Teacher Details

Gopala has been teaching Yoga for children and adults, as well as meditation and yoga philosophy, since 1995.

He was a monk in the Sivananda Yoga Centers in Israel and the Bahamas for ten years, from 1994-2004, where he completed his Yoga Teacher Training and Advanced Teacher Training, and also helped train Sivananda teachers. While living in the Bahamas, Gopala was the general manager of the Sivananda Ashram Yoga Retreat on Paradise Island, for four years.


From 2004 to 2007, Gopala created, managed and taught yoga and alternative spa programs in Los Cabos, Mexico and New York City. He also continued studying yoga for kids at Karma Kids in New York and Itsy Bitsy Yoga in Massachusetts, and Circus Yoga with Erin and Kevin O'Keefe. Gopala also studied healing with tibetan bowls with Avraham Benor and is a Reiki master. In 2008, after studying with Rabbi Joseph Gelberman, Gopala was ordained as an Interfaith minister. In 2009, Gopala was certified in Thai Yoga Massage by the Ritam School of Healing Arts and Saul David Raye.


In 2007, Gopala and Katya founded the studio Yoga LeShalom (Hebrew for “Yoga for Peace”) in Tel Aviv, Gopala’s hometown. Yoga LeShalom is a studio for the whole family, where the daily schedule included drop-in yoga classes for adults, yoga for kids, Ma and Baby, and Family Yoga. That same year, Gopala began focusing on training yoga teachers for kids, and Rainbow Kids Yoga was born! In late 2008, Gopala and Katya relocated to the United States, although Gopala continues to visit Israel to train teachers there.


Gopala has taught yoga for kids in such diverse settings as public and private schools, kindergartens, and preschools, summer camps, orphanages, yoga studios, juvenile detention centers, hotels, spas, at birthday parties, and in private classes. His playful, patient and warm teaching style has created a training course that has been described by graduates as “magical”, “inspiring”, “very practical,” “transformative”, and “an unforgettable journey.”

Gopala now only teaches our 200 Hr teacher trainings, allowing him time to work on much-awaited Yoga for Kids books, games, and projects, have a home, and spend time with his growing family.