Please take a moment to become acquainted with our teachers, manager and studio directors.
Studio owner, director, teacher
Ashley is a student at heart. Always inquisitive, and driven by curiosity, Ashley enjoys posing questions and celebrating the wisdom that can come from contemplation. It is her passion for learning that brought her to yoga and continues to fuel her practice on a daily basis. As a student, Ashley hopes to continually gain insight into our inner and outer worlds. As a teacher, Ashley hopes to encourage reflection, promote awareness and spread conscious, thoughtful living in her students who can, in turn, become teachers in their own rite. On a personal level, Ashley quickly realized the physical benefits of yoga and it was not long before the mental and emotional benefits became apparent to her. Yoga has helped Ashley overcome an eating disorder early in life, and yogic perspectives continue to help her manage and ease and anxious mind. It was the desire to share her story with others that led Ashley to her first yoga teacher training. Since then she has continued to quench her thirst for knowledge through practice and study and everyday enjoys the beautiful light the yoga community shines on the world.
Ashley is especially grateful to be part of the Moksha Yoga family and is inexplicably excited to create a space in which her students can thrive, grow, and be part of a community. Outside of the studio, Ashley finds peace in photography. She invites everybody to enjoy her photographs, which can be seen around the studio.
Studio owner, director, teacher
Dave has been very fortunate. He has discovered the light that is yoga. As a lifelong student who finds joy in simplifying the complicated, Dave loves pursuing, experiencing and sharing enlightenment with all. Dave enjoys philosophical discussion, discovering new perspectives, and encountering people and situations that can reflectively illuminate the awareness of all involved.
Teacher
Rebecca came to yoga as a last resort to relieve extreme back pain and migraines from years of dance training compounded by a serious car accident. Within the first week, she was already seeing benefits in the practice. As the years pass she continues to see improvements in her back and a virtual disappearance of her migraines.
Rebecca has been teaching dance for over 9 years, and is thrilled to now be involved in the yoga community as an instructor. She continues to study rigorously receiving both a Yin Intensive Training certificate and her Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy levels 1 and 2. She also has just recently returned from completing Moksha Yoga Level 2 training this past fall.
She has worked in women and children’s services managing operations of family and women’s homeless shelters and supported housing environments across the country. She holds an honours degree from the University of Toronto and continues work as a Child and Youth Worker in Toronto.
She is thrilled to be back in Waterloo sharing this beautiful practice.
Teacher
Anna began practicing yoga in 2002 and was certified as an Ashtanga yoga teacher in 2007 at Octopus Garden Yoga Centre in Toronto. Being involved in a variety of sports from a very young age, she recognizes the important role yoga can play in keeping athletes' bodies healthy. Anna sees yoga as an integral part of living a well balanced and holistic lifestyle bringing awareness to the physical body, clarity to the mind and consciousness to ones place in the universe.
Teacher
Tara came to yoga while a graduate student at UWO, hoping that yoga would help to relieve anxiety and bring balance to an overly intellectual life. She found both relief and balance, along with a host of other physical benefits, and a warm and loving community. After practicing for three years, she completed her teacher training in 2007 in Toronto. After two months teaching yoga at Moksha Yoga Trinidad, Tara moved back to London in
the summer of 2008 and has been teaching there ever since.
Tara's other passions include sewing, digital photography, drawing, and science fiction. She's committed to finding personal balance and developing community. She hopes that her teaching will inspire others to find ease, not only on the mat but also in all of the difficult
situations that arise in life.
Teacher
Christine found yoga at a time when she was looking for a little boost in her life, and began practicing in London, Ontario. Just when she found herself looking for something a bit more intense, she was introduced to the wonderful world of sweaty yoga. She took her first Moksha class with “yoga mom”, and from that moment on was hooked.
In practicing Moksha, Christine came to realize that she had begun to find her place in the life’s groove and wanted to share that experience with others. Christine took the Moksha Yoga Teacher Training in Toronto in July 2008, and has not looked back for an instant.
Residing in Guelph and surrounded by the love of her partner Rob and pooch Maggie, Christine’s practice continues to grow daily. Her main goal is to bring love and peace to everyone’s practice both on and off the mat, and considers herself blessed to be able to share the joys and wonders of yoga with those around her.
Teacher
Chantel Therese Missen got her first globe from her grandfather when she was 6 years old, and recalls being shown India, where her great-grandmother came from. A seed of curiosity about the subcontinent was planted, germinating in zesty afternoons spent lying on the grass in her backyard gazing at that mini Mother Earth.
