About Betty

Betty Roi, a native of Paris, France, moved to the Bay area, California in June, 1983 to study jazz vocals and music. She then discovered yoga in 1985, and has been practicing and studying since then, and teaching internationally since 1989. She attended the advanced studies program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco, where she learned from many senior Iyengar teachers. Additionally, she has studied Astanga yoga since 1991, Anusara since 2001, and is a certified Integrative Yoga Therapist (1995). She continues to deepen her studies of Yoga Therapy.

Betty’s background includes many years of dance, theater and voice training, performing both in Europe and in the Bay area. She released her first cd entitled “Enchanté” in 1999 and 2 more CDs: “La chanteuse de Paris” (2009) and “La lumière du son” (2010) which was reviewed in Yoga Journal and is a great companion to any contemplative practice. To learn more, check her music website: bettyroimusique.com

Betty’s teaching is richly influenced by her life experiences in the performing arts, as well as nourished by her lifelong commitment to being a student and to heal. Betty is also inspired by her practice of Buddhist vipassana meditation, primarily with Jack Kornfield and Ajahn Amaro. She has been blessed to study with many great masters, including Dona Holleman, Ramanand Patel, Rodney Yee, Richard Freeman, Tim Miller,T. K. V. Desikachar, Rod Stryker, Aadil Palkhivala, Donna Farhi, Sarah Powers, Judith Lasater, Patricia Walden, Ana Forrest, Joe LePage, Manouso Manos, Shandor Remete, Desiree Rumbaugh, John Friend, Annie Carpenter and Sianna Sherman.

Betty’s classes blend the precision of Iyengar yoga with a heart-filled vinyasa asana program of self-exploration and discovery. She has extensive knowledge of the use of props and their applications. Her classes emphasize healthy postural alignment, balanced with breath awareness and mindfulness. She draws from a vast repertoire of tools to serve each student to awaken in a safe and skillful way. She seeks to inspire her students to experience a deep connection with life and themselves, and to recognize their own beauty and goodness. Betty has a keen touch for adjusting and weaves a rich fabric of spirited metaphor within the asana practice. Through her study and application of the philosophical wisdom of yoga, she has an understanding of the yogic process towards liberation, equanimity of mind and openness of heart.

I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of my teachers, past and present, for continuing to educate and inspire me to strive to awaken on this path, and become a better teacher.

Finally, forever thank you to all of my students throughout the world who allow me the courage to teach and who have touched me with their honest feedback, support and generosity, and the immense reward that comes from serving them.















			Betty Roi, a native of Paris, France, moved to the Bay area, California in June, 1983 to study jazz vocals and music. She then discovered yoga in 1985, and has been practicing and studying since then, and teaching internationally since 1989. She attended the advanced studies program at the Iyengar Yoga Institute in San Francisco, where she learned from many senior Iyengar teachers. Additionally, she has studied Astanga yoga since 1991, Anusara since 2001, and is a certified Integrative Yoga Therapist (1995). She continues to deepen her studies of Yoga Therapy. Betty’s background includes many years of dance, theater and voice training, performing both in Europe and in the Bay area. She released her first cd entitled “Enchanté” in 1999 and 2 more CDs: *“La chanteuse de Paris” (2009) and “La lumière du son” (2010) which was reviewed in Yoga Journal* and is a great companion to any contemplative practice. To learn more, check her music website: bettyroimusique.com Betty’s teaching is richly influenced by her life experiences in the performing arts, as well as nourished by her lifelong commitment to being a student and to heal. Betty is also inspired by her practice of Buddhist vipassana meditation, primarily with Jack Kornfield and Ajahn Amaro. She has been blessed to study with many great masters, including Dona Holleman, Ramanand Patel, Rodney Yee, Richard Freeman, Tim Miller,T. K. V. Desikachar, Rod Stryker, Aadil Palkhivala, Donna Farhi, Sarah Powers, Judith Lasater, Patricia Walden, Ana Forrest, Joe LePage, Manouso Manos, Shandor Remete, Desiree Rumbaugh, John Friend, Annie Carpenter and Sianna Sherman. She is currently a student of Firooza Razvi, Carrie Owerko and Brian Hogencamp. Betty’s classes blend the precision of Iyengar yoga with a heart-filled vinyasa asana program of self-exploration and discovery. She has extensive knowledge of the use of props and their applications. Her classes emphasize healthy postural alignment, balanced with breath awareness and mindfulness. She draws from a vast repertoire of tools to serve each student to awaken in a safe and skillful way. She seeks to inspire her students to experience a deep connection with life and themselves, and to recognize their own beauty and goodness. Betty has a keen touch for adjusting and weaves a rich fabric of spirited metaphor within the asana practice. Through her study and application of the philosophical wisdom of yoga, she has an understanding of the yogic process towards liberation, equanimity of mind and openness of heart. Most of all, Betty loves to teach and believes that love is the real teacher. From Betty: I wish to express my heartfelt gratitude to all of my teachers, past and present, for continuing to educate and inspire me to strive to awaken on this path, and become a better teacher. Finally, forever thank you to all of my students throughout the world who allow me the courage to teach and who have touched me with their honest feedback, support and generosity, and the immense reward that comes from serving them.
			Betty received a "Best Free Downward Dogs" award from San Francisco Magazine for her weekly free yoga classes that she teaches on Tuesdays and Thursdays at the San Francisco Free Clinic.