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Santa Barbara Yoga Center Instructors
Click Here for our Live Schedule
All Santa Barbara Yoga Center instructors, unless stated otherwise, offer private yoga instruction upon request. Please call the Santa Barbara Yoga Center at 805.965.6045.

Leigh Aschoff
LEIGH ASCHOFF
Leigh holds deep respect & awe for the invitation & conversation of yoga as well as the immense empowerment & freedom a devoted practice can offer. She believes in the purifying, transforming & liberating aspects of devotion & encourages students to align with their own truth & desire. In her classes, she leads students to practice from inside out, & to celebrate their ability to create & experience expansion, self discovery, challenge, growth, affirmation, joy, creativity & freedom.

She completed her Anusara teacher training with Sianna Sherman in 2011 & is a humble, enthusiastic student of Shri Vidya (auspicious wisdom) through Douglas Brooks & Rajanaka Yoga. Leigh is a multimedia artist specializing in photography, music & yoga. She loves nature, conversation, silence, plants & animals. Leigh has a BA in photography, with honours, & an MS in Neuroscience & Education.

Website: www.omayari.org
Facebook: Auspicious Asana
Therapeutic/Restorative Yoga:
Sat. 4:30-6:00pm

Renew your energy. Rest, breathe & be. Learn to heal yourself. A class designed for deep release, expansion & freedom. Sequences designed to open & heal the body, soul and mind. Work with your breath & awareness to create a radical shift in your being.

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Meredith
MEREDITH BROCKREIDE
Growing up as a dancer, Meredith studied jazz, ballet, contemporary, tap, hip hop and Irish dance. After receiving a BA in History from the University of California, Santa Cruz, she found yoga and was immediately drawn to the emphasis on mind-body connection. From a consistent yoga practice Meredith found a deep sense of physical and emotional stability and strength. She is passionate about guiding students to find greater ease in their bodies and joy in their daily lives.

Meredith's background in dance and interest in Pilates and other movement modalities informs her teaching, lending an inherent grace to intelligently sequenced classes that are focused on healthy alignment. Meredith completed her training at the White Lotus Foundation with Ganga White, Tracey Rich and Sven Holcombe. She is also a certified Therapeutic Yoga teacher, having trained with Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal. She enjoys practicing different styles of yoga and draws from various traditions to offer breath-centered classes that are nurturing, creative and deep. Meredith aims to create a safe and welcoming space for students to explore asana and come into balance in body, mind, and spirit.
Open/All Levels,
Flow & Release :
Tue & Thurs 8:00-9:30pm

A warming, balancing vinyasa flow leads students deep into calming therapeutic and restorative postures. Appropriate for all levels.

   
Dynamic Flow:
Sun 10:00-11:25am
Focusing on breath, healthy alignment and core connection, this strong flow offers the opportunity to play with more advanced postures in a safe and supported space. Students are encouraged to modify as needed.
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Leigh Aschoff
CHERI CLAMPETT
Cheri Clampett, E-RYT 500 is founder and director of the Therapeutic Yoga Training Program and co-author of the Therapeutic Yoga Kit. Cheri has co-led the Integrative Yoga Therapy Teacher Trainings and has presented her special style of Therapeutic Yoga at the White Lotus Foundation Teacher Training, Southwest Yoga Conference, Integral Yoga Institute, Himalayan Institute, Beth Israel Medical Center, and the Rusk Institute at NYU Medical Center. Cheri also teaches at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara, and leads our Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training course. As a certified Yoga Therapist, Cheri focuses on the healing aspects of yoga; freeing the body, breath and flow of energy through practicing with awareness and love.

For further information, please visit www.therapeuticyoga.com.
Therapeutic Yoga
Teacher Training

 

   
Ongoing Workshops  
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Leigh Aschoff KAT CONNORS-LONGO
Kat's great JOY is to invite her students to live more fully in their bodies and in their lives; cultivating a connection to their unique inner wisdom. She is deeply committed to enhancing the lives of her students through a mindful, dynamic approach to yoga, integrating mind, body and spirit. Kat has been practicing Hatha yoga since 1992, teaching since July 1999 and is a Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher E-RYT 500 since January 2007 with over 15,000 hours of teaching experience. She was first inspired to teach by Ana Forrest, who imparted the fundamentals of Forrest Yoga - encouraging honesty, integrity, strength, embodiment of spirit and the healing process.

Kat has completed teacher training's with Ana Forrest, Donna Farhi, Judith Lasater, Cheri Clampett, Sarah Powers, Erich Schifmann and Lisa Walford. In addition to teaching at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center, she also conducts therapeutic yoga classes at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara with Sansum Clinic. Kat is devoted to an evolutionary path of self discovery and personal self growth that includes Yoga, Reiki (healing touch), The Hoffman Process and working with a Life coach. For more information about Kat, Please visit her website at www.KatConnors-Longo.com.

