Kathe is the present Director of Yoga Anand Ashram. “I started yoga study and practice in 1973 as a student of Gurani Anjali. The training went so deeply within me, that the teachings of this great philosophy are now my world view, my daily teacher and my guiding light. My 45 years experience as wife and mother, Nurse Practitioner, body worker and yoga teacher are part of the classes I teach in yoga, meditation and health related subjects. My classes focus on bringing the body back into balance and training the mind to be clear, still and watchful. This I feel is of the utmost importance for inner freedom, understanding and awakening to the fullness of one’s Being, which is the goal of yoga.” Kathe is an Adult Nurse Practitioner in Internal Medicine. She has a private practice in Amma Massage, Myofascial Release and shamanic energy techniques. In the ashram she has facilitated silent yoga retreats, women’s study groups, woman’s healing groups, children’s yoga and wholistic cleansing workshops.
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Don started his yoga training in 1974 with Gurani Anjali. He has been teaching yoga and meditation for many years and has studied Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and Samkhya Philosophy. As an accomplished musician, he has given concerts and lead drum circles, and incorporates music into his classes. “Music has a direct effect on the body/mind and is an excellent way to help focus and still the mind. I also like to use dialogue and discussion as a way of bringing out the student’s thoughts,opinions and realizations, as well as creating a sense of sharing and community”. Don is the designer and builder of the new ashram at 152 Merrick Rd. Don holds a place on the Board of Directors.
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Roy has been a Yoga and Meditation teacher since 1972 under the guidance of Gurani Anjali the founder of Yoga Anand Ashram. He studied and practiced Yoga Dharma for many years and has taught Hatha Yoga as well as Meditation classes at the Ashram. ” I feel a deep love and respect for the Yoga Path which guides one towards the profound depths of inner peace and freedom.” Roy is also a Special Education Teacher working with special needs children. He plays guitar and sings and has used music in his work with children. Roy leads afternoon meditation retreats often incorporating sacred poetry, philosophy and inspiration from the great sages of the past and present. He is also an artist and has taught painting classes and mandala creation workshops.
John is a long time student, yoga practitioner and teacher of the ashram, having first attended classes back in 1971. Through the years he has embraced the 8-Limbed Yoga Path in its entirety and enjoys sharing his experience and knowledge with those who would like to explore the depths of their own yoga practice. John is known for his beautiful, strong singing voice and has always been one of the “voices” of the ashram. He has been instrumental in singing, practicing, and recording the many songs that Gurani Anjali “Guruma” (founder of YAA) wrote over the years. If you have ever been to the ashram for one our festivals or for our Sunday morning meditation you have had the experience of singing and chanting with him from the depths of your heart.
Tara has been teaching yoga to children and adults since 2001. Her classes are slow moving with gradual, deep stretching preparing the body for what lies ahead. Her classes challenge what we “think” our capabilities are while accommodating that we all have our own physical limitations. Through thorough instruction and modifications all students can enjoy a deep sense of letting go both in the body and the mind. Classes are meditative from beginning to end with a strong emphasis on our connection with all of life. Tara has offered classes in advanced asanas (postures), yoga philosophy, dharma talks, silent retreats, meditation and children’s classes as well as organizing and facilitating our annual Children’s Day events. When teaching, Tara draws from her day to day life experiences and her background in the arts of dance, music, martial arts, creative writing and business. Tara holds a place on the Board of Directors._______________________________________________________________
Hi, I’m Vanessa and I love to help people go deeper within through feel and presence which is where each person’s inner guidance, unique spark, and power is. Yoga, dance and movement have been with me my whole life. I can honestly say I love how breathing, feeling, and moving can bring me into a deeply present and aligned state which is the foundation of how and why I teach. My background is in healing, bodywork, emotional release, physical alignment principles, movement techniques, the mind-body connection, energy, and spiritual teachings. I have taught workshops in yoga posture alignment, self Myofascial Release for pain and tightness, women’s movement workshops, and also Empath and Lightworker workshops to help them understand themselves clearly and have the tools to navigate this world with freedom and empowerment. I am a Licensed Massage Therapist, Transformational Intuitive Mentor, Marconics Energy Practitioner, Dancer and Yoga Instructor.
