Globetrotter Journey

PAYNE WHITFIELD Biographical Sketch

A 200 hours, graduate from Synergy Yoga Center, Miami Beach, in 2000. At that time, Payne did not pursue teaching yoga, but rather studied yoga with the intention of developing his personal practice. After working in Education as a teacher of special education and working as a Licensed Mental Health Counselor for several years, he decided to pursue teaching yoga as a profession. In 2022, he enrolled in the Integral Yoga Teacher Training Course (TTC) Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training Course, and completed another 200-hour teacher certification. He went on to pursue the 300 hours, Advanced Teacher training at the Sivananda Yoga Ashram in the Bahamas where he earned the distinguished Yoga Acharya or Master of Yoga certification.

As a result, he qualified for the 500-hour RYT with Yoga Alliance. Since, completing the 500-hour certification, Payne has provided yoga classes to individuals and groups. Payne has developed yoga instruction that focuses on helping people living with various health challenges as develops individualized yoga classes for people based on their clinical diagnosis. He has developed classes for people dealing with Sciatica nerve issues, arthritis, high blood pressure, and lower back pain.

Payne knew upon completing his first 200-hour yoga certification in the year 2000, he would eventually, teach yoga to others. However, before embarking of that endeavor he worked 20 years, helping others with mental health challenges. He primarily worked with children, and realized that the majority of his clients had difficulties in education, due to low reading skills. This acknowledgement led him to want to work in special education and help students who struggled with reading become better readers. After, a brief retirement during COVID pandemic, he decided to teach yoga a fulltime endeavor.

Currently, Payne is a registered member with the Yoga Alliance. He also works at LA Fitness as well as provide private individual and group classes in the homes of his clients. He has developed and designed a yoga active wear line that designed to provide supportive yoga wear to help reduce pain with any floor asanas that involves the knees and elbows.

In his spare time, Payne enjoys reading books about yoga, traveling and studying yoga while traveling. He always incorporates what he learns during his travels to his daily yoga practice.