Purna Yoga East Staff Bios, Clayton, NC | Yoga Studio near me in Clayton, NC

Martha

With over 35 years of formal exercise experience, Martha's extensive knowledge of a variety of fitness disciplines has provided a strong foundation as she has pursed formal yoga training. Originally from Pennsylvania, Martha moved to North Carolina in 1984 where she taught aerobics for several years. Martha then became interested in Tai Chi after being introduced to the practice by her mother in law. Martha has practiced Tai Chi for over 15 years; her Tai Chi journey includes a teaching certification received in 2014. In 2016, Martha moved to Clayton to be closer to her daughter and grandson; Martha joined Purna Yoga shortly after moving and has developed a love for both the people and the practice. Focusing on physical, mental, and emotional wellness through the practice of yoga and Tai Chi is Martha's passion.

Aundrea

Aundrea discovered Purna Yoga East in the Summer of 2017, while in the middle of building a house in Clayton. Aundrea enjoyed the community she found in her first class. Since growing up in a military family Aundrea moved a round every few years, she finally had found a place to make her home. Aundrea graduated from the Purna Yoga College 200 hour teacher training in August 2019. In her free time, Aundrea loves to run and travel with her wife.

Catharine

Catharine began her study of yoga in 1996 as a way to reduce the effects of stress in her life. Through her practice and teaching she found yoga to be a guiding force for her physical, mental and spiritual well-being. She feels better, is stronger, laughs more and enjoys the gifts of each and every day. She studies regularly with the founders of Purna Yoga, Aadil Palkhivala and Savitri, with whom she has travelled to India. She is on faculty at the Purna Yoga College at Alive and Shine Centers in Bellevue, WA where she teaches a Yoga Alliance 500 hour teacher training course, she also teaches the 200 hour Yoga Alliance teacher training course in Clayton, NC at Purna Yoga East. She is a Certified Purna Yoga Instructor with over 2,000 hours of training, an Experienced-Registered Yoga Teacher (Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500) and a registered IAYT Yoga Therapist as well as the director of Purna Yoga East. She holds a masters degree in education.
She is a NC Licensed Massage and Bodywork Therapist #2034 with specialized training in trigger point therapy, deep tissue massage and relaxation massage and has practiced massage therapy since 2001.
Trusted and caring, she is honored to share her knowledge, skill and experience with others.

Shari

Shari earned her Bachelors of Science degree in Psychology in 1990 and started her career in the mental health field. In 2007 she shifted her focus from mental health to physical health and healing and completed her licensure in massage and bodywork.

Once she started classes at Purna Yoga East in 2018 she found that yoga was a perfect natural progression for bringing the mental, physical and spiritual together. In an ongoing quest to go deeper, Shari completed her 200 hour teacher training in 2019.

Shari currently lives with her husband and youngest son in Garner and lives spending time in the mountains!

April

April began studying yoga out of an interest in fitness. She was taking a break from “boot camp” and the gym mentality, and after finding Purna Yoga East, she never went back. From the first class, she felt she had found the perfect solution to an integration of health, fitness and overall well-being. By the end of the beginner sessions, Purna Yoga East felt like her home away from home. She couldn’t get enough. Bob would jokingly tell Catharine that she needed her own key since she was always there.”She enrolled in the 200-hour Purna Yoga teacher training to deepen her own practice, not intending to teach. Since graduating she has felt called to share with others the deep love and joy she has found in yoga. She then enrolled in the 500-hour Purna Yoga College and graduated in 2017. She and her husband, Steve, who is now a student at Purna Yoga East and enrolled in the 200-hour Purna Yoga College, live in Raleigh with their five border collies, two horses and two cats. April graduated from Auburn University with a BS in education. After teaching preschool and elementary students for several years, she made a career shift and is now the Senior Veterinary Technician at Town and Country Veterinary Hospital in Apex. Teaching yoga gives her a way to utilize her degree in education and love for teaching.

Bob

Bob began his study of yoga in 2001 out of an interest in athletics and health. Living an active life-style for over 60 years, he appreciated the positive energy and welcoming community in his yoga classes. While studying regularly with Catharine at Purna Yoga East (formerly East Second Street Yoga and Massage), he also attends Purna Yoga Workshops with Aadil Palkhivala and Savitri and with Bryan Legere, one of the inventors of the Great Yoga Wall.
In June 2009 Bob graduated from the Purna Yoga College 200 hour Yoga Alliance teacher training intensive at Yoga Centers in Bellevue, WA. In September 2010 he completed the 500 hour level of training at the College of Purna Yoga. Bob is now a 500 Hour Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher and has since completed the 2,000 hour Purna Yoga College training with Aadil and Savitri to become a Certified Purna Yoga Instructor.
Bob is eager to share yoga with his students. He has a light energetic teaching style, is extremely sincere and incorporates humor in his classes while maintaining an atmosphere of safety and relaxation.
Bob has four grown children and four grandchildren. He loves the beach, grilling out, playing music and learning how to train his dogs, Eula who are now 10!

