Team Members Archive - Page 2 of 7

Kyle

Drawn to its transformative impact on both body, mind and spirit, Kyle began practicing yoga in 2009, immersing himself in a dedicated personal practice. Kyle completed his first 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in Ottawa in 2013. He went on to teach a variety of styles, including vinyasa flow, hatha, and yin, while pursuing continued education with internationally renowned teachers to deepen his expertise and connection to the practice. In 2016, Kyle stepped away from teaching to focus on co-founding and running the Pure Kitchen group of restaurants, which have since become a cornerstone of the Ottawa community. During this time, he maintained a regular meditation practice and stayed deeply connected to yoga as both a practice and a calling. In 2021, Kyle completed a second Yoga Teacher Training, reigniting his passion for teaching. Kyle is thrilled to return to the studio, and to offer his wealth of experience and heartfelt desire to share yoga’s transformative benefits with his students....

Jemile

Jemile is a 200-hour Hatha yoga instructor. Her approach is for all to benefit from yoga, and to make it fun and accessible for everyone while building a strong and flexible body and mind. Jemile believes yoga is a practice on and off the mat and physically and mentally....

Bobbi

Bobbi is a dedicated 200-hour certified yoga teacher who brings a blend of experience and empathy to her practice. Her spiritual journey with yoga at its centre, began over twenty years ago as a way to find balance and peace in the midst of high-pressure jobs and the challenges of being a single mother. With stress and the uncertainties of life taking a toll on her mind and body, yoga and meditation became her sanctuary, offering physical strength, mental clarity, and inner peace. She is now passionate about sharing these benefits with others, guiding them on their own path to wellness with a compassionate and supportive approach. Bobbi includes Hatha Flow, Power, Yin, Yoga Nidra and Vipassana meditation in her personal practice....

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 deeper engagement, and she completed her 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at PranaShanti in 2022 and is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance. Sue's teaching is grounded in connecting the body and breath through mindful movement, and developing a greater awareness of our own physical and mental alignment. Sue also continues her yoga journey by working toward the 300-hour HYTT certification at PranaShanti, including training in restorative yoga, pranayama, and biomechanics....

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....

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. She has practiced meditation and yoga for more than a decade and has participated in various short- and long-term meditation retreats....