Patrick & Junko Saito — Teacher Profiles — Frau, Jun 2006 (JA)
Publication: Frau — Japanese women’s fashion and lifestyle magazine (Kodansha); broad mainstream readership Issue: 2006/6 (June 2006), No. 254 Article type: Multi-teacher profile feature within a Hata Yoga (ハタヨガ) section; two pages, one instructor per page; each with a headline quote, profile panel, and studio DATA box Language: Japanese (confirmed) People named: Patrick Oancia — チーフインストラクター (Chief Instructor); 齋藤純子 (Junko Saito, age 33) — YogaJaya instructor YogaJaya logo: Present (top right, both pages — standard placement)
Feature context
Section titled “Feature context”The feature runs as a multi-page teacher profiles section within a Frau Hata Yoga feature (“C Hata Yoga ハタヨガ”). Each page profiles a single instructor, pairing a large action photograph with a headline quote and profile panel. Patrick is profiled on page 1; Junko Saito on page 2. Both pages list YogaJaya Daikanyama/Ebisu as the primary studio contact.
Page 1 — Patrick Oancia
Section titled “Page 1 — Patrick Oancia”Headline
Section titled “Headline”いい先生とは人生経験豊富でセンシティブ
Translation: “A good teacher is someone with rich life experience and sensitivity”
Patrick profile (bio box)
Section titled “Patrick profile (bio box)”パトリック・オアンシア先生。カナダ出身。1997年にヨガに出会い、各国を旅しつつアシュタンガ、イエンガ、シヴァナンダなど様々なヨガを習得。今後は「ヨガとクリエイティビティをつなげていきたい」とも。
Translation:
“Teacher Patrick Oancia. Born in Canada. Encountered yoga in 1997 and while traveling to various countries, studied Ashtanga, Iyengar, Shivanananda, and various other yogas. In the future, he also wants to ‘connect yoga and creativity.’”
Key data points:
- 1997 — yoga start year (consistent with Spur J47, FRAU Jan J49)
- Traditions: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Shivanananda, and others
- Title: チーフインストラクター (Chief Instructor) — mentioned in body text
- 30 instructors studied under: 「これまで世界を渡り歩きながら、かれこれ師事したインストラクターは30人」 (“traveling the world up to now, approximately 30 instructors have been studied under”)
- Future goal: connect yoga and creativity — echoes Sotokoto Feb 2006 (J45) prediction about creative practitioners
Photograph
Section titled “Photograph”Large right-side action photo: Patrick demonstrating 「ウールドゥヴァ バーダ ヴァジュラーサナ」 (Urdhva Pada Vajrasana) variation — explicitly captioned as “not a basic pose, but a high-difficulty advanced pose” (「ベーシック・ポーズではなく、難易度の高いアドバンスド・ポーズ」). This is one of the most technically demanding poses shown in any YogaJaya press photograph.
Body text (main article)
Section titled “Body text (main article)”Headline: いい先生とは人生経験豊富でセンシティブ (same as bio headline). The article discusses what makes a good teacher:
- The article identifies 10 common traits among good instructors: rich life experience — 「10人の共通点は、人生経験が豊富なこと。そういう意味で、東京は先生のレベルがまだまだ低い」 (“The common point of the 10 [best instructors] is that they have rich life experience. In that sense, Tokyo’s teacher level is still low.”)
