Our Instructors

Lisa creates a beautiful yoga experience in every class to connect your mind, body and soul on a whole new level. With more than 20 years of teaching experience, Lisa has found her passion in teaching yoga because of it's powerful benefits.  She is inspired by the effects yoga can have to reduce and remove obstacles that limit us from enjoying a joyful life.

When Lisa is not at the studio she is enjoying some of life's pleasures with her husband and their two young boys.  She enjoys cooking, reading and is also a student of karate working toward her black belt.  

Roxane's Journey

Ten years ago, a friend took me to my first yoga class, and I am still humbled by the practice every time I step on the mat. One of the first things I noticed as a student was that my busy mind was given a break. It was my first taste of truly living in the present moment and connecting with my breath. Four years later, I was approached to take a teacher training course and it was a gift I gave to myself that I can pay forward to all who wish to practice yoga with me.

I invite you to join me in class to learn how to reduce your stress, be gentle to yourself and find your yoga, no matter where you are in life. Flexibility in your mind is where it truly begins; your body will follow. As a life-long student of Yoga, I teach from my heart and aim to help others rediscover a new love for themselves. Begin with yourself, and expand from your center in order to give and reach out to everyone else in our life. Welcome and Namaste.

Yoga found me when I was searching for a form of physical activity that I actually enjoyed. I had tried out the gym a few times when a friend introduced me to yoga in 2005. I left the sweaty Bikram class in awe of the yogis. What power and grace! After my first class I knew I had found what I was looking for. I became hooked and started exploring many styles. The physical benefits were definitely the first to arise, but as my practice continued I began to notice an entire “shift” in my general attitude and outlook on life. I began to take my practice off the mat and into all aspects of my life. I had found a sense of self acceptance. I had found my calling.
As my yoga journey continued I knew that I needed to share my love of yoga with others. I enrolled with the Nosara Yoga Institute and received a 200 hour Interdisciplinary Certificate. A year later, I returned to the Nosara Yoga Institute and completed the Pranassage® Practitioner Training. As an instructor/practitioner I strive to provide an ego-less environment for exploration. No expectations, just self discovery. We are all unique multidimensional beings and, quoting Joseph Campbell, “the privilege of a lifetime is being who you are."
I am forever a student and will always be exploring and discovering. I am continuing on the path of health and wellness by becoming a Holistic Nutritionist through the Canadian School of Natural Nutrition.
I look forward to meeting you!
 

Darren's Journey

It's all about the "Now".

The present moment is the only moment that has ever, and will ever exist.

The past has happened, it is as it is, and cannot be changed. The future will happen, but when it comes...guess what? It will come as the "Now". Yet, for some reason, we spend about 90% of our waking day focused on the events of our past and the possible events of our future... even though the only moment we have any control over is the current one.

The "Now" is your access point to reality. It is only through the present moment, and the present moment alone, that you will ever be able to influence your reality and see the true nature of your limitless self.

I am a "Now" junkie. Whether it be riding up a wall on my skateboard, creating stillness through meditation, closing a business deal, or finding that balance of "effortless-effort" while engaged in asana, the only thing that concerns me anymore is allowing myself to exist in the "Now" as much as I possibly can.

Learning how to access the present moment has changed my life completely. It has allowed me to bring out my best in any situation...on cue...every time. I now see, live and act in a world without limits.

I want to bring you into the "Now" to see what I see.

I want you to access your limitless potential.

Barb's teaching is strongly influenced by the Desikachar Tradition, a rich tradition which is sometimes referred to as Viniyoga. Viniyoga is not a brand name but rather a Sanskrit term which means "right application". Relationship between teacher and student is a key ingredient to Viniyoga with a strong respect for the individual. The flexibility of means to respond to the individuals needs is what is suggested by the term "viniyoga". Linking the breath to the asana practice is another key element in this tradition. Bringing awareness to the breath and letting the breath determine our comfortable capacity is emphasized throughout the practice. The breathwork is sequenced to effect the spine. Barb hopes to guide participants to develop practices and attitudes to life which will address their needs and that they will be able to incorporate into their own day to day living.

I have been practicing yoga for over 20 years, but still it seems I am continuously learning new things. I came to yoga out of a physical need; it was a tool to be used. Over the years, that has changed and now yoga is a way of life. I don’t use yoga, but rather it uses me. It calms me, it humbles me, and it enlightens me.

No matter how, when or why you come to yoga, it will change you, because it is more than just an exercise. I am all for efficiency. Even in my personal training, I use functional movements. Why waste time on isolating things, when you can achieve greater results, in less time? Well yoga is the ultimate in efficiency. Whether you engage in yoga from a mind, body or spiritual aspect, eventually all three will come into play and you will be changed forever.

For me the mountains have always been the place where I feel the most spiritual, where I can connect with nature and the universal energy. I feel the same way on my mat, when I’m doing my own practice, or teaching a class. I get such a “high”!
 

Every day I welcome yoga into my life - whether it is through a sleepy morning practice, a quiet breath at my desk in the middle of a crazy day or a rhythmic mantra to calm my mind before bed. The asana practice always felt natural with my background in gymnastics and dance - a way of mixing all the sensations of lightness, strength and mobility but with mindfulness and compassion. At every turn, yoga is my touchstone - trying to raise my son with love and without expectations, cultivating relationships built on trust and acceptance, celebrating each moment with reverence and gratitude. I teach with the hope that students will 'dig a little deeper' and perhaps glimpse a moment of contentment.