Susan has been practicing yoga her whole life. Her love of asana practice blossomed in her twenties as she finished her business degree at Simon Fraser University. Susan’s passion for movement and her quest for self-inquiry fueled her desire to open Unity Yoga in the summer of 2006. As a socially conscious Entrepreneur, her vision is to provide an inclusive space for healing and connection where everyone has a name and voice.

Exploring many styles of yoga on her journey, Susan has been influenced by a variety of excellent teachers and traditions. She received her initial 200 hour training at Vancouver’s Flow Yoga in 2006, and continues to learn and expand her practice through study, workshops and hands-on experience. Her classes are a fusion of the flowing grace of Ashtanga Vinyasa, the alignment principles of Anusara, the gentle pace of Hatha yoga, and the wisdom of traditional yoga philosophy. Susan enjoys working with students at every level of practice, and strives to make yoga accessible to those who need it most.

Susan has a special interest in the esoteric and is a student of Flying star Feng Shui and Qi Gong. She offers astrology readings in Four Pillars (Bazi) Chinese Astrology and Tarot, studies the I-Ching, and enjoys delving into the deep philosophies of the East.

Kyira is the Executive Director of Yoga Outreach. She has been teaching yoga in Vancouver since 1999 and is presently in training with Noah Levine to become an authorized meditation teacher in the Theravaden Buddhist lineage of Ajahn Chah.

As a yoga teacher and certified yoga therapist, Kyira shares the knowledge and insight from her decades of personal practice and her studies of yoga, Buddhism, Sanskrit and Ayurveda. By blending this with an understanding of contemporary science and an irreverent sense of humour she leads classes which are grounded equally in ancient teachings, modern understanding and present moment awareness. She aspires to offer the tools, techniques and opportunities for students to experience safety, freedom and truth for themselves.

Momoko Suzuki Powles has been teaching yoga for 28 years — 11 years in Japan and 17 years in Canada. She was one of the first graduates of Prana Yoga College in Vancouver, and has studied Zen-mediation and oriental medicine in Japan. She teaches yoga in English and Japanese and has published five DVD publications in Japan, most recently “One Pose Yoga” in 2008.

While her approach is deeply spiritual and traditional, she believes yoga has no boundaries of age, gender or physical ability. Momoko’s classes are gentle, inclusive, and focus on breath and enjoyment, while relaxing and soothing the body and mind.

I have been enjoying my yoga practice for over a decade and have sought teachers worldwide to train with, in Europe, New York, Chicago, Thailand and here in Vancouver and still my journey is only beginning. I teach everything from Hatha, Jivamukti, flow and power through to kids, families and prenatal because I firmly believe that it is never too early or late to start your practice.

In Jivamukti (liberated soul), a style influenced by Ashtanga, we believe in finding joy and happiness while we are living and not waiting until we die. We can achieve anything we wish by these powers; power of cooperation, power of love, power of friendliness, power of meditation, power of silence and fearlessness and this is what I bring to my classes. Whether it is a hatha class or a power class we come to our mats united in our ability to change our lives, those around us and the planet we share. In the words of Yogi Bhajan…if you want to master something, teach it. I have found my calling, let me help you find yours as we connect mind, body and spirit.

"The best way to uplift your own life is to do all you can to uplift the lives of others." -Sharon Gannon

www.littletreeyoga.com Yoga for the whole family

A peer-led community of freaks, geeks, queers, rebels, outcasts, stream-enterers and their friends, who meditate together in the Buddhist tradition.

"A Sangha is a community of resistance, resisting the speed, violence and unwholesome ways of living that are prevalent in our society. Mindfulness is to protect ourselves and others. A good Sangha will lead us in the direction of harmony and awareness. The substance of the practice is most important. The forms can be adapted."

~ Thich Nhat Hahn

Cyndi was trained in the classical Hatha style with Shakti Mhi and Prana Yoga College in Jan 2008. While relatively new to teaching yoga, she has been a Recreation Therapist for 15 years and now combines a strong background in teaching various leisure and recreation skills with her love of yoga. During class she emphasizes safety and using the breath to work with and beyond our limitations. She has an irreverent sense of humour which often weaves its way into her classes. In trying not to succumb to the pressure of the Western mind to provide a kick-asana work-out, Cyndi strives to respect the spiritual traditions of practice. She wants to provide a class that feels like a nice cup of tea, a warm hug and your favourite pair of slippers on a cold rainy winter day. Hopefully you will leave her classes feeling both relaxed and energized at the same time.

