Carla has been practicing yoga daily since 2001 as rehab from a car accident and teaching full time since 2003. She graduated SOYA's 2 year teacher training with a specialty in Okido Yoga and Yoga for Cyclists and completed a 3 year mentorship in Yoga Therapy with Dale McLean.

She has been to India twice to study yoga in its birth place practicing under Sri K Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga founder) at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute in Mysore, spent time at the Sivananda ashram in Kerela and experienced a 10 day silent meditation retreat. She has completed teacher trainings with Tim Miller and Erich Schiffmann and is a part of the teaching faculty with the South Okanagan Yoga Academy. She was certified in Thai Massage in Chiang Mai, Thailand and is a registered Yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance (USA) at the E-RYT500 level (over 1600 hours of teaching experience).

Neil offers therapeutic yoga classes for people with chronic pain, one-on-one yoga therapy, and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy at Purple Lotus Yoga. He works as a physiotherapist, yoga therapist and educator. His focus is providing effective chronic pain management, through therapeutic yoga, physiotherapy and education. Neil travels through Canada and internationally educating yoga teachers, health care professionals, the public and insurance companies about pain management and current scientific understanding of pain. He is a Clinical Faculty member at UBC, consultant to OrionHealth Pain Clinics and is the founding Chair of the Pain Science Division of the Canadian Physiotherapy Association. Neil has authored a pain management education book for health care professionals, and developed pain management resources including audio CDs (to decrease pain through breathing and body awareness techniques) and an educational DVD for people in pain.

For more on Neil, visit www.lifeisnow.ca.

Lorna is a graduate of the Shioki Yoga Teacher training as well as the South Okanagan Yoga Academy (SOYA). She has been teaching yoga classes since 2001 specializing in Yoga for Runners, Yoga for Abs, and most recently Ashtanga Level 1. She has participated in Ashtanga yoga workshops with David Swenson and well as renown Canadian Ashtanga yogis, Mark and Joanne Darby. Inspirations include all the wonderful yoga teachers (past and present) in addition to learning from the greatest teachers of all, the students!

Sylvie knew at the age of 4 that yoga would be part of her life. She did not act on it for many years later. She came to yoga with chronic back pain and used yoga as rehab for her back and knee and also as cross training to balance her mountain biking passion. Sylvie has her Shioki Yoga Therapy (SYT) Level 2. Since beginning her daily Ashtanga Yoga practice, yoga has become a lifestyle for her. Sylvie has been to Mysore, India twice to study at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute under the tutelage of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. When in Mysore, she always takes the opportunity to study with Dr. Nagaraj and has enjoyed courses with him in Introduction to Ayurveda, Pranayama and Meditation, Yoga Therapeutics and Patanjali Yoga Sutras. She also studied chanting with Dr. M.A. Jayashree. She has taken Ashtanga workshops with David Swenson and David Williams and completed her Ashtanga teacher training with Tim Miller. Sylvie has her Nia Blue Belt. She completed a one year study in Specialized Kinesiology and is currently taking an 800 hour (3 year) course on The History and Philosophy of Yoga with Georg Feuerstein. She is currently working on her Masters in Counseling. What is really important to know about Sylvie is that she truly enjoys her daily practice and uses it as a tool for self-transformation.

Tash first started incorporating yoga into her life 14 years ago. It was when she discovered Ashtanga yoga in Canmore AB that she took the full plunge into the yoga world. Completely enraptured in all aspects of yoga, she has quickly discovered that there is just so much to learn. Tash practiced yoga before, during and after both of her pregnancies and honestly believes that yoga helped create beautiful, easy, wonderful births (and children!) The journey continues as Tash is currently working towards her teacher certification with the South Okanagan Yoga Association. She is certified in prenatal yoga through prenatal yoga guru Janice Clairfield.

Tammy has been lingering around the yogic path for almost 15 years. It wasn't until 2000 that she actually jumped on it! Since that day she has steadily become more passionate and dedicated to the practice of yoga. This continuous quest has greatly complimented her dedication to living life naturally and fully. She believes that we can all attain better health and greater happiness by utilizing the power within to heal and illuminate our true selves. With love and support of her incredible family, Tammy looks forward to and enjoys her journey everyday.

Tammy is certified through Yoga Alliance as an RYT-200.

Kassandra began her yoga practice in 1996 with Iyengar yoga and has since studied Okido, Kundalini, Flow, Ashtanga, Kriya, and Yin yoga. She is a certified Shioki Yoga therapist and has been teaching yoga since 2002. Her teachings are a fusion of the various styles and systems of yoga she has studied. Her classes combine dynamic exercises for joint health and immunity with static poses for strength and flexibility. In addition to yoga, Kassandra spends a lot of time in meditation and has been fortunate enough to participate in three separate long term meditation retreats. She was recently initiated as Swami Kripananda in the Bhairava lineage of Rishikesh.

Shauna is excited to be sharing prenatal and postnatal yoga through Purple Lotus. She was brought to yoga as a young teen by her own mother and has continued to embrace and learn from yoga since. The path of teaching began in 2002 after completing certification with the Saltspring Island Centre of Yoga under the teachings of Baba Hari Dass. Upon moving to the Okanagan she was fortunate to continue training with the South Okanagan Yoga Association. She has completed specialized certifications in prenatal and restorative yoga and has been trained as a birth doula. Shauna is always inspired by the power of pregnancy and birth and sees that yoga can bring strength, confidence and calm to both expecting and postpartum women.