Healing journey in northern Thailand.
Yogini, Social Worker Daniela Garcia Mintz
Daniela discovered yoga at the age of 19 while exploring a variety of indigenous spiritual traditions in her native Chile. Her immediate connection to yogic philosophy led her to devote much of the last decade to developing her yoga practice. Her journey has led her to Thailand, Sweden, Italy, Sri Lanka, India and the USA to study Iyengar and Ashtanga yoga with many esteemed senior teachers such as Ramanam Patel, Tim Miller, David Swenson, Rolf Naujarat, Anthony Carlisi, Lino Miele, Patabhi Jois and Richard Freeman.
Her practice continues to be guided by the philosophical threads that first captured her attention, and she skillfully integrates those threads into her teachings in a way that is useful for students living in a modern world.
Daniela feels blessed that her journey has brought her back to Chile, and she looks forward to sharing the practice with people living in the foothills surrounding the Villarica Volcano.
Integral Travel is is grateful for the opportunity to collaborate with Daniela for the Thai Yoga Massage Retreat in Chile.
Environmentalist, Vegetarian Chef, Author, Visionary Nicole Mintz
As a teen in the early 70's, Nicole Mintz left her Beverly Hills home to dedicate her energy to the burgeoning environmental movement in northern California. Then, in her early twenties, she moved to Chile, started a family, and helped pioneer the Chilean environmental movement.
In 1979, Nicole and a partner opened Chile's first vegetarian restaurant, "El Huerto" (The vegetable Garden) in Santiago, which beat the overwhelmingly carnivorous odds, and is still in operation today proudly serving the best vegetarian meals in the country.
In the 90's, Nicole and a group of environmentalists created Hosteria École, a lively backpacker's hostel, located ten hours south of Santiago in the resort town of Pucón. The motivation for École was to promote ecotourism in Chile's first private national park - the Cañi Sanctuary - whose inception and fund-raising efforts, Nicole spearheaded.
Throughout her career in environmental conservation, Nicole has lead campaigns to preserve the Araucaria and Alerce forest, protect Chile's wild rivers and raise conciousness through environmental education, but she is most proud of her efforts with the Cañi Santuary, which have proven to the indiginous Pehuenche people, who now successfully and independently manage the park, that conservation is a viable alternative to commercial development.
Nicole's most recent creation is Gaia Sur, a retreat and learning center located 20 km northeast of Pucón. Gaia Sur has allowed her to synthesize her love of natural beauty, conscious lifestyle choices, environmental design, and vegetarian cooking into a space for people to learn, grow, and connect with themselves and nature.
Integral Travel is honored to have the opportunity to share this space with Nicole and her daughter Daniela during the Thai Yoga Massage retreat, and to support the Gaia Sur legacy.
Apprentice, Massage Therapist, Adventure Guide Nikki Claiborne
Nikki Claiborne is a Licensed Massage Therapist and avid outdoor recreationalist with a home base on the Oregon Coast. With a BS in Pre Physical Therapy from Western Washington University, work in inpatient and outpatient rehabilitation facilities, and intensive massage training at the Costa Rica School of Massage Therapy; her massage practice blends a diverse understanding of how the body operates with an intuitive approach to overall well being. Additionally, Nikki loves sharing the joys of travel and recreation with others. She worked as a guide and Excursions Coordinator facilitating sea kayaking, mountaineering, river rafting and biking trips and has traveled extensively throughout Europe, Central America and Asia. She is thrilled for the opportunity to learn from Integral Travel and for the self discovery and growth she has experienced on each journey she has had the pleasure of attending.
Integral Travel will benefit from Nikki's nurturing and joyful presence during the Adventures in Healing journey in Northern Thailand.
Apprentice, Massage Therapist, Yogini, Herbalist Cheri Neal
Born and raised in Northern California, Cheri has always had an adventurous spirit and an interest in the art of holistic healing. Cheri is a registered yoga instructor and certified massage therapist. Having studied Medicinal Herbalism in both California and Hawaii, Hatha Yoga in Baja, Mexico, Integrative Massage Therapy in Costa Rica, and Thai Yoga Massage in Thailand, Cheri has over 1100 hours of training and several years of experience in all three fields. Cheri has dedicated a great portion of her life to the art of healing the body, mind and spirit in a holistic and intentional way. Cheri feels blessed that her life's unfolding has led her to the vast opportunities of Integral Travel. She is inspired to share the experience and adventure of healing along with the interconnectedness of the human expansion with anyone and everyone with a willing heart.
Integral travel is delighted that Cheri will be sharing her passion for yoga with us during the DEEP South journey in southern Thailand in February!
Sustainable Business Consultant Vyjayanthi Vadrevu
As an individual with insatiable wanderlust and an anthropologist's soul, Vyjayanthi is thrilled to be part of Integral Travel. Her venture into sustainable travel began with a fortuitous encounter at National Geographic's Society's Geotourism conference in 2008, and has been involved with marketing, research and event- planning with The International Ecotourism Society ever since. She feels a holistic, environmentally and socially conscientious approach to travel and business is the way of the future. She has also worked at the Institute of International Education and the World Security Institute in Washington, DC. Vyjayanthi is also a trained Bharatanatyam dancer and co-curator of the event Subcontinental Drift South Asian Open Mic in Chicago. Her other interests include world music, environmental issues, fashion and film.
Webmaster Thierry van der Star
Born to Dutch parents in Belgium, and educated in Luxembourg and the Netherlands, Thierry currently calls southern Spain "home" but enjoys his status as a citizen of the world. He speaks six languages fluently (Dutch, French, German, Spanish, English and HTML) and hopes to add Thai to the list.
Thierry also operates a holiday rental company, Tarifa Time, in Spain's windsurfing capitol, and finds time to practice Yoga, read books about Buddhist philosophy, paint and windsurf.
Integral Travel is grateful to be supported by Thierry's valuable skills and immense heart!
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