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Megan Armstrong is the former studio director/co-owner of Mountain Yoga. She has practiced Yoga for over ten years, studying with many wonderful teachers (including Yoga teacher training programs with both Tias Little and Sarah Powers). Megan's Yoga classes generally feature gentle flowing sequences, attention to alignment, and an appreciation for community and connection. In addition to her duties as a studio owner and a Yoga teacher, Megan is also a mother, an educator (masters degree in education, Harvard University), and a vocalist in a local rock & roll band. Baxter Bell, MD, has been studying Hatha yoga since 1994 and
teaching since 1999, both public classes and specialty back care
classes. He is a graduate of the Piedmont Yoga Studio's Advanced
Studies 2000 program, and has studied regularly with Rodney Yee,
Patricia Walden and Erich Schiffman. He teaches a nurturing style
of yoga, with a strong emphasis on re-awakening our innate curiosity
about ourselves and our world. Baxter offers periodic workshops
and retreats, with more info available on his website at www.bellyoga.info.
He also offers private yoga instruction, as well as incorporates
yoga asana and pranayama in his medical acupuncture practice. He
looks forward to welcoming you to one of his classes soon! Carolyn Brown's classes offer time-tested yoga practices that help us lead healthy, happy, effective lives in this intense Bay Area environment. Carolyn has been practicing yoga since 1989 and teaching since 2003. She has studied extensively in Anusara yoga with founder John Friend, Katchie Ananda, Sianna Sherman, Noah Mazé, Hanneli Francis and many other gifted teachers in this tradition. Carolyn's practice is also influenced by Iyengar method, vinyasa/flow, transformative dance and wilderness questing, as well as her experience with back/neck pain, scoliosis, office ergonomics and active sports. For more than 20 years, she has sought out and absorbed extremely potent teachers and teachings – in meditation, yoga philosophy and history, Sanskrit, movement, life – and she has road-tested and refined it all in the laboratory of her own body, breath and life. She believes firmly in the path of direct experience and encourages her students to follow their inner teacher first and foremost. Off the mat, she is active in the Green Yoga Association and is founder of Up2yoga, a year-round series of call-in workshops and courses about living the yoga path. Carolyn meets each person where he or she is, and helps them tap the enormous power of yoga – challenging themselves at their own pace and finding their own unique expression. Cheryl Fenner Brown is a 2004 Piedmont Yoga Studio Advanced Studies graduate and is current studying to become a Professional Yoga Therapist through Integrative Yoga Therapy. She teaches in the Hatha tradition with humor and compassion. After finding yoga as a way to ease the pain of scoliosis she has become enchanted by the subtle connections between the breath, body, mind, and emotions. Cheryl encourages her students to honor where they are in their bodies and helps injured students use their practice as a way to heal. Mary Corbin has been a student of yoga since 1989 when she began her exploration with Rodney Yee in the Iyengar tradition. Her teaching also reflects the influence of intensive studies with Sarah Powers, who instills the power of deep observation and listening; David Life and Sharon Gannon, who inspire us to truly live our yoga with deep commitment to the classical teachings of the eight-limb path; and John Friend, who encourages joyful practice and teaching from the heart. For several years, Mary has been a devoted practitioner of Ashtanga in the tradition of daily Mysore practice as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. Her classes weave together her passion for yoga, creative work as an artist, curiosity for new and challenging adventures, and deep connection to nature and its many wonders, into a fabric of compassionate, joyful presence. Drawing from the common threads of the Iyengar and Ashtanga traditions, classes emphasize proper alignment and breath awareness with sequences that challenge, promote balance and health, and invite exploration. Deeper inquiry into the philosophy of yoga is explored within the asana practice. Mary completed her teacher certification through the Yoga Studio Mill Valley. http://www.marycorbin.blogspot.com Ann Dyer Based in the B.K.S. Iyengar yoga tradition, Ann offers an intelligent approach to hatha yoga with an emphasis on the integration of mind, body and breath. She has studied extensively with Rodney Yee, among others, and has taught yoga for numerous years. A professional vocalist, Ms. Dyer offers workshops in Nada Brahma (the yoga of sound) and often includes the teaching of chants or a short performance of classical Indian song in her classes. http://www.anndyeryoga.com/ Antonia Fokken is a Certified Anusara-Inspired Yoga Teacher, who first discovered yoga and meditation in college. Her practice continues to develop a more holistic understanding through her work as an Art Therapist and a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. She has personally experienced the benefits of practicing yoga and meditation, and its therapeutic impact on body, mind, and spirit. Antonia completed a 200 hour Anusara Teacher Training Program at Yogakula with Noah Maze and Carlos Pomeda. She has continued her studies in a mentorship program with Abby Tucker. She enjoys teaching from the heart, with an emphasis on inner and outer alignment, and concentrates on using the breath to cultivate mindfulness and connection to ourselves and others. She helps to guide, support, and empower her students to build strength, balance, and flexibility from the inside out, through creative and playful exploration. Antonia’s goal is to bring together the fields of mind and body healing, and use the body as a vehicle for physical, spiritual, and psychological freedom. She has studied different forms of Somatic Healing, Bioenergetics, Reiki, Vipassana Meditation, and is a lover of art and nature, all of which compliment her teaching. She has tremendous gratitude for her teachers, mentors, leaders and guides, not limited to Noah Maze, Abby Tucker, John Friend, and Ammachi for modeling unbounded compassion and spiritual focus. Jennifer Graham came to Anusara Yoga seven years ago by way of her sister. She found the