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| RYT stands for Registered Yoga Teacher, meaning that those teachers are registered through Yoga Alliance, which is a voluntary registry service. For more about Yoga Alliance and what their criteria is, please visit their website. E-RYT indicates an additional level of experience beyond the 200 or 500 hour training the teacher has. All of our instructors are certified (or awaiting certification), but not all of them are registered with Yoga Alliance. | ||
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Core Instructors |
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Priscilla teaches Intermediate and Gentle Yoga, Meditation and Astrology. Priscilla is available for private yoga lessons and professional astrology readings. |
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Sue Ferguson began
teaching yoga to preschoolers as a warm-up for creative
movement. She has been teaching and practicing
yoga since 1987. Priscilla Potter was her first
formal teacher and mentor. She completed the Yoga
Connection teacher training in 1994 and is now one of
the teachers for the program. She has also been
influenced by Gary Phelan, Lilias Folan and Christina
Davis. Sue's style of teaching is eclectic and
draws from many sources, primarily Kriya Yoga & Kripalu
Yoga. She is a registered nurse and balances
teaching basic safe alignment with allowing students to
experience the flow of energy. Sue teaches in order to
share with her students the experience of yoga as a
journey of self-discovery. Sue is currently in training for Yoga Therapy. Sue teaches Prenatal Yoga. She teaches many of our continuing education courses, including Prenatal and Kids Yoga Teacher Trainings. |
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Jim Norris began practicing yoga at 8 years of age, practicing in his living room with Richard Hittleman on TV, and has had a consistent practice for the past 12 years. He has been teaching yoga for 10 years and considers his primary teachers, and inspirations upon the yogic path, to be Priscilla Potter, Goswami Kriyananda, Swami Satchidananda and B.K.S. Iyengar. Jim describes his approach to yoga as organic and eclectic characterized by slow but deep movement, lots of breathing; keeping present in mind and body. His teaching style is meditative. His personal yoga practice includes mantra and sound. Jim teaches yoga in order to give back the teaching he has received and says the response from his students helps him continue learning. Jim has been teaching at the Yoga Connection about 10 years, considering it to be his “yoga home” and his sangha. Jim leads us in Mantra once a month. |
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Ashley Leal is the YC's Studio Manager and Program Coordinator. She began practicing yoga in 1997 and completed her yoga teacher training at the Yoga Connection in 2004. In addition to teaching several classes weekly, she also helps to develop new programs and coordinate our mostly volunteer staff. Her primary teacher, in yoga and in life, is Priscilla Potter. She is also a student and teacher of astrology because of the insight it provides into one's life and spiritual journey. Ashley encourages her students to find their own way in their practice by creating a comfortable environment for them to explore. She recently completed her Personal Training Certification and continues to find new ways to help people become more comfortable in their body, mind and spirit. She enjoys the community spirit found at the studio and believes the Yoga Connection’s guiding philosophy creates room for individuality, inner exploration and growth for herself and her students. Ashley teaches Beginning and Intermediate Yoga and Astrology. Ashley is available for private yoga lessons. | ||
Ginny Beal, RYT 500 Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor Ginny Beal has practiced yoga since 1994, when her husband Tom suggested they take classes together. In 1996, seeking a deeper connection to the yogic path, she completed her 200-hour hatha yoga teacher certification with Priscilla Potter, Swami Mahatarananda of the Kriya yoga lineage, and has been teaching since her training. She received her 500-hour certification through the International Yoga College in October 2005, with a specialization in Applied Yoga Sutras, and is registered with the Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. She honors all of her teachers including Priscilla Potter, Natasha Korshak, Lilias Folan and Rama Jyoti Vernon. Ginny enjoys the wonderful community of instructors and students at the Yoga Connection. Yoga has enriched her life in all ways, and provides a nice balance to her background in Chemistry and current profession as a science education evaluator. Ginny feels blessed to be a vehicle for the teachings to which she has been exposed, and thinks that approaching yoga with a beginner’s mind allows an unfolding of the essence of yoga. Her approach to teaching is respectful of each student's gifts, talents, personal beliefs and values. Ginny teaches Beginning Yoga |
