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About us

Vibrantly Alive Yoga is Michael Sidhamo Johnson and Birgit Merlicek. The style of yoga  taught at Vibrantly Alive Yoga is a cleansing, invigorating, dynamic, flowing, breath centered,  approach to hatha  yoga. Our 200 hour teacher trainings and classes focus on the therapeutic use of the breath to balance the body. In all our teachings  A safe and sustainable and aware practice is the cornerstone of my yoga classes and teacher trainings.  The 200 hourTeacher trainings are a comprehensive Introduction to Yoga and its ancient system of personal liberation. The training is a transformation a powerful, transformative,  and evolutionary process.

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Michael Sidhamo Johnson

Director Vibrantly Alive Yoga

My journey has been an ongoing process of self-development, expression and evolution. Born and raised in NYC,  I grew up in Harlem, Greenwich Village and the Lower East side. As culturally diverse as it get's.  As  the great Yogi Mark Whitwell has paraphrased, “ There is nothing but a loving nurturing force”.  That loving force has guided and protected me without fail. Life is not to be figured out, it is to be lived and lived well! For me nothing is more true.


Already as a child I was exposed to the Raja Yoga teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda - a path that pinnacled with my Kriya Yoga Initiation in 1986.  After a long exploration of life and a career as a Chef, Dj and Music Event Producer, I found myself in East Hampton (NY), where I was exposed to the Osho Sanyassins! Inspired by these creative community, I rediscovered my interest in yoga and self-development and traveled to the Osho Center in Pune (India)  1998.  At first for three weeks and later to stay several month to study different healing techniques such as  Diamond Breathwork, Active Meditations, Ayurvedic Yoga Massage,  and Emotional Process Work.


After my studies in India, I felt a calling to go to Thailand, where I taught and practiced Ayurveda Yoga Massage at the healing and detox center 'The Sanctuary' (Koh Phangan).   Soon I was invited to share my teachings also in Europe.. It was in London I met some great Yogis who introduced me to Hatha Yoga. Mark Whitwell, Howard Napper, Gary Carter and David Sye.  I had the pleasure of working with the last 3 as a therapist in their events and workshops and center’s.   During this time I began to experience great success as a therapist and as a teacher of Ayurvedic Yoga Massage.   I had great luck in London I appeared on The Ruby Wax Show, Terry and Gabby Show and almost a dozen features in local and national magazines and newspapers.  I had the priviledge of working at in Triyoga and the Life Center as a therapist. 


2007 I cooperated with Lene Hansson, teaching and practicing at her healing center in Copenhagen. A path that was so successful and satisfying that I finally moved to Denmark where I lived for nearly a decade working during the summer in Europe and during the winter in Asia. 

 

 In 2010 while visiting the Sanctuary Resort in Kohphangan,Thailand on a working holiday I met my current teacher and mentor Peter John Clifford of Anahata Yoga who has been one of my primary sources of inspiration and detailed teaching in Hatha Yoga. .  I taught at FitnessDK, WellCome Fitness and began my Yoga School Vibrantly Alive Yoga, leading independent 200-hour trainings in Copenhagen. During my time in Denmark I led 6 200 hour trainings. Since 2015 I live with my wife Birgit in Vienna.

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My Yoga Educations 

  • I did my first Yoga Alliance certified training with fiend and teacher Randall O’ Leary in Kohphangan, Thailand in 2009. Hatha Yoga influenced by the Vinni Yoga teachings of TKV Desikachar. 

  • My second  200 hour yoga teacher training came from organizing a course for my friend Sofia Arrujo for Swara Yoga in 2010. I asked Peter Clifford to guest teach on the course. Sofia also teaches Hatha Yoga and Peter’s back ground is also Vinni Yoga of TKV Desikachar.

  • The third was while working with my teacher Peter Clifford, I assisted him in building Anahata Yoga. I served as an administrator for the school. I participated in the 200 hour YTT of February 2011 in Kohphangan. I also did the 100 hour Elemental Yoga Certification in Bali

  • Shiatsu Practitioner Training  2 years with Gramme Doherty Copenhagen 2013-2014

  • The 75 hour Tapasya Hot Yoga Teacher Training @ Tri-Yoga-London with Kirstin Campbell,          Nov. 2013

  •  Yoga Anatomy Online training with Leslie kamino0ff with additional workshops in NYC        March 2014

  • Introduction to Tantric Yoga Level 1 Agama Yoga Kohphangan Thaialand. 2015

  • 300 hour Advanced Yoga and Therapy Training with Peter J. Clifford @Mon Retreat in Denmark August 2016

  • Yin Yoga Teacher training 45 hours- 5 Element Yoga  July 2017

  • On going study with  Master Yin Therapy teacher Viktor Chang in Singapore

  • Svastha Yoga Therapy Training began in July 2017 and currently on going with Dr Ganesh Mohan and Dr. Gunther Nielsen

'I have had the blessing of many great teachers in my life but at the end of the day the greatest teacher has been awareness and self-inquiry.'

Mag. Birgit Merlicek-Johnson

Senior Teacher and Coach

'Whenever I struggle with situations in life, I redirect my focus back to myself and try to be the change that I want to see in the world!'

I am originally from Vienna, Austria where I grew up and spent most of my life so far.

Even though I was always interested in health, my first choice in education was business and economy at the University of Vienna followed by a career as business manager at Siemens. Leading a global department of project managers, I experienced how important it is to carefully manage your own capacity and personal energy and I started to study kinesiology, mental training and yoga. A path with inspiring teachers that completely changed my life.

 

Over years I dedicated every weekend, holiday and countless evenings to my passion. My journey started with a two years education in kinesiology with the famous Austrian therapist Hubert Hodecek complemented by many trainings in detoxing, reiki and coaching. After years of practicing yoga on a pure physical level I rediscovered this wisdom again. I realized that many treasures I have learned from modern western therapies are already united in this ancient philosophy of life. For me a good reason to devote my further studies to yoga. Major milestones of my yoga education were my Ashtanga yoga teacher training in India, my trainings with master teacher Peter Clifford in Thailand, who initiated me in 5 element yoga and the alchemy of yoga, the anusara inspired YTT at Hamsa Yoga in Copenhagen, YIN Yoga trainings in Poland and in Vienna with Markus Henning and my ongoing yoga therapy training with Dr. Günther Nielsen.

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I completed the master program in International Health at the University of Copenhagen in 2016 and moved back home to Vienna with Michael.  Since than I continue to  share my passion for inner growth and a healthy lifestyle as yoga teacher and coach. I am very grateful for the gifts I have received from my great teachers and would love to share them with you.

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