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Main Asana Instructors

Andrea Kalpana Tabachnick, E-RYT 500* has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since 1975 and teaching since 1994. Kalpana served as the Director of the Ashtanga Yoga Institute in Santa Cruz, CA for ten years and as Curriculum Developer and Senior Instructor for the MMC Yoga Teacher Training for six years. Her background studies includes Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training in 1981, intensive studies in Ayurveda, as well as ongoing workshops in traditional and contemporary styles of asana. She currently serves as the Program Director for SSCY and teaches public and corporate classes throughout Vancouver.   (* Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 500 with Yoga Alliance)

Lesley Ormiston has been exploring the varied practices and philosophies of Yoga since 1998. She completed her teacher training in Classical Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga while living at the Mount Madonna Center in California. She has since been on the faculty of presenters for both MMC and Salt Spring Centre of Yoga teacher trainings. Lesley's teaching reflects her interest in the subtle methods for connecting the mind, breath and body both during one's practice and in every day living. She currently resides and teaches all levels of classes in Victoria, BC.

Tangachee Goebl has been studying yoga since 1975 and teaching since 1990. She has spent several years in India studying classical Ashtanga yoga with a number of teachers and completed the SSCY 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2002. Meditation has been a major part of Tangachee's life for the last 30 years and she likes to incorporate mindfulness of the body and breath into her teaching practice. More recently she teaches mostly private classes with special emphasis on Therapeutic Yoga.

Chetna Tracy Boyd, RYT 500*, has been studying yoga in its many aspects since 1999. She began teaching in 2003 and is a graduate of the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, where she was certified in Classical Ashtanga and Hatha Yoga systems and is registered with the Yoga Alliance. She completed her Professional Yoga Therapy 500 hour training through Integrated Yoga Therapy and joined the faculty of the SSCY Yoga Teacher Trainings in 2007. Chetna teaches private yoga therapy sessions as well as public and corporate classes in Victoria. Her compassionate approach to teaching promotes an environment that is relaxing and encouraging, empowering and fun.(* 500 hour Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher).

Cordula Vogt, 200* has been teaching yoga since 2002, after receiving certification through the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. In 2004, she received pre/post natal certification. Since beginning her personal yoga practice in 1992, Cordula has studied intensively with Celeste Mallet and Iyengar instructor, Sheri Berkowitz. She teaches hatha and restorative yoga as well as classes specifically designed for seniors and pre/post natal women on Salt Spring Island. A faculty member for the SSCY Yoga Teacher Training, Cordula brings her expertise and experiential wisdom to both disciplines of pranayama and asana. (* 200 hour Yoga Alliance Registered Teacher).

Dorothy Price has been a yoga practitioner for over 30 years and completed her Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga in 2002. She teaches all levels of yoga on Salt Spring Island, as well as weekend yoga getaways and an annual retreat in Mexico. Dorothy's teaching style includes sustained as well as flowing postures, with the aim of cultivating mindfulness through alignment and breath. She brings compassion and a deep love of yoga to her classes.

Ainsley Sema Sutton has been practicing Yoga since 1990 and completed her first Yoga Teacher Training at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga in 2003. Since then she has continued her studies of Ashtanga Vinyasa, Vijnana and Hatha Yoga, and has completed two other Yoga Teacher Trainings in Power Vinyasa and Yin Yoga. Ainsley is also a practitioner of Ayurvedic, Thai and Yoga massage. She currently lives in Vancouver where she teaches all levels of classes in Hatha, Power, Prenatal and Yin Yoga.

Julie Higginson, MA, has been practicing yoga since 1998, including studies in the hatha, kripalu and restorative traditions and has been influenced by the work of Donna Farhi. She graduated from the SSCY YTT in 2008, joined the the faculty in 2009 and presently teaches intro and continuing beginning and restorative yoga in Victoria. Julie is deeply inspired by the teachings and how the practice of yoga facilitates improved physical and mental functioning as well as providing a personal space for sanctuary and healing. She is very grateful to the founding teacher, Baba Hari Dass and for the collective efforts of the many instructors and staff dedicated to this stellar program.