- フリー・ハタ (Free Hatha) — described as yoga with no fixed reason or system, hundreds of poses
- The article quotes the studio’s class count: 「ヨガジャヤのチーフインストラクター」 — YogaJaya’s chief instructor
TEACHER’S Q&A
Section titled “TEACHER’S Q&A”Six-question Q&A panel with Patrick’s answers:
| # | Answer | Context |
|---|---|---|
| A1 | 「Alcazar」（パリ） | Favorite place/venue: Paris nightclub “Alcazar” |
| A2 | DVD: Danny Paradiseの「River of The Soul」; 本: インドの「Bihar School of Yoga」; 音楽: Jeff Buckley, Boards of Canada, Nightmares on Wax | Recommended media: DVD, book, music |
| A3 | シャーリーズ・セロン (Charlize Theron) | Person he would like to teach |
| A4 | 他の人とは明らかに異なるシェイプをしている足、首、肩 | Distinctive physical feature: feet, neck, shoulders — clearly different shape from others |
| A5 | バイロン・ベイ（オーストラリア）、バリ島、ゴア（インド） | Favorite travel destinations: Byron Bay, Bali, Goa |
| A6 | 水泳、スノーボード、サイクリング | Other sports: swimming, snowboarding, cycling |
Studio DATA box (page 1)
Section titled “Studio DATA box (page 1)”YOGAJAYĀ 代官山 東京都渋谷区 ハタヨガはレベル別に70クラス。他にシヴァナンダやアシュタンガのクラスも 住 東京都渋谷区恵比寿西2-25-11-2F ☎03-5784-3622 ⌚7:00〜21:40 初回体験¥1,500、5回券¥13,000（一般）/¥11,500（会員）ほか http://www.yogajaya.com
Page 2 — 齋藤純子先生 (Junko Saito, age 33)
Section titled “Page 2 — 齋藤純子先生 (Junko Saito, age 33)”Headline
Section titled “Headline”姿勢と呼吸と心の関係に気付いてほしいんです
Translation: “I want you to notice the relationship between posture, breathing, and the heart/mind”
Junko Saito profile
Section titled “Junko Saito profile”Profile panel:
- ナタラジャーサナのポーズ (Natarajasana pose) — featured pose
- ヨガ歴 3年 (Yoga history: 3 years)
- レッスンスケジュール: 月18:20〜（表参道）、金20:10〜（代官山） — Monday 18:20 at Omotesando; Friday 20:10 at Daikanyama
Background (article body):
元客室乗務員の齋藤先生。激務で崩した体のコンディションを整えるために始めたヨガが、精神と生活を大きく変えたのだ。かつての猫背は面影もない。体のラインは細く滑らかで、強い芯がある。
Translation:
“Teacher Saito, a former cabin attendant. The yoga she started to restore her body condition after it deteriorated from the demanding work greatly changed her mind and life. There is no trace of her former hunched back. Her body lines are slim and smooth, with a strong core.”
First quote (testimonial):
「ヨガを始めたら姿勢がよくなったので、胸が開き、呼吸が深くなりました。そうしたら自然に姿勢と呼吸と心の関係に気付き、途端に気持ちよく生活ができるようになったんです」
Translation:
“Since I started yoga, my posture improved, my chest opened, and my breathing became deeper. Then naturally I became aware of the relationship between posture, breathing, and the heart/mind, and I was suddenly able to live more comfortably.”
Teaching philosophy:
「ヨガでは呼吸とポーズがリンクする瞬間がある。頭の中が無になって恐怖とか、ネガティブな感情に囚われなくなるんです。それは限界がなくなるような感覚。レッスンではポーズの正確さよりも呼吸とそんな精神面を重視。心と体の両方が気持ちよくなって帰ってほしいですね」
Translation:
“In yoga, there are moments when breathing and poses link. The mind becomes empty and you stop being trapped by fear and negative emotions. It’s a feeling as if limitations disappear. In lessons, I prioritize breathing and the mental aspects over the accuracy of poses. I want people to leave feeling good in both body and mind.”
Studio DATA box (page 2)
Section titled “Studio DATA box (page 2)”yogajaya【ヨガジャヤ 代官山／恵比寿スタジオ】 住 東京都渋谷区恵比寿西1-25-11-2F ☎03-5784-3622 営 7:15〜22:00（曜日により異なる） 無休 初回トライアル¥1,500 ドロップイン¥3,000 会員割引・回数券割引あり 表参道にも店舗あり http://www.yogajaya.com
Key details
Section titled “Key details”30 instructors studied under — highest count in the archive
Section titled “30 instructors studied under — highest count in the archive”「これまで世界を渡り歩きながら、かれこれ師事したインストラクターは30人」 — Patrick has studied under approximately 30 instructors. This is the first explicit numerical count of Patrick’s teachers in the press archive. Prior coverage documented traditions (Ashtanga, Iyengar, Shivanananda, Hatha, Kripalu, Vinyasa) and general statements about traveling to study worldwide, but no article previously gave a number. 30 instructors across multiple traditions and countries is a significant biographical datapoint.