Yoga became the first practice she could fuse to her increasing appetite to learn more about her ancestry. After taking a variety of yoga classes with only a mild fizz of interest during University, she found her first Kripalu teacher, the lovely and inspiring Kirsten Hildebrandt. She obtained her first certification at Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in 2002, and worked for a year as a yoga instructor in Canada before moving to Taiwan. She journeyed to Asia (including India) to work, travel, teach and learn for nearly five years.
While traveling in Thailand, she met Moksha Yoga teachers and sought out the practice in 2006. After falling in love with the heat comparable only to a green chili preserve, she felt compelled to find a way to learn the beauty of this style in the 2007 Teacher Training program.
Chantel has taught yoga to anyone, anywhere. On beaches, in parks, restaurants, hotel lobbies, street corners, schools, meditations centers and homeless shelters, she finds people of all ages and abilities willing to share in this uniting passion. She sees her path of yoga as a perennial path that and brings with it fragrant and colorful lessons both on and off the mat. Spicy or mild, waxing or waning, she finds the best moments of yoga are spent in silent solitude, greeting a new day in meditation or in pretzel pose.
Teacher
Leah began her journey into yoga while attending university in Toronto, and though she was initially drawn to it as a physical practice, its’ profound and holistic life
teachings soon trickled into her everyday; physically, mentally and emotionally. Intrigued and humbled by yoga’s history and offerings, Leah has continued her study of the practice over the past 6 years, completing her Ashtanga Yoga Teaching Training at The Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, in B.C.
It is through the practice of yoga that has led Leah to a deeper appreciation of the balance of living life. Working as a designer and writer, Leah comes to the mat for yoga, both to practice and teach, not only because it invigorates the body, but also calms the mind, allowing total rejuvenation. It is this mind/body awareness & strengthening that Leah offers in all of her yoga classes.
Teacher
Brad started practicing yoga in 2003 and has been practicing in multiple yoga disciplines for 5 years. Brad started teaching in 2005, after receiving his Teacher Training Certificate at The Yoga Sanctuary in Toronto, studying under Cynthia Funk, Karusia Wroblewski and Hart Lazer. In 2004, Brad expanded his studies and began to practice Restorative Yoga. Studying under Judith Lasater in Edmonton, Alberta, he achieved his Restorative Yoga Certification in 2004.
He is currently completing a mentorship program with Hart Lazer. Brad has also has spent 6 years studying and practicing Hung Gar, a southern Chinese style of Shaolin Gong Fu emphasizing power and external development. Brad continues his M.A studies in the softer style of Tai Chi Chuan, sword and saber.
Teacher
As a life-long student and scientist, Ian's life has been dominated by
the intellect. He first tried yoga as a way to help him rescue his
body from the neglect of academics and put his mind back in his body
where it belongs! He practiced various types of yoga for four years
before committing to a regular yoga practice after discovering Moksha
in 2007. He completed his teacher training in Toronto in 2008 and has
been teaching at Moksha Yoga London since October, 2008. His new
challenge is to balance teaching yoga with his yoga and meditation
practices and his pursuit of a Ph.D. in developmental cognitive
neuroscience at Western.
Ian loves food from local farmers, science and science fiction, water
in all its forms, hiking/camping, and southern Appalachia. His yoga
practice has taught him that peace is not an abstract concept, but a
real feeling. He hopes that his teaching might help others to find
some peace in themselves and spread it around in this troubled world.
He's dedicated to strengthening community in and out of the yoga
class, wherever life takes him.
Ian lives in London with his partner Tara in a house teeming with
fauna and flora. Namaste, y'all!
Teacher
Stephanie took her first Moksha class looking for a new workout. it became a new way of life. Since then she has experienced the transformative effect the power of breathe and the spirit of community have on physical and mental health. She struggled with anxiety and depression for years trying many ways to find relief... yoga was it.
She holds Moksha level 1 and 2 certifications and is a certified Yin instructor. She has completed the Level 1 Power Vinyasa Teacher Training with Baron Baptiste.
Stephanie is dedicated to creating a space for students to feel challenged, cared for and connected in a healthy way.
She is grateful for her teachers, Ted Grand for making her feel part of something really special, Jess Robertson for teaching her how to breathe, Michelle Corbeil for teaching her "JOY", Frank Jude Boccio for teaching her how to hug, Darcy Hagerman for giving her the confidence to teach and to Michael Stone for teaching her to only say something if it is more important than silence.