"Let the beauty we love be what we do. There are hundreds of ways to kneel and kiss the ground" -- Rumi

Melissa graduated from Prana Yoga Teacher College and is a certified Hatha & Prenatal Yoga Teacher. Her classes incorporate breath and movement to encourage mind and body awareness. After experiencing the benefits of Prenatal Yoga with her natural water birth at home, she is inspired to empower other pregnant women to trust their body's intuition.

A professional ballet dancer for 15 years and practicing yoga since 1997; Melissa has danced with the National Ballet of Canada, Dance Theatre of Harlem, Ballet BC, as well as many companies in New York. She discovered her regular yoga practice helped strengthen both her body & mind for a career as a ballet dancer. www.melissarodrigues.com

With her encouraging and positive personality Sarah Crawford Russell believes that yoga has the ability to change your life - one breath at a time. In 2008 Sarah completed her 200 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, an experience that "changed her life" as she began to see yoga not just as a physical practice but as a way of life. That same year she also finished her

degree in Contemporary Dance at Simon Fraser University. Most recently Sarah had the amazing opportunity to study in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico with Michael Gannon. During this 200 hour Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Apprenticeship Sarah experienced a remarkable transformation within her own mind and body through which she hopes to inspire others on their journey both on and off the mat.

www.sarahsunshineyoga.com

Danielle Hoogenboom is the founder of Love Light Yoga and praises the art of yoga as the origins of her physical healing and the source of her spiritual activism. She is certified in Hatha, Yin and Prenatal Yoga. Danielle strives to share the beauty of Yin Yoga that guides us towards restoring the balance in your own lives through personal awareness and devotion to inner freedom from our habits and repetitive nature of our holding patterns. Learning to approach our bodies and minds creatively, passionately and mindfully is our greatest challenge but offers the deepest truths that reconnect to our spirits.

“My teaching is a creative expression of my life and artistic practice. I offer a fusion of studies and experiences to support people in finding their radiance: to create space that allows your love light to shine bright. Yoga is love in action and a powerful tool for personal and global change”

Danielle leads classes, workshops and woman's circles in Vancouver and continues to exhibit her artwork locally and internationally. She has recently completed Off the Mat Into the World's Yoga, Action and Purpose Leadership Training and and is taking part in their Global Seva Challenge for Haiti with a fund raising goal of $20,000 to support HIV/AIDS work. For more on that see http://www.leadwithlove.ca

http://www.lovelightyoga.com/

Charlotte Herst completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training with the Vancouver School of Bodywork and Massage, and is continuing her training in the Anusara method. Her classes celebrate yoga, the community, and our planet! She encourages her students to explore the goodness within, and nurture contentment, strength and space in the body and mind. Her background is in theatre, music, and invertebrate biology, and she has an intimate knowledge of the bodily ailments inherent with clerical work. Charlotte sings with the Vancouver Cantata Singers, and believes that yoga and song can make the frowniest frowner into a happy, healthy duck!

Tat tvam asi! You are that. Because we're all stardust; our bodies pint-sized solar systems.

In 2006, Emily was inspired by her history of competitive figure skating & dance, to explore a new form of movement: yoga. Her journey began in LA, where she studied at various studios, including Bikrams Yoga College of India, and Brian Kest's Power Yoga. Since then, yoga has taken her to India to study Anusara Yoga, with Christina Sell, to practice amongst the locals in Thailand, and to Vancouver, to grow with local teachers and students.

After a debilitating ACL and meniscus tear, Emily discovered the healing side of yoga. She attributes the reattachment of her ACL ( a 5% chance of happening), to months of visualization, meditation, and asana.

In 2009, Emily completed the three Anusara Immersions, and went on to do her 200hr teacher training with Chris Chavez.

Emily draws from her many varied experiences, and takes the best from each to inspire and guide others in their journey! With a heart felt and authentic voice, Emily reminds her students that yoga lets you feel again, allowing for a deeper connection to this life!!!

Please contact us for more information about this class: 604.708.8369 or email us at Info@UnityYoga.ca.

Sidria's work has been centered around natural health and healing for the last 15 years. During this time Yoga has been a great companion on her path of self inquiry. She received her Yoga teacher training in 2010 at Prana Yoga College with Shakti Mhi. Sidria is currently studying Biodynamic Cranial Sacral therapy and weaves those teachings into her classes, especially Restorative Yoga. Sidria has also been a part of various arts and social justice collectives, striving for healing at the community level. She holds a strong belief that each of us has the wisdom and skill to heal ourselves, and that Yoga is a way to open ourselves up to the innate healing ability within.