Kat's class style: Kat provides a safe, compassionate and inviting environment. Her emphasis is on breath, alignment, strength, rejuvenation and connection to dynamic internal stillness. Students create a connection to their core and build a strong foundation to deepen their yoga practice. Each student's individual needs are addressed, which allows them to heal both physical and emotional injuries while creating space to deepen a relationship with their authentic selves.
Level 1:
Tues & Thurs, 6:30-7:55pm

 

   
Level 1/2:
Sun, 10:30-11:55am
 
   
Back Care Yoga:
Wed 10:30-11:55am
Sun 4:30-5:55pm
 
   
Intro to Yoga, Workshops &
Teacher Training Modules
 
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Leigh Aschoff
MELANEE COOPER
Melanee is a certified 500 RYT yoga and meditation instructor. Practicing yoga since the late 90's, her journey down
the yoga path began when she met her guru Ruzicka Weisen, a disciple of Iyengar and of the Kripalu Ashram, with whom she studied for seven years. Melanee received her certification from the Nosara Institute in Costa Rica, lead by Amba and Don Stapleton, PhD.

As a yoga instructor, Melanee's intention is to create a safe space and inspire her students by weaving a tapestry of breath awareness, meditation, alignment and creative asana in addition to yoga and Buddhist philosophy. By using yoga as an inquiry, she helps her students develop the ability to strengthen and transform the body, mind and spirit for a more balanced state of being. Melanee has over 1,500 hours of yoga trainings and workshops with master teachers including: Erich Schiffman, Aadhil Palkavala, Gary Kraftsow, Sianna Sherman, Sean Corne, Gabriel Halpern and more.

A passionate student, Melanee has trained in many yoga styles including Hatha, Vinyasa, Iyengar, Anusura, Restorative and Pre-natal. She is immensely grateful to all of the teachers she has studied with throughout the journey. Seva has also been an important part of Melanee's life practice. She has volunteered in India, Africa and China teaching children English and yoga. She has taught yoga at Children's Memorial Hospital and Sara's Homeless Shelter in Chicago and looks forward to more service in the Santa Barbara community. One of her highlights of her volunteer work was meeting the Dalai Lama while helping organize his visit to Chicago in 2011.

Melanee was a former gallery owner in the contemporary art world in downtown Chicago. After two decades, she decided to transform her gallery into a yoga studio, called Yogahouse. Melanee later received her certification as a holistic health coach from the Institute of Integrative Nutrition. Find out more about private yoga and health coaching sessions at Healthyzen.com.
Mindful Yoga/Level 1-2:
Wed 10:30-11:55am

 

   
Mindful Hatha/Vinyasa:
Fri 9:00-10:25am
 
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ROMI CUMES
Romi is deeply committed to spiritual transformation, and creates a nurturing space for her students to get in touch with innate body wisdom. She is the founder of Transformative Healing Arts, which offers professional yoga instruction, therapeutic bodywork, yoga/movement workshops, performance art, and international retreats. Romi's style is eclectic and creative. She weaves therapeutic yoga and strength-building sequences, with movement and somatic healing modalities. Each class is unique and draws from a mix of Hatha Yoga styles. She has been influenced by: Ashtanga, Therapeutics, Anusara, Vinyasa, and Forrest yoga.

Romi draws from fifteen years of bodywork, yoga, and dance study to offer eclectic classes and workshops. She is also a registered Marriage and Family Therapist intern and offers somatic (body-centered) counseling via private practice in Santa Barbara, Romi received her Bachelors in Environmental Studies from the University of California at Santa Cruz, and her Masters in Marriage and Family Therapy, with an emphasis on Somatic Psychology, from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology. She has been a certified yoga instructor since 1998 through the White Lotus Foundation.

Mystical shamanic studies and travels through the Americas and Africa have led Romi to explore the sacred connection between movement, nature, healing, rhythm and spirituality. Her intention is to help people live more freely in their bodies, so they may heal and embody their creative Spirit. Her classes and workshops support expansion, fitness, healing, spiritual well-being, personal growth and fun. For more information, please visit her website and blog at: http://www.romicumes.com. Facebook Group "Transformative Healing Arts".
Level 1-2:
M, W, F, 5:00-6:25pm

Romi integrates focused, mindful sequences with compassionate healing awareness to provide a transformative and practical Yoga session. Her style is both dynamic and supportive of the needs of each individual. She emphasizes breath and core strengthening to help build a student's inner foundation. Romi offers healing touch and a loving, grounded space for one to actively work on their healing process.

   
Intro to Yoga Courses  
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candice
CANDICE DAVANTZIS
Candice started practicing yoga as a meditation, not as a workout, so every time by the end of the practice she would be confused about how she got so sweaty. She is a mental health counselor who has studied the worlds' wisdom traditions (Religious Studies BA). She delights in all the offerings of Santa Barbara living, especially the summertime! As we move attentively through the practice, we investigate what is always available for us: breath, truth, expansion. Candice is YogaWorks trained in principles of alignment and offers a practice that is safe and fun, strong and nourishing, joyful and authentic. Above all, you get the privilege to continually meet and befriend your true self, just as you are.  "The place to be happy is here, The time to be happy is now." --Wisdom from a coffee mug at Candice's workplace.
Gentle Yoga:
M, W, F, 1:45-2:55pm

A breath-centered, meditative sequence of gentle stretches and supported yoga postures that takes place primarily on the floor. Perfect for beginners, seasoned yogis who want a quieter practice, those who are recovering from injuries, or people who are just plain shy about yoga. Variations are always given, and down dog is optional. You may not sweat, but you will slow down enough to rest comfortably in your true heart.

