Teachers
We select our teachers for their depth of practice, the extent of training, and their experience. Our teachers are dedicated to the lifestyle of yoga and will inspire you to be a healthier, calmer and happier person.
Many of our teachers have been trained through Yoga Shakti's extensive Teacher Training and Advanced Yoga Studies course, internship and mentoring programs, and in-depth study and guided practice training classes in yoga philosophy and lifestyle. They are taught to live in yoga with passion and teach with a commitment to the ancient traditions of yoga.
 Carl came to yoga after a long 20 year love affair with running, he raced competitively as an age group runner and ran the Boston Marathon 3 times over a 10 year period, through his years of running he has learned to deal with injuries and has a special sense as to the bodies requirements and how to work with limitations.Carl's initial introduction to yoga has led him from the purely physical into a fully rounded practice that encompasses the whole body, mind and spirit, providing a path for his day to day life. Carl has a strong Vinyasa or flow style daily personal practice that he has developed over the last 5 years. Since his departure from the corporate world two years ago, he has dedicated himself to his yoga teaching. He completed the Yoga Studies program at the University of California, Irvine, as well as the comprehensive Teacher Training at Sacred Movement in Venice, CA, with Max Strom and Sherry Brourman. He has completed in excess of 388 hours of training under the guidelines for registration with Yoga Alliance. Carl teaches all levels and adepts his classes to fit the unique requirements of his students.  Photo and bio coming soon Michelle began studying yoga in 1996 and quickly fell in love with its calming, balancing, and healing benefits. In addition, she was immediately drawn to the spiritual aspects of yoga; it felt true and authentic, a feeling that was reinforced as she gained a deeper understanding of yoga's ancient history.When she discovered Yoga Shakti, she knew she had found a community that also valued practicing authentic yoga. At that time, she began studying the deeper, more esoteric aspects of yoga with her teacher, Jnana Nanda Bharati. In 2005, Michelle received her certificate to teach yoga after completing Yoga Shakti's advanced studies training program. Using the ancient practices taught to her by her esteemed teacher, her class focuses on the breath, the foundation of any asana practice, and also on fundamental yoga postures which increase energy, strength, flexibility, and balance. These practices have helped her realize a calm, relaxed, happy way of being, and it is her intention to share the same experience with her students.  Ann Gray began practicing yoga with Judy Olsen Anderson, who led the way to yoga in 1970's Orange County. She studied with Erich Schiffmann whose teacher training program she completed in 1997. Today she practices and teaches in the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar and continues to study with the estimable Deborah Kuryan. In Ann Gray's classes, breath and movement are linked together as a way to move the body and quiet the mind. Postures are modified to accommodate individual needs. She welcomes students of all ages in all stages of yoga. Kelly began her study of ballet at the age of 4 yrs old & continued for 13 years. She started practicing yoga in 1998 and graduated from the Nosara Yoga Institute, Costa Rica in 2005. She continues to study with other instructors and deepen her personal yoga practice (on & off the mat). Her trance vinyasa flow style is fluid, flowing movements that links one yoga asana to another like a dance. The concept of "flow" also pertains to the breath, as the flow is guided by the rhythm of the inhalation & exhalation, coordinating each movement with each breath. In this way, the body/mind/spirit is blended in a dynamic interplay of breath and movement, stillness and motion. These classes will demonstrate spontaneous, evolving sequence of flowing, graceful asanas that differ each time. Join her and let the light within shine out. Valerie started practicing yoga in 2002, and began teaching in 2005. Her training in yoga asana has been through Yoga Shakti; additionally, she is studying ancient yoga philosophy through the Shakti Yoga courses offered by the studio. These courses have largely influenced her teaching style, as she aspires to help students cultivate not just strong and flexible bodies, but also calm and centered minds. She teaches in a flow style, sometimes dedicating part of each class to poses that develop a particular