Teachers

Michelle began studying yoga in 1996 and quickly fell in love with its calming, balancing, and healing benefits. In addition, she was immediately drawn to the spiritual aspects of yoga; it felt true and authentic, a feeling that was reinforced as she gained a deeper understanding of yoga's ancient history.

When she discovered Yoga Shakti, she knew she had found a community that also valued practicing authentic yoga. At that time, she began studying the deeper, more esoteric aspects of yoga with her teacher, Jnana Nanda Bharati.

In 2005, Michelle received her certificate to teach yoga after completing Yoga Shakti's advanced studies training program. In 2010, Michelle completed the Yoga Shakti Advanced Teacher Training and became a 500 Hour Registered Yoga Teacher. Using the ancient practices taught to her by her esteemed teacher, her class focuses on the breath, the foundation of any asana practice, and also on fundamental yoga postures which increase energy, strength, flexibility, and balance. These practices have helped her realize a calm, relaxed, happy way of being, and it is her intention to share the same experience with her students.

Ann Gray began practicing yoga with Judy Olsen Anderson, who led the way to yoga in 1970's Orange County. She studied with Erich Schiffmann whose teacher training program she completed in 1997. Today she practices and teaches in the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar and continues to study with the estimable Deborah Kuryan. In Ann Gray's classes, breath and movement are linked together as a way to move the body and quiet the mind. Postures are modified to accommodate individual needs. She welcomes students of all ages in all stages of yoga.

Valerie started practicing yoga in 2002, and began teaching in 2005. Her training in yoga asana has been through Yoga Shakti; additionally, she is studying ancient yoga philosophy through the Shakti Yoga courses offered by the studio. These courses have largely influenced her teaching style, as she aspires to help students cultivate not just strong and flexible bodies, but also calm and centered minds. She teaches in a flow style, sometimes dedicating part of each class to poses that develop a particular muscle group. Valerie is inspired by the integrity of her students, and enjoys helping them discover the power and potential that is unique to their own bodies. Through her calm but focused style of teaching, she is motivated to help each student explore the same, limitless benefits that she enjoys through her own yoga practice.

Holly was drawn to the non-competitive nature of yoga asana and began her yoga practice at the age of 18. In a short period of time, she had developed a body awareness that allowed her to shed excess weight. She had struggled for years with overweight and had tried many different weight-loss regimens, but it was yoga asana that was effective and she soon had a regular practice.

From 1998 to 2004, she was affiliated with Cloud 9 Yoga School and completed both the 200 and 500 hour training modules. During that time she had a modest but successful teaching practice in Long Beach, mentored recent yoga teacher trainees and was en route to becoming a member of ‘LA’s hip yoga scene’.

Having previously been taught a westernized approach to the practice, Holly experienced authentic yoga for the first time at Yoga Shakti in 2004. It was then that her yogic education truly began; she has been studying the internal aspects of yoga with Diana Pipaloff and Jnana Nanda Bharati ever since. In 2007, she re-certified with Yoga Shakti’s 200hr Teacher Training course and completed Yoga Shakti’s Advanced 300hr Teacher Training in 2010.

Holly's passion and expertise is in prenatal yoga and she teaches the Prenatal Program at Yoga Shakti. The prenatal yoga classes are designed to give an appropriate workout for an expectant mother, to create a state of internal relaxation and to assist in preparation for childbirth. The Prenatal Program at Yoga Shakti has helped hundreds of women maintain strength and comfort during their pregnancies.

Holly also teaches a regular class with creative sequencing and internal focus. She shares her excitement and enthusiasm so that advanced students feel motivation to deepen their practice and those newer to yoga will experience a focused practice with results.

Holly is also part of the Yoga Shakti Mentor staff as well as the Youth Yoga Team. She is currently working towards a BS in Nursing with a focus on Midwifery in order to expand her knowledge, passion and practice of the Yoga of Birth.

