Nicolina Daya Nam Sandstedt, E-RYT 500, YACEP®, Physical Therapist
Nicolina (Daya Nam) is trained in Traditional Hatha, Vinyasa, Restorative, and Kundalini Yoga. Her inspiring presence and teaching style is authentic, refined, and infused with grace. Through a transformative combination of asana, breath, meditation and chanting she guides you to develop your intuitive mind, leaving you uplifted, inspired, and in awe of your radiance.
At age 18, Nicolina left her home in Sweden with a thirst for deeper understanding of herself through yoga and the ancient cultures of the world. She spent the following 6 years traveling, with 3 long stays in India. During this time, a lifelong romance with meditation and yoga commenced which led her to complete her first Yoga Teacher Training with Yandara Yoga Institute in 2006. The experience was transformational and she shortly returned to study and work at Yandara.
Through the years, she has continued to deepen her studies of yoga; she studied extensively with Shiva Rea and is a certified Prana Vinyasa® teacher; she has taught regularly at yoga studios and teacher trainings across the world, and co-founded a yoga studio in Gothenburg, Sweden. Apart from extensive yoga studies, Nicolina holds a degree in Physical Therapy; the deep understanding of anatomy and physiology is an invaluable support in her profession as a yoga teacher and teacher trainer. In 2012, Nicolina returned to live at Yandara’s home base in Baja, Mexico, where she thrives in the yoga life style and conscious community.
After diving deep into various styles, Nicolina has found two traditions that she holds close to her heart: Traditional Tantric Hatha Yoga and Kundalini Yoga. The inner peace, spiritual experiences, and physical healing she has gained through these practices has led to a passion to share the teachings. Traditional Tantric Hatha Yoga, rooted in the Krishnamacharya lineage, includes the practices of Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, Mudra, Visualization, Kriya, Mantra, the science of the Chakras, Ayurveda and Kundalini. It is a very complete and transformative style and it constitutes the essence of Nicolina’s practice and teaching. In addition to this, Nicolina has found Kundalini Yoga, as taught by the Kundalini Research Institute (KRI), to be an extraordinary practice that strengthens the major systems of the body and efficiently develops intuition and a deep trust in life.
Off the mat, you may find her admiring nature, walking her dogs on the beach, enjoying the pulse of a city, studying spirituality, and cooking and baking delicious treats for community potlucks.
Nicolina Daya Nam feels immense gratitude to her teachers: Rod Stryker (ParaYoga®), Guru Dass Singh Khalsa (Kundalini Yoga), Sat Purkh Kaur Khalsa (Kundalini Yoga), Sat Siri Kaur (Kundalini Yoga), Shiva Rea (Prana Vinyasa®), Fran Ubertini (Krishnamacharya lineage Hatha Yoga/Therapeutics), Angela Farmer & Victor Van Kooten (Underground Yoga), Sarah Powers (Yin & Vinyasa), Biff Mithoefer (Yin), Kevin Durkin (Iyengar Yoga), Corrin Adams (Hatha), and the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Organization (Hatha).
Nicolina is a a registered YACEP® – Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider.
Quote:
“The ancient teachings of Yoga invite us to be deeply curious about our True Nature, our “Sat Nam”. It is a practice of moving through any stagnation or blockage so that awareness can permeate our entire being.”
Student Testimonial
“Nicolina’s soft, nurturing, feminine presence is matched in magnitude by her incredible depth of knowledge of the ancient teachings, scripts and teachings of yoga. Her seemingly endless intelligence is presented with a humble nature true of an authentic student and dedicated practitioner of yoga. Morning practices with Nico were brilliantly sequenced with such care and creativity, and she masterfully guides students to meet themselves beyond any worldly boundaries. I feel incredibly blessed that Nico guided me through my 300-hour training at Yandara. More than the teachings shared, I will never forget the inspiration and love I felt in Nico’s presence. She inspired me to rekindle a home practice rooted in Bhakti and to invite softness into my interactions with myself and others. Nicolina embodies what she teaches, and I am forever grateful and in awe of her dedication and authenticity.” – Sarah Kadel, E-RYT, YACEP®, ACSM CPT
“Nicolina has a kind, nurturing presence with a wealth of knowledge and experience to draw from. I was so grateful for her ability to make very complex subjects more approachable during the Advanced Teacher Training. It is clear that she has done the work first as a student making her a compassionate, loving teacher.” – Mary Tilson, Yoga+Wellness director of Travel+Leisures #1 Hotel in the World