   
Level 2, Donation:
Fri, 6:00-7:25pm
 
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Simone Duffett
SIMONE DUFFET
Simone approaches the world with loving friendliness, a quality of great compassionate generosity that, in yoga is known as Metta. She is imbued with a scientific fascination of and spiritual devotion to the human body in all of its stages and forms. With these qualities of kind generosity, fascination and devotion, she moves forward. Introduced to yoga by her mother, an Integral Yoga Institute trained teacher, she benefited from the prenatal classes taken by her mother and began learning asana as a young child.

Simone's personal practice really took off when she began taking classes in studios around Santa Barbara after she moved here in 2007. She is grateful to Jennifer Steinwurtzel who first encouraged her to train as a teacher and to Cheri Clampett whose recommendation to the Santa Barbara Yoga Center landed Simone her position as a Therapeutic Yoga Teacher.
Yin & Therapeutic Yoga:
Sat. 4:30-6:00pm

In Simone's class, students nurture and cultivate a reserve of well being. She encourages her students to practice deliberate stillness. Most of our days are spent in movement, having been trained from an early age to get more done faster, but Simone believes life is better when to take time to care for yourself.

She leads her students into an easeful state with soft light and music, guided imagery, and with gentle, intelligent manual adjustments. Layers of tension melt away and the nervous system quiets. Quietly becoming attentive to the body's natural rhythms begins to take precedence over thoughts and other mental chatter. The student is able to relax and release so that they may be restored to a natural state of vibrancy.

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STEVE DWELLEY
Steve Dwelley learned yoga from Shri K. Pattabhi Jois, visiting his Shala in Mysore, India many times. He received blessings to teach the Ashtanga system in 1998 and has cultivated the Ashtanga community in Santa Barbara ever since. He seeks the realm of delight between vigorous exercise, loving intelligent heart, focused mind, and people gathering to do this together. He bows to the spirit behind this lineage in all its forms, from Pattabhi Jois, through his guru T. Krishnamacharya, and so on...

Steve leads the Mysore-Ashtanga Yoga classes. There are no Mysore classes on New and Full moon. The led classes will carry on as usual on moondays.
Mysore Ashtanga:
Mon through Fri, 6:30 - 8:30 AM; Sun, 8:00 - 10:00 AM (Except on Moon Days)

The formal Ashtanga practice. Students are taught the foundations of yoga through the poses in a traditional sequence on an individual basis within the larger group, working at their own level. A challenging and highly rewarding practice offered with compassion. Drop ins with knowledge of the series are welcome.

   
Level 2, Led Ashtanga:
Tues & Thurs, 9:30-10:55am
Ashtanga is the root form behind most of the yoga currently practiced in the world. Its original form is potent but accessible, challenging and  peaceful, a great workout, very centering. Ashtanga offers us the highest goals of yoga: self-development and self-transcendence. It also gets you in very good shape. This class is a good way to start. Drop ins are welcome to this class.
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Siddhi Ellinghoven
SIDDHI ELLINGHOVEN
Siddhi studied with Yogi Bhajan, is a certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher, and has facilitated meditation classes for over 20 years. She is a published author with a book on adolescent sexuality, and certified Tantric Shiatsu practicioner. Siddhi holds a degree in social-pedagogy. Siddhi is ERYT with yoga Alliances, KRI certified Kundalini Yoga Teacher Naam Yoga Teacher and Teacher Trainer. Siddhi teaches Prenatal at Golden Bridge Yoga in Hollywood where she also got certified in the Khalsa Prenatal Teachings with Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa. For more information, visit Siddhi's website at www.siddhisyoga.com
Prenatal Yoga:
Tues & Thurs 5:15-6:25pm

In her pregnancy yoga class, Siddhi shares her wisdom, joy and love for the becoming mothers and their unborn babies. Through gentle and powerful yoga she prepares the becoming mothers physically and emotionally for the time of birth and motherhood. Siddhi uses advanced Naam yoga meditations which consist of unique attributes as: specific breath patterns, exact positioning of hands and fingers; particular mantras; consisting of distinct, vibratory sounds; and mental concentration to support each mother on her path through pregnancy and childbirth. Each woman gets in touch with her courage, acceptance, mental and spiritual strength.

   
Also teaches her "Yogi Cleanse" (seasonally) and other Workshops, and Teacher Training Module.  
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Cybil Gilbertson
CYBIL GILBERTSON
Cybil Gilbertson is a White Lotus Certified Yoga Teacher, Pilates Instructor, Licensed Massage Therapist, Doula and Professional Dancer with over 10 years of private and group teaching experience. Cybil has danced professionally with Santa Barbara Dance Theatre since 1997, teaching and touring locally and internationally. She has also performed with Cirque Destino, The California Coastal Project and several local choreographers. Cybil's lifelong love of movement has led her to study an ecclectic blend of modalities. Cybil has taught at Blue Star Rising, Simpatico Pilates and Gyrotonic, UCSB Department of Dance, Santa Barbara Dance Theatre, La Playa Pilates and Wellness Center, The Esalen Institute, in Big Sur, CA, as well as classes in China and The Dominican Republice. Please visit her website at: www.cybilgilbertson.com
Gentle Yoga:
Thurs 12:15-1:30pm

 

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kaj
KAJ HOFFMAN
KAJ HOFFMAN (pronounced Kai), RYT500, has been practicing yoga steadily for twenty-two years, and teaching for thirteen. He has studied Iyengar, Astanga, and Anusara® yoga, as well as other yoga methods and philosophies, and he integrates elements from these into his classes. Kaj studied Anusara Yoga, and yoga therapy, regularly with John Friend, the founder of Anusara, for nine years. Kaj has been deeply inspired by the teachings of John's elegant system of biomechanical alignment principles and heart based philosophy.  Kaj has also studied yoga philosophy with Paul Muller-Ortega and Douglas Brooks, two pithy, intelligent, engaging, inspiring, and luckily sometimes contradicting, yoga philosophy scholars. All three of these teachers have been great resources in Kaj's yoga education, as well as in helping him to discover more of the sweetness at the heart of yoga, and the joy of being alive.