I started doing yoga about 20 years ago while teaching exercise in a health club in Brentwood CA. I’ve always been interested in personal growth and spirituality, so yoga was a natural inclination. For many years my yoga practice was on and off. I only became truly immersed in yoga after studying at Yoga Shakti with Jhana Nanda Bharati and Diana Pipaloff. Prior to studying at Yoga Shakti I was only aware of the physical limb of yoga, the asanas or poses. When I discovered that there was an entire philosophy and practice that dated back thousands of years and was available for study at Yoga Shakti studio, I was deeply interested. Through the experience of studying with these authentic teachers, I realized that there truly is a science to yoga that brings health and happiness to the body and mind. I was in my late forties and was hoping to find a practice that would deepen my experience of life. The shine had worn off a lot of material things and achievements. And so, since my first class with Jhana Nanda Bharati and Diana Pipaloff, I have been blessed to be a part of the yoga studies at Yoga Shakti. I took the advanced studies teacher training and found the joy of teaching yoga to others. I also learned how to develop a yoga program for kids with the help of Jhana Nanda, Diana and three other yoga teachers at the studio. We all work together, grow together and practice our yoga together at Yoga Shakti. It has all been wonderfully life-changing.

Joy possesses a wonderful calm which permeates her classes. She began practicing yoga in 1999 during her first pregnancy. Through yoga she found rejuvenation and upliftment. A strong interest in the ancient science and culture of yoga, the Vedas and Ayurveda was sparked when she read the Bhagavad Gita. Joy deepened her yoga studies and practice when she discovered Yoga Shakti and the Shakti Yoga courses. Wanting to share her sense of inspiration, well being and belief that yoga can change our lives with others, Joy trained at Yoga Shakti and began teaching in 2004.

Tom became interested in yoga as a young boy when he read a book entitled "Beyond Biofeedback" in which the authors used biofeedback equipment to monitor the internal physiological states of meditating yogis. Shortly after reading this book he received transcendental meditation training (as taught by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) at a meditation center in Laguna Beach. He has been practicing asana and pranayama regularly since attending his first yoga class in 1991. Tom was certified as a flow yoga instructor after training with Ganga White and Tracey Rich at the White Lotus Foundation in 2002. He studied skeletal structure and comparative anatomy with Paul Grilley at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center in 2004 and studied Patanjali's yoga sutras, here at Yoga Shakti, with Jnana Nanda Bharati in 2006. His personal practice has been influenced by many instructors including; Sharon Gannon and David Life from the Jivamukti center in New York, Golden Bridge Yoga's Gurmukh, and Brian Kest at Santa Monica Power Yoga.

Mary has been practicing yoga since 1993. She came to yoga in search of a better way to find true health, strengthen her body, gain flexibility, stamina and find peace of mind. She has practiced several different styles of yoga but once arriving at Yoga Shakti in 2002 found a home for her yoga practice. She has participated in Shakti Yoga since it's inception at Yoga Shakti. She is part of the Yoga Shakti Family and received her training in the very first 200 Hr Teacher Training Program at Yoga Shakti. Mary feels truly blessed to be able to deepen her practice and continue with her spiritual studies with her esteemed Teacher, Jnana Nanda Bharati. She feels honored to be passing on the heritage of yoga to her students by gently helping them gain peace of mind and good health through a practice that comes from the heart. Mary believes yoga is a great gift that can be accessed by anyone despite their fitness level.

After many years working in the corporate world, Molly came to yoga in search of finding balance and a way of being that brings health and happiness to the body and mind. She has always been drawn to personal and spiritual growth and feels grateful to have been introduced to Yoga Shakti Studio.

In 2008 Molly enrolled in the Studio’s teacher training program to further her practice. As a result, she found a love of sharing yoga with others and immediately began teaching. She also discovered yoga philosophy and knew she had found her path to deepen her experience of life.

In 2010 Molly completed an additional 300 hours of training through Yoga Shakti’s Advanced Teacher program, studying with Diana Pipaloff and Jhana Nanda Bharati, to become a 500 hour Registered Yoga Teacher. Molly is also involved with the Youth Yoga Team and has been a part of the new teacher Mentor staff.

Molly attends continuing education workshops and study groups, and is deeply committed to the on-going learning experience of being a yoga practitioner and teacher. Molly aspires to help students not just physically, but also to transition their yoga practice into their lives. She believes yoga can be a life changing practice and is for anyone despite his or her age or fitness level.