Cathy

Cathy has been studying yoga at Purna Yoga East (formerly East Second Street Yoga) since 2006. She began to learn more about yoga after interviewing Catharine Eberhart (PYE director) for an article for the local newspaper, The Clayton News-Star, back in 2002. Although her busy work schedule as news editor at the newspaper and an even busier family life initially kept her from pursuing a yoga practice, once she attended her first yoga class she was hooked! Over the years, Cathy has experienced the many benefits of yoga, including increased strength and flexibility and a greater sense of well-being that comes with taking time to care for oneself. However, she believes the greatest gift of studying yoga at Purna Yoga East has been the wonderful friendships she has developed with her “yoga buddies” – caring instructors and fellow students. She also has had the privilege of attending workshops with Purna Yoga co-founder and master teacher Aadil Palkhivala as well as Bryan Legere, co-inventor of the Great Yoga Wall. Originally from Long Island, N.Y., Cathy and her husband, Jerry, moved to North Carolina in 1988 and to Clayton in 2001. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in journalism and communications from Buffalo State College, and works as box office manager at The Clayton Center. Cathy received her RYT-200 certification in April 2013, and she is eager to see where this new path on her yoga journey will lead.

Cheryl

Cheryl began practicing yoga six years ago as a way to add new exercise into her life. About 4 years later, it was clear that yoga was more than exercise. Cheryl enrolled in the 200-hour teacher training program in 2016, and upon graduation began her 500-hour teacher training under the tutelage of Aadil Palkhivala. Consistent with her view of life in general, Cheryl’s classes are approachable and designed to accommodate all student levels. Whether leading asana (yoga poses) or meditation, you leave class feeling accepted, comforted and renewed.

Cindy

Cindy began taking Purna Yoga classes in 2010 and has been a dedicated student ever since. She has enjoyed workshops with Aadil Palkhivala, co-founder of Purna Yoga, and Bryan Legere,co- inventor of The Great Yoga Wall. Cindy is eager to share her yoga experience with others, as she finds yoga a necessary part of her life. Keeping one’s body toned and healthy is crucial to the aging process.
Cindy is happily married to her high school sweetheart, Dean.They have two grown sons who are always close at heart. In her free time Cindy enjoys painting, decorating, shopping, going to the beach, playing with her retrievers, McKenzie, Stella and Libbie and cheering for the Wolfpack. Cindy is a graduate from Peace College and NC State University. An active member of Horne Memorial United Methodist Church, Cindy is involved in weekly Bible Study and United Methodist Women.
Cindy is currently studying in The College of Purna Yoga for the 200 hour teacher certification. She is very excited to share her love of Yoga and enthusiasm for a happy, healthy life.

Emily

Emily came to yoga, like a number of others, to help manage stress and maintain energy during her first year of teaching middle school. An intermittent student at first, she soon decided to make a greater commitment to improving her health and finding more balance in her life. She knew that regular yoga practice would hold the key for her to create the kind of evolution she was seeking. Taking classes at Purna Yoga East, Emily felt encouraged and welcomed by the positive energy and soothing environment there. Her interest in yoga as a discipline and philosophy quickly grew, and she made the decision to enroll in the 200 Hour Purna Yoga Teacher Training Program. She graduated from the program in December 2011, and is excited about sharing the beautiful practice she has learned.

Gayle

Through her yoga practice Gayle has discovered another aspect of her deep calling. “I knew at age 12 I would be a teacher….” Having taught in Wake County Schools for 30 years she is excited to expand her teaching into the wonderful world of Yoga. “When I walk in to Purna Yoga East I get such a feeling of being home. My wish is to help others feel welcomed and at home as they too, discover the joy I have found practicing Purna Yoga." Gayle is an avid cat fan and lives in Clayton with her 2 furry friends Gracie and P’nut. She enjoys reading, and cooking. All of her activities have been brought to a more enjoyable level by the teachings at Purna Yoga East. “Being more present and focused in each moment really brings out a better flavor to everything I do!” She is graduate of the 200 and the 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training course at Purna Yoga East and loves the depth the training brought to her understanding of yoga. Gayle has also studied with Judith H. Lasater, a guru of Restorative Yoga and she truly enjoys sharing that relaxing practice with her students.