Danny Paradise — “River of The Soul” recommended DVD
Section titled “Danny Paradise — “River of The Soul” recommended DVD”Danny Paradise is a key figure in the transmission of Ashtanga yoga from K. Pattabhi Jois to Western practitioners — known for teaching Ashtanga to artists and musicians (Madonna, Sting, others) from the 1980s onward. His documentary “River of The Soul” traces the Ashtanga lineage back to its Indian sources. Patrick listing this DVD as a recommended media item places him within the Danny Paradise / Ashtanga transmission network — consistent with the multiple Ashtanga references throughout the press archive and the Ashtanga class documentation from the earliest articles.
Bihar School of Yoga — recommended book
Section titled “Bihar School of Yoga — recommended book”The Bihar School of Yoga (Munger, Bihar, India) was founded by Swami Satyananda Saraswati and is one of the most comprehensive classical yoga institutions. Its texts (particularly “Asana Pranayama Mudra Bandha”) are standard references in rigorous yoga training programs. Patrick recommending this as essential reading signals classical training roots alongside the more visible Ashtanga/Iyengar lineage.
”Connect yoga and creativity” — consistent across 2006
Section titled “”Connect yoga and creativity” — consistent across 2006”The profile quote — 今後は「ヨガとクリエイティビティをつなげていきたい」— appears one issue after Sotokoto Feb 2006 (J45), where Patrick’s statement predicted: “people engaged in creative work — musicians, artists, cameramen — will actively start practicing yoga.” Both the prediction (Sotokoto, Feb) and the stated personal goal (Frau, Jun) point to the same theme. By mid-2006, the yoga-creativity connection was Patrick’s articulated direction.
Junko Saito — third documented YogaJaya instructor
Section titled “Junko Saito — third documented YogaJaya instructor”Junko Saito’s profile adds a third documented instructor to the press archive record. Known instructors through June 2006:
- Patrick Oancia — Director and Chief Instructor
- Hikaru Brundtland — fashion model, Chief Instructor designation (In Red, J46)
- Junko Saito (age 33) — former cabin attendant, 3 years yoga practice; scheduled at both studios
Junko Saito’s biography is notable: she started yoga as a corrective practice after her health deteriorated from demanding work as a cabin attendant. Her path from occupational physical breakdown to yoga instruction is the most concrete origin story for any non-Patrick instructor in the press archive.
Junko Saito’s teaching philosophy — parallel to Sotokoto
Section titled “Junko Saito’s teaching philosophy — parallel to Sotokoto”Junko Saito’s stated approach — 「レッスンではポーズの正確さよりも呼吸とそんな精神面を重視」(prioritize breathing and mental aspects over the accuracy of poses) — is a direct parallel to Patrick’s Sotokoto statement: 「ヨガの目的は、ポーズを取ることにあるのではありません」 (“The purpose of yoga is not to take poses,” J45). Whether Saito arrived at this independently or absorbed it from the YogaJaya teaching culture, the framing is consistent — it suggests a studio-wide philosophy rather than just Patrick’s individual position.
Studio hours discrepancy — pages 1 and 2
Section titled “Studio hours discrepancy — pages 1 and 2”Page 1 DATA lists Daikanyama hours as 7:00〜21:40; page 2 DATA lists 7:15〜22:00 with “varies by day.” The discrepancy likely reflects minor editorial variations between the two pages’ production dates or sub-studio-level scheduling differences (early-morning class time and closing time varying by day of week).
Advanced pose — Urdhva Pada Vajrasana variation
Section titled “Advanced pose — Urdhva Pada Vajrasana variation”The pose caption explicitly states this is “not a basic pose, but a high-difficulty advanced pose.” This is the most technically labeled pose in any Patrick photograph in the press archive to this point — a deliberate editorial signal to Frau readers that Patrick’s practice represents an advanced level.
70 Hata classes by level at Daikanyama
Section titled “70 Hata classes by level at Daikanyama”Page 1 DATA box states: 「ハタヨガはレベル別に70クラス」— 70 Hata Yoga classes organized by level, plus Shivanananda and Ashtanga classes. This is the highest class count ever stated in any YogaJaya press article. Prior estimates from other articles were lower (or unstated). By June 2006, the Daikanyama studio’s schedule depth is documented at a substantial scale.
