Our Teachers
Allison has been teaching yoga for almost a decade. She started teaching at 19 when she fell in love with yoga in San Diego. Yoga became her practice, as it was the thing that made her feel connected to something bigger than herself. After she began teaching yoga the vision was clear – to combine western medicine with the eastern mind-body wisdom. She received a BS in nursing at HSU and currently works as a RN at Mad River Community Hospital. In 2011 she went to India to learn from the source and ended up studying Swami Vivekenananda’s Tantric Hatha Yoga. In India Allison integrated the different yogic philosophies that she once read about in books into her own practice and teaching, becoming even more enthusiastic for sharing yoga. Allison is an Anusara Inspired Yoga teacher - completing her teacher training locally with Robyn Smith.
Sunday
10:30am - 12:00am Tantra Vinyasa Yoga I/II
Truth: Agni Devi is way too rajasic – a fireball of energy racing at light speed to that space, that place, where she is floating, free of body, free of mind, aware of all, knowing of all, and at peace with all. Agni, STOP. Breathe. That space, that place will always be. So enjoy the journey. Five deep breaths. Count them, slowly. Sit, breathe and be…. Yoga. Agni is a graduate of the North Carolina School of Yoga under the guidance of Chandra Om, senior disciple of Sri Dharma Mittra.
Monday
5:30pm - 7:15pm Hatha Raja
Wednesday
5:30pm - 7:15pm Hatha Raja
Artemisia Shine is a warm-hearted, animated, inquisitive soul joyfully engaged in the intrepid adventure of everyday living! She attended her first yoga class in 1998 and since then, Yoga has helped her navigate life's more perilous escapades with some semblance of grace. Lest she forget it, her son likes to remind her that she's "a lot more fun to be around" (ie. "Please do yoga mama!") when she is living her yoga. She has worked with kids and adults in Environmental Education for over 13 years and her favorite “super hero” is still Ranger Rick. She encourages her students to tap into the roots of their essential natures, deeply connected to the heart. Her classes aim to inspire the inherent curiosity and sense of wonder that lies within us all. In her free time she can be found snuggling up her son and friends, preparing vegan food for the masses, wandering barefoot, drinking excessive amounts of herbal tea, playing with AcroYoga, scribbling in the margins of incredible books and digging around in her garden.
Artemisia has completed a 200 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Certification at Yoga Tree in San Francisco as well as a 200 hour Anusara Yoga Teacher Training with Peggy Profant at Om Shala Yoga. Artemisia received Next Generation Yoga Teacher Training Certifications for both 2-7 year olds and 8-13 year olds under the inspired tutelage of Jodi Komitor. Additionally, she holds an Every Kid's Yoga Teacher Certification for Children with Special Needs. Find out more at www.artemisiashine.com
Tuesday
11:00am - 12:30am Hatha Flow
Thursday
11:00am - 12:30am Hatha Flow
Friday
4:00pm - 5:25pm Yoga for All
7:30pm - 9:30pm Candlelight Hot Stone Yoga
Christine Fiorentino is an inventive and adventurous instructor, drawing her inspiration from an eclectic variety of sources. A primary influence is her background as a professional dancer/instructor with a degree in dance from CSULB. She caught fire for yoga while living in New York, practicing with Cyndi Lee at the renowned Om Yoga Studio. This led her to Oakland, where she completed the intensive 650-hour Yoga Teacher Training under the guidance of Rodney Yee.
Early in her career as a Yoga teacher in Santa Cruz, Christine discovered the path of spiritual inquiry as taught by Adyashanti. This teaching has been invaluable in deepening her understanding of the mind-body-spirit connection and the true meaning of Yoga. Most recently she has been inspired by her own personal practice, integrating insights from professionals in a variety of fields and modalities. Christine has been teaching in Humboldt County since 2005 and feels excited and blessed to be part of the thriving Yoga community in this area.
Tuesday
5:30pm - 7:00pm Vinyasa & Alignment All Levels
Thursday
5:30pm - 7:00pm Vinyasa & Alignment All Levels
Crystal is delighted to share the gift of yoga with children and families. She brings her background in dance (BFA, Cornish College of the Arts 2003) and Child Development (Child Development Credential, HSU 2005) to her playful classes. She has completed a 200 hour Anusara Yoga Teacher Training, as well as a Kids' Yoga Teacher Training through Next Generation Yoga. In 2012 Crystal traveled to India to deepen her study of asana, pranayama, meditation, and yoga philosophy. Crystal especially loves to play and practice yoga with her two children. Tejah's current favorite pose is cow face and Ziv loves acro yoga!
