Douglas Johnson

Teaching Style


Douglas incorporates Tantra Hatha Yoga, Jnana Yoga, and Raja Yoga as well as a knowledge of western anatomy, science and philosophy into his Yin & Flow style classes.

How Yoga Serves Douglas

Yoga illuminates the truth

Words of Wisdom

“Be honest with yourself and others.”

Background


Douglas Johnson has been teaching Yoga and Meditation for almost 20 years.  He got his start teaching Zen meditation at the Atlanta Soto Zen Center in the early 90s.  Later, he discovered Kripalu yoga and was drawn to its meditative approach to asana practice.  In 2009, Deva Parnell, the former director of teacher training at the Kripalu Yoga Center, certified Douglas to teach yoga at the 200 hour level.  While training with Deva, Douglas discovered Yin yoga and the teachings of Paul Grilley.  Paul’s teaching gave Douglas a conceptual framework and vocabulary to understand and share the benefits of the long passive holds he was already doing in his personal practice.

Following graduation, Douglas started teaching Hot, Power, Vinyasa, Kripalu and Restorative style classes, and within a year was teaching yoga full-time.  In 2010, Yoganand Michael Carroll, the founder of Pranakriya Yoga and current Dean of the Kripalu School of Yoga, certified Douglas to teach Advanced Pranayama.  The following year, Douglas expanded his offerings by sharing his approach to Yin yoga, and his well attended Yin classes have been partly responsible for the popularization of Yin and the practice of Yoga Nidra in the Atlanta area.
In 2012, Douglas officially registered as an E-RYT and led his first teacher training the following year.  That summer, Douglas realized a dream by studying with Paul Grilley at Land of Medicine Buddha in Soquel, California.  He completed a 100-hour certification with the world-renowned teacher, and is currently pursuing his 500-hour certification with Paul and Suzee Grilley.  In addition to receiving certifications from Paul & Suzee Grilley (Yin Yoga), Deva Parnell (Kripalu Yoga), and ‘Yoganand’ Michael Carroll (Pranakriya Yoga), Douglas has completed workshops and master classes with ‘Yogarupa’ Rod Stryker (Para Yoga), Bryan Kest, Kino MacGregor, Sarah Ivanhoe, and David Newman (Durga Das).
Douglas is also a semi-professional musician and recording-artist releasing music as ‘Sound of Seventy Three’.  He is interested in one day exploring the connection between music and yoga, and the potential for sound to be used as a healing and spiritual tool.