Bill Russell has studied many forms yoga and weaves them together to meet the specific needs of his students’ bodies, minds and spirits. He graduated from Yoga Tree’s 200-hour certification program in 2007. He has studied Kriya yoga with Yogiraj Gurunath Siddhanath, Kundalini yoga at Guru Ram Das Ashram, Naad yoga--the yoga of divine sound--and Kirtan with Bhagavan Das, as well as Tantric philosophy and Sanskrit. He has also studied Soto Zen Buddhist meditation and Transcendental Meditation, and has led yoga and meditation classes in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Orange County and Melbourne, Australia. He currently lives and serves at Prema Drala Ashram in Laguna Hills, under the training of spiritual Master Louix Dor Dempriey. He specializes in a challenging, Iyengar-influenced vinyasa flow, where the mind is patiently brought to subtle actions in the body, in an effort to increase one’s inner awareness, endurance, focus, willpower, and strength. His classes are designed to take students deeper into their practice, incorporating more challenging postures and variations, pranayamas, and bandhas.

I fell in love with yoga in my first class over ten years ago and immediately asked the teacher how I could learn more. Over the next few years, as I taught creative dance, yoga helped me to find peace of mind during difficult times in my life. After I attended a 10-day yoga retreat with master yoga teacher Annie Carpenter that I knew that I wanted to teach. I completed the 200-hour teacher training with Annie Carpenter and Sonya Cottle in Los Angeles through Yoga Works in August 2007 and began teaching immediately thereafter.

I am continually practicing and glean from different styles including Iyengar, Vini Yoga, Anusara and mostly Vinyasa. I have grown to love Vinyasa style as it links movement and breath so completely with flowing movement. Strength, flexibility and balance are all key components to yoga, but I find benefits way beyond the body. I do yoga for my sanity... ok, peace of mind. :) Every day I look forward to sharing my passion with my students. Namaste.

Brynn has been a lover of yoga since the age of 11 and as a 15-year practitioner of yoga, she has studied with masters from many yogic traditions. A Registered Yoga Teacher since 2001 (under the tutelage of Karin O’Bannon at Yoga Works) she graduated Summa Cum Laude from Chapman University, where she explored psychology, social consciousness, philosophy and religious studies. Brynn’s continuing education includes post-graduate studies in biology, chemistry, anatomy, and physics to further her understanding of the human body. With over 8 years of teaching experience, she has come to find a voice and style that synthesizes her interests in anatomical precision, philosophical eloquence and spiritual curiosity.

Brynn teaches an innovative blend of traditional yogic disciplines combined into unique and vigorous vinyasa flow sequences focused on synchronizing breath with movement. With equal attention is given to strengthening and stretching, her classes prime the body to become balanced, toned, supple, and free from injury. Guided into ease, practitioners in her classes challenge their boundaries and leave with a renewed feeling of invigoration and awareness.

Brynn strongly believes in the personal benefits of yoga, but also holds that the true purpose of yoga is to make the world better by bringing more consciousness and compassion into it, one yogi at a time. To help students bring their practices off their mats, Brynn posts monthly inspirational writings and musical playlists on her website (www.trueflowyoga.com).

Andrea started practicing Iyengar yoga in 2002 as a way to calm the mind and gain personal balance while working in a stressful corporate environment. She continued her steady practice and began to experience yoga’s physical benefits as well as its calming effects on her mind. As her children grew, Andrea dedicated more time to deepening her yoga practice. She started to feel an increasing drive to share the yoga experience with others, as she has personally observed its life-changing benefits on fellow yoga students, no matter their age or ability. She completed the Yoga Shakti 200-hour Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies in 2010. She hopes her students will embrace their yoga practice with the same joy and love as she does.

I was born and raised in Southern California. All my life I have loved dance classes and physical activity. I was always curious about yoga as I struggled with most intensive cardiovascular exercise because of asthma and injuries I sustained in cheer leading and gymnastics in High School. Shortly after to moving to Huntington Beach, I took my first yoga class ever at Yoga Shakti in June of 2003. From the first time I stepped on to my mat I was in love! I had finally found an exercise that would increase my flexibility and build strength without interfering with my breathing or injuries. In fact, it actually helped strengthen my breathing tremendously and I finally felt that I found what was missing in my life, a healthy practice. In addition to the great physical benefits of yoga, I also found peace of mind in my practice. I was noticeably happier, calmer and focused in my daily activities. I knew then that I wanted to share that same gift that I received from yoga with everyone! In 2010 I found my chance to finally join our teacher training program and began my journey to share yoga with the world.