Aside from yoga teacher and therapeutic trainings with John Friend, Kaj has also had teacher trainings in asana, sanskrit, anatomy, pranayama, yoga history, and/or philosophy with Desiree Rumbaugh, Eric Schiffman, Lisa Walford, Tias Little, Christopher Tompkins, and Richard Rosen.

Before focusing on yoga Kaj studied aikido and tai chi for eight years, and these movement arts inform his practice and teaching. Kaj has studied fine art as well, focusing on plein-air and figure painting. He is a professional photographer, and graphic artist. Previous to that he worked in carpentry and cabinetry. He plays classical, flamenco, and jazz guitar, and composes music for guitar and piano.

Kaj considers yoga as a way to more fully realize our radiant, creative, and artistic nature, and to live a more harmonious and joyful life. Kaj's intention in his classes is to share methods and knowledge which aid in revealing, practicing, and creating a joyful life. Kaj is a licensed Anusara-inspired yoga teacher™.
Level 2-3:
Sat 9:00-10:25am

His classes are vigorous classes for yoga students who want to delve deeper into refining their practice. We'll work and play with elegant and effective alignment principles and techniques, woven together with a joyful, heart based, life affirming philosophical exploration.

   
Advanced Practice:
Fri, 7:00-10:00am +/– (Call to register)
 
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Monica
MONICA JAYNE

Welcome to an authentic and genuine world of yoga with monica jayne, where her mission is to empower your practice with skills to bring your mind, energy, spirit and physical body into harmonious unison so you move deeper into what yoga truly is!  monica jayne works with you to achieve the glory of Synergy: the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.  Knowing that a body is much more efficient and effective, fatiguing less and thriving more when all parts, the physical body and the energy, mental and spiritual bodies, are working together in harmony, monica jayne offers a thorough holistic approach in teaching and specializes in Private Yoga Sessions, Energy Work and Spiritual Counseling. 

Under monica jayne's teaching, your mind calms and you can encounter and breathe into the harmony that is innate in each pose, in each transition and in each moment of your practice.  Her nurturing ability to hold Sacred Space for her students allows you a sense of safety and comfort in which you are able to move deeper, beyond the physical level, into your practice. An introspective and deeply thoughtful reflector, she offers intriguing, life-affirming ideas to ponder throughout your practice both on and off the mat.

monica jayne has been a practitioner of yoga ever since she can remember and has been integrating yoga asana and contemporary western yogic traditions into her practice for over a decade.   She is articulate in sharing her keen attention to alignment details and comprehensive understanding of common physical asymmetries and tendencies.  She is quick to notice your own body’s unique nuances and your opportunities for greater health, efficiency and synergy.  Her clear, concise verbal and hands-on cues propel your body into a state of comfort and vital stability. 

To Asana & Beyond!:
Tues & Thurs 5:15-6:25pm
 
   
It's Happening Yoga!, $12:
Tues & Thurs, 11:00-12:10pm
 
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Alejandra Juarez
ALEJANDRA JUAREZ
Bio coming soon!
Yoga for All, All levels:
Tues & Thurs 10:25-11:55am

 

   
Level 2-3:
Mon & Wed 6:30-7:55pm
 
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Alejandra Juarez
MANDANA MIRABRISHAMI
Bio coming soon!
Gentle Flow:
Mon & Wed 9:00-10:25am

Perfect for when you need a little revitalization, Gentle, or "slow flow" Vinyasa practice is a less strenuous practice consisting of basic asana's (postures), put together in a conscious and secure flow coinciding with the breath. Gentle flow Vinyasa is ideal for anyone who enjoys a more gentle, slower paced yoga class. This class is suitable for students simply looking for a more "tranquil" practice, beginners, seniors, women who are pregnant, practitioners recovering from injury. The asana's are explored using thorough instruction, props (i.e; blocks, straps… if needed) and proper alignment tips and substantial modifications.

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michele
MICHELE NICHOLS
Michele Nichols, a fifth generation Californian, was hired by the Berlin Ballet at age 19 and continued to dance professionally full time until she was 27, primarily in Europe, both ballet and modern. She participated in many exciting and ground-breaking performances during this time. Michele began to practice yoga in 1991 as a means of caring for her body, exploring different forms of practice including Bikram, Iyengar and Ashtanga inspired flow. When a friend introduced her to the traditional form of Ashtanga Yoga, as taught by Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, in the spring of 1997 there was no turning back.