Andrea St.Jules (also known as Jules or Nambir Kaur) has been practicing various styles of yoga for the past 9 years. She did her 200 hour Holistic Hatha (Akhanda) Yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India with Yogi Vishvketu of the World Conscious Yoga Family, and her KRI Kundalini Yoga teacher training at Golden Bridge in Los Angeles with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa.

Andrea experienced a deeply profound awakening when she discovered the ancient technology of Kundalini Yoga (as taught by Yogi Bhajan). She has now found her passion in guiding others to connect with their own divine essence, to heal themselves, and to realize their own highest potential through the transformational power of Kundalini yoga.

Within her classes, Andrea aims to inspire and encourage students to connect deeply with their hearts, and tune into their own inner teacher, or Guru. Her classes are challenging and uplifting, yet within the challenge create and offer space for stillness, gentle inquiry and joyful presence.

An exploration of healing and movement arts led me to begin practicing yoga nine years ago. In my experience, yoga has been a profoundly transformative and powerful healing practice. I encourage self-inquiry, mindfulness, and curiosity to support each person to find an authentic connection to their body through their yoga practice. My teaching is informed by hatha yoga, somatic principles, Qi Gong, tensegrity, and this beautiful planet.

I am honoured to have studied yoga with dedicated and inspiring teachers. I continue to expand my practice and teaching through ongoing training and workshops, currently with The Yoga Wheel in Vancouver. I completed my initial 200-hour teacher training with Rizze Yoga in Vancouver and am certified in Kids Yoga. I am grateful to be able to share the positive benefits of yoga with others in my community.

Elizabeth loves to move!!! Her practice started with Ashtanga yoga but has grown to incorporate numerous other styles and her classes integrate all of them into a cohesive mixture that nurtures physical and spiritual strength, relaxation and balance. Elizabeth studies under such inspirational teachers as Clara Roberts-Oss, Shiva Rea, Chris Chavez and Noah Mazé. She credits her mentors and teachers for her shift away from the rigid structure of the Ashtanga series and towards the more creative styles of Hatha and Vinyasa styles of yoga. With certifications in both Yin and Hatha and her extensive study of creative Vinyasa sequencing with Shiva Rea and Clara Roberts-Oss, Elizabeth’s classes are a flowing blend of breath, energy and light – she challenges those around her to be honest, genuine and balanced in both their lives and their yoga practice.

Yoga chose me. It came in little heart beats over the first years of my twenties, showing me glimpses of the magnification that was to come of my life. It was my first love of mind, body, and spirit connection. I had never felt so vulnerable, compassionate internally, and loving of my surroundings. Its funny how love will not come to you until you are ready, even if you know what it looks like. And so 3 years later I immersed myself into the community and found a calling for expression. My roots began to grow under the lessons of Shakti mhi (Owner of Prana Yoga College) in 2010, she taught me about life, about self inquisition, and how this process is learned with mindful movement and gentle care of the body. When I work with others I feel high, the kind of high I first felt through asana, the one I want to share with you. Not just the high of bodily expansion, or mental gratification, but the high of riding yourself through your internal universe. Here in all its intricacies, we move past the limits of time and space, to find our trust in the greater roles we play, to be beautiful beings with and in a beautiful world.

Kevin was first introduced to the practice of yoga when a friend came to visit while he was living in the Caribbean. He immediately loved it and noticed the connection to his body and the increased clarity to his mind. Kevin truly believes that this ancient practice is for everyone.

Kevin continued to practice yoga informally and became more engaged in the teachings. He decided to formalize his training and travelled to India in early 2011 to pursue his teacher training at the Sivananda School. He received his certification in Classical Hatha Yoga. Since then, he has also completed his Vinyasa training and certification with Ryan Leir as well as several workshops to further his training.

Kevin teaches predominantly Hatha and Vinyasa flow classes set to positive island vibes. His classes are both creative and challenging. Learn the roots of this most ancient practice as Kevin weaves in Indian Vedic Philosophy into every class. Move with him and ignite the Prana energy through the body and find stillness and oneness in each pose.

Kevin finishes each class with some Yoga Nidra that will leave you feeling bliss as you float your way home.

Kevin truly feels blessed and thankful for yoga and has so much love for his ever-inspiring teachers.