A native of Syracuse, NY, Mary Miskelly has been dedicated to her yoga practice for nearly two years. Originally, Mary started studying yoga for weight loss and flexibility, but after just a few short months, she started to notice that the benefits of yoga were both on and off the mat. Upon becoming more dedicated to her practice, she began to see that yoga made her more calm, focused, and strong.

Mary hopes to share the knowledge and peace she has found through yoga with her students; guiding them in the dance between breath and movement, strength and softness, and the beauty of balance between mind, body, and soul.

She has completed the Foundational Teacher Training Program at Yoga Shakti and will be starting the Advanced Teacher Training Program in September 2011.

Colleen first started taking yoga as a way to heal her body and mind from the rigors of a professional dance career. She was introduced to Anusara yoga (a type of Hatha yoga) through her main choreographer and fellow dancers and fell in love with the elegant system of alignment and the philosophy of inherent goodness. With the support and guidance of several exceptional Certified Anusara teachers including Tony Guiliano, Kenny Graham, Scott Lewicki, Tara Judelle, Jessica Jennings and the wonderful Los Angeles kula, she decided to pursue the path of service as a yoga teacher. She is constantly refining her practice and teaching skills with notable leaders in the Anusara community including Noah Maze, Christina Sell, Amy Ippoliti, Sianna Sherman, and Anusara founder John Friend. A dedicated student of Tantric philosophy, she also studies with Dr. Douglas Brooks. She hopes to be able to inspire students to safely and courageously honor their own hearts; to hold space for them in class to push their edge, respect their limits, and align themselves with their true nature. Yoga is a celebration of the gift of embodiment and her classes reflect that - let’s play!

After questioning the meaning of life and my existence since I was a girl, I discovered a deep connection with Eastern philosophy in my late teens. At the ripe young age of 20, I happened upon a little yoga space in Costa Mesa run by a traditional Indian family. Having never practiced yoga asana before, I soon realized that I had found everything I had been searching for. After moving to San Diego in 1997, I practiced Ashtanga Yoga with Ann Nowell, who introduced me to the 8 Limbs of Yoga and yogic philosophy, guiding me to realize my truth. However as young searchers do, I became restless, wondering if there was something more—something else. Subsequent years were spent exploring different religions and philosophy, often feeling empty, depressed and meaningless. In 2004, after a tedious time of self-doubt, anti-depressants and hundreds of dollars spent on psychologists, I realized that the only time that I had felt whole in my life was when I practiced yoga. Having moved to the Joshua Tree area, I found my yoga teacher Max Thomas who guided me back to “knowing” that my truth was alive inside of me. In time, and with dedication, yoga replaced Prozac, restored my peace as I moved with my breath, discovering the Divine within. In March of 2010, I embarked on a soulful journey to the motherland, India, for almost a month. Upon my return, I realized that I needed to share what yoga has given to me. I desired to teach. A couple months later, my supportive husband, my 2 gorgeous boys and I, packed up our house in the desert and moved back to Huntington Beach. I discovered Yoga Shakti and, attracted to their commitment to the traditions of yoga and yogic philosophy, I soon took the Foundational Teacher Training program, which illuminated the path ahead. I am so grateful for the opportunity to teach, practice, and share yoga with you.

