Petri Räisänen

Petri Räisänen

Petri Räisänen (born August 13, 1967) is married and a father of three children living currently in South-West Portugal.

Petri is internationally known and respected Ashtanga Yoga teacher. Petri started practicing Ashtanga Yoga in 1989 and teaching in 1990. He is co-owner and director of Ashtanga Yoga Helsinki, one of the world’s largest Astanga Yoga Shalas, which he founded with his friend and colleague, Juha Javanainen, in 1997. Pattabhi Jois blessed the school to teach the traditional Astanga Yoga method.

In his yogic path Petri has studied with many respected Astanga Yoga teachers such as Derek Ireland (his first certified teacher), Radha Warrel, Gwendoline Hunt, Lino Miele and Eddie Stern, in addition to R. Sharath Jois and Sri K. Pattabhi Jois.

In 2004, Petri wrote “Astanga – The Yoga Tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois” with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois’ and his grandson, R. Sharath Jois’ support. The book introduces the primary series (1st series) Astanga Yoga method and philosophy, as well as its potential as a physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual practice. The book was released first in Swedish and Finnish in 2005.

His intermediate series (2nd series) book “Nadi Sodhana” was released in Finnish 2008 and in Russian in 2014. It is written from the interviews with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and Petri in 2006-2007 in Mysore, India.

Both books are written as part of Petri’s ongoing pilgrimage into Astanga yoga’s inner word, with a great sense of respect towards his Guru and the Yoga Tradition.

Petri focuses on integrating healing and therapy with yoga, meeting student’s individual needs and guiding their progress. His yoga pose adjustments are gentle, effective, therapeutic and, according to some, almost magical, and originate (besides his own practice and teaching) from his past work as a traditional Finnish folk healer and naturopath.

Petri’s friendly, relaxed behavior and intuitive perception give an open, energetic and meditative atmosphere to his classes.