Founder, Lead Trainer

My name is Dev, I am the founder of Bija Yoga Institute and an international yoga educator. For over a decade, I’ve had the privilege of teaching yoga across the globe, leading retreats, workshops, and teacher trainings where people connect deeply both with the practice and with themselves.

From a young age I felt deeply introspective and full of questions. My curiosity towards philosophy, spirituality, and self actualization over the years naturally led me to the path of yoga when I was seventeen. By 2015 I had set aside all other pursuits, left college, and dedicated my life to yoga. Since then I have accumulated over one thousand of hours of training with many illuminating teachers over the years, without whom I wouldn’t be where I am today.

My teaching is founded on the eight limb system of Aṣṭāṅga Yoga, with a heavy influence from the Ghosh and Iyengar lineages of teaching. I aim to create a safe, loving, and supportive space for students of all kinds. Everyone is welcome in my classroom.

Lead Trainer

Tori Lubecki is an accomplished yogi, Vegan Chef, and model. In her previous career, she was a ballerina, an aerialist with Cirque du Soleil, and  the Resident Choreographer for several shows on the Las Vegas strip. She has been teaching yoga for eight years. In 2022, Tori competed in the International Yoga Olympics and came in 7th place for women, with her team locking down 6 of the top ten spots. In addition to having over 700 hours of yoga teacher training in Ashtanga, Vinyasa, Hatha, and Yin Yoga, she has taught yoga to the athletes of Cirque du Soleil and Nevada Ballet Theater, as well as many yoga studios across the US and Europe. Recently, Tori was the head yoga teacher at Kirpal Meditation and Ecological Center on Big Island, Hawaii. At her 300 hour yoga teacher training in Rishikesh India, she learned to read and write Sanskrit in Devanagari and is dedicated to her mantra practice. Tori practices and teaches with integrity and compassion, blending her lifetime of physical disciplines with spiritual insights. 

Guest Teacher

Anya (she/her) has been teaching yoga since 2018. She is an ERYT 500 Yoga Teacher with over 1000 hours of training, including assisting teacher trainings. Her classes are a lively fusion of embodied flow and mindfulness that honor the roots and traditions of yoga. She teaches vinyasa, hatha, slow flow, restorative, gentle, yin, workshops, and continuing ed offerings.

Anya has both trained and taught locally and internationally. She invites biomechanics, functional anatomy, and creative movement into the practice as a key way to ensure we can practice asana for as long as possible, on and off the mat. Anya’s classes offer embodiments through asana, mantra, mudra, pranayama, and tantric yoga philosophy to embody social justice, equity, and accessibility for all levels.

As an organizational psychology specialist, she aims to combine her passions and qualifications in yoga and evidence-based psychology to help build the community grow and thrive.

Anatomy/Physiology Trainer

Hello, I'm Pelin! I come from beautiful Switzerland. My family originally comes from Turkey. As a teenager, I discovered my passion for dancing. I spent at least 11 hours a week in the studio and actually wanted to pursue professional dance training.

However, due to a knee injury, I had to let go of that dream and decided to study medicine instead. As the only doctor in my family, my inspiration clearly came from Grey's Anatomy.

During my studies, I found a new passion in yoga, which fascinated me through its philosophy and spirituality. Yoga became a fixed part of my life, as I suddenly had no more knee pain and developed much more mental endurance during exam periods. After medical school, I completed a yoga teacher training program to learn more about its origins and philosophy. That's when I discovered my love for teaching.