teachers

When I stumbled upon an anusara yoga class 11 years ago I had no idea my life would forever change. Moving toward authenticity and truth requires many things...one of which is stillness. It is in that silence, connected to source, that we can touch who we truly are. It didn't take long to know that I wanted to share this awakening with the world. I received certification as a kripalu yoga teacher and an angel yoga children's teacher. As a perpetual student I continue to study various forms and styles of yoga (seane, shiva and mark move me to tears) . I am beyond grateful to be able to spend my time spreading joy and light to the community. Abundant love and thanks to my amazing mentors who have inspired me beyond my (very wild) imagination. They have not only helped to open my body, but my mind as well. To every magnificent student who blows my heart wide open every day, I am humbled. Big love to my daughters Hannah, Melanie and Eva whose beauty and wisdom safely guide me.

In the early 1990's, I was working out with weights at a local gym when I spotted a yoga class about to begin in the adjoining room. That day I took the first step on a path that I continue to travel over 15 years later. Yoga has offered me the opportunity to gain a deeper understanding of who I am and why I'm here to find a better balance in life, and to develop a quiet, steady, strength of character. After immersing myself in Iyengar, Bikram, and Vinyasa styles of yoga, I received a certification from Todd Norian's 300 hour Anusara teacher training program and I bring together elements from each of these in my teaching. I'm learning how to be fully grounded in the here and now and at the same time aware that I am always connected to something bigger. By working with the asana practice, we not only heal the body, but we transform the mind and the spirit creating a greater whole.These are the qualities I offer back to my students.

Michelle Dawson combines the best of Eastern tradition and Modern rebellion to reach the sacred poise of body and mind. She brings to class passion and grace, encouraging students to push the boundaries of their own practice. With a teaching style enriched with experience and study, Michelle's students marvel in her invigorating, uplifting, and balanced approach to Yoga. Her classes are an extension of her love for art and music, and her influences include Mehndi, the ancient Indian art of adorning the body with Henna. Michelle is an Ananda Ashram-certified yoga teacher.

I first discovered yoga in 2002 when I returned home to my NYC apartment and found my roommate practicing in the living room to a video tape. I was mesmerized by the poses and something inside of me immediately connected to the graceful movements, the timed breath, and the peaceful feeling I experienced just by watching her practice. From that moment on, I spent most of my free time exploring the different styles of yoga whenever possible. I maintained a dedicated Ashtanga practice for over a year while taking Jivamukti, Anusara, and Vinyasa classes when I could. In 2004, I complete my six month, 200 hour certification at Atmananda Yoga in SoHo. I taught several classes in NYC, then moved to Virginia where I taught a variety of styles of yoga for four years. Now back in my home state of New York, I am grateful to be able to once again come to the mat and share my love of yoga with my students and fellow teachers. I am forever in debt to my teachers of the past and present and continue to honor them in my practice and in my teachings.

A friend of mine at school started a club called the Yoga Experience. I had been to Kripalu in Lennox, Mass a few years before and was intrigued about the movements of Yoga and the mysticism that surrounded it. So in college, I studied with the same person, a young man from Spain, three times a week for two-three hours per class with a small group of novice yogis practicing Ashtanga yoga. It was very difficult in the beginning for me, but the more I practiced, the more I understood the breath, and my practice began to flow for me. Since college, I have been going to Kripalu a few times a year, I have spent many months living in Yogaville which is located in Buckingham, VA, and various other Sivananda ashrams and yoga centers. I received my Yoga certification from the Sivanada Yoga Ashram on Paradise Island in the Bahamas in January 2004, and I have taught Yoga for the past five years in Chicago, New York and New Jersey. Yoga has been a true blessing to me and many years have passed but I am still in awe of the mysticism of Yoga and the philosophy behind it. Practice, practice, practice, yoga is always practice.

It seems like I have spent several lifetimes in the wellness industry...first as a licensed massage therapist, then as co-founder of the Aspen Colorado Health and Wellness Center, and most recently as a licensed yoga instructor. I enjoy all disciplines of yoga and feel that there can be many paths towards unlocking the true potential of your practice. I tend to specialize in a dynamic and intense vinyasa flow, restorative yoga and working with people with special needs; I graduated from the teacher training program at Pure Yoga under the guidance of KK Clivio and Alanna Kaivalya. I am also a graduate of The Parsons School of Design, and was the Founder of Heatherlynn Worldwide, a women's sportswear line made with vitamin embedded fabrics imported from Japan. I am also a volunteer for the non-profit wellness organization Kula for Karma where I help to head up the TeenKu!a division as the Director of Strategic Communications, additionally I also work in one of Kula for Karma's outreach programs as a volunteer yoga instructor for female inmates at the Hudson County Correctional Facility.

Aa a practicing psychotherapist for many years, I has always drawn upon physical activity to stay healthy and avoid burn-out. Years ago I accidentally walked into a yoga class in a gym which changed the course of my life. Unable to do many of the poses in class due to stiff joints from years of long distance running, I returned to class each week at the gentle encouragement of the instructor. In yoga, I found the blend of physical, emotional, intellectual and spiritual liberation which no other activity had provided before. In 2010 I completed a 200 hour Teacher Training at Home Yoga. My teaching style reflects my love of the devotional and meditative aspects of yoga while providing a light-hearted environment to grow and explore. For all of my teachers and to the Great Teacher within...I am truly thankful.

Rachel Dewan is an Anusara-Inspired E-RYT. I have been actively teaching since 2004, practicing and studying extensively since 2002. In addition to classes I teach Yoga Teacher Trainings, Prenatal Yoga Teacher Trainings, Private and Small Group Sessions for Yoga and Yoga Therapeutics, and a wide variety of workshops. I study actively with many teachers from around the world, and have recently begun an 18-month intensive study incorporating Yoga and Jewish Spirituality at the Institute for Jewish Spirituality.

I sought out yoga 10 years ago to help cope with the physical aches & pains that are the gifts of a performing musician, and soon found not an exercise system as I expected, but a way of life. Yoga has become a path of learning that has helped to shape my life in all aspects, reminding me that when I open to the power of grace in every moment, I can choose the life I desire to live.

It is my ultimate goal as a teacher to cultivate a sense of community in my classes, bring a sense of lightness and joy to my students through an ever expanding and playful asana practice, and help them to strengthen their connection to their own unique and divine nature.

Although I have had the blessing of studying with many wonderful teachers, I would like in particular to honor and thank my teacher Todd Norian for his unconditional support, and for giving me the gift of his open and compassionate heart, and in doing so, encouraged me to find my own.