Team Members Archive - PranaShanti

Emily

Emily obtained her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Intensive Certification in Costa Rica. Her intention in teaching is to make a positive impact on others by guiding them through practices that create space for students to explore: gratitude, relationship to self and embracing inner strength and power. She seeks to facilitate an open and inclusive practice for everyone, meeting students at their level. Emily comes from a background of 10+ years of competitive dance and over 5+ years of practicing yoga. Having a background in dance gives Emily a unique opportunity when creating class themes and sequences, she weaves in different elements in her practices that create an experience for students. Emily specializes in Yoga for Flexibility, Yin, Flow, Guided Meditation and more....

Lucila

Lucila is yoga practitioner, singer-songwriter and creative arts facilitator. Her classes aim to inspire, empower, and advance awareness of breath and movement. Lucila takes a mindful approach that reminds students to be gentle with themselves and to appreciate the ever-changing moment. She is known to weave her love of music into her yoga classes, to her, singing is a powerful form of breathwork and meditation. Her hope is that you step off the mat and into the world feeling refreshed, nourished and connected....

Janice

Janice has been actively involved in the Ottawa Yoga Community for over 20 years. Throughout her career, Janice has travelled the world teaching movement, fitness and yoga. Her expertise brought her back to Ottawa to conduct Teacher Trainings and workshops over the years. Janice has been accepted into and completed five Teacher Training courses from renowned Richard Freeman. These trainings have had an enormous influence and inspiration on her for which she is grateful. Janice was also able to study with Pattabi Jois when he visited Canada.She holds a special place for meditation and has studied at the Shambala Center in Boulder Colorado. She teaches from the heart to make all feel comfortable and inspired to follow their own path. Janice continues to teach, grow, study, meditate and hold space for all who want to share and learn from this beautiful practice. Hope to see you on the mat soon!...

Sue

Sue has practiced and taught yoga and meditation for over 25 years. As a Radiant Child Yoga Training facilitator, she has taught over 1000 new children’s teachers from Halifax to Yellowknife as well as in Ireland, England, Scotland and the US. She works with children and adults of all ages and abilities, sharing meditation, yoga and fun! Sue also has wide experience working with children with Special Needs. As a High School Science/Math Tutor she regularly shares meditation methods to alleviate symptoms of anxiety and/or mitigate challenges associated with ADD/HD. Sue is passionate about giving the Gift of Yoga to children and believes that yoga is an instruction manual for children to live their best life. Yoga keeps children happy, healthy and fully alive. Sue has 3 children of her own and is a keen triathlete and enjoys reading, knitting and open-water swimming. Sue’s Certifications: Completed levels I and II of Socially Engaged Buddhism Certificate Upaya, New Mexico (Zen Buddhism) headed by...

Sarah

A nature exploring, world traveling, Ottawa local who has always had an interest for all things metaphysical and perhaps, out of this world. Since childhood, she has always been incredibly connected to universal energy. She was lucky enough to spend 10+ summers as a canoe trip camper and later a long trip guide exploring many parts of Northern Ontario and Quebec – with some of these canoe trips lasting 40+ days in the deep Northern woods and waters. This really allowed for immeasurable, soulful exploration of oneself, energetic connections with others, develop an even stronger connection to Mother Nature, and all things universal energy. You could say Sarah has come to being a natural intuitive healer through a variety of life experiences and personal traumas that allowed for incredible growth, shadow work and authentic healing. With that, she loves to support others through their life changing experiences and help guide them on their healing path. A long-time service provider here in...

Sue

Sue's yoga and meditation journey began about 30 years ago in graduate school. Much of her early training was in the Iyengar tradition, and living and travelling in many countries gave her the opportunity to explore different yoga styles and integrate these into her own practice. After years of yoga practice on the side of a busy international development career, Sue had the opportunity to switch the balance and put yoga at the centre. She was drawn to teaching as the pathway to engaging more deeply in yoga, in part because of her experience in other contexts, including university and martial arts teaching, and she completed her 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at PranaShanti in 2022. Sue's focus is grounded in a more classic hatha practice, bringing emphasis to connecting the body and breath through mindful movement and developing a greater awareness of our own physical and mental alignment. With a strong belief in life-long learning, Sue is continuing her yoga journey...

Johanna

Johanna was introduced to yoga as a teenager and quickly fell in love with it. She deepened her commitment to yoga by completing a 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with PranaShanti in 2010. Since then, she has explored various yoga and meditation practices for personal growth, finding the mind-body connection to be a powerful tool for self-awareness. While living in the Arctic and teaching yoga in Iqaluit, Johanna developed an interest in Trauma-Informed approaches, particularly Sensory-Enhanced Yoga for self-regulation and healing. Trained in Restorative, Hatha, Meditation, and Mindfulness practices, and she holds a Master's degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of Ottawa. Johanna appreciates the adaptability of yoga, recognizing its ability to cater to different needs at various stages of life. Her diverse training has taught her the understanding that each person has unique needs in yoga; there is no one-size-fits-all approach. For over a decade, Johanna has integrated yoga and meditation into her career as an occupational therapist and finance coordinator....

Katherine

Katherine was first drawn to yoga by the desire to cultivate mindfulness and inner peace. She believes that yoga is a holistic healer for the body, mind, and soul. She has been practicing for over 12 years and has relied on her regular practice to ease her anxieties, fears, balance her emotions and improve her overall well being. Katherine received her 200 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Certification at PranaShanti in 2022 and teaches various styles, rooted in Hatha, and will lead you through a series of poses that guide you into a state of relaxation. For Katherine, creating a safe space for everything is crucial. She wants everyone to feel welcomed and teaches classes that cater to all practitioner levels....

Bren

Bren’s mission is to help you advance your yoga practice, live in tune with the seasons, and experience the benefits of meditation (even if you don’t like to sit still!). In her classes you will find clear, directive language, and respect for your individual anatomy and experience. She specializes in the connection between Yin Yoga and Traditional Chinese Medicine and creative sequencing in both strengthening and gentle Flow styles. Bren is passionate about helping practitioners realize they are the observer of their experience and to share in a practice of intentional choices that help bring one to present moment awareness. Bren is a long-time yoga practitioner, and has used traditional yoga practices as well as modern mindfulness and psychology to greatly improve her sleep, become less reactive, and to find some peace in both stillness and movement. She holds RYT500 designation and has taken additional trainings in Yin, Mindfulness, Yoga for Chronic Pain, and is a Trauma Informed Facilitator. When not teaching or practicing...

Catherine

Catherine is a Full Professor of Philosophy at the University of Ottawa. She received her PhD at the University of La Sorbonne in Paris (France). She specializes in Ancient Greek philosophy and Buddhist philosophy, and teaches meditation. She is co-founder of the Contemplative Studies Programme at the University of Ottawa, and a member of the University’s Academy of Mindfulness and Contemplative Studies. She has published numerous books and articles on Homer, the Presocratics, Plato, Aristotle, and Plotinus. Her current research focuses on Buddhist philosophy, especially on metaphysics and consciousness, as the foundation for an original conception of philosophy, which she calls ‘contemplative philosophy’, based on contemplative practices including meditation and yoga. Contemplative philosophy develops a dialogue between Buddhist philosophy and contemplative neuroscience. Its chief topics include the nature of the mind, its functioning, and its potential to be transformed. Its purpose is to demonstrate that philosophy is a way of life and a path to liberation—a path that leads to a...