Carla came to yoga in 2000 and used it as a form of rehab after a car accident. She has been maintaining a daily practice since that time and teaching classes since 2003. She graduated from the South Okanagan Yoga Association's 2 year teacher training program with a specialty in Okido Yoga and completed a 3 year mentorship in Yoga Therapy with Dale McLean.

She is certified with IYTA (International Yoga Teacher's Association) with a specialty in Yoga for Cyclists and is an Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance (USA) at the ERYT500 level (highest teaching standard possible with Yoga Alliance). Carla has been to India twice to study yoga in its birth place. While there, she practiced under Sri K Pattabhi Jois (Ashtanga founder) at the Ashtanga Yoga Research Institute, spent time at a Sivananda Ashram and experienced a 10 day silent Vippasana meditation retreat. She has enjoyed workshops with David Willams, David Swenson, Tim Miller, Rameen Peyrow, John Friend and completed an Ashtanga Teacher training course with Tim Miller.

She was certified in Thai Massage in Chiang Mai, Thailand at the Old Medicine Hospital and feels like the luckiest person alive everyday.

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.

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.

Danielle had her first introduction to yoga in Costa Rica, 2002 and was automatically drawn to it. It was there that she had her Reiki attunement and was learning more about spirituality in a variety of different areas. In 2003 Danielle graduated from the Okanagan Valley College of Massage Therapy in Vernon and worked throughout B.C. helping people find relaxation and renewal within themselves. Last year she followed her calling to India to persue her dream of teaching yoga and to deepen her own personal practice. Certified in Hatha yoga teachings, Danielle enjoys classes in Ashtanga, Gentle and Meditation. She feels that listening to your body will help create balance in your own personal practice. Yoga has been transformational for Danielle in opening her heart, body and mind to a journey of a lifetime.

Kassandra began her yoga practice in 1996 and has studied Iyengar, Kundalini, Hatha, and Kriya 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 has extensive practice in various healing techniques including massage, shamanism, and body therapy. She has spent the past two winters abroad in three month meditation retreats and is a teacher of meditation techniques. She has been a practitioner of tantra for the past 11 years and was recently initiated as Swami Kripananda in the Bhairava lineage of Rishikesh.