Yoga & Meditation

Joey Soto – Yoga – Hatha

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joey 1-Ms. Joey Soto is a yoga teacher who specializes in teaching meditation and vinyasa yoga to beginner and intermediate level students. She has practiced and taught yoga around the world and brings her expertise to private and public classes throughout southern California.

Training corporate executives, attorneys, parents, pregnant women, and teens, her clients have said that they enjoy the emphasis on alignment, breath and meditation she brings to her classes. She is a published author, a Manduka Ambassador and donates yoga sessions to support important causes, including ThirstProject, NextAid, and Cancer Support Community. In addition to teaching yoga, Joey has been a leader in environmental issues over the last decade through her work as a water resources consultant and community philanthropist.

Joey is a 500-hr National Yoga Alliance Certified Yoga Instructor, CPR/AED Certified for Infant, Child, and Adult, holds a M.S. in Environmental Policy and Planning from California State University, Fullerton and B.A. in Environmental Studies from University of California, Santa Barbara.

Learn more about Ms. Soto on her website, www.sotoyoga.com or contact her at: joey@sotoyoga.com”

“You must be the change you wish to see in the world” – Mahatma Gandhi

 

Elena Brower – Yoga Teacher – Hatha

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elena-browerElena Brower
Founder/Co-owner

Mama, founder and co-owner of VIRAYOGA, and co-author of Art of Attention, Elena has taught yoga for 16+ years. After graduating from Cornell University in 1992 with a design degree, she worked as a textile and apparel designer for 6 years, and has studied with master yoga teachers for over 10 years. Through her teaching, influenced by several traditions including alignment-based Hatha and Kundalini yoga, Elena offers yoga as a way to approach our world with realistic reverence and gratitude. Her classes are a masterful, candid blend of artful alignment and attention cues for your body, mind and heart.

From the Museum of Modern Art to the Great Lawn at Central Park, from the playa at Burning Man to the Eiffel Tower, Elena is honoured to offer larger-scale experiences of yoga, but her true service is in shifting awareness within the smallest interactions; one family, one household at a time. As a coach with the Handel Group, she coaches individuals and teaches courses, and she’s been featured in the New York Times, Yoga Journal, Element Yoga for Beginners DVDs, ABC News and NBC News. Dozens of yoga practices with Elena can be found on Yogaglo.

As the Executive Producer of On Meditation, she is curating a project about the relevance of meditation and its benefits. The first limited-edition printing of her first book, Art of Attention, co-authored with Erica Jago, was released in December 2012 and sold out within a few weeks; Art of Attention’s second edition was released in March 2013.

Along with her own writings, Elena contributes to Yoga Journal, Yoga International, Huffington Post, CrazySexyLife, Positively Positive, The Chalkboard Mag, TheDailyLove, and Elephant Journal, and is an original board member of YogaEarth. Elena is also a Beauty Ecologist with Pangea Organics, part of the movement to bring organic, all-natural beauty care products to millions of households worldwide.

Rod Stryker – Yoga Teacher

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Rod StrykerThe founder of ParaYoga, Rod Stryker, is widely considered to be one of the preeminent yoga and meditation teachers in the United States. He is renowned for his depth of knowledge, practical wisdom, and unique ability to transmit the deepest aspect of the teachings and practices to modern audiences and students from all walks of life. Rod has taught for more than thirty years, training teachers leading corporate seminars, yoga retreats, and workshops throughout the world.
Acclaimed as a leading voice for the ancient traditions, accomplished Yogi, teacher, lecturer, and writer, Rod’s down-to-earth approach is informed as much by his mastery of the sublime teachings, as it is by his love of life and devotion to his wife and four children.

 

Gisele Marie – Yoga Teacher

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Gisele MarieJivamukti and Yin Yoga – An Advanced Certified Jivamukti Yoga teacher and E-RYT 500, Giselle’s introduction to yoga in the early 90’s was a natural progression from her gymnastics/dance background, her passion for music and being raised by a bohemian flamenco dancer; all of which have influenced her style and approach to teaching and life.

Described as “spunky” by her teacher Sharon Gannon, Giselle is known for her dynamic classes that have a down to earth approach to the practice of yoga. Her classes infuse funky eclectic music, Sanskrit chanting, skillful and intuitive hands-on assists, an insightful topic for mind, body and spirit and an asana practice that will light your fire and send you home glowing. This experience invites the student to investigate perceived limitations with an open heart and humor to facilitate the allowing of “what is”. Studied in Yin yoga as well, she appreciates the potency of this practice and enjoys coalescing these two powerful methods to create a visceral balance positively influencing how we see ourselves, and the world.

Ever a student, Giselle continues to study under the direct guidance of her guru’s Sharon Gannon and David Life. She assisted them throughout the western U.S. for almost 5 years  and has had the honor to serve on the Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training faculty as a mentor in 2012 & 2014. She is eternally grateful to Sharonji and Davidji for their mentorship, generosity, teachings, and love. She is also grateful to her Sanskrit teacher Manorama for taking her deeper into the language and philosophy of Yoga. Her other teachers that continue to inspire and guide her are Sarah Powers, Paul Grilley, Aadil Palkhivala, Duncan Wong and Jai Uttal.

Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Giselle also presents at yoga studios, conferences and festivals around the world. She’s also been on the cover of Yoga Journal and Yoga International Magazine as well as appearing in many of their articles. She’s also featured in Kathryn Budig’s book “Women’s Health: The Big Book of Yoga”. She’s an ambassador for Gaiam, a columnist for Origin Magazine, serves on the advisory committee for The Art of Yoga Project and is a teacher on YogaGlo. When not teaching, she loves being with her amazing husband, daughter, and four dogs all of who are her biggest inspirations and support.

Recommended by Kia Miller & Joey Soto

Janet Stone – Yoga Teacher, Vinyasa

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Janet StoneJanet’s personal yoga journey began in 1996 when she traveled to India, the birthplace of her grandfather, where she met an inspired yogi and became dedicated to a conscious evolution through yoga. She blends a wealth of knowledge and experience to create a unique, vigorous-yet-sumptuous approach to Vinyasa yoga that melds awareness with movement, breath, heart, and humor. She teaches workshops, retreats, and teacher training around the world.

Janet is a Yoga Alliance Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, having completed the 200-hour & 500-hour E-RYT program. (E-RYTs are qualified to train teachers and to conduct continuing education trainings). She leads a 200-hour Yoga Alliance certified vinyasa yoga teacher training program structured around the 5 elements, as well as a 500-hour advanced training.

 

Matty Ezraty – Yoga

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Maty Ezraty was the original founder of Yoga Works in Santa Monica California and directed the Teacher Training Program there for over 16 years. She has studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois 5 times in India , and during 5 of his American tours as well as once in France .Maty wrote the Yoga Journal Asana Column in 2001. She is known for her joyful, engaging and determined approach to teaching correct form. Teaching since 1985 Maty has been a student of many senior Iyengar teachers which reflects in her practice and how she teaches.

 

Tiffany Cruikshank – Yoga Teacher

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tiffany cruikshankAn international yoga teacher, author and health & wellness expert Tiffany travels the globe inspiring people to live their lives to the fullest. Tiffany is known for her lighthearted attention to detail and passionate dedication to the practice. With her training in Acupuncture & Sports Medicine her yoga classes are guided by a strong anatomic focus intermingled with her characteristic playfulness using movement as medicine.