Wednesday
4:00pm - 4:50pm Kids' Yoga (ages 5-7)
Thursday
10:30am - 11:20am Mommy/Daddy & Me (ages 2-4)
4:00pm - 4:50pm Kids' Yoga (ages 8-10)
Deborah’s yoga practice emerged out of a playful childhood. Her interest in pranayama began when she developed acute asthma at age 3. She discovered asana that opened her body to the flow of breath, as well as asana that held the breath still. She also passed out a lot. When her father died at age 5 she became curious about death, consciousness, and time travel. Listening to stories like Alice in Wonderland and Lost Horizon launched a search for the mystical entrance to other worlds She began yoga meditation, asana, and pranayama instruction at age 9, added swadhyaya five years later, and taught yoga as a part of the modern dance curriculum while she was still in high school. She continued to study and practice yoga in the search for that opening in many likely and unlikely places. Her search ended when she met Gurumayi Chidvilasananda in 1988. Deborah came to Arcata in 1984 to study sculpture at HSU, and later taught Chinese brush painting in the community. Currently she creates indoor and outdoor spaces for peaceful contemplation, and paints mostly on walls and furniture.
Wednesday
11:15am - 12:30am Gentle Yoga I
Emily Trutt has been practicing Yoga since 2002 and is a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT) with National Yoga Alliance. She completed her 200hr yoga certification program at It’s Yoga in San Francisco with the late Larry Schultz and is an avid practitioner of Vipassana meditation, as well as a graduate of Spirit Rock's Mindfulness Yoga & Meditation Teacher Training Program. Emily's vinyasa flow classes are guided by the slow rhythm of the inhalation and exhalation in such a way to inspire a meditation in motion. She encourages her students to go inside themselves to observe and explore the energy that is available there, being mindful to honor the uniqueness of the present moment.
Tuesday
9:00am - 10:30am Mindfulness Flow I/II
10:35am - 10:55am Meditation
Thursday
9:00am - 10:30am Mindfulness Flow I/II
10:35am - 10:55am Meditation
Heather began on the path of Yoga,12 years ago, in the mountains of New Mexico. She has completed teacher trainings with Max Strom: Vinyasa Yoga, Robyn Smith: Anusara Yoga, and Baron Baptiste: Power Vinyasa Yoga. She spends her free time practicing Yoga at home next to a hot wood stove.
Friday
5:30pm - 7:00pm Hot Yoga All Levels
Janine Melzer teaches Forrest Yoga as a way to support and inspire students to become their most genuine selves. She is passionately committed to getting people turned on to embodying spirit in their yoga practice and in their lives. Janine asks her students to bring a willingness to work honestly at their edges without struggling, clearing the way to find delight in every breath
Tuesday
7:30am - 8:50am Forrest Yoga II
Wednesday
11:00am - 12:30am Forrest Yoga All Levels
Thursday
7:30am - 8:50am Forrest Yoga II
Saturday
9:00am - 10:25am Forrest Yoga All Levels
Jenni was introduced to her first yoga class 10 years ago. Curious about the emotions that were coming up for her in class, she became fascinated with the idea of merging movement with contemporary psychology, and thus found Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. She finished training as a practitioner herself in 2004, and in 2006 she completed her teachers training at the Hatha Yoga Center in Seattle. She taught Hatha and Vinnyasa classes in the Seattle area for 3 years before moving to Arcata to start a small farm with her family. Jenni’s flow classes are often influenced by the ideas of Phoenix Rising. She encourages listening to and respecting the body in order to learn from it. She moves her students through poses that encourage a deepened awareness of where the body holds tension, supporting deep release. Jenni’s gentle touch and calm atmosphere create a meditative environment. She hopes to provide each student with the chance to move towards self-transformation and growth. Jenni also offers private yoga therapy sessions through Om Shala. You can visit her website at www.innerjourneyyoga.com to learn more.
