Teachers

I realized my body started to open and surrender. My mind followed and I experienced  a new openness that set the pattern to further investigate the real meaning of what was happening. Soon after that experience a series of painful events changed my life and my world as I had known it came to an end. I had a choice to open or close to the pain. Somewhere in my heart I chose to open.

I spend the next few years learning all I could about different types of yoga and massage. After finishing a BA in Anthropology I started a long trip to South America and was introduced to Vipassana Meditation. These silent 10 day meditation retreats were an amazing tool that showed me to be still, see and discover the world inside. In the years that followed I continued my studies in massage therapy, I study two years of Anatomy and Physiology in the Medical School of the University of Buenos Aires, I worked assisting classes in a renowned Massage Therapy School and had my private massage therapy practice in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

My first Yoga Teacher Training was in the Iyengar tradition, then I started teaching in 2007. I had the opportunity of attending the Yoga Teachers Training with the whole hearted Yogi Vishyketu in 2010 while I was pregnant with my first child. Being pregnant open up a whole new world and I became a passionate student of women, birth, female bodies, babies… Since then I’ve been learning and teaching yoga to pregnant women and moms and babies.

My husband and I own an alternative health clinic: Integrated Therapies (integratedtherapies.ca) We helped in the creation of two children: Orel and Pina.

Without my conscious awareness the quality of union embedded in the roots of yoga began to harmonize my past impressions, trauma laid grief and un-serving beliefs that had been situated under the surface. Every practice became a sanctuary in which I was offered a glimpse of new-found freedom and tools to navigate through what at times is the tumultuous waters of life. It was and is the greatest of gifts. Though, I had no intentions of teaching this practice, and instead tried to pursue other creative outlets, eventually through the grace of Yoga the subtle strands of Dharma shone more brightly and acceptance for what was meant to be grew stronger within myself… and so here I am doing my best to simply trust that which is.

I began the path of teaching in 2004 in the form of mentorship with my original teachers Deb and Lacie Cosgrove, and somehow that led me to puruse other trainings both locally and internationally in various styles and schools of thought ranging from Ashtanga to Akhanda to Kundalini. This helped me form a new perspective with which to observe, witness, see.  The foundation that was laid in that time eventually led me to sincerely study the wisdom held in Ayurveda, Sanskrit, Mantra, Meditation and the traditional philosophies that form the umbrella of Yoga while under the guidance of my dear teacher, Yogi Baba Prem and the lineage of Mahavatar Baba-ji. In 2016 I was more than humbled to receive the traditional title of Yogakovid.

I approach my practice and teaching with an innate intention to support the elevation of consciousness. With every practice emphasizing a balance of effort and ease, the embrace of self and collective compassion, and the importance of the foundational breath. The breath as a catalyst for inner union, of body and mind and a gateway leading us towards the depth of Self and the understanding that we are all enough and we are all one.

I appreciate and always bow in gratitude to the facets of studentship that so many of us share together. The light in me honours the light in you.

Om Gam Ganapataye Namah

…both on and off the mat.

Amanda has come to realize that the asana (postures) of the practice only skim the surface of what is available to be learned. Forever a student, Amanda has a thirst to continue learning and is on a lifelong learning journey that encompasses body, mind and soul. Her passions include mindfulness, loving kindness meditations, yin yoga and healing the physical body.

Amanda is an ERYT-500 hour teacher, as well as a RPYT (Prenatal), and YACEP (Continuing Education) and TCTSY-F (Facilitator of Trauma Centre’s Trauma Sensitive Yoga). She teaches a variety of classes and trainings at Prana Yoga Studio. Teaching yoga has inspired her to live a life more full of compassion and love.

There, I completed my 200hr Akhanda yoga teacher training. It was the most rewarding experience I have ever had.I am passionate about the human body and movement, the beauty inside of each one of us and creating peace and harmony in our lives. I love that yoga is accessible to everybody, there are so many styles, class types and teachers to choose from. Yoga has been a gift that I will forever treasure and I look forward to sharing that with you.

She is very proud to hold the designation of a Certified YogaKids International Facilitator.

Sara’s days are primarily spend teaching yoga to children but she can still be found teaching many classes to adults. Sara brings over 10 years of teaching experience and fills her classes with knowledge, laughter and joy.

Finding the Akhanda experience at Prana opened a whole new world for me. I soon fell in love with how integrational -holistic- the classes are, as well as the sense of care and attention that each teacher has to offer. I’ve found so much inspiration here.

Completing my 200 hrs YTT in 2017 is one of my proudest and most fulfilling life events, and I can only continue to learn, share and deepen my knowledge.

