AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Divya Beste Dolanay was born on 1 July 1974, in Ankara. She completed her undergraduate studies at Bilkent University in Ankara and then received her Master's degree on Business Communication in The Hague, the Netherlands where she stayed for 3 years. Since 1998, she has been doing professional and volunteer work at certain organizations in Turkey and abroad. She had practiced yoga at home and at various yoga centers for a few years, then she started giving yoga lessons in the summer months. Upon the birth of her daughter in 2003, she decided to teach yoga professionally.

In 2004, she completed the Yoga Instructor's Course and received her certificate from Vivekananda Yoga Therapy University (sVyasa), and started teaching yoga. At present, she is offering yoga group lessons and private lessons for adults in Integral-Hatha yoga style.

At the same time, based on her experience of working with elementary school children within the framework of several voluntary projects she participated from 2000-2002, she decided to share yoga and its benefits with children, and she created a special yoga project for children. Through the 'yOgaMini Project', she aims to introduce yoga to children of especially the age group of 5-12 years, at schools, kid clubs, kindergardens and children development centers.
In 2006, Dolanay moved to Durban, South Africa, because of her husband's work she introduced yOgaMini Projects at schools here from 2006-2008. She has been teaching yoga since 2004 to children aged 0-12 and to youngsters, to moms & babies and to adults.

In February 2008, her children's yoga book,  'Lotus Çiçekleri-yOgaMini Projesi' (Lotus Flowers-The yOgaMini Project)' was published by the printing company Alfa Yayınları. For more information about the yOgaMini Project, please click on www.yOgaMini.com or write to Divya Beste Dolanay at beste@yOgaMini.com

EDUCATION

Trainings/seminars about yoga and alternative therapies:

• Swami Vivekananda Yoga Therapy University (sVyasa) Yoga Instructors Certificate Course, 2004, Ankara
• Dr.Mikao Usui style Reiki I and Reiki II. Level trainings, 2005, İstanbul
• SMET- sVyasa stress Management Seminar, 2006, İstanbul
• Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa Kundalini Yoga Workshops, 2006, Kemerburgaz-İstanbul
• Asthanga Yoga workshops, 2006, Durban, South Africa
• Kundalini Yoga Retreat, Buddist Retreat Center, 2007, Ixopo- South Africa
• Satyananda Yoga Retreat, Buddist Retreat Center, 2007, Ixopo- South Africa
• Tibetan meditation Retreat, Buddist Retreat Center, 2007, Ixopo- South Africa

CERTIFICATES

• Vyasa Yoga Instructors Certificate
• Reiki 1and 2 level certificates
• PADI diving certificate
• Amateur Sailing Licence

INTERESTS

Traveling, trekking, sailing, cinema, alternative therapies, alternative sports, alternative music.