Lara

Lara developed her love of teaching while living in Japan and Taiwan. Along with her husband, Rick Mercier, she traveled extensively in Asia during this time. They have also resided in Texas, Massachusetts and Virginia, where she worked for a variety of nonprofit organizations. After their daughter, Maya, was born, they returned to North Carolina and had another daughter Ella. Lara loves practicing Purna Yoga for the balance and perspective it brings to everyday life – physically, mentally and spiritually. She is especially enthusiastic about sharing these gifts of Purna Yoga with others. She is a graduate of The College of Purna Yoga 200 hour Yoga Alliance teacher training program at Purna Yoga East in 2009 and continues her studies attending ongoing yoga classes and attending specialty workshops.

Leslie

Leslie Waugh, RYT 200, started exploring yoga in high school. Her
relationship with the practice took a meandering path, but she has
been a dedicated student for 12 years. After studying with Jane
Barrett at Raleigh Yoga Center for five years, she moved to
Washington, D.C., where she studied at John Schumacher’s Unity Woods
Center and other studios and gyms. Leslie completed her first
teacher-training program in 2008 with Iyengar-certified instructor
Bobbi Goldin in Miami. In 2010, while working full-time as a
journalist, she completed a 200-hour course and received her
certification from Boundless Yoga in Washington, D.C., where she
taught before moving back to North Carolina in late 2011. Back in the
Tar Heel state and enjoying the Peak of Good Living (Apex) with her
husband, Leslie is happy to be teaching yoga and working as a
freelance editor and writer. She is strongly influenced by the Iyengar
tradition but also draws on other styles and has enjoyed workshops
with Aadil Palkhivala. From the first commandment of ahimsa and
through a focus on alignment and open-hearted practice, she seeks to
help students cultivate a deeper awareness of themselves and others
and an appreciation for the benefits of the practice, on and off the
mat.

Megan

Megan was introduced to yoga on the recommendation of a physical therapist to help alleviate pain caused by ice skating. Megan loved yoga from her very first class. She practiced yoga off and on for many years before finding a home-base studio. After finding Purna Yoga East in September 2017, she began a regular practice. Megan graduated from the Purna Yoga College 200 hour teacher training in August 2018. In her free time, Megan enjoys going on adventures with her husband and their two fur babies.

Rebecca

Rebecca Sprowl began her study of yoga in 2010 as part of her exercise routine. She came to Purna Yoga East in 2016 in search of a teacher training course and fell in love with it. “It is so different than any other yoga I have practiced and incorporates all of the things I am passionate about...spirituality, wellness, nutrition, and mindfulness.” Rebecca has discovered the benefits of Purna Yoga in all aspects of her life. “It has greatly reduced my stress level and allowed me to be present and efficient in the many roles I have in life...wife, mother, teacher, etc.”

Active all her life, Rebecca played competitive soccer growing up. She has run two marathons and several half marathons. She has also participated in several sprint triathlons. While playing coed soccer in Atlanta, Rebecca met her husband. They now have two little soccer players of their own, as their children have carried on their love of the sport.

Rebecca has been an elementary school teacher since 1997. She is passionate about working with children and empowering them to be their best self. “As an instructor at Purna Yoga East, I am excited to empower my yoga students to open their hearts and be their best self.”

Teressa

Teressa has been active all of her life, enjoying sports, fitness programs, martial arts and scuba diving. Scuba diving excursions to exotic locations brings the family together, her husband and daughter share her love of the ocean and all the creatures that call it home. As a Marine Scientist, her daughter is traveling the world to bring awareness to the conservation needs of our oceans. Teressa has been working with elementary school students for the past twenty years. “My students make my heart smile every day.” An invitation to Purna Yoga East began an awakening that has brought a beautiful calming peace to her spirit, mind and body. As a life-long learner with a desire to acquire a deeper understanding of Purna Yoga, Asana, Meditation, Nutrition and Yogic Philosophy, she embarked on the path of teacher, at the College of Purna Yoga. HeartFull Meditation has brought a crystal clear awareness of Love and Light, asana developed strength and flexibility as well as relieved her body of stiffness and pain, the yogic path opened her mind to all life has to offer. Teressa has had the pleasure of attending workshops with Aadil Palkhivala, co-founder of Purna Yoga as well as Brad Waites. “ Purna Yoga has been a gift to my life, with joy and gratitude in my heart it is an honor to share these gifts.”

Purna Yoga East

Yoga Studio in Clayton , NC

Purna Yoga East

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