Diana's thirst for the spiritual runs in her veins as she comes from a family of yoga practitioners; in 1850 her great grandfather practiced yoga in Eastern Europe. Her father had a very disciplined practice at the age of 15. Her mother also practiced and introduced her to yoga while still in her teens. Prior to discovering yoga Diana was seeking to find a true spiritual path. At the age of 16 she began intense study and practice of martial arts, became vegetarian and searched for understanding in the field of psychology. Through her martial arts training she also began the study of Eastern philosophy. Diana had an intense desire to have a true teacher, an authentic spiritual practice and to experience the mystical truths of the Universe. Her search led her to the practice of yoga. She delved into yoga with passion and devotion, knowing that she had found her path. Her dedicated yoga practice helped her through her BA Degree in Health Psychology from UCI, which she graduated Cum Laude. At this point she followed her heart and made the difficult decision to study yoga and Ayurveda and not pursue a Ph.D. After three years of study and practice she received her Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist Certificate from the California College of Ayurveda. The deep thirst for spiritual growth was not yet satisfied until she met her Guru Jnana Nanda Bharati. From their first meeting Diana knew Jnana Nanda Bharati was a true Yogi, with many years of dedicated and disciplined study with his Guru and other masters from the Himalayas, and an incredible ability to live in and balance the spiritual realm and this world. She is extremely grateful and blessed to be his student. Under her teacher she was initiated into the ancient, most highly respected and deeply esoteric lineage of Shri Vidya and the ancient Bhramanical Tradition, and has been continuing her intense spiritual studies with her Guru since 1999. She has a dedicated daily practice and her path is to continue her studies, live in accordance to the ancient Vedic ways and put her spiritual lessons to practice in her life. She is studying various Vedic sciences such as Yoga, Pranayama, Mantra, Tantra, Jhyotish, Ayurveda, Yantra, Puja and Sanskrit. She can trace Her Guru's unbroken lineage (Parampara) for thousands of years into ancient India. She is fully dedicated to the life transforming work of Shakti Yoga, which she teaches with her Guru and continues to inspire her students to turn inward, grow and find their spiritual self. She is certified at the highest level as a E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance.

Jnana Nanda Bharati has dedicated over twenty five years to intense study and training in the ancient texts of the Vedas and Tantras, under the guidance of his esteemed Teacher, as well as, other Himalayan Masters that his Teacher sent him to for specific training. His teaching expertise also includes texts such as the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Soundarya- Lahari, Vivekchuramani and the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. He is proficient in the various sciences expounded in the Vedas such as Mantra, Yantra, Tantra, Yoga, Pranayama, Jyotish, Vastu Shastra and Puja. Jnana Nanda Bharati hails from the ancient, most highly respected Shri Vidya tradition. His unbroken spiritual lineage (Parampara) can be traced back in India for thousands of years. This esoteric tradition is highly regarded and considered by most spiritual masters as the highest path as it integrates the wisdom of Vedanta with the practice and strict mental discipline training of Tantra and Raja Yoga. There are only a handful of people in all of India who are initiated into this practice.

Sarah began her journey into yoga the day her son was born and placed on her chest. The moment he looked into her eyes she had an awakening of a peace and tranquility that always lived inside of her that she was never aware of until that moment. She embarked on a journey from that moment on to seek out ways to keep this peace alive and awake inside her. In her search she studied and practiced Japa Meditation where she was able to create a quiet space inside herself as well as a hunger for more of this serenity in her everyday life. This search for peace is what drew her to yoga and peace is what she has found. The path to Yoga is often begun from the outside in but for Sarah it began on the inside and worked its way out to the physical practice of asanas. Sarah has such a fervent desire to share the benefits that Yoga has brought to her own life with any who care to learn. She studied under Diana Pipaloff in the Yoga Shakti 200 hour teaching certification program. She also has a degree in Psychology and has been a behavior therapist for children with pervasive developmental disorders for the past 10 years. Sarah enjoys taking each of her students through the journey of deepening there practice both spiritually and physically. Allowing each student to take there own pace she gives variations as well as adjustments to help them along the path.

Born into a family of yogis, Shanti Walling began to learn about the Indian culture and the philosophies of yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda at a very young age. She received her first Mantara when she was five, and has continued her mediation practice ever since. At the age of 22, Shanti committed to a dedicated yoga practice, which eventually led her to Yoga Shakti. It was there that she completed her 200Hr Teacher Training with her teacher, Diana Pipaloff.

Shanti remains passionate about maintaining the integrity of the deep roots of yoga, which reflects in her classical, yet well balanced approach to teaching. She believes that the utmost important role as a yoga teacher is to create an environment where everyone can feel and experience accessibility to their own yoga practice. She is thrilled and inspired to have the opportunity to offer this to her students.

Shanti will be participating in Yoga Shakti’s Advanced 500HR Teacher Training in 2009 and is deeply committed to the everlasting learning experience of being a yoga practitioner/teacher.