*SKY ABOVE, EARTH BELOW, PEACE WITHIN*

… one down in class to understand what was happening flicked an irreversible switch and the essence of the poses began to shine through. Krista loved the flowing quality of vinyasa based classes and the accessibility of hatha yoga. She loved weaving poses together like an artistic dance of breath, movement and openness. When she emerged from teacher training, Krista was humbled by the vastness of yoga. She was invited to teach karma classes at her teacher’s studio and embraced the opportunity willingly, knowing that this was a gift. It wasn’t long after that Krista began managing the yoga studio and shortly after that, the yoga teacher training college where she had trained. Krista moved to Alberta in 2008 and the first job she had was teaching beginner yoga at the Tri Leisure Centre in Spruce Grove. In 2012, she began managing That Yoga Place and Phoenix Physical Therapy in Spruce Grove, and worked in the studio and clinic for more than 7 years. In pursuit of further learning, Krista has taken training in restorative yoga, pre-natal, a 50hr Yin Yoga teacher training and in 2013, completed another 200hr training in Ashtanga. In 2014, she developed a 200 hour yoga teacher training program through Yoga Alliance and taught several sessions. In 2018, Krista began studying in a 3000hr Advanced Clinical Massage Therapy program at MaKami College in Edmonton. This came following years of craving a better functional understanding of kinetics and the body. Not only has the training furthered her anatomical understanding of physiology, proper movement patterns and the musculature, it has opened up a new world of health and wellness through therapeutic (deep tissue) and relaxation massage treatments. Yoga continues to amaze Krista with its invitation to know oneself and connect to unveiled reality through intentional physical practice and the constant subtle turning inwards to where the limbs of yoga extend.

in all walks of life including recovering addicts with AADAC,

professional athletes and bodybuilders, teens at risk, as well as developing an ongoing initiative with the Dystonia Foundation of Canada.

Through practice and teaching she has come to an intimate understanding of the nature of the impersonal mind and the ways in which we create suffering. Jaya is a dharma poet, graduated Holistic Health Practitioner, Reiki Master, dedicated meditator and a teacher under Yogrishi Vishvketu’s  smiling guidance. By Grace she is also the mother of four. Parenting and partnering are her fundamental practices as she follows the Bhava Marga (Path of Spontaneous Devotion) and offers strong practices to the public rooted in Ghandi’s thought “we are none liberated until we are All liberated” Om Tat Sat

…keeping the physical body in shape. Over the years, Jeanette’s yoga journey has shifted to one of deep inner healing. Her mat has been, and continues to be a safe haven for tapping into suppressed emotion. Insights, healing, and a profound inner peace have surfaced through her explorations on the mat.
During an extended yoga teacher training in India (2009), Jeanette’s knowledge and understanding of yoga was deepened and enriched by her teacher, Yogi Vishvketu. She considers it one of the most transformational experiences of her life, and is deeply grateful for the profound healing received.
The Sanskrit word for contentment is ‘Santosha.’ Given this name by Yogi Vishvketu, through the practice of yoga, Jeanette continues to search, and at times, find contentment in her own life. It is an ongoing journey.

Always a student herself, other teachers Jeanette has studied with are: Donna Farhi, TKV Desikachar, Mark Whitwell, Rodney Yee, Shiva Rea, Rameen Peyrow, and David McAmmond.

Jeanette’s awareness of the energetic aspect of the human body has been enhanced through the practice of yoga. She has taken numerous courses in energetic anatomy, is a Reiki Practitioner and has experienced first hand, the power of hands on healing.
In 2014, Jeanette discovered Rosen Method Bodywork. She had been looking for something to offer in conjunction with teaching yoga. After several months of receiving her own personal sessions, she decided to become a practitioner. She is currently working through her internship (yes, clients are needed to work on). Jeanette continues to shift, transform and grow through her yoga practice and Rosen Method Bodywork.

Jeanette is certified through the Yoga Association of Alberta (YAA) and Yoga Alliance, 500HR.

Jeanette is a student with the Rosen Method Institute of Canada.

Living in community on Maui and traveling, she taught whoever wanted to learn, including the Secoya indigenous people in the Amazon tributaries of Ecuador. During this time, Leala began practicing Vipassana meditation, attending numerous 10 day silent retreats. In 2000, Leala attended an Ashtanga Yoga teachers training course with renowned instructor David Swenson and in 2003 completed her 200 hour training through Trinity Yoga.

After moving to Alberta’s dry climate, intensive physical yoga practices began leaving her deeply fatigued. Leala began seeking a more holistic approach to yoga, one that would synergize her love of meditation, mindfulness, breath and embodied movement. She had a dream where she met and merged with an Indian sage who fused yoga and meditation into heart centered awakening. A few weeks later she met Yogi Vishvketu and began her journey into Akhanda® Yoga.

In 2006 Leala founded Prana Yoga Studio in Edmonton. Along with owning a busy urban yoga studio, Leala has raised a family, guided international yoga retreats, and taught numerous YTT programs in both Canada and India. Leala’s passions include practicing yoga outdoors, hiking, swimming and quality time with her family.

