Meet Larry Payne
Yoga Teacher & Author
PhD, CIAYT
Larry Payne, Ph.D. is an internationally respected yoga teacher and back specialist. The L.A. Times named Larry “One of America’s most respected Yoga teachers”. Larry is founding president of the International Association of Yoga Therapists, founder of the Corporate Yoga program at the J. Paul Getty Museum, the first Yoga teacher to offer Yoga classes at the World Economic Forum, co-founder of the yoga curriculum at UCLA’s School of Medicine, and the founding director of the new Yoga therapy certification program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles.
In 1979 he was an advertising executive, plagued with chronic back pain and stress. His quest for relief led him to study Yoga and health in eleven countries and inspired his career change upon certification in India.
In 1980, Larry founded the Samata Yoga Center in Los Angeles and later earned a Master’s degree and a Doctorate in fitness education with an emphasis in Hatha Yoga from Pacific Western University. His background is in Psychology and he has also completed graduate work in Physical Therapy at Cal-State University at Long Beach. He was the U.S. representative to the first World Congress of Yoga in Montevideo, Uruguay, and has received Outstanding Achievement Awards for Yoga in Europe and the United States, and the Golden Lotus Award from South America. In 2000, he was a panelist and yoga instructor at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. In addition, he is the founder of the Healthy Back Program at the world-famous Rancho La Puerta Fitness Spa.
Larry Is author and co-author of 8 books including Yoga for Dummies (4 editions in 12 languages), Basic Postures and Series for Dummies, Yoga All in One for Dummies, Yoga After 50 for Dummies, Chair Yoga for Dummies, The Business of Teaching Yoga, Yoga Rx, Yoga Therapy and Integrative Medicine. Most recently he is working on his seminal publication “Autobiography of an American Yogi” with Don Henry.
Larry has been a frequent guest on national television and syndicated radio programs. His work has been featured in numerous national and international magazines, as well as in The New York Times and The Los Angeles Times. Most recently he is featured in six new DVDs as part of the Yoga Therapy Rx series.
Larry resides in Los Angeles, California and has a thriving practice in Marina del Rey and Malibu. In addition to speaking engagements and workshops, he leads Yoga and health seminars worldwide.
Most recently Larry was awarded the prestigious Life Time Achievement Award for Yoga and the title “Yoga Thiligam” by Dr. Ananada Balayogi Bhavanani of Ananda Ashram in Pondicherry India.