Colleen Saidman Yee: Host and Master Teacher
Teacher Bio
Long before being named “The First Lady of Yoga” by The New York Times, Colleen Saidman Yee had a varied career: cover girl, shiatsu student… she even worked with Mother Theresa in Calcutta at the Home for the Dying and Destitute.
She first attended a yoga class in New York City in 1987 at the urging of her roommate. But it wasn’t until she had back surgery in 1994 that Colleen’s commitment to her yoga practice deepened. In 1998, Colleen graduated from Jivamukti’s teacher training program. The following year, she opened Yoga Shanti in Sag Harbor. Yoga Shanti has since expanded to New York City and Westhampton NY.
Colleen tells all in her best-selling book “Yoga for Life,” incorporating the raw honest stories and brilliant sequences to deal with life’s issues. “Yoga for Life” will soon be offered as an online course in partnership with Yoga Journal.
Colleen’s gift for sequencing, teaching, and training is offered to students through teacher trainings, workshops and retreats around the globe, Yoga Journal conferences, online classes through Gaia and OneOeight.TV, as well as her public schedule at Yoga Shanti.
Colleen and her husband Rodney Yee co-developed Urban Zen’s Integrative Therapist Program, Donna Karan’s worldwide initiative. They have trained over 700 therapists to offer complementary practices including yoga therapy, aromatherapy, reiki, contemplative end-of-life care, and nutrition in hospitals, rehabilitation centers, and schools.
She has also been featured numerous publications including Vanity Fair, New York Magazine, Oprah, Marie-Claire, Allure, and Yoga Journal. Colleen currently lives in Sag Harbor with her husband and 4 children.
Elena Brower shares her philosophy with Beryl Bender Birch, from the one sutra every new teacher needs, to her hope for asana in the world.