The benefits of yoga are precious and far-reaching. The invitation is to be profoundly open inside while holding vibrant presence for boundriless, limitless growth and evolution.

At age 40 I completed the 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training at Prana Yoga Studio. That month of intense sadhana catapulted me into total yet gentle change on all levels. I watched, from the sidelines, as my body, diet, lifestyle, priorities and relationships shifted. I completed my 500 hr YTT in the fall of 2011 in Rishikesh, India, with Yogi Vishvketu and the World Conscious Yoga Family. I am so grateful for Vishvaji’s example – his humor, softness and integrity. In my practice and in my classes I love to explore variety, spontaneity, rhythm, challenge, grounding, and flow, with a strong emphasis on prana (subtle energy) – spreading it through the body equally, creating a dynamic equilibrium. It’s this beautiful, living equilibrium and the privilege of sharing it with others that keeps me returning to the mat.

consciousness-raising traditions.

Vishva went on to attain a Bachelor’s degree in Sports and Humanities with a specialization in yoga, as well as an M.A. and Ph.D. in Yoga Philosophy. While at the University of Haridwar, he also pursued courses in Naturopathy, Reike, Pranic Healing, and Yoga Therapy. In 1992 and 1995, he won the All India Inter-University Yoga Championships. Internationally, he offers holistic yoga workshops including asana, pranayama, cleansing kriyas, Ayurveda and Vedic chanting. He also offers yoga teacher training programs, and retreats for dedicated practitioners in Canada and at Anand Prakash, his ashram in the foothills of the Himalayas. The teacher training programs are recognized by the Yoga Alliance at the 200-hour level. Vishvaji visits Prana Yoga Studio once yearly for workshops and a retreats in Alberta.

After a month of practice, her back pain was almost completely gone. There was no going back after that! Since then, she decided to further her love and knowledge of yoga and movement by taking her first teacher training at Prana in 2013. She is now an ERYT-500 hour teacher with training in Akhanda, Pre/Post Natal, Blissology, and Yin yoga. She is also a Certified Ballroom Dance Examiner and holds a Diploma of Acupuncture.

… practice of yoga both on and off the mat to students of ALL levels.

“Even after all this time The sun never says to the earth, “You owe Me.” Look what happens with A love like that, It lights the Whole World.” Rumi

…she soon realized that this mindset completely undervalued what yoga had to offer. Instead of practicing for exercise, she began practicing for her heart. This transition has had profound effects in all aspects of her life. She completed her 200 hr Akhanda YTT training at Prana Yoga Studio in August of 2012 and has been teaching ever since. She has a love for learning and movement, and received her Bachelor’s and Masters degrees through the Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation at the University of Alberta. In fall 2021, Megan decided to continue her studies and began her PhD in Kinesiology with an emphasis on trauma-informed and socially just movement cultures.

In her yoga classes, Megan strives to create welcoming and healing spaces for practitioners of all levels. She encourages her students to listen intuitively to their bodies and places emphasis on developing a breath-body connection through movement. She is very grateful for all that yoga as done for her and looks forward to sharing this love with others.

the art of surrendering. I have since taken additional trainings in yoga therapy, yin yoga, and am in the process of completing my 500 hr YTT in Trauma Informed Yoga and Psychology.  Outside of the studio, I have an education in Psychology and Anthropology and am devoted to supporting those impacted by trauma. I am so grateful for the privilege that has allowed me to learn and to share my love of yoga, as it has constantly and loving brought me a contentment and wholeness that is second to none. In my classes I hope to cultivate a safe environment that allows all my students to flourish and find their unique love for the practice.

passionate about change. She brings this enthusiasm, along with compassion and sensitivity, to her work as a Yoga Teacher. With gentle guidance and encouragement, she leads students to a deeper understanding of themselves and their capacity for healing and change from within. She loves the inclusivity of yoga and believes that yoga is for everyone and every “body”. Colleen has a special interest in therapeutic yoga, Chair Yoga and working with people with physical and mental limitations. She also offers private sessions. She has received many gifts from her yoga teachers over the years and is humbled and honoured to share these benefits with others. Come and heal your mind and body by learning how to breathe and move with awareness.

Peace to everyone, everywhere.

Her passion is to teach Yoga and Meditation as a tool for mental, physical and spiritual health (in both children and adults). After travelling the world and getting her Bachelor of Education, Dawn met Mandy Trap in 2008, founder and creator of Lifestyle Meditation. Mandy introduced Dawn to Yoga and Meditation to help her cope with the stress of caring for a child with special needs. In 2009, after Mandy connected Dawn with Leala Enfield, Dawn began to teach at children at Prana Yoga Studio. She teaches Kids Yoga Classes, Kids Camps, ”Dance Around The World” Classes, and Meditation Classes, at Prana Yoga Studio.