muscle group. Valerie is inspired by the integrity of her students, and enjoys helping them discover the power and potential that is unique to their own bodies. Through her calm but focused style of teaching, she is motivated to help each student explore the same, limitless benefits that she enjoys through her own yoga practice.Marie is a certified teacher and dedicated student of Baron Baptiste since 1999. She has a BS degree in Psychology and has spent many years helping teens and adults in-crisis. Her love of yoga is her inspiration in teaching students to take yoga off the mat and into their lives. Marie teaches Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga in an all levels style, intense for those who are ready and modified for those still learning. She inspires her students to find their own power within and to reflect their light in their lives. "Yoga is a gift in my life. I can not imagine my life without it. It is who I am and how I live." Marie is married to her best friend and they share an amazing journey together. They have a son who carries a light from which they grow daily. She loves living each day as a new beginning.Jim began studying yoga in 1992 and immediately enjoyed a release of tension and felt a sense of peace which brought me much happiness. Several years later, he put my full attention into becoming an English teacher and suspended his yoga studies. Then in 2005 he returned to yoga and was deeply inspired by the kindness and teaching of Jnana Nanda Bharati and Diana Pipalof. Says Jim, "I am deeply grateful for the knowledge and experience which they graciously continue to share with me."In 2007 Jim enrolled Yoga Shakti's Advanced Yoga Studies and Teacher Training program to deepen his yoga practice. Upon finishing the course, Jim had the good fortune to engage in a mentorship with Mary Newsome, an inspiring practitioner who teaches deeply from her heart. While working with Mary Jim discovered a true love of sharing yoga with his fellow students. "My goal as a teacher is help students build strength and flexibility, relieve tension, and most of all, experience a sense of peace."  Merrilee infuses calmness and an effortless flow into her classes. She has had a dedicated yoga practice since 1992. Her interest in the philosophy of yoga led her to Loyola Marymount University where she completed a 120 hour Yoga Philosophy certificate. While at Loyola Marymount she had the opportunity to study Vinyasa Krama (the science of sequencing) with Srivatsa Ramaswami, the longest standing student of Sri Krishnamacarya and Subtle Anatomy of Yoga with Kausthub Desikachar, the grandson of Krishnamacarya. She is presently deepening her yoga studies with Jnana Nanda Bharati and is a senior member of the Shakti Yoga training where she is learning the ancient teachings and practices of Raja Yoga and Vendanta Philosophy. She works with Memorial Healthcare IPA bringing yoga into disease management programs such as Yoga for Diabetes, Asthma, and Senior Well Being. Also, a life long singer/musician, Merrilee brings her ethereal voice and yogic flow into composing, recording and producing songs and albums in both Yogic Chanting and Electronic Dance genres. Her classes are a mixture of both Shakti Yoga and Vinyasa Krama. She pulls from both of these ancient styles because they have inspired her desire to teach and pass on to others what led her to being healthy, content and happy. Haley started practicing yoga in January 2006 after wanting to try it for quite some time. Initially, she practiced in order to augment her dance background while a dance and English major at UC Irvine. In May 2006, Haley injured her hamstring while dancing and used yoga, after taking some time off, in order to regain her flexibility, which suffered due to the injury. After seeing the immense benefits of yoga, Haley decided to get her 200 hour teacher training certification from Yoga Shakti and completed it in 2007 under the direction of Diana Pipaloff, along with Jnana Nanda Bharati. Haley encourages her students to set an intention at the beginning of each class, so that they can see their own improvement, changes in their bodies, and how the practice of yoga enhances the way that they feel throughout the day. Haley uses her dance background and trained eye to offer her students personalized corrections and adjustments. Haley's intention at the beginning of each class is to encourage her students to move beyond their perception of themselves in order to discover the deeper sensations within each pose. Holly began her asana practice in 1998. Naturally adept at yoga asana, she completed the 200-hour training standards and 