Ivy graduated from the School of Visual Arts in New York City in 1981 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in painting. In 1987 she left New York for sunny California! Pursuing a career as a freelance graphic designer, while somewhat profitable, didn't satisfy her. In 1989 her brother died suddenly and this first close encounter with death changed her forever. After a mourning period an awakening began, which led her to the path of yoga, opening her to meditation, metaphysics, astrology, breath work, energy healing, emotional healing, nutritional healing, chanting, intuition and empowerment.

In 1993 Ivy attended her first yoga class. The relaxation/meditation at the end of class felt like "coming home" and kept her "coming back". In 1996 she completed 150 hours at Santa Monica Healing Arts College earning certification for Massage Technician. In 2002 she volunteered to work reception at Full Spectrum Yoga in Newport Beach and soon was granted an opportunity to co-manage the studio and participate in teacher training. In 2003 she completed the 200 hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher training. Everything unfolded so naturally, effortlessly and beautifully.

Ivy integrates guided imagery, breath awareness, yogic philosophies and the higher mind, in a nurturing and supportive environment. Her classes include gentle asana and breath awareness to calm the mind, open the body, and invite length in the spine. Yin and Restorative yoga practices allow deep relaxation, integration and time for meditation and being. She loves turning people on to yoga and encourages the discovery of their own inner light, inner teacher, and skillful use of the transformative powers of yoga. All are Welcome! Ivy has been teaching yoga for 6 years and practicing yoga and meditation for 16 years. Ivy is devoted to living her spiritual life, teaching peace, inspiring well-being and consciousness. She believes in answering the call for restorative action and revitalizing our spiritual selves. Namasté.

Mariza was introduced to the science of Yoga when a friend invited her to attend a Yoga Philosophy course being offered through Yoga Shakti Wellness Center. Mariza knew early on that she wanted to share the experience of classical hatha yoga with others.

In 2006 she completed Yoga Shakti’s Teacher Training Program. Thanks to the guidance of Yoga Shakti’s Director Diana Pipaloff and esteemed teacher Jnana Nanda Bharati Mariza has gained a deeper understanding of the different practices of Yoga. From the philosophy, practices and subtle concepts of yoga to the history of ancient Vedic and yogic culture, the programs and loving community at Yoga Shakti have contributed in the development of Mariza’s internal well being as well as her abilities to guide students in their asana practice.

Today Mariza is dedicated to incorporating her spiritual studies into a daily practice and continues with her focus of the deeper, more esoteric aspects of yoga with her teacher Jnana Nanda Bharati. She invites you to experience an authentic asana class that incorporates ancient practices developed over 5000 years ago passed on to her by her teachers and the entire Yoga Shakti community. Through a sequence that incorporates classical sun salutes and a strong foundation of yoga postures Mariza’s class offers a well balanced asana practice that will increase your strength and energy while helping to calm your mind.

Celene Bond

Kathryn Carlson took her first yoga class at a summer camp when she was just 11 years old. She found it to be one of the defining experiences of her life and continued signing up for the class until the camp ended. She loved everything about yoga....the poses, the breathing, the history...and hoped to continue practicing even after the camp had ended. Later she found Yoga Shakti Studio and started taking classes there as often as possible through her years in high school. During this time Kathryn decided that some day she would become a yoga instructor. Thinking of it as a far off dream, she was excited to hear that Yoga Shakti Studio offered teacher training. Shortly after completing the training in 2008, she was invited to come teach at the studio that has been such a huge part of her yoga experience. Kathryn is very pleased to be teaching at Yoga Shakti Studio, and hopes to help bring the joy of yoga to many others.

Lauren Agresti E-RYT 200, RYT 500 has over 1000 hours of training and teaching experience in Yoga and Meditation. Her mentors are Meditation specialist Rolf Sovik Psy.D and Yoga master Sandra Anderson E-RYT 500 of the prestigious Himalayan Institute wellness center. She has been practicing Yoga since she was a child and has a daily Yoga and Meditation practice. Lauren's skill sets lie in teaching and practicing advanced Yoga, stress relief, and spiritual growth. She teaches Yoga and Meditation to private clients and group classes at Yoga Shakti. Her mission is to bring the benefits of Yoga and Meditation to anyone interested in opening their body, relieving stress, and finding a deeper significance in life.

