Shai- Lee Barel - Founder
Shai-Lee, 26, is the founder of HAVAYA Center.
After completing her military service, she set out on a journey of exploration—traveling the world and immersing herself in studies that nourish body, mind, and spirit. Over the past five years, she has trained in diverse fields including education and special education, yoga, Buddhism, coaching, NLP, holistic practices, and consciousness-expanding methods. Alongside academic studies and countless books, her lifelong curiosity about body–mind wisdom and spirituality has shaped her path.
Raised in a religious Jewish home, Jewish wisdom has always been part of her foundation. In recent years, she has deepened her studies in Kabbalah and Tanya, while her degree in Education specialized in Biblical studies.
In 2022, she first established HAVAYA Center in Rishon LeZion, Israel. After the tragic events of October 7th, guided by her core values of freedom and safety, she chose to close that chapter and relocate to Playa Venao, Panama.
For the past two years, Shai-Lee has been living in Playa Venao, where she revived HAVAYA through yoga practices and retreats. In early 2025, she opened the new HAVAYA Center in the heart of Playa Venao, creating a sanctuary for community, healing, and conscious living..
Karla Victoria - Co-Founder
At HAVAYA, every detail matters. And behind each one is Karla, the co-founder and manager, the woman who makes sure everything flows in harmony.
She is the organizing heart and the warm embrace that welcomes every person who walks through our doors.
Karla weaves trust and warmth. She holds the space so teachers can flow, students can feel at home, and every experience at Havaya can be lived to its fullest.
Her dedication is reflected in the smallest gestures: a well-cared-for plant, a clean and tidy corner, a heartfelt greeting upon arrival. All of this transforms HAVAYA into more than just a center — it becomes a living home, cared for and filled with love.
Christelle - Yoga Teacher
Originally from France, Christelle has been teaching yoga since 2008. With a background in breathwork, meditation, and Intuitive Coaching, she guides others to release emotional blockages and reconnect with inner peace. Based in Playa Venao, she shares her passion through classes, private sessions, and community events..
Sara-Lee - Rebirthing Therapist
with over 20 years of experience guiding people to heal, grow, and reconnect with their authentic selves. She specializes in Rebirthing, a natural breathing technique that awakens the body’s self-healing power physically, mentally, and spiritually. Sara-Lee offers private sessions, couples work, and small workshops, creating a safe and loving space for transformation.
Kathryn-Kundalini Yoga Teacher
Kathryn moved to Venao in September. Yoga has been her way of life for about 20 years. She has taught in the USA, China, Russia, and now in Panama — sharing her deep love for movement, mindfulness, and the connection between body and spirit.
At HAVAYA Center, Kathryn teaches Kundalini Yoga, bringing presence, warmth, and a grounded energy into every class she guides.
Inês - Yoga & Conscious movement Teacher
Originally from Portugal, Inês has been teaching yoga and movement practices since 2016 in different places around the world. Her classes invite awareness, curiosity and connection through mindful movement.
She blends in elements from somatic, her background in massage therapy and shiatsu and Traditional Chinese Medicine, which she is currently studying.
She is now based in Playa Venao Panamá since March 25..
Alessandra - Therapist Masseuse
Experience the healing touch of Alessandra, a skilled therapist with over 20 years of expertise in body care and sports. Her extensive knowledge of human body has been enriched by her travels to Asia, where she mastered ancestral techniques. Alessandra offers a and expert touch that effectively relieves tension in both the body and mind, helping you rediscover the benefits of a harmonious body
Ale.Fugaz - Yoga Teacher
Ale.Fugaz weaves her path through movement, energy, and art.
Originally from Panama, she has dedicated her life to exploring the connection between body, mind, and spirit through practices that invite presence, gratitude, and deep awareness. Her approach blends the mystical and the grounded: from the softness of yoga to the freedom of intuitive movement, or the introspection of a tarot reading under the moon’s energy, each experience becomes an inner journey toward authenticity and harmony