Elia moved to San Diego from Russia when he was eight years old. Growing up with the constant presence and Love for the ocean and surfing in his life, he always had an affinity for spiritual and philosophical inquiries. Elia comes to Yoga Swami with an in depth knowledge of asana alignment and the passion to share the message of the yogic path with others.
Elia was introduced to the philosophies of yoga when he was given the book The Autobiography of a Yogi. This materialized as the gift of a lifetime. In 2006, Elia received a 1000 hour certification with Synergy Yoga where he assisted in teacher trainings, workshops, and was a mentor teacher to other trainees. Three years later he was hired on as the director of Teacher Trainings and Program Development at Yoga Tropics.
Elia enjoys creating a learning environment that is both stimulating and challenging. His knowledge of fundamental alignment allows him to confidently offer modifications that accommodate injuries or other physical limitations. Elia has worked and shared his practice with people of all levels including children and seniors. In his teachings of yoga, he hopes to be able to share the same inspiration that was shared with him in his first class. “I want people to see that happiness is within and the practice of yoga simply allows us to see that more clearly.