DANVILLE

A much loved teacher, Charlie weaves affirming themes throughout his well-crafted sequences with uplifting quotes and thoughts. He is a perennial student of all aspects of yoga, the mechanics and structure of the human body; as well as, the spiritual teachings. Charlie’s specialties include precise cueing, sensitive manual adjustments, hand balances and inversions. Charlie originally came to yoga as a means to strengthen an ailing lower back that was hampering his meditation practice. It wasn’t long before he recognized the greater benefit of yoga: the centering of mind, body and spirit with the breath. Charlie lives his yoga. His passion, experience and expertise shine in all aspects of his teaching. Charlie has studied with and been inspired by the following teachers: Marsha Pappas, Les Leventhal, Chris Roche, David Romanelli & Amy Thomas.

Sometimes all it takes is just a little urging from a friend to discover something new that can be life-changing. This is what happened to Evelyn when she first set foot on a mat at her friend’s suggestion. Evelyn says she had an immediate connection with the asanas, pranayama and the yoga experience as a whole. It is this same connection to the practice, as well as to the mind, body and spirit, that Evelyn seeks to inspire in her students. Evelyn is a sensitive, versatile teacher who is quick to laugh as she finds delight in each of her students. You can find her instructing Vinyasa, Gentle/Restorative, Chair and Corporate classes.

Erica was introduced to yoga as a teenager while living in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Decades later after moving to Indiana, she was delighted to re-discover yoga through her son, who along with several high school friends was attending a weekly class in Eagle Creek Park.

A serious student of yoga for ~5 years, Erica loves the Ashtanga primary and Rocket series, and Power Vinyasa. Now a yoga instructor, she is thrilled that her yoga journey has come full circle. A pediatric endocrinologist by profession, Erica knows firsthand that yoga connects us to our own inner Power, Beauty and Peace, and she is so excited to share this magic with others!

Neck and shoulder pain may have been what prompted Beth to attend her first yoga class, but 20 years later, the ease she feels in her body and mind are what keep her dedicated to her students and her own practice. She proclaims: “Yoga brought me back home to myself; to daily living with purpose and joy!”

It was while in yoga teacher training that Beth began to understand the true transformation yoga brings to the body, mind and spirit, and how the breath is the gateway to all three. Her approach in teaching yoga is to add meaning to the asanas by applying the power of the breath to improve movement, alignment and mental tranquility. Beth enjoys teaching students of all ages and offers options for all skill levels.

Mark began practicing yoga in 1997 to find relief from low back pain. His introduction to yoga led to the discovery of the wonderful connection of mind, body and spirit that yoga offers. Mark is a certified Ashaya™ Yoga teacher. His teaching aligns body, mind and heart to facilitate the awakening of our inherent creative potential as human beings. Mark has a playful style that focuses on precise alignment of the body infused with heart-based teachings. He works to support his students at whatever stage of practice they are in from beginner to advanced.

Kelly found Peace Through Yoga because she was truly seeking peace through Yoga. She has always been a physically active person ranging from running to CrossFit.

Kelly has struggled with shoulder and neck pain for about 20 years and Yoga had been recommended several times. Ultimately, she found her way to Peace Through Yoga because she wanted her two teenage daughters to have exposure to the benefits of practicing Yoga. After she and her daughters finished the 4-week Yoga Essentials for Beginners program, they were hooked.

As a teacher, Kelly enjoys helping her students with their individual goals and sharing all of the many benefits of Yoga with them.

Hope found yoga looking to manage stress associated with Chronic Kidney Disease in 2010. Yoga has helped her settle into a healthy lifestyle, manage stress and so much more. Yoga taught Hope to honor her health limitations and grow a more meaningful life from that foundation.

Amanda came to yoga in search of a mid-day stress reliever from her professional career as a social worker. Her commitment to weekly classes at noon became her steady diet of yoga. Amanda came to love what yoga can do to connect mind, body and soul. Her personal growth led not only to professional advancement, but also to the discovery of new ways to serve those around her. She found that applying skills from yoga to the social work world can help youth and families be stronger together.

Seeing the effect yoga has on her clients, staff and students inspires Amanda to share the wisdom she has gained from her practice and participation in Peace through Yoga’s Real Life Yoga Immersion. Students can look forward to light-spirited classes with a healthy dose of humor in Amanda’s teaching.