500-hour advanced certification at a popular L.A. yoga school. Searching for a more authentic spiritual practice, Holly came under the tutelage of Jnana Nanda Bharati in 2004. As member of the inaugural class of Shakti Yoga, Holly is deeply invested in her personal practice of Kriya Yoga, seva (service), classical asana, and ongoing study. She is a recent graduate of the esteemed Yoga Shakti 200-Hour Teacher Training program. Holly's expertise in asana and sequencing, combined with intuitive body insight assure a refined yoga practice. Her style is graceful and skilled, emphasized in the practice of Surya Namaskara. In addition to teaching traditional asana classes, Holly is the new Prenatal Yoga Specialist at the Yoga Shakti Wellness Center. Throughout her second pregnancy in 2006 Holly underwent intense yogic training and maintained a deep asana practice. The strength derived from her practice enabled her to give birth at home, naturally and without medical support. Holly views pregnancy as a natural bodily state, and brings calm assurance to her pregnant students.Photo and bio coming soonPhoto and bio coming soon |
 Joy possesses a wonderful calm which permeates her classes. She began practicing yoga in 1999 during her first pregnancy. Through yoga she found rejuvenation and upliftment. A strong interest in the ancient science and culture of yoga, the Vedas and Ayurveda was sparked when she read the Bhagavad Gita. Joy deepened her yoga studies and practice when she discovered Yoga Shakti and the Shakti Yoga courses. Wanting to share her sense of inspiration, well being and belief that yoga can change our lives with others, Joy trained at Yoga Shakti and began teaching in 2004. Tom became interested in yoga as a young boy when he read a book entitled "Beyond Biofeedback" in which the authors used biofeedback equipment to monitor the internal physiological states of meditating yogis. Shortly after reading this book he received transcendental meditation training (as taught by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi) at a meditation center in Laguna Beach. He has been practicing asana and pranayama regularly since attending his first yoga class in 1991. Tom was certified as a flow yoga instructor after training with Ganga White and Tracey Rich at the White Lotus Foundation in 2002. He studied skeletal structure and comparative anatomy with Paul Grilley at the Santa Barbara Yoga Center in 2004 and studied Patanjali's yoga sutras, here at Yoga Shakti, with Jnana Nanda Bharati in 2006. His personal practice has been influenced by many instructors including; Sharon Gannon and David Life from the Jivamukti center in New York, Golden Bridge Yoga's Gurmukh, and Brian Kest at Santa Monica Power Yoga.Kathleen began her yoga journey in 2001 in an attempt to improve her conscious contact with a Higher Power. She not only found that conscious contact but on the journey has found herself. In the living room of a friend and then in several gyms and studios from Bakersfield to Dana Point her yoga practice began to take shape. It wasn’t until a friend suggested she take an intensive teacher training course did she come to realize how truly life changing yoga could be. She is a 200 hr. – Yoga Alliance RYT and began teaching in 2006. After moving to Laguna Beach she found a new teacher, Diana Christinson and the new love of her life – Ashtanga Yoga. She completed 100 hours of training with Tim Miller at the Ashtanga Yoga Center in Encinitas and began teaching Ashtanga in 2007. Her flow classes are sequenced in such a way as to make the new practitioner feel welcome by offering modifications for the harder poses and make the more novice practitioner feel challenged. She teaches her Ashtanga classes in a smooth, calm tone so that the student can truly experience the practice as a moving meditation. She started asana practice in her late 30s and understands the difficulty of working with a body that is set in its ways. Kathleen believes that breathing and sweating are important components in the process of cleansing and healing; her classes will indulge in both. Mary has been practicing yoga since 1993. She came to yoga in search of a better way to find true health, strengthen her body, gain flexibility, stamina and find peace of mind. She has practiced several different styles of yoga but once arriving at Yoga Shakti in 2002 found a home for her yoga practice. She has participated in Shakti Yoga since it's inception at Yoga Shakti. She is part of the Yoga Shakti Family and received her training in the very first 200 Hr Teacher Training Program at Yoga Shakti. Mary feels truly blessed to be able to deepen her practice