Teacher
Daniel tried his first hot yoga class in 2003 and could not believe how
great he felt. There's nothing like standing in a room full of strangers,
wearing practically nothing, sweating like a pig and making funny breathing
sounds in front of a full-length wall mirror! It just makes you feel good
about yourself! Daniel began pushing himself to see how far he could go and
learned as much as he could about yoga and most importantly, himself.
Becoming a Moksha Yoga Teacher was a natural extension of this process for
him.
Daniel teaches as he lives: openly, honestly and willing to change and grow
into something more. He takes that same perseverance and enthusiasm into the
practice room. He encourages his students to challenge themselves and their
perceptions of where they are and where they can be.
Teacher
Karina discovered yoga at the age of 16, when a physiotherapist suggested the practice to help mend a hamstring injury. While she started yoga to promote physical healing, she soon discovered that yoga also provided intense body/breath awareness and a newfound sense of spirituality.
Karina came to Moksha Yoga in the fall of 2004, after a friend recommended she try a new type of hot yoga at a studio near her apartment in Toronto. She quickly became addicted and set the intention to become a yoga teacher. Karina received her certification in Hawaii in April 2007 and has since been teaching everything from large classes to small groups to private, one on one sessions. As a classically trained opera singer and multi-instrumentalist, Karina likes to emphasize breath control and movement throughout the postures, providing stability for the physical body, voice, and emotions.
Karina has a bachelor's degree in social work, which taught her the meaning of being a true bhakti karma yogini - being completely devoted to the service of others. Karina's biggest passions are yoga, music, and helping others, and feels very blessed that she can combine all three in her daily life. In her free time, Karina likes to sing, play piano and French horn, cook, and cheer on the Chicago Cubs to a World Series win... sometime over the span of her life.
Teacher
Joy started yoga at her local gym in 2004. After a short introduction to Capoeria, she decided to dive deeper into a intense yoga practice. After her first hot yoga class in Oakville, she took a full 10 minute final savasana and became hooked ever since. She completed her Moksha Teacher Training in Kerala, India in March 2008. The experience became so embedded in her soul that she holds every moment and person she encounterd in her heart.
Joy graduated from York University in 2005 with a Bachelor of Arts Degree attaining a double major in Sociology and Communication Studies. The greatest teachers are always conscious they are first, foremost, and always students, learning to appreciate all the lessons each moment has to offer. Joy understands when one strays from the fundamentals, the ability to focus is the next to go . With that in light, she is always using mindful breath awareness, keeps an open mind and, more importantly, an open heart. She looks forward to teaching and learning; listening and loving. She hopes to one day grow into her full name; Josephine.
Teacher
Michelle discovered Moksha Yoga in May 2004 and was immediately drawn to the challenge and benefits of yoga in a hot room. Without a hot studio nearby, she continued to develop her practice at home in Waterloo and would attend Moksha classes whenever she visited Toronto.
Her desire to learn more about the body/mind/spirit connection has lead to different ventures over the past few years. Her interest in alternative healing therapies and modalities has been fed by reading countless books on these ancient beliefs and attending seminars on the Chakra System, Energy Fields and various Grounding Workshops. Over the fall and winter of 2007-2008 Michelle achieved her Reiki Level I & II as well as her Hot Stone Massage Certification. She later completed Anatomy & Physiology courses at the Canadian College of Massage and Hydrotherapy and enrolled in their 18 month RMT intensive program. Most recently, Michelle has returned from India where she spent five weeks completing the first portion of an 11 month Yoga Teacher Training Program. She strongly believes the knowledge she has gathered over the past few years has created a solid foundation to teach from and looks forward to the opportunities of growth that are yet to come.
In her time away from the studio, Michelle centers herself by spending time with her family, volunteering where needed, caring for her pets, laughing with friends, taking in live music, writing songs, playing the guitar and viewing the world through the lens of her camera. Look for her photograph "Carderos" hanging in the Moksha Yoga Waterloo studio - it is her first piece up for auction and all proceeds go to support the New Leaf Foundation.
Teacher
As an artist & graphic designer, Paris has found the original sense of art
rising out of her yoga practice. She was always someone on the go, from
school to work to the gym back to work again, and it hit her one day that
she needed something else in her life to help her stop and enjoy the
moment and so her yoga journey started. Soon after, the world of hot yoga
came into her life. She found that after each practice her stress was gone
and she could stop to breathe in the moment. Hot yoga became a passion in
her life and after two years of personal practice, she started thirsting for
deeper knowledge, which led her to the teacher training course in India in
March 2009.....what an amazing experience! It is through the practice of
yoga that has led Paris to a deeper appreciation of the balance of living
life.
