Team Members Archive - Page 7 of 7

Sonia

Namasté. Born in India, Sonia considers herself to be a lifelong student of Yoga and Ayurveda. She finalized her 200-hour yoga training from The Kundalini Research Institute (KRI). Introduced to yogis and swamis at a young age, she developed a deep interest in Yoga, Ayurvedic sciences and eastern philosophy to help her face different challenges in her life. Sonia continues to expand her knowledge in well-being and recently obtained her 100-hour Ayurveda Chef training and is currently studying as a 300 Hour Ayurveda Lifestyle Consultant. Sonia has a diverse background in the Federal public Service. She brings with her twenty-eight plus years experience in the accounting and finance field, while being recognized as a workplace wellness champion. She has been a leader in introducing office yoga, mindfulness, meditation, holistic health and diets, and all types of wellness topics in and outside the workplace. As a graduate from a leadership program in the federal government, she has a natural ability to help others understand...

Stéphane

When it comes to yoga, Stéphane is all about balance. He strives for a “just right” combination of Yin and Yang when teaching yoga—a balance that shifts depending on the energy present in the room. He brings a strong, unhurried presence, a solid foundational teaching style and his sense of humour to every class, making for a well-framed and accepting environment for students. As a teacher, Stéphane prefers to place the accent on fundamentals: a solid connection to the earth, alignment that considers the uniqueness of our bodies, and relaxed breathing. He provides clear, direct instruction and offers many variations for each asana. Stéphane is grateful to have been taught by highly skilled teachers in many styles, including Hatha Yoga, Power Yoga, Anusara Yoga, Ashaya Yoga, Forrest Yoga and Yin Yoga. The result of learning from so many different styles is an understanding that each student needs to be approached differently, and that in yoga, one size does not fit all. One of...

Stephanie

Stephanie’s love affair with yoga began in the fall of 2004 when she attended a Hatha yoga class given at her local community centre. Following this newfound passion, she went on to explore Bikram, Hot, Power, Ashtanga and Yin Yoga. She is a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher, an E-RYT 200/RYT 500 and YACEP Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, and has been teaching in Ottawa since 2008. She blends yoga asanas with a pinch of philosophy, a touch of humour, and a steady breath. As a full-time yoga teacher, Stephanie delves into a variety of styles, covering the spectrum from Yin to Power, Flow to Gentle and a few adventures in between. Stephanie has over 2,000 hours of teaching experience and to date, has taken trainings and master classes with Richard Freeman, Seane Corn, Ray Long, Bryan Kest, Ana Forrest and Sadie Nardini. She was a Teaching Assistant for PranaShanti’s Winter 2017 200-hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training Program and 2018 Restorative Yoga Training....

Valentina

Valentina discovered Yoga through a couple of friends that invited her to practice Hatha with Juan Carlos Linares and Ximena López, two pioneers yoga teachers in Caracas (her home town), in 2002. Yoga was the perfect ally to complement her workouts, to alleviate the muscular load that involved long hours of running, triathlon and climbing. After a couple of years practicing in Yoga Pedregal and Yogashala (Caracas), she moved to Ottawa to complete a Master Degree at Carleton University together with her academic studies. She completed a 200 hour Teacher Training program at Rama Lotus Yoga Center (2008-2009). In the summer of 2009, she went back to Venezuela to teach not only in studios and gyms, but also as an active member of “En los barrios” and “Yoga en la plaza”, two NGOs focused in reinforcing the concept of non-violence, tolerance, respect to each other and peace in low income neighborhoods, slums areas and public places. Back to Canada in 2016, new...

Anne

Anne Wanda Tessier is an E-RYT 500 certified yoga teacher and trainer. Anne took a leave from her busy routine and set out to complete her RYT 200 hatha yoga teacher training in Bali, Indonesia in 2013. At the time, she was finding it tough to balance a healthy lifestyle, work, while also maintaining her yoga practice. She wanted to fully understand the benefits of regular yoga on the body, mind and spirit, and came back restored and ready to share her knowledge with others. She completed several trainings focusing primarily on restorative, yin, pranayama, and meridian yoga. She received her RYT- 500 Certification from PranaShanti Yoga center in 2018. Life’s daily routines can be overwhelming, and Anne finds that yoga can help find balance, restore the body and find calm in our day to day life. Anne has studied with Judith Hanson Lasater and has also assisted Judith in her in several trainings. Anne is a certified Relax and Renew...