Pranayama Instructors

Mark Divakar Raetzen, BA LLB LLM, has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since 1976. He is President of the Dharma Sara Satsang Society and one of the founding members of the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga. Divakar completed Yoga Teacher Training at MMC in 1981 and is a long time teacher of pranayama, meditation and yoga philosophy at the SSCY Yoga Retreats and annual Yoga Teacher Training.

Penny Janaki Polden, RN. CYT - Janaki has been practicing classical Yoga and meditation as taught by Baba Hari Dass for over 30 years. She completed her first Yoga Teacher Training in 1973 at the Sivananda Yoga Centre in Grass Valley, California and the 200 hour Yoga Alliance certified Yoga Teacher Training at SSCY in 2003. One of the founding members of the Centre, Janaki currently teaches pranayama and meditation for ongoing classes and retreats at SSCY.

Ayurveda and Shath Karma Instructor

Savita Leah Young became a student of Baba Hari Dass in 1994, after practicing vipassana meditation since 1987. She completed the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at SSCY in 2006 and graduated with honors from Mt. Madonna Institute College of Ayurveda, as a Certified Ayurveda Practitioner in 2008. She currently operates her own clinic, Amrit Dhara Ayurveda, on Salt Spring Island. As the mother of three and recently given the honor of being a grandmother, Savita has devoted her life to living in balance with nature and the environment, and sharing this knowledge with others.

Anatomy Instructor

Bryn Thompson, BScPT, FCAMT began his physical therapy and yoga practices simultaneously in early 2001. He has studied various styles of yoga including Ashtanga, Vijnana, and Iyengar and has incorporated the many gifts of these classical traditions into mainstream western sciences of anatomy, physiology, pathology, and the practice of physiotherapy. Bryn has a passion for working hands on through the body, sharing his knowledge, and inspiring growth in his students and patients. Bryn currently lives in Boulder CO, working part time, supporting his partner’s Masters studies at Naropa, and taking care of his three beautiful boys.

Physiology Instructor

Dr. Janice Hamsa Wright graduated from McGill University in 1991 with a BSc in Anatomy and an MSc in Biology. She received her MD from McMaster University in 1996 and has been practicing holistically as an MD in Vancouver since 1998. In 2001 Janice received acupuncture training through the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute; she has also completed extensive training in palliative care. Janice's interest in holistic medicine and natural healing is longstanding. She believes in integrative medicine - using both conventional medicine and complementary modalities to support and encourage the body's innate capacity towards wholeness. To this end, Janice practices at InspireHealth, Canada's only Integrated Cancer Care Centre. Patients are offered yoga, meditation and other inspirational classes. Janice certified as a yoga instructor in the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga YTT program in 2003 and practices asana, pranayama and meditation regularly.

Philosophy Instructors

Alan Shankar Martin, PhD. is Professor Emeritus in the School of Human Kinetics at the University of BC and holds degrees from Leeds University and UBC, a PhD in Kinesiology from SFU, and an Honorary Master Herbalist degree from the Dominion Herbal College. He completed the Sivananda Yoga Teacher Training in 1973. A long time student of Baba Hari Dass, Shankar teaches yoga philosophy at the SSCY Yoga Teacher Training as well as ongoing weekly classes at the Centre.

Sharada Filkow, BFA, Teaching Certificate - Sharada Filkow has been a student of classical Ashtanga Yoga since 1975, completing YTT at Mount Madonna Center in 1982. She is one of the founding members of the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, where she has lived for many years. Sharada is a longtime teacher. Having taught at the Salt Spring Cente School for many years, she now teaches yoga philosophy and history of yoga at YTT and other Centre programs. Her other passion is Nonviolent Communication, which she practices and teaches.

Pamela Chandra Rose, B.A., PDP (education), M.Ed., has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga as taught by Baba Hari Dass since 1974 and was one of the founding members of the Dharma Sara Satsang Society. She completed the Yoga Teacher Training at Mount Madonna Center in 1982 and taught post natal yoga classes in Vancouver. The focus of her work for the Master of Education degree through the University of Calgary was organizational development and spirituality in community, workplace and higher education. Since 2001 she has been the Education Director for Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy as well as the key instructor for Communications and Ethics since 2000. She has conducted many sessions in transformational education and has been a featured speaker at international conferences on teaching ethics and spirituality for health professions. She is delighted to serve as a mentor in the YTT program.

Additional guest instructors to be announced.