Winter 2016 Contributors
Violet Pasztor Wilson, CEO, Canadian Yoga Alliance. See Roots of the Canadian Yoga Alliance.
Yves Panneton
Defining Yoga & Cannabis and Meditation Yves Panneton is a CYA-RYT Gold member of the Canadian Yoga Alliance. He was introduced to yoga at the age of 5 years when his parents went on a yoga vacation in Val Morin, Quebec where Swami Vishnu-Devananda had established his ashram. Yves has over 30 years of experience in the practice of yoga. Over the years, he completed his Teacher Training Course, Advance Teacher Training Course and took the Sadhana Intensive during which time he practiced under the watchful eye of a guru trained by Swami Vishnu-Devananda. Samantha Howick
Move from Within Samantha was born in Montreal and now lives in Lebanon. She holds yoga workshops and classes internationally. She began practicing yoga and meditation in her late teens and has been teaching since 2000. She is an avid practitioner who respects the core technique of the Krisnamarcharya lineage. Her study is one rooted deeply in traditional yogic teachings while being true to many streams of influence, which have deepened her experience of yoga. Tantra, Kundalini, Bhakti, Tao Shiatsu and Shamanic healing arts—many gurus of the past and present shine light along her path. A student of both Eastern and Western philosophy, she incorporates various traditions into her classes while always being true to traditional wisdom. From the scriptures to the yoga mat, Samantha’s creativity and sense of joy can be seen reflected in her training and teaching. A mother of four young children, the candles of awareness, balance, harmony, intuition, acceptance and freedom light her journey… In her teaching she strongly relies on her own practice, intuition, philosophy and spirituality as influences. She intuitively fuses her knowledge of the past to innovatively and spontaneously illuminate her present. Alongside yoga, she holds a B.F.A. in Fine Arts, from France, and works as a painter and sculptor. This artistic ability is part of what makes her workshops and classes unique. She is an innovator. Her works such as Chakra Cleanse, Yoga Nidra, Tibetan Tantra, Gong Bath are some of her many ideas which are being widely used and adapted for their healing and transformative abilities. She is a co-founder of One Yoga Academy (formerly Shiva Shakti Yoga Academy), a comprehensive yoga teacher training program, providing internationally recognized certification—the first of its kind in Lebanon. Training is available in Montreal, U.K. & Lebanon. Jason Loutitt
The Greatest Distance Jason is an elite ultra marathoner, personal trainer, Pilates instructor, yoga teacher, run coach, poet and artist based on the West Coast. During his development as an ultra runner, Jason was supported by various Vancouver and Sea to Sky yoga studios and credits many benefits and achievements to combining both activities to become an overall better athlete. Having been 2nd in the BMO Vancouver Marathon and a Silver Medalist at a world ultra trail running championship, Jason embraces a bright day with an ultimate aim of cherishing the process as much as reflection on any achievement. www.runningthroughmountains.com Mona Warner
Yoga and the Heart Mind Connection - Ayurveda Style Mona Warner, ERYT500, CYA-E-RYT500 and Ayurvedic Health Counsellor Mona is the founder and owner of Janati Yoga School in Kingston, ON. She is a Registered Yoga Teacher with the Yoga Alliance and Canadian Yoga Alliance as well as an Ayurvedic Health Consultant. Passionate about providing people with the tools they need to take ownership of their health and wellness, she encourages her students and clients to tap into their own potential and take conscious steps toward their self-care and healing. www.janatiyoga.com (613) 507.5550 Vicki Bashista
A Kindergarten to Grade 4 Perspective on the Heart-Mind Connection Vicki first came to the mat 10 years ago with a group of friends who were looking for an alternative to traditional workouts. She immediately fell in love with the non-competitive and inward nature of the practice. Since then, yoga and Pilates have become central to her life, always changing, evolving and constantly bringing challenges and growth. Vicki encourages and guides others to listen to their bodies and to find self-acceptance through the links between the body, mind and spirit. She holds certifications in yoga, Pilates, reflexology, Reiki, crystal healing and hot stone massage. She looks forward to sharing with students the joy and harmony that yoga, Pilates and bodywork can bring. A caring, patient teacher, Vicki offers classes in a safe, nurturing environment aiming to reduce stress and anxiety and increase physical and mental well-being. Vicki considers herself a student of yoga and Pilates as well as a teacher. She continues to seek new inspiration by attending courses and workshops. Vicki offers classes and workshops for yoga, Pilates and bodywork in a variety of settings: private, small groups, small businesses, independent / public schools. She teaches Hatha, Hatha Flow, Yogilates, Relaxation Yoga, Pilates and Yin, and she specializes in children’s yoga and meditation. Sanjana Yoga and Wellness 250-882-2325 https://www.facebook.com/SanjanaYogaAndWellness Heidi Joffe
Erase the Ego Heidi Joffe (M.Ed.,A.T.) lives in West Vancouver with her two children and two Norwich terriers. With a background as a drama teacher, a yoga instructor, art therapist and textile artist, she investigates the wonder and boundless potential of our perceptions and manifestations. Jennifer Farrell
Beautiful People Do Not Just Happen Jennifer is a passionate, caring, and outgoing 28-year old that has been stuck at the bottom of a mountain, but ended up happier than ever on the other side. Through battling an eating disorder, depression, and a few other obstacles, she has found healing, health, and happiness through therapy, meditation, and yoga. Jennifer has also found comfort in sharing her story, with hopes it will help others rebuild their lives and have faith to move forward and follow their dreams into their future. |