Paris brings this love of yoga through in her teaching and hopes she can
help her students find the same balance in life.
Teacher
With an increased interest in consciousness and Eastern philosophy, Eric found yoga during a month-long experiment with his partner. They had dabbled in yoga over the past couple of years and decided to buy a pass at Moksha Yoga Waterloo. As a lifelong athlete and student (in Cognitive Psychology), Eric recognized the potential of yoga in supplementing his current weight training and meditation practice but was unaware of the immediacy of its effects on his physical, emotional and mental well-being. He has since come to develop a strong/flexible daily practice and is a certified Moksha Yoga Instructor (Toronto, 2009).
Moksha has helped Eric in developing a strong and balanced, more flexible body. More importantly, Moksha has guided him in recognizing his innate ability to remain in a calm and focused state, thus making more informed life choices. Yoga has aided Eric in his ability to return to a place of compassion and calmness when his mind gets caught up in the ‘pace’ of life. Eric has noticed these calming effects on the body/mind in many others with whom he has practiced. The Moksha series, with consistent practice, allows one to truly take care of oneself; thus, helping individuals to ultimately extend our care and warmth toward others.
Teacher
Eileen started her journey with yoga in 2003 after trying to find a new workout at her local gym. It wasn't until 2005 that she discovered her love for Moksha Yoga after taking her first class in Toronto. Since then she has made it her mission to spread the Moksha word to everyone she meets. With a background in physical sciences and currently a theater student with a passion for acting, yoga has given Eileen a method to marry her two interests together by focusing on breath and body alignment.
Realizing that yoga has helped her overcome the difficult moments in her life, by bringing her to a more relaxed mental and spiritual state, Eileen knew that she had to share the joys of yoga with more than just word of mouth. She knew that she wanted to be a teacher. She recently completed the Moksha Yoga teacher training in July 2009 and has loved every moment since. Eileen hopes to bring all that she can to the Waterloo Moksha community by offering a little bit of inspiration, a little bit of love, and lots of sweat!
Thai Yoga Practioner
Mary's past studies include ballet school, Tai Chi, certification to teach
aerobics and weight training with over 10 years practical experience and also
training as a fitness appraiser. To enhance her knowledge of the human body,
she studied human anatomy at University of Waterloo. In 1998, her interest
evolved to yoga and it's balanced, healthy philosophy of nurturing all aspects
of the self-body, mind and spirit with equal importance and attention. For 9
years Mary has been teaching yoga & meditation. Her yoga studies have
included a 2-year Yoga Teacher certification diploma from Sheridan College and
Ananda Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training certifications in California.
Other credentials include certifications in Kripalu Yoga Dance, Prenatal
Yoga and Laughter Yoga through Dr. Kataria's School of Laughter Yoga. Further
exploring & professional development, lead Mary to THAI YOGA MASSAGE in 2005
and has since received her 6 levels of practitioner training & Thai Yoga
Massage Teacher Training certifications from Montreal's internationally
respected Lotus Palm School.
Mary has since enjoyed offering her services to
help and guide others to enhance their lives through self-care and metta
(compassion.) She has also recorded two CD's to unwind the negative effects
of stress and change unhealthy patterns through relaxation and meditation
techniques.
Mary is a member of the Ontario Yoga Association, a Registered
Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance, a registered practitioner and teacher with
The Lotus Palm School of Thai Yoga Massage (www.lotuspalm.com) and a
registered member of the Natural Health Practitioners Association of Canada.
Teacher
There is an adage that seems to sum up Jess Lemon's journey so far: "When the student is ready, the teacher will appear." From her very first hot yoga experience at age18, yoga has helped her grapple with some of life's most pressing questions: "Who am I? What am I here to do?" These questions and the thirst for physical, intellectual, and spiritual engagement have led her to many great teachers. Jess is most grateful to her teachers Jessica Robertson and Ted Grand who have been her mentors, supporters and friends for over six years.
After completing the inaugural Moksha teacher training in 2004, Jess traveled to London, France, Trinidad, Halifax, and Las Vegas to teach and study, combining her passion for yoga and travel. Along with Moksha level 1 and 2 certification, Jess has also completed all three levels of the Baptiste Power Yoga training (level 1, assistant training, level 2) and has worked with David Robson and Judith Hansen Lasater in Ashtanga yoga and Restorative yoga respectively.
Jess' other deep love and life ambition is acting. She is based out of Toronto but travels frequently for adventure and teaching opportunities. She has an Honor's Bachelor's of Arts degree in French Language and Literature from the University of Toronto. And though her last name is Lemon she is actually pretty sweet.
|