The following year India beckoned and she traveled to meet and practice with Pattabhi Jois, for the first time. Later that same year, back in India, she learned the sitting practice of Vipassana meditation which has deeply informed her asana practice, her teaching, and her daily life. In January 1999 Michele joined her husband, Steve, in Santa Barbara at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center to assist in the Ashtanga Program he had begun the year before. The two of them proceeded to start and run their own Ashtanga Yoga Shala for seven years before returning to SBYC in October 2008. During this time they were blessed by the arrival of their twin sons, born on July 13, 2003. Her personal practice and teaching has been permanently altered and inspired by their presence.
Mysore-Ashtanga Yoga:
Mon & Wed, 4:00 - 6:00 PM

In Michele's classes you will be embraced, respected and honored. She will provide guidance, challenge and trust to support you in the process of becoming your own best teacher. She will hold the space, a sweet container for you to explore the inner most recesses of your being. Together, a community of self-reliant practitioners, you will share in changing our world for the better, one breath at a time. Michele leads the Mysore-Ashtanga Yoga classes.

   
Led Ashtanga Primary Series
Level 3:
Fri 4:00 - 5:45pm
 
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PEGGY KAY PERHAC
For Peggy, yoga is about self-knowledge. She believes that by moving energy throughout our bodies, we add vitality to our daily lives…and that our practice on the mat, both moving and in meditation, teaches what we need to learn outside of class. Practicing all the limbs of yoga helps to quiet the mind, and only with a quiet mind can we hear our truest voice.

Peggy is a 500 hour Yoga Alliance Instructor. She completed a 500 hour program with Rod Stryker, a 200 hour Teacher Training with OM Yoga and 100 hours with Hart Lazer. These incredible teachers as well as others that include Mark Whitwell, Rodney Yee, David Nictern, Richard Freeman, Sarla Nichols, Chris Conniaris, Cora Wen, Doug Keller, Shiva Rae, Jim Bennett, Jennifer Brilliant and Brenna Greehan have deepened her teaching as well as her personal practice.

Peggy loves sharing what she has learned, and her past experiences with yoga help her understand how to bring students to their fullest physical, emotional and spiritual potential. This is Peggy's passion, what wakes her up in the morning. Join her class and explore how a simple downward dog can begin a fascinating journey.
Yoga & Guided Meditation
Level 1-2 :
Mon & Fri, 10:25 - 12:00 PM

This Level 1-2 class works well as either a foundation for further study or a safe, yet challenging, beginner class. The classes are designed to open and strengthen even the most resistant bodies. The supportive and compassionate environment, with an emphasis on alignment, allows students to work towards their personal edge without fear of injury

   
Yoga & Meditation, All levels:
Sat 10:30-12:00pm
Suitable for yogis of every level, this all level class teaches how the practice of yoga affects our lives both on and off the mat. Through asana, pranayama and meditation, students will experience the power of yoga. Modifications to poses are offered throughout the class, allowing students to benefit from every pose. This class explores both the physical power and transformative potential of yoga, and encourages students to develop mindfulness, confidence, and compassion through an emphasis on the breath and body alignment.
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Jaime Powell
JAIME POWELL
Although trained in Astanga, Restorative, Therapeutics, and Pregnancy yoga, Jaime Powell's current teaching specialty is a strong Vinyasa flow.

Jaime discovered her gift for movement of the body in childhood, starting with Flash Dance and music videos and evolving to gymnastics and track.

In 2001, Jaime turned her attention to Hooping, and since 2003 has been teaching this performance art in Santa Barbara at venues such as Arts Alive and the Boys & Girls Club. She also teaches private lessons to individuals and groups.

In addition to participating regularly in SB's Summer Solstice Parade, Jaime performs at private events, and music festivals. In 2004, Jaime became certified as a Massage Therapist after studying at the Santa Barbara Body Therapy Institute.

An explorer of all that life offers, Jaime conveys an infectious smile and outgoing personality to all those with whom she connects.
Vinyasa Level-2:
M, W, F, 10:25 - 11:55am

 

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barbara
BARBARA ROSE SHERMAN
Barbara's yoga teaching style is insightful, inspiring and dynamic. Wth her vibrant energy she shares the teachings and traditions of yoga to create a powerful and holistic healing experience for her students.

Barbara is the co-author of Yoga for the Joy of It!, a book guiding college classes and individuals across the US through the physiological and psychological benefits of yoga. She has facilitated twenty-three yoga/meditation retreats in Montecito and two yoga/meditation/hiking retreats in Italy. She offers private sessions, and especially enjoys working with women during their times of recuperation and transition.

Barbara is a Yoga Alliance E-RYT-500 certified instructor grounded in the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda. She is a devoted practitioner of yoga and has trained with Eric Shiffmann, Lisa Walford, Ganga White, Tracy Rich, and completed Cheri Clampett's Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training. She taught Hatha Yoga and Restorative Yoga at the Westlake Yoga Center for twelve years before moving to Santa Barbara.

She combines the scientific with the metaphysical in her classes and healing workshops, including Women's Health and Healing, read testamonials, The Science of Sleep—Pajama Yoga, and Meditate, Pray, Heal. She has presented health and wellness seminars in colleges, health clubs and corporations. From working with special needs children to CEO's, Barbara's compassion and dedication to her work and to her students are clearly evident.