and continue with her spiritual studies with her esteemed Teacher, Jnana Nanda Bharati. She feels honored to be passing on the heritage of yoga to her students by gently helping them gain peace of mind and good health through a practice that comes from the heart. Mary believes yoga is a great gift that can be accessed by anyone despite their fitness level. Diana's thirst for the spiritual runs in her veins as she comes from a family of yoga practitioners; in 1850 her great grandfather practiced yoga in Eastern Europe. Her father had a very disciplined practice at the age of 15. Her mother also practiced and introduced her to yoga while still in her teens. Prior to discovering yoga Diana was seeking to find a true spiritual path. At the age of 16 she began intense study and practice of martial arts, became vegetarian and searched for understanding in the field of psychology. Through her martial arts training she also began the study of Eastern philosophy. Diana had an intense desire to have a true teacher, an authentic spiritual practice and to experience the mystical truths of the Universe. Her search led her to the practice of yoga. She delved into yoga with passion and devotion, knowing that she had found her path. Her dedicated yoga practice helped her through her BA Degree in Health Psychology from UCI, which she graduated Cum Laude. At this point she followed her heart and made the difficult decision to study yoga and Ayurveda and not pursue a Ph.D. After three years of study and practice she received her Clinical Ayurvedic Specialist Certificate from the California College of Ayurveda. The deep thirst for spiritual growth was not yet satisfied until she met her Guru Jnana Nanda Bharati. From their first meeting Diana knew Jnana Nanda Bharati was a true Yogi, with many years of dedicated and disciplined study with his Guru and other masters from the Himalayas, and an incredible ability to live in and balance the spiritual realm and this world. She is extremely grateful and blessed to be his student. Under her teacher she was initiated into the ancient, most highly respected and deeply esoteric lineage of Shri Vidya and the ancient Bhramanical Tradition, and has been continuing her intense spiritual studies with her Guru since 1999. She has a dedicated daily practice and her path is to continue her studies, live in accordance to the ancient Vedic ways and put her spiritual lessons to practice in her life. She is studying various Vedic sciences such as Yoga, Pranayama, Mantra, Tantra, Jhyotish, Ayurveda, Yantra, Puja and Sanskrit. She can trace Her Guru's unbroken lineage (Parampara) for thousands of years into ancient India. She is fully dedicated to the life transforming work of Shakti Yoga, which she teaches with her Guru and continues to inspire her students to turn inward, grow and find their spiritual self. She is certified at the highest level as a E-RYT 500 with Yoga Alliance. Rodney has been practicing yoga for six years and teaching for two. His main practice is Ashtanga; he has been studying Ashtanga for three years. He also practices Bikram Yoga. His first important teachers include Anastacia Hunter and Janet Schriever. His Ashtanga teachers include Suzy Gill, Diana Christinson, and Tim Miller. Rodney's flow classes are based on Ashtanga and Anusara. He plans his flow classes around a set of poses and themes that normally progress toward a deeper focus posture, but at the same time, he attempts to create a well-balanced flow. His Ashtanga classes are geared toward the style taught by his teachers who advocate Shri K. Pattabhi Jois' classical Ashtanga method. A strong advocate of learning while doing, Rodney believes in guiding his students to look within and become their own best teachers. He wants students to develop gratitude for self and others, as well as strength and calmness and to take these with them into their daily affairs. Bio coming soon Laura has been a student of yoga for the past 8 years and acquired her teacher certification in March 2003 from Dianne Harman of Wellness Encounters. Laura completed a second certification in December 2003 with Erich Schiffman. Being that Laura comes from a very athletic background in kick-boxing, running and biking, she is passionate about offering a class where one can blend his/her athletic capabilities with the beauty and philosophy of yoga... "I enjoy offering a class that not only challenges one's endurance and strength, but their spirit and will as well." Laura's classes are powerful, creative and fun. Over the past three years, Laura has established herself as a respected member of the Orange County yoga community, and a much sought after