Who We Are
Your Local Experts
Micaela Purdy
Owner & Yoga Instructor
Born and raised in Canada within a Christian community, I was drawn to yoga for its spiritual and physical benefits, filling a void in my upbringing that lacked emphasis on nurturing and understanding the body.
Instead of seeking to transcend, escape, control, or punish the body, yoga integrates mind and body, fostering harmony between them. I turned this love for movement and breath into a career, and now I am a certified yoga instructor, Thai yoga massage therapist, anatomy teacher, and somatic practitioner.
I have taught at studios, yoga teacher trainings, ashrams, retreat centers, hotels, and corporate offices worldwide for over 10 years. I specialized in Power Vinyasa & Hatha but now teach a variety of different styles of yoga. I like to incorporate different techniques within my classes such as myofascial release and somatics to help students find new and creative ways to connect with themselves.
My interests have now taken me into studying women’s health and well-being including feminine spirituality, cycle syncing, pre and post-natal care, trauma recovery, and holistic menstrual education. I am passionate about empowering people to become fluent in their own bodies and have a compassionate understanding of their own cyclical behaviours.
I hope when you join me at the studio, you will find a place of peace and healing too. It is a space I have created with great care and pride to help others on whatever journey they may find themselves. I believe that life on and off the mat should be met with a blend of playfulness and mindfulness.
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Gwen Versteegh
Yoga Instructor
I discovered Yoga in 2017. I was looking to do something to wake up my body in the morning and to lower the stress. I had no idea how much I would fall in love with it.
I explored many paths and different styles until my Yoga teacher training, when I discovered the roots of Yoga with Hatha Yoga. I strongly believe that Yoga is more than just a physical practice and it can positively affect many parts of our life.
My passion for Yoga philosophy, personal development and biology also lead me to deepen my practice, my knowledge and find a more healthy lifestyle.
I enjoy teaching various styles of Yoga like Yin, Vinyasa or Meditation, but I developed a true passion for Hatha throughout the years. The practice helps me to focus, become more creative and calm my thoughts. My two favorite parts of the lesson are guiding my students into challenging postures where they find confidence and strength, and the final relaxation, which I have developed into my personal signature for each lesson.
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I trust that Yoga can change people and lives, can bring peace and joy, can open minds and hearts and can make your life and the world a better place.
Sanne van der Heijden
Yoga Instructor & Studio Manager
After leaving my job as a pharmacist on the island, my plan was to embark on a sailing adventure. However, we had to adjust our original plans when my boyfriend and I discovered that our boat required some additional work. This unexpected turn of events led me to a unique opportunity and the beginning of my journey as a Yoga Teacher.
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Yoga had been an integral part of my life for nearly a decade, but it was during my Yoga Teacher Training that everything fell into place. The rational and scientific approach of the philosophy of Yoga and the use of the philosophy for guiding and assisting students in their practice, but also in my own life, was what made it clear that this is what I want to do every day.
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Dedicating myself to the philosophy and practice of Ashtanga Yoga, I am passionate about sharing the knowledge that has enriched my life in many ways. As a Yoga Teacher, I am grateful I can help people live a healthy and more conscious life, and hopefully in the long term prevent the use of medication.
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I practice the eight-limbed path of Yoga, and the physical aspect of those eight-limbs I do with the Mysore style. It is a confronting practice, because it shows the obstacles in life directly on the mat.
Supporting students through their obstacles and providing a safe, stable environment to grow and discover their possibilities is what motivates me the most.
Ladina van Swoll-Melchior
Yoga Instructor, Personal Trainer & Massage Therapist
Growing up in the Swiss Mountains, I was surrounded by nature, spending most of my time playing outdoor sports. I decided to study contemporary dance in Zurich & New York City and eventually opened up a dance and gymnastic studio with a friend.
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I now live on Bonaire and teach regular yoga classes & SUP Yoga at Jibe City along with teaching Vinyasa Yoga at Smiling Buddha.
I combine my wide fitness, sport, wellness & therapy skills with yoga to create the optimal physical and mental training for each of my students. I enjoy coordinating movement with breath to flow from one pose to the next. A meditation in movement! It’s always awesome to see how my students’ monkey minds transform to a quiet, peaceful mind during a physical intensive yoga-practice.
I am so grateful to have yoga in my life and looking forward to sharing it with you!
Jun Lu
Yoga Instructor
My name is Jun and my background is quite diverse. I work as a military officer at the Ministry of Defense and I am also trained as a yoga teacher. I previously taught yoga in Amsterdam, at military barracks and at Schiphol airport. Now I teach yoga for the Royal Dutch Marechaussee on Bonaire. Besides my work and yoga, I enjoy traveling and being active in sports.
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For me, yoga is a wonderful practice that can help people to empower themselves. Yoga lets you listen to the wisdom of your body. It can help you find the connection within yourself and your environment. It ensures that you find your “flow of life” in your daily life. I invite you to step on the yoga mat with me and get into your own flow!
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I specialize in Vinyasa and Yin-Yang yoga. My classes are varied and sometimes challenging. By combining breath, posture and moving with the music, we will create the so-called “meditation in motion”. We are going to find the balance between exercise and relaxation. I also like to share story’s of wisdom during the end of the class. You are more than welcome to come for a workout or some stretching. But you may find more than that.
Jane Bakx
Yoga Instructor
I am an E-200RYT + 500RYT yoga teacher, Yoga Alliance certified from the Netherlands. I teach Vinyasa, Hatha, & Yin Yoga. And I also host retreats and various yoga teacher training courses around the world.
Amsterdam is where I lived most of my life and where i worked as a producer in advertising. I practise yoga for over 15 years and have been teaching for some years now. After my two yoga teacher training courses (both in India), I decided to leave my job in advertising and follow my heart and passion for yoga full time. Since then, I have been teaching and travelling around the world. I mainly practice Vinyasa and Yin yoga myself and sometimes also Ashtanga.
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To me Yoga is all about making a connection with yourself; with your body, mind and heart. Through yoga you learn to listen more to your body. The focus in my classes is mainly on making that connection to yourself and at the same time getting more flexible and strong.
Arlene Nagtegaal
Yoga Instructor
Our one and only papiamentu yoga teacher! More information to be added later!
Like what you see? You can book any of these teachers for a private lesson in the studio, at home or on the beach! We also have corporate classes if you are interested in bringing yoga into your workplace. Contact us for more info.
"I highly recommend Smiling Buddha Yoga Studio and head yogi Micaela Purdy. The studio is very spacious and serene and it's certainly a warm and welcoming environment. I have been going to her yin yoga class for about a year now and have really benefited from it in so many ways. While having dabbled in yoga in the past. I have become a more regular practitioner since going to this studio."
Patricia Dusman
Contact Us
80 Julio A. Abraham Boulevard, Kralendijk, Caribbean Netherlands
Located on the Plaza Resort
50m from the main gate on the left. Across from the parking lot
+599 787 7667