Gerhard Gessner founded Prana Yoga Center in La Jolla/San Diego, CA , in 2001 pursuing a life-long passion for Yoga, meditation and the healing of the body & mind. He leads Prana's reputable 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program and is a teacher & mentor in the Professional 300-Hour Teacher Training. 

A student & teacher of Yoga for well over 3 decades, Gerhard has trained many teachers locally in Southern California, as well as from across the US and internationally.  A true "teacher's teacher,"  Gerhard has a powerful ability to inspire his students to look for their potential and find their own voice as students and teachers. His open-minded and non-dogmatic teaching style honors each student's process and is based in the multi-faceted teachings of Yoga with emphasis on correct alignment and applying Yogic principles to modern life. 

Gerhard  is trained in a variety of different styles of Hatha Yoga, including Ashtanga, Iyengar, Ananda and Contact Yoga. He has studied with Tim Miller, Sri K. Patthabi Jois, Sharath Rangaswamy, B.K.S. Iyengar, Robert Birnberg and many other influential Yoga teachers across the US and abroad. He combines these different influences and tailors his teachings to the needs of his students.

Gerhard's trademark "All Level Vinyasa Flow" class is challenging and upbeat, yet deeply nurturing and filled with humor - attracting students from all walks of life. He challenges his students to find their edge while using the breath as an inner indicator to reach and stay within their limits. Being mindful and attentive during practice so we can feel one with our actions is also of great importance to him. Gerhard teaches with the aim of guiding his students in their own process, so over time, they can develop a finer sensitivity to the more subtle movements in their bodies and minds.  If we are absorbed in the moment of our activity, we can consequently slow down the "chatter" (vritti) of our minds; this state is also known as "flow."

Gerhard holds a bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering as well as master's degrees in Education and Counseling Psychology, and is a former bodyworker trained in Structural Integration, Swedish Massage and Trager work. He is an E-RYT 500 & YACEP from Yoga Alliance.