teacher. She has proudly been chosen as one of Lululemon Athletica's ambassadors this year. Laura is continually expanding her yoga education by participating in ongoing classes, workshops and trainings by such renowned yogis as Max Strom, Erich Schiffman, and most recently Shiva Rea, Ana Forrest, and Paul Grilley. She is always eager to go to another level in her own practice and in turn offer something new to the dedicated students that come to her classes week after week!Christine has been teaching Vinyasa Flow and Ashtanga for five years, since completing her Ashtanga teacher certification with David Swenson in 2002. She has also taken workshops under many highly respected yoga teachers including Ana Forrest, Richard Freeman, Pattabhi Jois, Bryan Kest, Tim Miller, Shiva Rea and Rodney Yee. Her studies in other yogic disciplines include Shaktipat meditation, Kriya yoga, Simplified Kundalini Yoga, and Tibetan sound healing. Rehabilitating from a near fatal car accident and a serious back injury, along with Kriya Yoga training has taught her the importance of the breath and honoring where you are on a daily basis. Christine finds an immeasurable joy watching her students progress physically and spiritually and in facilitating a community of like-minded hearts. She creates a challenging and exhilarating experience for students, focusing on flexibility and strength. Josh's introduction to yoga came in 2001 when he attended an Ashtanga class taught by Laura Camp at Monkey Yoga Shala in Piedmont, CA. Though he didn't continue his practice at that time, Josh's eyes were opened to a new way of moving, breathing and interacting with the world around him; an ember that he kept alive for years until discovering Yoga Shakti in 2006. At Yoga Shakti, Josh has found a community of yogis engaged in an authentic practice — a confluence of self-discovery, mental and physical balance, alignment, strength and flow that permeates all aspects of life. As a graduate of Yoga Shakti's 200-hour, Yoga Alliance-approved teacher training program, Josh links active, strength-building postures culled from classical and modern sequences that emphasize active body positions, clean lines and proper alignment. Students leave Josh's classes feeling accomplished, physically energized yet mentally calm, ready to engage modern life with confidence and a peaceful heart. Sarah is a former professional ballet dancer with training in alignment and pilates. She brings her dance experience and love of movement to her teaching. As a practitioner of Anusara and Ashtanga yoga, Sarah instills discipline, concentration, and confidence in her students as she encourages them to enjoy a yogic process of discovery in all endeavors. Her students develop inner awareness, lightness, and strength. She offers one-on-one corrections and a supportive community in her classes which fuse the strength of vinyasa flow with the healing alignment principles of Anusara. Appropriate modifications are offered for all students. Sarah is popular for workshopping challenging poses and sharing yogic philosophy and mantras with students. She has been practicing yoga since 2001. She completed teacher training with Ana Forrest teacher Deanna Ainesworth and Bikram instructor Eva Vidal. Her main inspirations come from Desikachar, the Yoga Sutras and workshops and classes with Diana Christinson, Suzy Gill, Tim Miller, George Sevillano, Lyndee Davis, and Vinnie Marino. Sarah also works as a physical therapy aide and is studying to become a licensed physical therapist.Jnana Nanda Bharati has dedicated over twenty five years to intense study and training in the ancient texts of the Vedas and Tantras, under the guidance of his esteemed Teacher, as well as, other Himalayan Masters that his Teacher sent him to for specific training. His teaching expertise also includes texts such as the Upanishads, Bhagavad Gita, Soundarya- Lahari, Vivekchuramani and the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali. He is proficient in the various sciences expounded in the Vedas such as Mantra, Yantra, Tantra, Yoga, Pranayama, Jyotish, Vastu Shastra and Puja. Jnana Nanda Bharati hails from the ancient, most highly respected Shri Vidya tradition. His unbroken spiritual lineage (Parampara) can be traced back in India for thousands of years. This esoteric tradition is highly regarded and considered by most spiritual masters as the highest path as it integrates the wisdom of Vedanta with the practice and strict mental discipline training of Tantra and Raja Yoga. There are only a handful of people in all of India who are initiated into this practice.
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