About The Teacher
- More Yoga Less Hype: No gimmicks, memberships, or deals. Yoga without the noise…. steady, and sincere
- Rooted in tradition, not Trend: A practice true to the spirit of why yoga began
- A Practice that supports Life: Helping you find steadiness, strength, and clarity amidst the storms of life
- A Simple Practice Space: Warm, down-to-earth, and barefoot, where the focus is on the method, not the trimmings.
This is Ashtanga Yoga Shala, Brisbane.
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Richard Clark
Richard completed a 3x year Ashtanga Yoga Teaching Training Program under Iain Clark at Ashtanga Yoga Shala. He first undertook Yoga practices as a teenager through the Satyananda and Sivananda Yoga Schools. He studied a degree in Traditional Chinese Acupuncture (B.C.T.A) and continued with further studies in Herbal Medicine (with Kerry Bone), and Ayurveda (with Prof. Dr. Ajit B.A.M.S, P.C.A.S) and is a Past President of the Australasian Ayurvedic Practitioners Association.
Now having been teaching Ashtanga Yoga for 20 years and having taken up further study In India, in both Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and other methods of Hatha yoga, he has always determined to share Yoga in keeping with its roots and objectives.
‘I am not an esteemed nor highly acclaimed teacher of Yoga. Nevertheless, I have tried to constantly evaluate and re-evaluate my experience of, practice and instruction in Yoga over the years, in order to best align what I deliver with the authentic aims of yoga and with respect for the needs and capabilities of individuals who attend classes’.
‘Improvements in the manner in which Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has been taught in the past by its teachers, was already initiated and put in place by my teacher Iain Clark. I strive to continue in that direction.
Consideration of the views on health, energy, movement, bio-individuality and existence etc borne out of studies in Yoga Darshana, Traditional Chinese Medicine, Ayurveda, Herbal Medicine, Tantra Shastra, Buddha Dharma, Anatomy and Physiology and Nutrition have guided me in this regard’.
‘An ever-deep drive remains to impress the truly awe-inspiring philosophies of great Bharata – Mother India, which despite my limitations, I trust comes through in my classes’.
‘I don’t teach perfection of asana (but that’s no excuse for sloppy or misguided practice). I teach how to use asana etc in the yogic quest. I brought with me to yoga, more than a few serious injuries from my youth and would like to think that I can give hope to others who wish to make the best out of what they have been handed. In class I relate the words of the late, modern bard, Leonard Cohen, to an attitude most helpful in the quest’:
“Ring the bells that still can ring Forget your perfect offering There is a crack, a crack in everything That’s how the light gets in.”
Announcements & Upcoming Programs
Step 1 Yoga Class Series
The New Classes Are So Close! You will thank yourself later.
If not now, when?
The Next Step 1 Class Series at Sunnybank is starting on – Tuesday 18th November 2025 at 6:30 pm.
The Next Step 1 Class Series at Paddington is starting on – Friday 3rd October 2025 at 6:00 pm.
Book in Now – by requesting the class information today.
What is the Step1 Class? Details are on the Classes page.
You can receive a great deal from this yoga—but first, you’ll need to take a step in, build a connection, and offer what you genuinely have to give. This is not simply an exercise class. It is an entry point into the deeper practice of yoga—one that invites sincerity, attention, and the willingness to explore more than just the body.
“I tried one other class before AYS when starting, and I felt like I’d accidentally turned up at an Instagram photo shoot. The moment I walked through the door at AYS I knew I’d found the right place. Straight away. The difference was immediate and palpable.” – B.T 2023
“Richards words of encouragement to bring yoga back into my daily life has seriously helped me mentally and physically. I let go of 6kgs of unwanted weight just in the 5 weeks step one classes. While I might have a way to go, I’m on the path with a teacher that cares and promotes my daily growth. Thanks Ashtanga Yoga Shala.” – B.I 2024