Anusara principles of alignment dramatically deepened her practice, while the life-affirming vision hat all “students of all levels of ability and yoga experience are honored for their unique differences, limitations, and talents” truly resonated with her. In fact this same attitude spills over into her teachings, finding a balance between knowing how to challenge students without forgetting who they are. Jennifer has been teaching in the Anusara style for five years throughout New Jersey and has now brought her uplifting and inspiring teaching style to the Bay Area. Sara Kenward is the former Managing Director at Mountain Yoga. She began regularly practicing Yoga in 2003 when she began working at the studio. Sara's main teachers have been Mountain Yoga's own Anja Borgstrom and Ann Dyer in particular, but she feels fortunate to have learned and practiced with many of the talented teacher on staff. She is a graduate of the 2009 Piedmont Yoga Studio 200 hour Advanced Training program. Sara's classes tend to be a mix of fun, focus, breath awareness and poses practiced with a mindful approach to alignment. Sharon Olson Completing the PYS Advanced Training in 2007 and a 2009 Yoga Therapy program formalized Sharon’s 30 years of yoga sampling and study. A naturally flexible body learned its strengths and weakness; the mind learned acceptance and celebration of both while the spirit learned discipline and ease. The path led to deeply rewarding relationships with mentor teachers, Baxter Bell, JoAnn Lyons and Cheryl Fenner Brown reaching students of limited mobility and chronic illness. The mystery of the breath, body and mind inspire her to share her training and intuition to connect others to their own strength, power and joy. Bringing gentle loving kindness to our bodies and minds through restorative asana, meditation, practice and laughter can change the world. Sarah Pascual started practicing yoga seven years ago and immediately fell in love with the mind/body connection. Sarah received certification in traditional Hatha yoga and Vinyasa/flow from master teacher Jolie Cash and has taken a chakra Vinyasa flow series from Shiva Rae. She is currently continuing training in restorative yoga. Highly inspired by master teacher Jolie Cash, Sarah creates a safe and supported space where students can let go and receive the pose, rather than working hard for it. Sarah believes using the power of breath to open tight places and move through the discomfort presents the possibility for each of us to transform our way of living, both on and off "the mat" – that is, living life with a spirit of awareness, grace, and ease. She is also a certified massage therapist (World School of Holistic Healing and Massage). Katie Silcox was lucky enough to be taught in the home of famed yogis A.G. and Indra Mohan, authors of Yoga for Body Breath and Mind, and two of Krishnamacharya's last students. She is also a dedicated student of Yogarupa Rod Stryker, and is currently pursuing a Master's degree in Health Arts and Sciences with a focus on Yoga Psychology as Applied to Women's Issues. Katie has also published articles for Jivamukti Yoga (www.jivamuktiyoga.com) and Women of Grace and Power (www.womenofgraceandpower.com) Her yoga style is called Yoga Bhavana, and is a combination of flowing vinyasa asana, Ayurvedic philosophy, guided meditation, visualization and pranayama. Katie's teaching encourages students to be mindful of the goal of yoga, and in keeping the cultivation of intention (Bhavana) behind the asana (yoga poses). Visit her website at www.yogabhavana.blogspot.com for more info. Kathren Murrell Stevenson, Ph.D.,has been studying yoga since 1994 and teaching since 1999. She completed teacher training courses in Ana Hatha yoga with Satya Marga (2001) and Tantra-Flow yoga with Diego del Sol (2006). Her teaching style has also been influenced by the work of Thomas Michael Fortel, Shiva Rea, and Sara Powers. Kathren’s classes are designed to help you to sustain higher levels of energy throughout the day and create a greater sense of balance and overall awareness in your everyday life. The breath is used as a point of concentration and is woven through all asanas in this varied energetic practice- a playful celebration on the path to healing and transformation in the body. In addition to sharing yoga classes, Kathren offers Breema®-style bodywork to her students and conducts research in the field of Conservation Plant Ecology, aiming to preserve and restore the natural plant communities of California. Andrew Thomas has had extensive training in the Anusara tradition and is currently pursuing dedicated Para Yoga teacher status with Yogarupa Rod Stryker (www.parayoga.com). He is also studying Ayurvedic medicine at the California College of Ayurveda in Grass Valley (www.ayurvedacollege.com) with Dr. Marc Halpern and Mary Thompson. Through the wisdom of Tantra, Ayurveda, and the Yoga Sutras, Andrew creates yoga classes that touch students on a physical, mental, emotional, energetic and spiritual level. His yoga teaching is based in the 5000+ year old Himalayan tradition that includes the lineage of master teachers such as Swami Rama, Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, and Bengali Baba. The intention of his teaching is to share with students the tools that have helped him find stability in the midst of change. Although his class can be quite physically challenging, Andrew works to guide the energy of the student so that they can reconnect with the stillness inside their heart. Domonick Wegesin comes to the East Bay via New York City, where he lived for many years. Domonick is another exceptionally gifted person with wide- ranging experience in many fields. A born teacher, Domonick has taught yoga to adults and children, ballroom dancing, mindfulness training, and performance, and he has a PhD in Developmental Psychology from Columbia University. He trained with John Kabat Zinn in Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction, and received his yoga teacher and massage training in Thailand. Domonick teaches from his life experience, taking advantage of his extensive knowledge of science, meditation, massage, human anatomy, dance and yoga, integrating these diverse areas of expertise in a class that encourages students to dive deeply into their own experience of yoga. For information about Domonick, please visit his website: theopener.com.
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