Dawn is also one of the Co-Founders of The Goddess Network (a community created to Support, Nurture and Inspire women in Edmonton), along with Life Coach and Meditation Teacher Sara Hiebert. She is also a Mental Health Advocate and Public Speaker. Dawn is the wife of a local Edmonton Fire Fighter, inspiring her to empower First Responders with the gifts of Meditation and Yoga, to help them deal with stress and PTSD.

Dawn became a Certified Lifestyle Meditation Teacher and Facilitator in 2013. She also completed her 200 YTT Certification at Prana Yoga Studio in June 2015.

across the world. Yoga has enriched my life and brought fulfillment and wonder to me daily. With the definition of “yoga” being union of the mind, body, and spirit, my practice continues beyond my mat to the intimacy of being available in every moment of my day. The more time I spend at Prana, the more deeply I connect to the union of all things. I am grateful to be teaching at a studio that honours not only movement and breath, but all that they can become a gateway to.”

Sheila has spent the last 30 years cultivating the tools to live an authentic life. For the past 8 years Sheila was the owner of Yoga Central.  This is where she spent many days immersed in teaching and running the studio.

Recently she has discovered her potential to live more peacefully and with an open heart.  She has an understanding that we all are meant to live with this deep passion.  Her greatest joy is to share this wisdom with others.  She is not at the end of this journey but on a never ending path to unravel the miracles of life.

…the mind, and spirit. Deepening my understanding of the physical body I completed a massage therapy diploma in 2011. My passion for anatomy and functional movement began here. During the remedial exercise component of the program I was introduced to Akhanda yoga. Akhanda yoga opened up the world of pranayama, meditation, and mantra, along side the physical aspect of yoga.

This was the bridge between the physical body and the spirit that I was looking for.

I continued to deepen my practice and completed my 200hr yoga teacher training at Prana in 2017.

Always curious and wanting to dive in deeper, I’m currently working to complete my 300 hr teacher teacher training.

I look forward to sharing and continuing the journey to wholeness with you.

  Brian completed his 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in June of 2015. He has taught yoga publicly since then – primarily with the youth he works with in schools as a Success Coach. Brian’s background in psychology has helped him utilize yogic teachings for self-regulation, self-care, and inner inquiry for himself and his students.

In June of 2022, he completed the core modules of Prana Yoga Studio’s 300 hour yoga teacher training program which deepened his love for the Sanskrit language, chanting Sanskrit mantras and refining his yogic practice. The connections made within that group is one he holds so dearly in his heart which helped him move through self-limiting beliefs and honouring his creativity.

Brian strives to hold an inclusive space for every body to practice yoga. He loves hearing about personal revelations and inspirations students experience while practicing. He has a deep respect for the “why?” that keeps students coming back to practice – as he recognizes it is highly individualized – and loves the collective sharing of energy that takes place when we gather together to practice yoga.

…and a new family to grow with. I have always loved participating and teaching power classes, but recently having dealt with a few injuries, I have found a new desire for the softer, more restorative side of yoga.

I started teaching yoga in 2012. I completed my 500-hr training 3 years later, and have done countless other trainings in a wide variety of styles and with many teachers.  Now, when I am not doing yoga I am with my family. Our two young boys, Kai and Luka have quickly become my newest teachers.

…with asana practice.

in love. It was mutually complementary with my involvement in team sports. I went on to complete another Sunrise Challenge the following fall & on the thirtieth sleepy morning, I decided then & there that I wanted to become a yoga teacher. Seven months later, I was graduating from Prana’s 200-hour YTT program with my heart & mind blown dizzyingly open.

It’s been a rapid & transformative path of self-exploration & I still find myself falling more deeply in love with yoga every day due to the way that it teaches patience, perseverance, & a shwack-load of humility. I am now extraordinarily honoured to be a yoga teacher at the very studio in which I discovered yoga.

… strengths and weaknesses alike. To be living within the opportunity to develop precision and discrimination as this reflection is observed is an opportunity Kevin intends to make the most of. This opportunity is one that Kevin feels all should have equal potential to put to practice, and is at the root of what drives him to share this inspiration with all who seek.

… and as a lifelong learner, she decided to dive deeper and completed her first formal training in 2015 at Prana Yoga Studio (200hr YTT). Studying yoga felt like a homecoming. The ancient concepts and teachings radiated so much potency and truth. It supported Margaret in broadening her self-awareness and taught her how to treat herself more gently. Margaret has learned that this lightness that yoga emits comes from its expansive and holistic system that organizes your whole self; tending, pruning, realigning, and enriching that which wants to blossom from within you. As a person well-acquainted with burnout, yoga provides her with tools to help manage her health and well-being. Now having completed 500 hr YTT, Margaret feels empowered to share these tools that have breathed so much light into her life.