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Michelle RTY-200, has been a member of Yoga Anand Ashram (YAA) since 2004. She completed her 200-hour yoga certification in 2016 and her Life Coaching Certification in 2018. Michelle is deeply influenced by the classical teachings of yoga philosophy and meditation acquired at YAA. Her classes focus on centering yourself, slowing down the mind, getting in touch with the breath and releasing tension and anxiety in both mind and body. She has a passion for making yoga accessible to “everybody”. “To know yourself as the Being underneath the thinker, the stillness underneath the pain, is freedom, salvation, enlightenment.” – Eckart Tolle
Michelle has worked in the corporate health care field for over 25 years and is the mother of two special needs children. She has offered yoga classes to raise money for Autism Speaks and has also taught corporate yoga classes.
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Mary is a registered yoga teacher certified at the 200-hour level. She is also certified in chair yoga and kids yoga. Mary came to yoga during a time of deep emotional stress and soon discovered the incredible healing that yoga provides and its ability to help us deal with life’s challenges. Her desire to share these benefits with others led her to become a yoga teacher. A strong belief that everyone should be able to experience the healing powers of yoga inspired her to pursue training in chair yoga. Mary is trained in mindfulness and has taken several courses on the neuroscience of yoga. She strongly believes in harnessing the power of the breath to heal the body and the spirit.
Her classes strive to be accessible to all and to introduce her students to the amazing possibilities that come from living in the moment.
Lourdes has been a member of the YAA for more than 20 years. Twenty years ago, this spring, my life seemed much more complicated than it is today. I had just been diagnosed with early stage breast cancer, and I was raising two teenage daughters, the eldest of which had just begun her first semester in college. From the outside, I seemed put together, I went to work every day and even kept my diagnosis a secret for some time to protect my loved ones from unnecessary worry about my health. However, inside I was afraid and overwhelmed and looking back now, it is clear that I was in need of a pathway to help me navigate my struggles. It was during this trying time that I began my yoga journey at Yoga Anand Ashram.
For me, yoga provided an asylum, both mentally and physically, and a safe space to connect with myself on a level that everyday life did not provide. My practice soon flourished from enjoyment of the physical release of asana, to the pursuit of a philosophical practice. I began reading about the ancient philosophies of yoga, and attending dharma talks at the Ashram. This leap from the physical to the spiritual element of my practice was a transformational process that has led me to where I am today. However, my experience is not unique, as yoga has moved many of us from a sense of powerlessness to a place of peace and inner strength. The opportunity to be part of that transformation in others is a gift. For me, being of service is one of the most benevolent forces of the yoga practice that I have been offered.
As a yoga teacher, I hope to empower others with the gift of yogic practice in the same way that my teachers instilled me with these teachings, in the hopes that others can achieve the same sense of sanctuary that I have over all of these years. Yoga is a way of life for me, a way of looking at the world and a tool for facing life’s challenges with intention and grace. I am here today because I hope to help others connect with their own developing practices, on whatever level they so choose, to enjoy a part of the human experience that so often evades us in modern life. I embrace the opportunity to be of service to each and every one of you.
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Marguerite
“I discovered yoga 13 years ago practicing online, searching for something to calm my
anxiety and depression. At that time, I never imagined I could become a 200-hour
certified yoga teacher, let alone walk into a yoga studio. Fast forward to this present
moment I have taught hundreds of classes and furthered my certifications, specializing
in Yin Yoga and Sound Healing and soon to be an Acupuncturist/Herbalist.
Yoga taught me so much about myself and who I am meant to be. It is my
intention to share that empowerment, and harmony between body, mind, and soul with
all of you. It is my hope that you leave me classes feeling supported, loved, and
revitalized.
Can’t wait to see you on the mat!!
Love, Marguerite”