Yoga is a set of ancient and refined techniques used to calm the mind, open the body and bring wellness to the person as a whole. Some of the practices that makeup Yoga include poses, Meditation, relaxation, cleansing, chanting, and breath-work. Anyone can do Yoga and it is not a religion but a science, a philosophy and an approach to life. It can be practiced in a class, alone, one-on-one with a teacher, but most important, as one studies Yoga they start to translate its psychological and physical benefits into daily life.

"It is the mind itself which builds the body." Fredrich von Schiller

After a lifetime of dance and competitive athletics, Debra discovered the Pilates Method in 1995 while studying dance at Riverside Community College and found herself at home with the body awareness and mindful movement of Pilates. It was clear to her that Joseph Pilates' Methodology was a great remedy for our society's sedentary lifestyle and lack of body awareness. She found in Pilates a method of developing true strength, not just the appearance of strength. In addition, she found the concentration on breathing and flow to be powerfully healing and a stress reliever. As a result, she studied to be a Pilates Instructor with the Physical Mind Institute and began teaching Pilates in 1996. Corporate America called to her and she stayed there for many years, but found her life lacking balance of body and mind. She longed for the healing movement of Pilates, so she decided to renew her dedication to teaching the Pilates Method by pursuing Pilates Comprehensive Teacher Training with Dance Specialization at Body Arts & Science International. In her classes, she strives to help her students discover the healing potential in their own bodies made possible through the breathing, flow, and mindful movement of the Pilates Method.

Debra's classes focus on developing overall balanced strength and flexibility with special attention to strengthening the core, creating a power center for balance and strength in the body.

Yoshi spent the first few years of her life living at a Zen monastery in Los Angeles. Her father was a Zen master and her mother is an anthropologist and artist. From the time she was born her mother would cradle Yoshi in her arms while she meditated. Over time, this instilled a reverence for peace and an understanding for the passion, dedication and discipline that it takes to train in a spiritual practice.

Yoshi has been practicing yoga since 2002. She began yoga as part of her rehabilitation from a severe car accident that derailed her career path as a professional dancer. She was immediately drawn to the physical and spiritual blend of yoga. As a personal trainer and a tri-athlete, she was drawn to more physically demanding styles of yoga asana including Power Vinyasa and Ashtanga. A more challenging asana practice led to a deeper meditative state than she was able attain during her years of Zen training. In search of a more traditional and authentic spiritual practice, Yoshi discovered Yoga Shakti. She completed her 200-hr teaching certification and is continuing her 500-hr training under the guidance of Yoga Shakti’s Director Diana Pipaloff and esteemed teacher Jnana Nanda Bharati. She teaches a physically challenging asana practice while emphasizing the yogic ujjai breath. Yoshi is also finishing her Masters Degree in Archaeology at CSU Long Beach.

Marie Friedlander is registered as a 500 RYT, E-RYT 200. Since 2000, she has been an empowered Certified Baptiste Power Yoga teacher and student, having received her 500-hour teacher training through Baron Baptiste. Marie has a passion for teaching yoga. In addition to her classes at Yoga Shakti Wellness Center, you can find her teaching to at-risk teens enrolled in the anti-gang and runaway program at the Huntington Beach Youth Shelter as well as area high schools teaching through athletic programs and daily physical education classes. When not teaching, you can find Marie enjoying life traveling and sharing her love with her husband and son. "Yoga is my life. Teaching others how to transition their yoga practice into their lives is my passion. I really do not know of a more powerful experience then to inspire another to live fully. We never really know who we are touching and making an impression on. But without a doubt, we unmistakably do."

Rae came to Pilates after training as a dancer for 15 years. After a traumatic back injury she was directed to Pilates as a way to recover the strength and flexibility she had lost through the injury. She loved the way that Pilates made her body feel so much that she chose to study it more deeply and eventually to become an instructor. She uses Pilates as an ideal way to develop and maintain strength and posture and to have a healthy, lithe body. She received her Pilates certification through Orange Coast College in 2007 and teaches mat work as well as apparatus.

Casey Hall originally began practicing yoga to deal with physical limitations resulting from a car accident. She found that yoga did indeed help her to improve her physical strength and flexibility, but that the benefits were more far-reaching than she had imagined. In her practice of yoga asana at Yoga Shakti, Casey discovered a way to calm and center her mind and spirit as well as an environment of teachers committed to foster her growth and practice.

