Thailand Wellness Center for Weight Loss & Cleansing

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Ever since the first Absolute Yoga Studio opened in 2002, we’ve been committed to hiring fun, dynamic, and health-loving individuals as part of our team—and our Samui staff is no exception! From our cleaning staff to the management team, we are like one big family all working with same goal in mind: “Let’s create something really special on Samui”
THE FOUNDERS
	BENJAPORN “Ben” KAROONKORNSAKUL left her banking career in 2002 to open Bangkok’s first Hot Yoga studio. It was an instant success, and the years since then have been a mad dash trying to keep up with the enormous demand for yoga in Asia. With 8 Thailand studio and 2 Singapore locations, Absolute Yoga is now one of the largest studio groups in the world, and yet each studio feels so personal and unique. Khun Ben hires all her teachers herself, practices with them, and even teaches classes when time permits. Absolute Yoga is more than a business; it’s become a way of life. “The idea behind Absolute Sanctuary is really simple,” says Khun Ben. “In the city, it’s difficult to stay balanced, keep fit, sleep enough, and live healthfully. Here on Samui, it just feels natural to cleanse your body and rejuvenate, so I wanted to create a really beautiful place where people can leave their busy lives for more than just a 90-minute yoga class, and really make some big changes.”
	JEANNE CHUNG met Benjaporn at a yoga teacher training in 2002, and together they formed Absolute Yoga Singapore in 2004. Originally from the U.S., Jeanne fell in love with yoga immediately and left a career in banking to teach yoga and eventually open what is now one of Singapore’s longest-running and most-loved studios. Jeanne is a teacher’s teacher who works closely with all her staff, leads teacher training programs, and still finds time to attend workshops and courses with some of the world’s leading teachers such as David Life and Sharon Gannon, Bikram Chourdhury, David Swenson, Shiva Rea, and Baron Baptiste. “My students were always asking me where they could go to do a detox program,” says Jeanne. “I’ve been doing fasting and cleansing programs for years, but the standards at most facilities were just so low! So I decided to create a place that was hygienic and beautiful… so my students could come, recharge, and leave feeling like a new person. I think we’ve done it!”
THE TEACHERS
	CLAIRE BOSTOCK is originally from Singapore and took her first Ashtanga yoga class to relieve the work-related stress from her job as a private banker. Instantly, she fell in love with yoga and experienced enormous benefits on all levels. In 2003, Claire left her banking career and embarked on a teacher training course that started a whole new chapter in her life. Some of Claire’s most influential teachers include Dr Kajal Kumar Pandit, Louisa Sear, Paul Grilley, and Matthew Sweeney. Claire soon began teaching Hatha, Vinyasa, and later Yin and Hot Yoga with Gaia Yoga in Singapore. Claire also earned a Masters’ Degree in Counseling Psychology from Monash University and went on to combine yoga with counseling techniques at various hospitals where she helped people overcome emotional issues in their lives. In 2006, Claire joined Absolute Yoga Bangkok and is now very pleased to be a permanent member of the Koh Samui teaching team.
	SHAUN HANNOCKS has had the privilege of studying with many of the world’s foremost yoga teachers in a variety of styles and traditions. In his classes and personal practice he’s deeply influenced by John Friend, Baron Baptiste and Ana Forrest. Shaun teaches advanced, vinyasa, hatha, yin, hot yoga and yogalates with lightness, humor and sensitivity. He feels inspired by his family and extended family, including the students and teachers of Absolute Yoga. Shaun has taught and managed several studios around the world and is happy to now be with Absolute in Thailand.
	ANA SJOSTRAND believes that going behind the illusion/maya that we're separate from source/spirit and finding out who lives inside is the main intention for practicing yoga. Sharing the message of yoga with the people is her highest intention for teaching. Anna's main yoga teacher is Ana Forrest and she has trained with her, as well as with many other strong teachers in Hong Kong, Singapore and other countries. Anna's son Arjuna and husband Shaun are also her powerful teachers and inspire and challenge her everyday. Anna is very fascinated by the power of pranayama/breathing techniques and dhyana/meditation and try to share this in all her classes. Ana teaches hatha, yin, vinyasa, yogalates, pilates and hot yoga and is excited to be part of the Absolute Yoga kula. "Always returning to the breath, we can still our minds and notice how every breath is a new opportunity for a creative expression and change in life"