Andrey Lobanov is a leading expert in the field of yoga and integrated health-improvement and human development in Russia and the former Soviet republics.

He is a physician, the founder of the first legal national yoga school in the country, yoga teacher with 30-years experience, yoga therapy and traditional health systems specialist.

 

Andrey Lobanov had an unconventional route in his professional formation being a leader in advance of his time, working his way up from underground yoga school to first-rate educational center. 

Andrey started studying oriental health systems (karate, yoga, Zen, Chi Kung) in the end of 1970s, being a student of Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy – one of the best and oldest academic institutions in Russia in the field classical medicine.

In that time all oriental systems were forbidden by the Soviet government, and there were no yoga schools, no literature, no possibilities to visit Indian gurus. The only source of information on this subject was underground literature – translation of books of foreign authors printed in secret press by enthusiasts.

Andrey Lobanov with a group of people that shred his interest carried out experiments, explored possibilities of human body, psychic, mind and consciousness, using different systems and schools, learned techniques of self-regulation by his own experience.

His first yoga-teacher was Gennadiy Statsenko (Guru Ar Santem) from Moscow.

In 1983 Andrey started conducting yoga classes in sport center “Mayak”, having registered it as a fitness-club.

In spite of illegal status of yoga Andrey Lobanov not only practiced yoga and perfected himself as a teacher but also began developing this activity area in the country, having become a real leader and a pioneer.

As it was clear that to develop a state-forbidden field of activity was scarcely possible, he found a way to legitimate it and in 1988 he created the first in USSR legal yoga school, having played an important part in Russian yogi’s return from underground.

Andrey managed to convince the head of Regional State Sport Committee that yoga was not a mystical doctrine but an effective system of health-improvement and human development that could be used for the benefit of people.

The head of Committee visited classes in Andrey’s fitness-club and was so impressed by his method and professional skill that at his suggestion the club became State Regional Fitness Center, the first and the only center in USSR conducting research and training in the field of yoga and other traditional systems.

The Committee conducted certification of instructors of the club and issued certificates of hath-yoga instructors. That was an unprecedented case for the country where the law forbidding practice of yoga or any other oriental system was in vigor. 

After all legislation impediments were overcome, Andrey Lobanov started to share that solid experience had been amassed during 5 years of teaching yoga. In 1989 he started to develop professional education in the field of traditional health system having found the first in USSR national Yoga and Traditional Health System Teachers Training Center graduating certificated teachers.

As the boarders were opened after the Soviet Union breakup Andrey Lobanov started to introduce experience of foreign competent and respected masters to Russian audience. He organized such outstanding events as training course with Lucy Hill, direct disciple of great yogi Babaji Haidakhan in 1993-1994 and meeting with the head of Krishnamurti Foundation Scott Forbes, viewing and discussing Krishnamurti talks.

At the same time Andrey Lobanov continued learning the heritage of ancient traditions: various schools of yoga, Chinese, Tibetan and other systems, placing a priority on training and practical experience.

Practicing different techniques and methods, studying their effect on physical, psychic and mental state, Andrey selected the most effective of them. Sometimes his practice became a creative process and he worked out his own exercises and techniques and formed original methodology.

Andrey also had been increasing his medical education and practice. He got specializations in pediatricscardiology, neuropathology, psychotherapy, resuscitation science, exercise therapy, massage therapy, reflexology and herbal therapy, finished residency in neuropathology and occupational pathology, worked as emergency physician in casualty department. After having got specialization in psychotherapy he worked as psychotherapist.

In 1991 Andrey Lobanov started to use yoga in disease treatment organizing the first Yogatherapy Department in Russia in Semashko State Regional Clinical Hospital.

He also was the first in Russia to start developing professional education in this field. He worked out educational courses in yogatherapy which were included in curriculum in foremost national higher education institutions:

• In 1985-1990 he lectured course “Comprehensive Student’s Health Care” based on traditional health systems in Physical Education Department in Nizhny Novgorod State Medical Academy.
• In 1993 he worked out 100-hours course “Yoga and Yogathearpy” on order of Nizhny Novgorod Institute of Rehabilitation
• In 1998 his course “Yogatherapy in Medical Rehabilitation” was included in curriculum of Nizhny Novgorod Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education.

Besides hatha and raja yoga and yogatherapy educational programs, for Chi Kung teachers, Chi Kung therapy specialists, traditional health system teachers and specialists training programs and other educational courses had been worked out. All programs were licensed by the Ministry of education and science.

In 2002 all Andrey Lobanov’s founded Non-state educational establishment “Academy of traditional systems of health care and human development” having become the first state-licensed educational institution in the field of yoga and traditional systems in Russia.

By that time Andrey taught a generation of professionals in this sphere and the best of them started teaching in the “Academy”.

Studying and practicing different traditional systems Andrey Lobanov methodize his experience and worked out not only educational programs but also training aids (manuals, DVD-courses) which now are used by yoga teachers and practitioners all over the country.

Vast experience, more than 30 years of practice and teaching traditional systems, studying medicine, modern healthcare methods, different philosophical systems and scientific paradigms enabled Andrey Lobanov to develop a unique educational system which is one of a kind in Russia as well as beyond its borders.