Barbara led a Red Cross Yoga Benefit after 911, taught yoga to the athletes of the Special Olympics, and helped the dental needs of indigent children of Isla Vista, CA through Direct Relief International. Yoga Journal Magazine featured Barbara in an article aptly titled, Open Wide and Say Om, for her use of yoga relaxation techniques in dentistry. Barbara participates in the Children's Hospital of Los Angeles Little Stars Program which benefits sick children of low income families.

Barbara earned a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern California. As a wedding officiate, she creates and conducts beautiful spiritual marriage ceremonies. She has generated four websites and written two educational films. She loves spending time with her husband, Stu, and with her family, and enjoys hiking in the foothills of Santa Barbara.

Please visit her website: www.BarbaraRoseSherman.com for information on private yoga instruction and for upcoming workshops and retreats.

Her classes: Barbara teaches from her heart, incorporating the principles of alignment, core strength and balance which reveal the beauty and power of asana and meditation. Her classes mix strengthening and relaxation poses weaved together with insights and a loving presence.

"Your classes have been so meaningful and powerful to my physical, spiritual, mental, and emotional well being. Each Saturday I leave your class with a stunning rejuvenation like no other." ~O.G
Deep Relaxation & Healing:
Fri, 5:00 - 6:25pm
 
   
Level 1-2:
Sat 9:00 - 10:25am
 
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Holly
HOLLY RUSHING

Holly first discovered Hatha yoga in a community class in 2002, and enjoyed her introduction and incorporating bits of it into her life. In 2010, however, everything changed when she walked into a Power Vinyasa flow heated studio. Dancing through the flowing asanas, linking her breath to her movement, and finding the stillness of mind that comes with that union spoke to her like nothing had before. Yoga became an inspiration towards health and happiness, and her sanctuary from the daily stresses of her corporate 9 to 5 job.

In 2012 she felt called to go deeper with her practice and to share this sanctuary with others. She studied with Katie Brauer and Danny Arguetty in the first half of 2012, and received her Yoga Alliance RYT 200hr certification. Her Vinyasa flow classes reflect her commitment to alignment principles and to the union of breath and movement for facilitating a peaceful mind. She seeks to be a powerful agent for positive change in her students' lives by crafting for them a caring and safe space in which to challenge themselves, grow, heal and integrate.

Gentle Flow:
Tues & Thurs, 3:30-4:55pm
A Gentle Vinyasa Flow class that begins with moving meditation, centering, and gentle pratapana (exercises to warm the core) and flows into carefully constructed sequences of asanas to tone and strengthen the body. This is a slower paced class based in alignment principles. The pacing of this class allows for an exploration of pranayama (breath techniques) as well as plenty of time for modifications and the use of props to create ease in the postures.
   
All Levels:
Sun 5:00-6:30pm
Link your breath to your movement in this alignment centered All Levels Vinyasa flow class. We'll explore pranayama (breath techniques), flow through a vigorous sequencing of asanas, and strengthen our core. Find time to play by turning your world upside down with an inversion or two, and seek inner balance through a few balancing postures. Perhaps you'll find you can take that sense of play and inner balance with you off the mat after class. Open to all levels, the only prerequisites are a positive attitude and a smile!
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Robin Schievink

ROBIN SCHIEVINK
Robin Schievink has been studying and practicing many different styles of yoga since 1997. She is certified in Kundalini Yoga & Meditation (as taught by Yogi Bhajan) and Khalsa Way Pregnancy Yoga. She has been teaching in Los Angeles and Santa Barbara since 2009. Robin loves sharing Kundalini Yoga with students so they can feel better, have more energy, and enjoy restful sleep.

Kundalini Yoga & Meditation:
Tues & Thurs 7:00-8:25am

Kundalini yoga uses physical exercises, breathing techniques, chanting, and meditation to stimulate the proper functioning of the body and mind. A consistent and regular practice of Kundalini Yoga benefits health and happiness, and improves strength, flexibility, stamina, and endurance. Robin's classes are open to all levels and include modifications for students dealing with physical challenges.

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Silla Siebert
SILLA SIEBERT
Silla is a Certified Anusara Inspired yoga teacher with a bachelor's degree in Psychology. Born and raised in Denmark, she moved, after finishing university, from London to Malibu in 2001 and has been teaching hundreds of yoga classes to students in Malibu, Westlake Village, Silverlake and West Hollywood since 2004.

She has been a student of Lauren Peterson's since 2002 and also studied with master teachers Erich Schiffmann, Anthony Benenati, Camilla Bergman, Noah Maze', Tiffany Frazer and John Friend. Her teaching focuses on healthy alignment and on creating a deep yet uplifting practice with emphasis on deeply connecting breath, mind, and body. She aims to inspire students to be passionate and dedicated about their yoga practice as well as their daily lives and draws inspiration for her teaching from her daily life and her many interest such as reading, science, philosophy, gardening, cooking, travelling, music and much more. She lives in Santa Barbara with her husband and son
Level 1-2:
Mon & Wed 6:25-7:55am

 

   
Intro to Yoga Courses  
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Emma Spencer
EMMA SPENCER
Emma has been practicing Yoga since 2000, taking her first 200hr teacher training in 2002 at Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, after living in Bermuda for 7 years practicing Esthetics and Massage Therapy, Emma continued her journey, left the corporate spa world behind, and headed to Southern California, where she decided to emerse herself in Yoga and its community, after taking that leap of faith, trusting in the Divine flow Emma started teaching on a regular basis.