Monday
7:30pm - 9:00pm Candlelight Flow I/II
Wednesday
7:30pm - 9:00pm Candlelight Flow I/II
Joan began her journey with Kundalini Yoga & Meditation and the teachings of Yogi Bhajan in 2001. The power of asana, breath, meditation and the philosophy of “Humanology”, dramatically shifted her perception of her life and of herself in relationship to the larger picture. Through her practice and teaching, she is better able to experience her own structure- to build, strengthen and expand herself from the inside out. Joan is currently enrolled in a course of study in the ancient science of Ayurveda. Her hope is that this life embracing wisdom will bring greater depth to her classes.
Thursday
5:45pm - 7:15pm Kundalini Yoga & Gong Meditation
Jodie DiMinno is a certified instructor of Kripalu Yoga and has been a student of yoga for more than ten years. She spent three years as a resident staff member and facilitator of yoga and self-discovery programs at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts, one of the premier centers for yoga in the country. Through the practice of yoga, Jodie has found a deep sense of peace and grace within; it is one of her greatest joys to share this gift with others.
Monday
9:00am - 10:30am Prenatal Yoga All Levels
Wednesday
5:00pm - 6:15pm Prenatal Yoga All Levels
Sunday
6:30pm - 8:00pm Relax Deeply All Levels
Jolene Yeager has been practicing yoga since 1994, trying many styles for overall health. It wasn’t until the threat of spinal surgery loomed that she turned to yoga as part of a greater life practice to heal her body. The resulting self-awareness and physical health has not only exceeded her expectations, but also permeated her life. Jolene recently completed her 200 hour Anusara Teacher Training with Peggy Profant. In addition to yoga, Jolene also works in the community as a doula and massage therapist, finding new ways to incorporate yoga into her ever-changing roles. With a willingness to grow and an open heart, Jolene continues her education every time she gets on her mat. She brings her passion for music, movement, and alignment to her classes and creates an environment of compassion and loving-kindness.
Wednesday
4:00pm - 4:55pm Community Class
Kathleen's lifelong interest in health and spirituality took a playful turn a few years a when she discovered Laughter Yoga. She found it to be a unique and delightful system wherein anyone of any physical ability can laugh for an extended period of time and receive tremendous health benefits while having fun with others. Having worked for years in the health and wellness fields, first as an RN and later as a Marriage and Family Therapist, she finds Laughter Yoga has essentially the same goals: improved health, more joy and inner peace, better relationships. But it is so much quicker and more fun! Now now she plays, laughs, breathes and claps with people and finds it is indeed very good medicine for the body and soul. Kathleen is a Certified Laughter Yoga Leader and was trained by the founder of LY, Dr Madan Kataria of India, as a Certified LY teacher (trainer).
Monday
4:45pm - 5:25pm Laughter Yoga
Meka teaches beginning yoga with an emphasis on alignment. She assists you as you flow through meditation, warm up and gentle postures followed by deep relaxation. Meka's class is great for beginners, people returning to yoga after a break from practice, or those who just want to experience a gentle class with refreshers on the basics. Meka has been teaching at Om Shala Yoga for almost 2 years after studying Anusara yoga with Peggy Profant and Robyn Smith. Meka's love of yoga has been a blessing in her life in many ways thanks to her wonderful teachers and now she is happy to be able to share this passion as a teacher at the beautiful Om Shala!
Monday
6:30pm - 7:45pm Yoga for Beginners
Peggy Profant discovered yoga as a teenager in Santa Barbara and continues to live and learn from it's wisdom. She has been an explorer of wilderness and culture and has traveled the world to experience the many flavors of life. Formerly a wilderness guide, her journey into parenthood has settled her in the Arcata area to become a massage therapist and yoga teacher. Peggy co-founded World Family Yoga, retreats which combine the three things she most loves: family, yoga and travel. Her fifteen years of teaching yoga have been influenced by Iyengar and Ashtanga Yoga, which she became passionate about during her travels to India. Now Peggy's love resides with the teachings of Anusara yoga in which she has become a certified Anusara Yoga teacher. Based in Tantric philosophy, Anusara offers a heart-centered, life-affirming approach to hatha yoga, with an exquisite attention to alignment. She is co-owner, (steward) of Om Shala and has been leading yoga immersions and teacher trainings since the opening year 2008. It is Peggy's joyful passion to share the teachings of yoga with her students.
