Sarah Powers began teaching in 1987. She is the founder and author of Insight Yoga, which interweaves the insights and practices of Yoga, Buddhism, Taoism, and Transpersonal Psychology into an integral practice to discover and enliven the body, heart and mind. Her yoga style blends both a Yin sequence of floor poses to enhance the meridian and organ systems, combined with an alignment-based slow flow or Yang practice, influenced by Viniyoga, Ashtanga, Iyengar teachings, and QIgong. Sarah feels that enlivening the physical and pranic bodies, as well as learning to meet our psychological reactivity is paramount for preparing one to deepen and nourish insights into one’s essential nature–a natural state of awareness. She draws from her studies in Transpersonal Psychology, as well as her in-depth training in the Vipassana, Tantric and Dzogchen practices of Buddhism. Her main influences have been Tsoknyi Rinpoche, Jennifer Welwood, Lama Tsultrim Allione, Bhante Gunaratana, Lama Pema Dorje, Stephen and Martine Batchelor and B. Alan Wallace. Sarah teaches trainings and silent retreats with her husband Ty. They live in Manhattan with their daughter Imani. Sarah’s book is called Insight Yoga: Integrating Yin/Yang Yoga and Buddhist Meditation.
Tommy Rosen is a yoga teacher and addiction recovery expert who has spent the last two decades immersed in yoga, recovery and wellness. He holds advanced certifications in both Hatha and Kundalini Yoga and has 20 years of recovery from acute drug addiction. Tommy is one of the pioneers in the burgeoning field of Yoga and Recovery assisting others to holistically transcend addictions of all kinds.
Rolf conducts Vinyasa Intensives and 200/500 Teacher Trainings throughout the US and abroad. A former social worker and US Airborne Ranger who has practiced meditation for the last twenty years, Rolf brings his eclectic background to his practice and his teachings. Born in Manhattan, Rolf Gates grew up in the Boston area as an avid marathon runner, long distance cyclist and champion wrestler. As the descendant of six generations of ministers, he gained an understanding of service and dedication at a very early age.
The 12-step recovery model, created in 1939, is the most well-known and pervasive addiction/recovery program in the world with millions of practitioners internationally. In a word, the characteristics and effects of addiction could easily be described as separation. Addictive behaviors separate and disconnect us from ourselves, our loved ones, our environment and so much more. Conversely, yoga itself means union, integration, balance. Yoga and its practices teach the fine art of balancing our multidimensional lives while living in a complex world. The 12-step program approaches addiction at a cognitive level, yoga includes a somatic approach. The combining of the two creates a model that truly addresses addiction as the physical, mental and spiritual disease that it is. Y12SR recognizes that yoga and its practices are a part of a holistic recovery program and rather than a replacement, it provides adjunct tools to address the physical, mental and spiritual disease of addiction.
Noah Levine is a Buddhist teacher, author and counselor. He is trained to teach by Jack Kornfield of Spirit Rock Meditation Center in Woodacre, CA. He teaches meditation classes, workshops and retreats nationally as well as leading groups in juvenile halls and prisons. Noah holds a masters degree in counseling psychology from CIIS. He has studied with many prominent teachers in both the Theravadan and Mahayanan Buddhist traditions.
Shakta Kaur is a Levl 1 Lead Trainer and Breathwalk Instructor Trainer. From 2004 to 2008 Shakta represented KRI on the Yoga Alliance Board of Directos as Board Chair and Interim CEO. She combines her 30 years experience in the business world, along with her passion for the teachings of Yogi Bhajan, in serving the U.S. and Canadian 3HO communities.