Relevance notes
Section titled “Relevance notes”- June 2006 — approximately four months after the Sotokoto Feb 2006 cluster; represents mid-year 2006 press continuation
- Patrick’s “connect yoga and creativity” goal is repeated in both Sotokoto Feb and Frau Jun — the most consistent thematic statement across this press cycle
- Junko Saito’s profile is the most detailed documentation of any non-Patrick, non-Hikaru instructor in the archive — and the only one with a stated origin story (cabin attendant → corrective yoga → instructor)
- Danny Paradise reference places Patrick within a specific Ashtanga transmission lineage and cultural world (artist/musician practitioners)
- Bihar School of Yoga reference documents classical Indian training roots
- 30-instructor count is a first-time numerical biography datum
Press page relevance
Section titled “Press page relevance”patrick·yogajaya-history·scene-context·press-page-lineage- Tier 2 (strong supporting): Patrick featured as Chief Instructor with Q&A documentation (30 instructors, Danny Paradise, Bihar School, creativity goal); advanced pose photograph explicitly labeled; Junko Saito as a third documented instructor with philosophy parallel to Sotokoto. Frau (Kodansha) is a mainstream women’s magazine with broad reach — significant placement. The biographical depth in the Q&A (Danny Paradise, Bihar School, travel destinations) is among the richest personal data of any press article to date.
Connections
Section titled “Connections”- J45-sotokoto-2006-02 — Patrick’s “connect yoga and creativity” goal in Frau echoes his Sotokoto prediction of creative practitioners; Junko Saito’s “breathing over pose accuracy” parallels Patrick’s “purpose of yoga is not poses”
- J47-spur-2006-01 — 1997 yoga start, Ashtanga/Iyengar/Shivanananda traditions confirmed in both articles; Frau adds Danny Paradise and Bihar School to the training context
- J49-frau-2006-01 — same publication; the FRAU Jan 2006 article (oversized, pending) may offer a similar format; compare when processed
- J46-inred-2006-01 — Hikaru Brundtland (Jan 2006); Frau Jun adds Junko Saito as a third documented instructor; compare instructor profiles
- J42-tattoo-tribal-2005-12 — prior largest biographical documentation; Frau adds 30-instructor count and Danny Paradise/Bihar School references as new data
- Index: press-archive-index (J50)
- Chronology: yogajaya-press-chronology — 2006 section
Full Text & Translation
Section titled “Full Text & Translation”Transcribed from PDF scan at 150 DPI. Two-page Frau feature on Hatha Yoga at YogaJaya Daikanyama. Page 1 profiles Patrick with a TEACHER’S Q&A. Page 2 profiles instructor Saito Junko with a testimonial quote. Body text columns are partially legible.
原文（日本語）
Section titled “原文（日本語）”特集タイトル： C’ Hata・Yoga ハタヨガ
縦書きコピー： いい先生とは人生経験豊富で次に生きセンシティブ
ページ1 スタジオ： YOGAJAYA 代官山 東京都渋谷区
人物： パトリック・オアンシア先生
プロフィール： カナダ出身、1967[?]年[？]。日本に来てから、西洋でも研鑽を積み、ヨガにフォーカスしたという。
TEACHER’S Q&A（A1〜A6、部分的に判読可能）：
A1〜A6：〔音楽の好み、実践に関する質問への回答。各回答は判読困難。〕
ページ2 人物： 齋藤純子先生（33歳）
コメント： 「ヨガを始めると姿勢が変わった、呼吸は深くなりました。自分自身に返ることで、スタジオでのことが自然にできるようになって。体のコンディショニングを整えるために必要なことが分かって、体が変わったまま、何か違う感覚になる。」
スタジオ情報：yogajaya / 代官山スタジオ
English Translation
Section titled “English Translation”Feature title: C’ Hata Yoga / Hatha Yoga
Vertical copy: “A good teacher is one who is rich in life experience and sensitive to what comes next.”
Page 1 studio: YOGAJAYA Daikanyama, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo
Subject: Teacher Patrick Oancia
Profile: “From Canada, born 1967[?]. After coming to Japan, continued deepening study including in Western [contexts], and came to focus on yoga.”
TEACHER’S Q&A (A1–A6, partially legible):
A1–A6: [Questions about musical preferences and practice. Individual answers illegible at available resolution.]
Page 2 subject: Teacher Saito Junko (age 33)
Quote: “When you start yoga, your posture changes and your breathing deepens. By returning to yourself, what you do in the studio naturally becomes possible. You come to understand what’s needed to condition your body, and once your body changes, you feel somehow different.”
Studio: yogajaya / Daikanyama Studio