Monday
9:00am - 10:50am Anusara II/III
11:00am - 12:15am Anusara I
Wednesday
9:00am - 10:30am Anusara I/II
10:35am - 10:55am Pranayama/Meditation
Friday
9:00am - 10:30am Anusara I/II
10:35am - 10:55am Pranayama/Meditation
11:00am - 12:15am Anusara I
Somy has been practicing yoga for over 12 years. Slowly his dedication started to develop to the point where he has devoted his life to the practice and study of ashtanga yoga. Somy has maintained a daily practice for over 2 and a half years uninterrupted. Somy makes regular visits and studies under the guidance of Prem Carlisi and Radha Duplex at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Center in Bali Indonesia.
Monday
7:30am - 8:55am Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series All Levels
Wednesday
7:30am - 8:55am Ashtanga Yoga Primary Series
During the second half of her life, Stephanie discovered the joys of being upside down. She allowed herself to be curious about the yogic path and has since fallen in love with the wisdom of the body available through pranayama, meditation, and asana. Sharing her enthusiasm for joining movement and breath infuses her vinyasa style classes. Stephanie gathers inspiration from the many outstanding yoga teachers in this community and from study of the dharma of Sufism and Buddhism. When not at the studio, she is at home spoiling her flock of chickens or walking in the redwoods.
Sunday
5:00pm - 6:25pm Community Class
Suzanne Dunning teaches an eclectic form of Vinyasa yoga drawing on her knowledge of various styles of yoga and meditation. She has been studying and teaching yoga since she was in high school- beginning with an Ashtanga and Anusara based practice, before she eventually fell in love with Vinyasa and Viniyoga. Her primary teacher is Alice Joanou who owns the studio Loka Yoga in Oakland, California, where Suzanne taught after becoming certified to teach. While teaching at Loka, Suzanne attained a degree from U.C. Berkeley in Medical Anthropology – studying various perspectives on the body's healing process around the world. She has also studied with teachers Shiva Rea and Mirka Kraftsow. Suzanne compassionately encourages her students to find their innate power through the breath linked with movement.
Tuesday
7:30pm - 9:00pm Vinyasa Flow I/II
Thursday
7:30pm - 9:00pm Vinyasa Flow I/II
Saturday
10:30am - 12:00am Vinyasa Flow I/II
While working toward her PhD in anthropology at the University of Michigan, Girija traveled to India in 1970 on a spiritual quest. There she met Swami Muktananda and became his disciple. During the next 22 years she lived in a number of his ashrams, both in India and the U.S. In 1980 she was ordained as Swami Girijananda and began traveling, teaching and directing ashrams. It was during the early days in India that she began the study and practice of the art of astrology. After leaving the ashram, she moved to a Tibetan Buddhist retreat center which was founded by Chagdud Tulku Rinpoche. There, in the remote Trinity Alps of northern California, she spent the next 12 years studying, practicing and doing retreat as a disciple of Lama Drimed Norbu, Chagdud Rinpoche’s dzogchen lineage holder. During her years there she studied and practiced the healing art of Jin Shin Jyutsu, which has ancient roots in India and more modern roots in Japan. She spent nearly two years at the Shiva Ashram in Australia where she reconnected with her Siddha Yoga roots and taught meditation and also offered courses in Jin Shin Jyutsu and astrology. In 2011 she settled in Arcata where she has been teaching meditation in a post traditional format which is inclusive and practical. Her heartfelt aspiration is that people discover and connect with the essence of their inner being and develop a regular practice which brings harmony and integration to their everyday lives.
Sunday
5:00pm - 6:25pm Meditation
Zena Bardelás has been studying, teaching and practicing Chinese medicine, including qigong and Asian Bodywork Therapy, since 1998. She integrates her certifications as a Qigong Instructor (200 hours), Asian Bodywork Therapist (1,000 hours), and a Medical Qigong Practitioner (200 hours), to empower her students and clients to take charge of their personal health and lifestyle goals. Zena has served on the board of the directors of the American Organization of Bodywork Therapies of Asia (AOBTA) and is the proprietor of Misty Mountain Healing Arts (MistyMountainHealingArts.com) where she offers individual Asian bodywork sessions combined with healing qigong, private qigong sessions with personalized prescriptions, as well as group qigong classes and workshops. At home in the US pacific northwest, Zena has lived and studied in Oregon, Idaho and San Francisco until landing with her family in Humboldt County in 2005. Through her warm and caring style Zena strives to make the depth of Chinese medicine accessible to all levels of students. She specializes in personalizing treatment approaches to support her clientele's individual interests and needs.
Tuesday
11:30am - 12:45am Qigong All Levels
Thursday
11:30am - 12:45am Qigong All Levels