Casey completed her teacher training with Diana Pipaloff and continues her study of yogic philosophy as well as asana. She is grateful for the opportunity to share the benefits of yoga as well as the joy and fun that come along with the yoga practice.

Mona Lisa Godfrey was born in Riga, Latvia, and grew up in Stockholm, Sweden. In 2000 she and her family moved to Orange County, California. The struggle of constant movement and change made Mona turn to dance and athletics for refuge.

Initially drawn to the physical aspects of yoga, she attended classes sporadically at her local fitness club to help improve balance and flexibility. Her practice took a sharp turn a few years later when she began to attend regular classes at an authentic studio. Over time, she noticed that the most significant impact of her yoga was happening off the mat.

The practice began to transform her life, helping her quiet the mind and develop a more meaningful and spiritual relationship with herself and others. She knew then that she was in it for the long run.

In 2010 Mona completed the 200HR Teacher Training at Yoga Shakti Studio. She continues to broaden her studies and enjoys being a student as well as a teacher, so that she can continue to spread the gift of yoga. She invites you to share her joy and hopes to see you in class!

Alison first discovered yoga at a Bikram studio in 2006. She had been active all her life, playing team sports throughout high school and college, and began participating in triathlons and running after college. After a running injury in 2008 she was unable to participate in any physical activity for several months.

In 2009 Alison began her practice at Yoga Shakti in Irvine. Classical yoga helped to rehabilitate her leg and allowed her to reach a new level of fitness. Her intention was to use classical yoga as a stepping-stone to get back in shape for Bikram yoga; instead, she found classical yoga to be an amazing combination of physical exertion and mental relaxation. She fell in love with the practice and never looked back.

In 2010 Alison completed a 200-hour Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies course with Diana Papoloff of Yoga Shakti. She hopes her students leave behind notions of what their bodies cannot do, and instead focus on the amazing things everyone can achieve in their own time.

Katelyn is a native of Irvine, CA who has an energetic and loving family that values health and physical activity. They supported her through her many years of competitive swimming, which led her to Syracuse University. It was there that she first discovered yoga during her studies of Anthropology, Religion and Society.

When Katelyn started attending classes at Yoga Shakti, she became deeply committed to her practice, internalizing the benefits and value of yoga. Not only did it help her transition out of a competitive athletic lifestyle, but it also supplied her with the tools needed to cultivate balance, energy, and focus in all areas of her life.

Captivated by the endless possibilities of growth that yoga can provide, Katelyn has committed to ongoing practice and study. She has completed the Yoga Shakti Foundational Teacher Training and will be participating in the Yoga Shakti Advanced Teacher Training beginning Fall 2011.

She is thankful and excited to have the opportunity to share the experience of yoga with others through teaching as well as continuing her own education and growth.

Micha Woods turned to yoga in 2008 as a way to healthfully manage her weight while coming out of a serious battle with depression and eating disorders. What started purely as a fitness activity became a redefined way of life. During classes, Micha continually heard and experienced messages, both verbal and subtle, that she was a good person deserving of a fulfilling life. Asana and pranayama practice began to reveal a truer Self within, one that was healthy and not plagued by diseases of the mind. As she poured her entire being into a gradually more dedicated practice, she caught the attention of one of her teachers, who inquired one day whether Micha was herself a yoga teacher. Taken aback at first, Micha took the inquiry to heart as she considered taking the next step with her practice. In 2009, with plenty of encouragement from peers and mentors, Micha enrolled in and completed Yoga Shakti's Foundational Teacher Training. From beginning to end, her passion for yoga grew, as it continues to do today.

Micha believes that everyone can find his or her own true expression of yoga through a dedicated practice, and knows that everyone's experience will be unique. She aspires to create a welcoming atmosphere in her classes that will allow students to delve deeper into their own spiritual practice through asana and pranayama.

Leah has been practicing yoga since 2000 and has studied yoga in Israel, India, The Netherlands, and the USA. Teaching since 2003, her training consists of a 200 hour basic certification from The Kripalu Center in MA, 240 hours in advanced instruction in Vijnana yoga, and a prenatal yoga teachers training. Leah deeply enjoys meeting new people and sharing her experience and love for yoga. To her classes she brings warmth and positive energy, gives personal attention, and focuses on the fluidity of movement, accuracy and a healthy alignment.