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Eva Taylor Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor
Eva Taylor's first memories of yoga are as a 5 year old practicing with
Lilias Folan on television in the mornings, although she didn¹t begin her own
practice until the late 90's. A serious athlete, Eva began using yoga
(albeit unknowingly at first) as a supplemental training method in
college. Eva teaches Beginning Yoga |
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Sue Larriva was raised in a small town in Idaho where yoga was simply unheard of. When she moved to Tucson in the mid 70’s, she picked up Richard Hittleman’s “28 Day Plan,” and she was hooked. Shortly afterward she discovered “Lilias! Yoga and You” on PBS and soon brought the light of yoga to the salon where she worked. Sue now teaches the early morning Sunday class at Connection, early morning classes at the Lighthouse YMCA, six classes a week for Edge Charter School and private classes through her own business. Sue feels blessed to be able to combine two longtime passions: teaching and yoga. And the journey continues . . . Sue teaches Gentle Yoga |
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Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor Although attending some classes at various places on and off for a couple of years, David Forest’s path began upon discovering the Yoga Connection in Summer of 2006. David returned to yoga after back surgery prevented his return to teaching Step Aerobics (Les Mills Certified Instructor) and other forms of exercise and weight training became too difficult without fear or risk of injury. The staff and atmosphere at the Yoga Connection soon led to the attendance and completion of the HTTI 2007. He started as only the desire to learn more about yoga yet quickly uncovered the joy of sharing this knowledge with others and being able to share how his practice has aided in his recovery and growth since the surgery. “Yoga has opened a way to not only help to repair the physical body but also cope with the mental aspects. I am grateful to all the teachers (instructors, peers and students) at the Yoga Connection whom have guided and walked with me on this path. My hope is to teach others using the safe and mindful teachings so that they should not have to recover from injury.” |
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Tracy Gordon incorporated yoga as a daily practice into her life after the loss of her mother in January 2004. Practicing alone, and studio hopping, she wandered into the Yoga Connection and truly felt a sense of community between the teachers, student-teachers and students. Tracy participated in the HTTI 2007 program to expand her own yoga practice and was offered the opportunity to share her love and passion for yoga at the Yoga Connection on Monday mornings. She teaches a gentle Hatha Yoga class focusing on acceptance, self-nurturing, pranayama, asana and mudras. She has her mother and especially her husband to thank for lighting her path -- and has immeasurable gratitude for Priscilla Potter for directing her to her path. Tracy teaches Beginning and Gentle Yoga |
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Through twenty years of professional dance training and performing internationally, Carolyn Minor has always practiced yoga to keep her body and mind balanced. In 1999 she received her yoga certification through the YC and continues to study yoga through the inspired teachings of Priscilla Potter. Carolyn shares her ideas about what has and continues to maintain her strength, flexibility and balance through the use of imagery, metaphor and humor. She teaches Hatha Yoga and meditation, both privately and in a class setting. She also teaches modern dance and workshops that focus on alignment and harmonizing the energies of the physical body with those of the Spirit to heal and uplift us. Carolyn teaches Intermediate Yoga |
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David Weeks began practicing yoga in 2001 to counteract injuries he was experiencing from climbing. As his practice deepened he became interested in teaching and completed the Yoga Connection’s teacher training in spring 2006. David presently enjoys teaching yoga classes and meditation workshops. Priscilla Potter has been his guiding light to the furthering of his practice. David has great respect and admiration for Priscilla's knowledge, love, and devotion given to teachers and students alike. "I feel teaching allows me to be of service to the community and in turn, learn from those I teach." Dave has been exploring meditation since 1976. He has studied at Zen Mountain Monastery in New York and the Shasta Abbey in California. Dave has taught yoga and meditation at the Yoga connection since 2006. He brings to his teaching his love of, and experience with mindfulness, meditation & yoga. Dave teaches Meditation and Beginning Yoga |