Shannon found a love for Yoga in 2001 and has maintained an asana practice with self-study ever since. In 2015, she made a life-changing self-rediscovery journey to the Himalayan International Yoga Academy in Nepal. There she studied Yoga, Reiki and Meditation, trekked the Himalayas, and met incredible people on her physical and spiritual path. Shannon returned to the States with a greater sense of purpose and an understanding that everything she had learned up to that point was just the tip of the iceberg. She found growth, expanded knowledge and a true Yoga home while completing Peace Through Yoga's “Real Life Yoga Immersion” training.

Shannon is a warm, genuine “old soul” who describes herself as a forever student of Yoga. In her wellness career, she has a passion for promoting mindfulness and a holistic approach to well-being in the workplace. She loves sharing her learnings and wholeheartedly believes that no matter what is happening in the outside world, being on your mat offers you a safe space -- a space for connection, self-awareness and self-acceptance without judgement. A place where you can find peace and healing.

Like mother, like daughter! Jill found her way to yoga when her mom, a dedicated Peace through Yoga student, suggested they attend a class together. Sometimes that is all that it takes to experience a life-changing event. After being on pain medication for years for a fractured tailbone and ensuing back pain, Jill began to experience relief as she developed a regular yoga practice of her own. Jill says, “The more I went to yoga, the better I began to feel.” Then one day she noticed the pain was gone. Completely gone. Even better, she realized she felt a pervasive sense of peace in her mind and throughout her body.

Jill‘s experience inspires her teaching. She brings ease and comfort to newer yogis by ensuring everyone feels safe in the yoga studio and in their own bodies. Her greatest joy as a teacher is in providing an opportunity for her students to develop a transformative practice to find the strength and calmness she discovered on the mat.

Like many people, Haylie always found a reason or bumped up against an obstacle that prevented her from pursuing what she desired. In her case, yoga was her objective, but life always seemed to get in the way. When Peace through Yoga opened a studio in Danville, practically in Haylie’s backyard, she recognized the sign that it was time to step on the mat. Haylie has never looked back.

What began as precious quiet time in the studio for one hour, once a week, turned into a journey of self-discovery and self-love. Yoga helped Haylie overcome anxiety and the crippling postpartum depression she experienced after having her daughter. Yoga provides an avenue where her love for music and literature can come to life in both her asana and meditation practices. As a teacher and graduate of Peace through Yoga’s Real Life Yoga Immersion, Haylie holds space for her students so they may overcome their own obstacles and find the joy that yoga brought to her life.

Claire began yoga in 2011 after an entire year of saying she was going to take a class but never actually going. In Restorative yoga she started getting in touch with her body and breath and when she began Vinyasa yoga she fell in love. This was the full body exercise and spiritual practice that eschews competition and expectation that she didn’t know she had been looking for. Today, Claire has a 200 RYT certification from Invoke Studio and trained under the incomparable Ahna Hoke. She has also completed an 80 hour Yin Yoga certification through Exalt Yoga with Michelle Finch and practices Kriya Yoga under the guidance of her guru, Jim Whiteford. She obtained the attunement for Reiki Master in 2014 from Pyramid of Enlightenment and teaches about crystals and dreamboards in addition to yoga. Her vinyasa yoga classes have fun, challenging flows and her guidance is gentle and focuses on self-acceptance and releasing judgment.

Nancy has pursued various forms of fitness throughout her life as a way to remain healthy and minimize stress. Nothing, however, brought her the sense of balance she finds every time she comes to the mat. This, more than anything, is what motivates her as a teacher.

Nancy’s gently-guided practice focuses on creating a connection between mind, body and breath. She invites you to join her for a Slow Flow or Restorative practice and to leave feeling blissed out. Nancy knows, and she wants her students to know, that no matter how crazy the day may be, time spent together in class always evokes a sense of contentment as minds and bodies are placed at ease.

After a successful corporate career, Kathryn decided it was time to have more fun and became a Peace through Yoga Real Life Yoga Immersion student. And fun it was, so much so that Kathryn is now teaching! If you enjoy a bright, thoughtful, well-read teacher with a great sense of humor, Kathryn will be your teacher of choice.