"I blend my teaching style now, I took my second teacher training with YogaWorks, where I was inspired by Iyengar & Ashtanga. YogaWorks teaches a blend of styles, creates a theme and stimulates the student with great alignment techniques. I create a similar environment, alignment is both important in Kripalu and YogaWorks, and I enjoy creating my own signature style connecting within the Divine Self. You will have a little fun in my class, you will feel empowered in my class and therefore very connected to your body and how it feels. Its important to me that your experience is authentic and that you give yourself permission not to go beyond your limits, you were Born Divine, so, Be Divine" Jai Bhagwan www.borndivineyoga.com
Graceful Flow:
Sun 12:00-1:30pm

 

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Jasha Stanberry
JASHA STANBERRY
Certified in Therapeutic Yoga with over 500 hours of yoga training, Jasha brings his unique life experience to create a deep and accessible experience to his students. He has trained in many different lineages such as Iyengar, Ayurveda, Yin yoga, Pranayama and Ashtanga. He co-directed the Santa Barbara Yoga Center and managed their teacher training program. He draws form his studies with many great teachers as well as his youth of growing up with seriously disabled foster siblings to provide a transformational experience in his classes and events.

Yoga was designed to be used in a prescriptive way to work with the student's physical, emotional and mental needs. Jasha uses this perspective along with his knowledge of anatomy and personal experience with injury and chronic pain to successfully bring personal healing and joy to his students.

Jasha teaches classes and workshops at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center, works one on one with clients and hosts retreats throughout the year. Please view his events page at www.jashastanberry.com to see more and join the email list to stay updated on the latest news.

©2012 Jasha Stanberry
Jasha Stanberry
Santa Barbara, California | Phone: 805.220.8814
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Yoga for Healing:
Tues & Thurs, 5:00-6:25pm

Incorporating Therapeutic Yoga techniques including gentle & restorative yoga, breathwork, healing touch and guided meditation. For all who are in the process of healing on physical, mental or emotional levels, or those who want to experience a mild yoga class.

   
Level 2-3:
M, W, F, 9:00-10:25am
Taking infulences from Ashtanga, Iyengar and Freedom Style yoga this intermediate to advanced class will take you deeper into your practice and life.
   
Yin Yoga & Meditation:
Sat 9:00-10:25am
Yin Yoga is a quiet, gentle practice, suitable for all levels of practitioner. The postures are all practiced on the floor, staying in each from 3 to 5 minutes while relaxing the muscles. Yin Yoga targets the body's connective tissue, addressing the mobility and health of our joints in the hips, pelvis and spine. It is a helpful preparation for the seated meditation, and both provide wonderful balancing and restorative qualities to our very "yang" lifestyles.
   
Workshops & retreats  
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Heather T
TIFF THOMPSON
Tiff Thompson is a neurotherapist in training with graduate degrees in Depth Psychology, and Rhetoric & Political Culture. Her background in renewable energy development lends itself to her consulting work on behalf of environmental justice, largely in the vein of planetary sustainability.

Tiff believes "Sustainability is the capacity to endure. This endurance is fostered by the long-term maintenance of well being. Our ultimate success as individuals and as a collective, depends wholly on this cultivation of well being. We must remain mindful of sustainability personally, in relationship to one another, and in our relationship to the planet. Yoga is an integral component of the this maintenance of human well-being."

Athletics have been a core component of Tiff's life since her childhood, her daily practice has included all forms of yoga, running, biking, hiking, weightlifting, aerobics, kickboxing, rollerblading, and plyometrics. Her class is designed for both the devoted yogi, as well as the urban athlete. Tiff's Level 2-3 yoga weaves together conscious breathing, meditative focus and alertness, and a challenging series of asanas and vinyasas, which serve to calm the monkey mind and instill feelings of calm and peace.

Level 2-3:
Sat 10:30-11:55am

Tiff's Level 2-3 is an athletic and intense, yet calming class, weaving in various yoga traditions and breath-work, allowing for a dynamism that leaves the practitioner with feelings of clarity and tranquility. Using full involvement cultivated through asana-centered yoga, energized focus is placed on the mastery of breathing, intention, and mental fluctuations over the course of 90 minutes. Peak Performance Yoga will allow the level 2 practitioner to deepen their practice and understanding of asanas, with the ability to grow into level 3. The level 3 practitioner will find a vigorous class and the opportunity to push the envelope on their yogic prowess.

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Heather T
HEATHER TIDDENS
Heather, E-RYT 500, has been teaching yoga full time since 1998. Maintaining a consistent and evolving personal practice since '96, she has also trained extensively, studying with a variety of teachers including Erich Schiffmann, Lisa Walford, Ana Forrest and Sarah Powers. From 1998 - 2004, Heather completed a personal teaching apprenticeship with Ana Forrest and trained teachers as a faculty member in the Forrest Yoga teacher training courses. Since 2004, Heather has focused her practice and training on Yin yoga and meditation practices; exploring the balance of Yin and Yang (active Hatha yoga) styles of asana. She continues teaching ongoing classes, workshops, retreats and yoga teacher trainings locally and across the country.
Teacher Training Modules:

 

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Heather T
SARAH TUTTLE
Sarah Tuttle began her study of yoga and meditation in 1980. In 1992, she began teaching in a rural corner of the Northwest. Though the population there was not typically the type to seek yoga, Sarah's passionate yet practical approach drew students from every age and walk of life. This quickly led to the opening of her studio.