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Sarah Metz has been practicing yoga since 1993 and teaching since 2007. She teaches Back Care, Restorative and Beginning Yoga at the YC and at various treatment centers in Tucson. She practices massage, polarity and craniosacral therapies. Sarah especially enjoys teaching Back Care because as a massage therapist she often sees disfunction. She says, "Yoga empowers students to learn about their bodies and be proactive in their own wellness - regular yoga and pranayama practice keeps the system recharged and moving." Sarah started doing yoga just to get herself moving after not exercising for a long time. Sarah teaches Beginning and Back Care Yoga and Restorative. |
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Libba Westin began practicing yoga in 2000 as a healthy, non-stress on the body, alternative to dance. She studied ballet jazz, modern, choreography and received a Bachelor of Fine Arts with a focus on dance, music and drama. She led dance therapy sessions in a psychiatric hospital with inpatient adolescents and adults. Because of the rewarding benefits - physical, mental and spiritual - Libba has reaped from her yoga practice, she had a strong desire to share with others the positive impact yoga has to offer the total Self. One of her teachers, Guy Atchley, recommended the Yoga Connection for teacher training. She became certified spring of 2008 and has been teaching at the YC ever since. Libba teaches $5/3 Yoga |
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Emily Sleger graduated from the Yoga Connection's 2008 Hatha Yoga Teacher Training. One of the youngest teacher's the YC has trained, Emily is incredibly insightful in her teaching and inspiring in her practice. In addition to teaching, she also helps to keep our studio clean and our bookstore running smoothly. She is currently attending Pima Community College. Emily teaches $5/3 Yoga |
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Birgit Jung-Schmitt Birgit Jung-Schmitt graduated from the YC's teacher training program and started teaching in 2008. Her background is in visual arts. Birgit teaches $5/3 Yoga |
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Guest/Substitute Teachers |
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Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor, Certified Professional Yoga Therapist Jessica has been a student of yoga and meditation for nearly 20 years. She completed her yoga teacher training with Priscilla Potter, Swami Maha-Tarananda in 2006 and is a certified and registered teacher. She studied meditation with Sri Eknath Easwaran of the Blue Mountain Center of Meditation and has facilitated a meditation satsang group in Tucson since 1995. Jessica has subsequently studied Structural Yoga Therapy with Maria KaliMa and is studying Integrative Yoga Therapy for Body, Mind and Spirit with Joseph Le Page. She has conducted workshops on Yoga in the Workplace, Yoga for Caregivers, and Using Nature as a Setting for Meditative Practice. Jessica is an advocate for and provider of women’s health care services since 1979 and is a Clinical Assistant Professor at the University of Arizona College of Medicine. Her interest areas include yoga and meditation for health, wellness, and recovery, walking in nature, and folk music. Jessica is an assistant teacher for Yoga Connection’s Personal Meditation Program. |
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Becky Thomas started practicing yoga in 1992. She completed her 200 hour level teacher's training at the Yoga Connection in 2002. In 2005, Becky completed her training at the 500 hour level with the International Yoga College. Her primary teachers are Priscilla Potter and Rama Jyoti Vernon. Becky teaches classic Hatha yoga with emphasis on the breath. Her area of special interest is Ayurveda, the traditional healing syste of India. She incorporates her knowledge of Ayurveda into her yoga classes helping to balance and ground her students. Becky's dosha is pitta-vata. She has studied yoga in India at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram. She continues to study at the Ayurvedic Institute in Albuquerque, NM. Becky encourages her students to enjoy their own path of yoga, remembering that the journey is equally as important as the destination. |
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Priscilla Potter,
Swami Maha-tarananda, E-RYT 500
Sue
Ferguson, RN, E-RYT 500
Jim
Norris
Gary
Phelan, RN, E-RYT 500
Sue Larriva
David
Forest
Tracy
Gordon, RYT
Carolyn Minor
David Weeks
Richard
Wood, PhD, LMT
Becky Thomas,
RYT 500
Nancy
Bower, E-RYT 500
