Thina Chat (Thomais Aikaterini Chatzigianni), is a certified
E-500RYT teacher and YACEP (Continuing Education Provider) registered with Yoga Alliance. Throughout her path, she embraced the Hatha yoga traditions of Sivananda and Ashtanga, and yin while also becoming a certified Ayurvedic and Classic massage therapist. Thina is not only a yoga practitioner but also a voice and movement artist and performer.
From a young age, Thina experienced a nomadic lifestyle, frequently changing places, which led her to find solace in inner-centeredness amidst the constant shifts of the external world. Yoga became a transformative force in her life at the age of 12, helping her overcome emotional turmoil after a serious traumatizing event. Later, a spinal injury shifted her perspective and deepened her connection with yoga, uncovering the profound inner dimensions that extend beyond physical asana practice. It was then that Thina discovered comfort, inner peace, and a newfound belief in limitless possibilities.
Passionate about singing and performing, she pursued classical singing, dance, and musical theater performance and decided to move to the Netherlands to work professionally with music. During her seven-year stay there, Thina embarked on a two-year Sivananda yoga teacher training with Rama Shakti Janine Brall at Yoga Vidya in the Netherlands/Germany and began teaching extensively from 2013. Subsequently, she was fortunate to practice with Ma Bela Burgos Lipat, KPJAYI authorized Ashtanga teacher, whose influence sparked her love for this tradition and led her to follow a teacher training course with Manju Jois on the Ashtanga tradition later on.
In 2017, guided by intuition, Thina embarked on a transformative journey in the Karma Yoga path, ''The Cycling Sutras.'' Riding a bicycle across Europe from the Netherlands to Greece, she raised funds for ''The Smile of The Child'' charity. This expedition brought her back to Greece for and ignited the idea of establishing a yoga school, and thus, ''Yoga Fusion Shala'' was born.
Today, settled in the heart of Ioannina city center in Greece, when not at the shala, you can find Thina singing and playing in the Urban Yoga Collective Kirtan band, exploring nature by camping in the mountains, rafting down rivers, or cycling along the picturesque west coast. She dedicates time to organizing teacher training courses and retreats, teaching workshops across Greece and abroad.
Thina is a perpetual learner, constantly developing her expertise in various yoga styles such as Sivananda, Ashtanga, Yin, Vinyasa, Aerial Yoga, Acro yoga, and Yogadance. She has also delved into the realms of Yoga anatomy, Alexander technique, Voice and movement Integration. Her inquisitive mind delves into deep research and study of Yoga, Vedanta, Tantra Philosophies, bodywork, movement, and yoga anatomy, blending insights from different Hatha yoga traditions to inspire her classes and teacher training courses.
Currently, she continues her practice under the guidance of Vairaygya Ranko Level 2 KPJAYI authorized Ashtanga teacher and Bela Lipat, attending her teachers' workshops and retreats, further fueling her passion for Ashtanga Yoga.Thina's journey is a testament to the transformative power of yoga and the unyielding spirit of exploration and creativity that permeates every aspect of her life.