Know more about your Guides
SaGa (Sandeep Ganesh)
India | USA
Modules: Yoga Philosophy, Meditation, Pranayama, Asana, Physiology, Chakras
Sandeep Ganesh is a Indian spiritual teacher and a contemporary guide in self-inquiry. His relentless pursuit of the self in his late 20s and early 30s sparked profound insights. Today, his guidance to aspiring seekers emphasizes a two-fold movement to self-realisation: "First, stabilise and quieten the mind, and then, let go and penetrate into the nature of the self".
His teachings under the first movement are available to everyone through "Skanda Sanctuary", however his deeper teachings and materials remain private and are currently shared selectively to those with sufficient grounding and readiness.
He holds a Masters in Business Administration from Indian School of Business, graduating with Gold Medal for All-Round Excellence, and a Bachelor’s in Automobile Engineering. After a successful career spanning management consulting, his pursuit of Self-realistion gradually intensified, leading him to live in ashrams, travel and teach across South America. After a period of intense inquiry, one that nearly consumed him, he shares that profound insights emerged bringing the pursuit of self-realisation to a natural end.
As the founder of Skanda Sanctuary, Sandeep has developed the frameworks, methodology and curriculum that guides all the teachings, supporting participants to deepen their spiritual journey.
For more information, visit www.sandeepganesh.com
Zaida Prem Samatha (Jenny)
Illinois, USA
Modules: Pranayama, Meditation, Physiology, Chakras
Zaida is an educator, mentor, and founder of Maestra Holística, dedicated to guiding individuals on the path of holistic wellbeing and inner transformation. With a Master's degree in Education, training in Ontological Coaching, Yoga & Meditation, and diploma in Neurodance, she integrates Yoga, Meditation, Breathwork, Conscious movement, and self-enquiry into a deeply experiential approach to personal growth.
As a mentor and coach dedicated to self-development, she has trained leadership teams in Bolivia and Peru through the CREE program and with the sonria.com foundation. She has conducted several workshops, retreats and course in the field of Chakras, Conscious movements, Vipassana Meditation and Pranayama. Her deep interest in spirituality took her to India, where she lived for a year staying across various ashrams and ancient cities. Previously, she managed the Yogendra EcoAshram in Colombia and is currently residing in US.
At Skanda Sanctuary, Zaida guides the Pranayama, Meditation, and Chakras modules, creating a supportive space for students to heal, release blocked energies, cultivate emotional balance, and grow spiritually.
For more information, visit www.maestraholistica.com
Rāma Ananda Das
Villa De Leyva, Colombia
Modules: Asanas, Anatomy & Biomechanics, Teaching Methodology
Raised in a family of traditional karate instructors, Rama was immersed from an early age in the values of discipline, respect, perseverance, and the teacher-student relationship. His years of monastic experience and devotional practice have shaped a teaching style that bridges the wisdom of India and Japan, integrating asana, pranayama, mantra meditation, budō, contemplative arts, and bhakti into a unified path of self-cultivation.
He is currently a practitioner, teacher, and devotee of the Vaishnava tradition, dedicated to the study and transmission of traditional disciplines. As a teacher and mentor, Rāma has served as a guiding instructor in several Yoga Teacher Trainings at Bhakti Yoga School and has led classes, workshops, and courses throughout Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, and Ecuador. He currently directs Zentō, a contemporary school-temple dedicated to the transmission of traditional practices through a model of continuous study, disciplined training, and close teacher-student guidance.
At Skanda Sanctuary, Rāma guides the Yoga Asana, Anatomy & Biomechanics, and Teaching Methodology modules. His aspiration is to help students cultivate not only technical competence, but also the character, and discipline that support a lifelong journey of yoga.
For more information, reach out to raamadasya@gmail.com
Nishant Pujari
Mumbai, India
Modules: Kirtan & Ceremony
Nishant is a spiritual practitioner whose journey has been deeply shaped by India's rich contemplative and devotional traditions. His practice draws learnings from the Mahayana Buddhist tradition and the Shaiva–Shakta lineage of Sanatana Dharma, while his training in Kirtan comes through the Gaudiya Vaishnava tradition, where sacred chanting is embraced as a path of meditation, devotion, and inner transformation. His initiation into Shakti Tantra and Sadhana further deepened his understanding of meditation, ritual, and the transformative power of the Divine Feminine.
Alongside his spiritual path, Nishant has built a successful professional career as a consultant to early-stage startups, following more than 12 years in the Indian automotive industry.
At Skanda Sanctuary, Nishant guides the Kirtan and Sacred Ceremonies modules within the Teacher Training Programme. Through experiential sessions, he introduces students to these living traditions while sharing the symbolism, and deeper purpose behind these practices.
For more information, reach out to nishantpujari70@gmail.com
Carolina Peñaloza
Bogota, Colombia
Modules: Ayurvedic Cooking
Carolina is a certified Plant-Based Retreat Chef, Ayurveda Coach, and Yoga Teacher whose work brings together psychology, nutrition, and holistic wellbeing. With a Master's degree in Social Policy & Development from the London School of Economics and a background in psychology, her journey gradually evolved from humanitarian work to exploring the profound relationship between food, health, and conscious living.
Over the past several years, Carolina has lived and worked in yoga ashrams, meditation centres, and retreat spaces across Colombia and Europe, leading plant-based kitchens and designing nourishing menus for retreats of varying sizes. Her trainings include a 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training, certification as an Ayurveda Coach, and professional training as a Whole Food Plant-Based Retreat Chef through Bettina's Kitchen Academy in UK.
At Skanda Sanctuary, Carolina guides the Ayurvedic Nutrition & Cooking modules, where she introduces students to nutritious and mindful nourishment, supporting both the physical wellbeing and deeper journey of yoga.
For more information, reach out to carolinapenalozac@gmail.com
YogTara (Xilai)
Hong Kong, China
Modules: Kirtan, Sound Healing
YogTara's journey into yoga began in 2018 and has been shaped by both traditional lineage and scientific research. She completed her Yoga Teacher Trainings at Nepal in 2023 and has attended the intensive Vinyasakrama Yoga programme under Sri Ramaswami.
Alongside her yogic studies, she holds a Master's degree in Linguistics and currently conducts research in Neurolinguistics in Hong Kong, specializing in how the brain processes acoustic signals and verbal patterns.
At Skanda Sanctuary, Xilai guides students in Kirtan, Mantra, and Sound Healing modules. She views sound as a powerful gateway to inner stillness—one that bypasses the intellectual mind and regulates the nervous system, awakening a deeper sense of presence. She views practices such as Kirtan and Mantras not as religious acts, but as audible meditations that help students drop their defenses and arrive at the present moment.
For more information, reach out to yogtara99@gmail.com