Following the Iyengar method, Sarah is attentive to her student's individual needs and capabilities. She inspires them to work deeply, fostering a self-awareness that is relative to every area of life. A sufferer of seizures in her youth, scoliosis since the age of 12, and a mother of four, Sarah knows firsthand the transformative benefits a yoga practice brings.

As BKS Iyengar says, "Asana is perfect firmness of body, steadiness of intelligence, and benevolence in spirit." Sarah's many years of applied experience and her love of yoga guides her students on this path.

Sarah is Co-Director of Santa Barbara Yoga Center and has been a registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance (RYT-500) since 2002. She was the original co-owner and founder of Bheka Yoga Supplies Company. Sarah's teachers are Richard McLaughlin, Nancy Rogers & Manouso Manos.
Sarah Tuttle's Class:
Tues, Thur, Sun
9:00-10:25am

Following the Iyengar method, students are taught a wide array of poses that develop stamina, flexibility, balance, and concentration. They become educated about the benefits of the poses and how to practice them correctly.

Due to the great attention to detail, students gain a sharpening of awareness that strengthens them physically, intellectually, and psycho-emotionally. They experience an increase in vitality as they develop methods for relieving stress.

Props are used to aid in correct structural alignment as well as safely modifying poses for students who have limited mobility due to injury or illness.

Beginning level students build an excellent foundation for years to come. Experienced practitioners appreciate the depth and comprehensiveness of every class.

Students of all levels and abilities are progressively challenged while gaining a personal understanding of how to continue on this path of lasting and therapeutic change.

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Anne Van De Water
ANNE VAN DE WATER
Anne Van de Water has been practicing yoga informally since she was four years old. Her dedicated, formal training began in 1992 and she has been a devoted practitioner ever since. Anne loves yoga so much that she became a teacher of this ancient art and science in 1994 so that she could be in the yoga zone all day long and share yoga's gifts with the greater public. Anne has studied and practices Ashtanga, Iyengar, Flow, Sivananda, Yin, Restorative, Hatha, Partner, Therapeutic and Kundalini yoga and Buddhist, Transcendental and Sound meditation.

She received her first yoga teacher's training certification from the White Lotus in 1994 and continued her studies of Iyengar and Sivananda yoga in India. She received her Integrative Yoga teacher's training certificate in 1996 and trained with Sarah Powers and Paul Grilley in 2002. In 2007 she was given Yoga Alliance's Experienced Registered Yoga teacher accredidation with nearly 10,000 hours of yoga taught as of 2010.

Anne has traveled the world teaching yoga in California, Arizona, Hawaii, New York City, Indonesia, Thailand, India, London, Amsterdam, and Brazil. She has taught in yoga centers, gyms, hospitals, schools, offices, AIDS recovery homes, cancer centers, retreat centers and at yoga teacher trainings. In 2000 Anne created a yoga program for students and teachers in the public elementary and high schools of Santa Barbara called Yoganesha™ and has been teaching her Yoganesha Teaching Yoga to Children training since 2002. Anne holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from UCSB and has been a certified massage therapist since 1990 and incorporates hands on healing into her yoga classes.

She currently lives in Santa Barbara, CA. where she teaches yoga classes to the public at Santa Barbara Yoga Center, private sessions at people's homes, at the Cancer Center of Santa Barbara, and in the public and private schools of Santa Barbara.
Teacher Training Modules:

 

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Rachel
RACHEL WILKINS
After years of studying dance and classical Pilates, Rachel turned to yoga to bring emotional, physical and spiritual balance into her life. Her personal practice has led her to see our embodiment as an expression of the self that needs compassion, joy, gratitude, expansiveness and stability. She is grateful for all of her inspiring teachers here in Santa Barbara, especially Ganga White, Tracey Rich and Sven Holcomb from the White Lotus Foundation, where she completed her first teacher training.

Rachel received her BA in Philosophy from Goucher College in Baltimore and is a self taught jeweler and fine artist. Inspired by her studies in postmodern feminist philosophy, her art explores the bizarre, the beautiful and the monstrous, using whatever she can get to stick to a canvas. While not practicing and teaching yoga, or painting in her art studio, Rachel manages Drishti Yoga Essentials in Santa Barbara. Through her unique art and teaching style Rachel hopes to help guide and inspire other students? personal practice and exploration of embodiment.

Her Classes:
Drawing from her dance and Pilates background, Rachel brings an intuitive grace and lightness to her Vinyasa flow classes, with a focus on alignment, moving from and strengthening the core, while creating a space for freedom and play. She teaches what she loves to practice: a class that is balancing, opening, bringing you to your edge, while encouraging self exploration and honoring our own experience of body, mind and spirit. Breath, sweat, surrender and be free.
Intuitive Flow:
Tues & Thurs, 12:15-1:30pm

 

   
Level 2:
Tues & Thurs, 6:30-7:55pm
 
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Rachel
MEGAN MICHAEL ZANDER
Bio coming soon!
Vital FLow:
M, W, F, 12:15-1:20pm

 

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Santa Barbara Yoga Center

32 East Micheltorena Street — Santa Barbara, CA 93101

Tel: (805) 965-6045

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