Joanne Preece, Editor, Candian Yogi. See Editors
Elizabeth Martin
Yoga and the Upward Spiral of HealthYoga and the Upward Spiral Elizabeth is a natural teacher and leader and through teaching yoga has found her place of balance both on the mat and in her heart. She lives on Vancouver Island, BC running her dream business, Amethyst Healing Retreat. Here she works part-time, as part of her professional team, as a BC Registered Massage Therapist, Chartered Herbalist, Registered Yoga Teacher and Doula catering to families in the community. At age 19 she began taking yoga classes, and her love of yoga grew until, in 2005, she began to expand as a teacher. Her first training was at Yandara Yoga School in Baja, Mexico in 2005. She lived in Hawai’i in 2006 at Kalani Yoga Retreat doing karma yoga. Here she took The Yoga Intensive and deepened her skills. She now often assists at Herizen Yoga for Women, teaching the anatomy and prenatal portions of the Yoga Teacher Trainings in Baja and on Vancouver Island. Elizabeth is mostly focusing on her family life, incorporating all of yoga's thoughts, words and teachings into the daily practice of motherhood. She is happily dedicated to sharing what she knows and learns an incredible amount through teaching. Her classes, massages and workshops are extremely positive, so be ready to smile all day after! www.amethysthealingretreat.com Marianne Turner
Light on Heart Mind... & Sin to Yin Marianne Turner, CYA-RYT 200 Marianne's journey into yoga began in 2000, when she found a regular Ashtanga practice to compliment her athletic lifestyle. Having a background in modern dance and ballet, yoga also assisted to improve her flexibility and allow her to continue to experience the freedom of creative expression through movement. She easily connected to the benefits of her physical practice, but it wasn't until she moved to California and began practicing under the influence of many passionate and experienced teachers that she realized the meaning and transformative power of yoga. Ever immersed and seeking in her lifelong passions for truth, philosophy, healing and identity, Marianne fell in love with yoga whole-heartedly. Being of mixed race and adopted as an infant, Marianne struggled with the limiting effects of fear, anxiety and major depressive disorder throughout her life. From despair to hope, yoga is the only path that truly helps to tame her mind and open her heart, allowing for deeper relationships and courageous living. With passion and respect for alignment and tradition, Marianne strives to make every class a unique and heartfelt experience. She holds a calm presence and serene space to inspire others to live an authentic life beyond the mat. Marianne is grateful for the guidance and wisdom of her students and teachers who continue to enlighten her way. Charlene Jones
Emotions and Practice Charlene Jones has meditated regularly for over five decades. She teaches meditation at Stouffville Yoga Life in Stouffville, Ontario where she also leads workshops designed to help others come to connect with their emotions. She believes emotional energy charges our bodies, spirits and souls and is the key to living a dynamic and healthy life. www.soulsciences.net [email protected] Yogacharya Dr.Binod Baral, MD, PhD, CIC, CHE
Yoga-Meditation-Pranayama-Samadhi Dr. Binod is a medical doctor with M.D. and Ph.D. degrees. After being trained in Hatha yoga by swami Shree Krishna Shaharsha Buddhe of Bombay, in his early student period, he achieved the highest level of spirituality. While in Europe, he was invited by Dr. Narayan Dutta Shrimali (https://nikhileshwaranand.wordpress.com/tag/swami-nikhileshwaranand-ji-maharaj) to his Ashram in Pitampura, Delhi. In 1997, he was blessed by Shrimaliji with Shaktipaat and much other secret Tantric knowledge. Yogacharya Dr. Binod has attained success— so called "Siddhi"in 2 pairs of Sadhanas and is the only disciple of Shrimaliji to represent Swami Nikhileshwaranand Ji Maharaj in North America at the present time. In his “Healing Yoga” teaching, Yogacharya Dr. Binod applies the secret knowledge of Kriya Yoga, Pranayamas, Mudras, Meditation and Tantra to strengthen the overall power of the body to resist infection. Some of his major successes are in the control and treatment of migraine, diabetes, high blood pressure, anxiety, anger control and enlightenment. When asked how it is possible for him to help people, he says, " I use complex methods combined from different parts of Esotericism. Simply speaking, a ball with cosmic energy is formed from the space and is directed to the sick organ, mentally, through the various breathing techniques (Pryanayamas) and yogic poses”. April Bellington
Community and Personal Growth April has been studying yoga for many years and completed teacher training this past July, achieving her RYT-200. She is certified as Usui Reiki Master Teacher, Karuna Reiki Artist and loves to be a Crossfit Challenger. She also volunteers with Eden for Change, a local food bank in her Mississauga community. This food bank brings fresh foods and produce to low-income families and hosts instructional cooking to teach people how to utilize the foods they have to make nutritious meals. This is a cause dear to her heart. [email protected] www.facebook.com/thedivinekeytothe3rd Gopala Amir Yaffa
14 Effective Meditations for Young Children Gopala has been connecting people through yoga for over 22 years now. His unique style of interactive social yoga has won the hearts of thousands of people all around the world. Gopala have trained over 12,000 yoga teachers through his Rainbow Kids Yoga, Rainbow Partner & Community Yoga and 200/300 hour Yoga Specialty Teacher Trainings. Gopala is passionate about creating beautiful shapes while doing group yoga together in a circle, and is always endeavoring to create new ways to bring people closer together in body, mind and spirit through yoga. www.rainbowyogatraining.com [email protected] |