Jala Yoga

Christa, E-RYT500 hour certified through Charm City Yoga in Baltimore, MD, is the owner of Jala Yoga and runs Jala Yoga’s 200 and 300 hour Yoga Alliance certified teacher trainings.
She has studied primarily with Kim Manfredi, as well as Tom Gillette, Shiva Rea, Maria Garre, Desiree Rumbaugh, and other wonderful and enlightening teachers. While her instruction is rooted in an Ashtanga (a physically rigorous practice) based practice, Christa’s teaching has evolved into a more fluid expression of movement and includes a therapeutic understanding of the body and postures. She is interested in what happens to the mind and body when we push past the limitations we create in our mind and allow ourselves to become stronger, healthier, more attuned to life, and more balanced beings. Christa loves to share the gifts that yoga has offered her and to help each person find a unique path to this joyful practice. Since 2006, she has taught women and men of all ages and physical abilities. In her classes you will sweat, gain physical strength, focus on moving with your breath, learn about anatomy and the philosophy of the yoga practice, as well as try something new and hopefully leave feeling renewed and relaxed.

I discovered my love of movement and the body after a childhood of health problems, weight issues, joint problems and other physical ailments played a large part in my young life. After years of misunderstanding and mistreating my body I discovered the benefits of running and began to head down the path of physical health and wellness. Running lead me to the gym which gave me the ability to begin my first version of a yoga practice. This yogic workout opened my mind to the idea of yoga s a practice and over time, I found my own teachers who helped to guide me to the path of a healer, though even they did not know it then. Around the same time I began to learn about and practice energy work, learning from a Reiki Master in the Washington, DC area. This aspect of my work did not return till much later, however was an important foundation. In recent years, I have immersed myself in an understanding of the body and movement and cultivated an intuitive sense for healing. I have discovered a badly hidden passion for teaching and guiding others. I have chosen to answer a relentless call to help others. I have been blessed enough to find many different outlets for this. Budokon, Yoga and Thai Bodywork all act as tools to aid me in guiding others to health and well being, and to enable them to continue the work we begin on the mat.

Anita L. Schill, PhD, RYT-500, C-IAYT, was certified by the International Association of Yoga Therapists as a yoga therapist after completing her yoga therapy studies with Jenny Otto and Body Balance Yoga®. She is also a Licensed Ashaya Yoga® teacher. Currently, she is studying with Anodea Judith in the Sacred Centers (Chakras) Healer Certification Program. She has been a student of yoga since 1999 and a teacher since 2011. She lives in Winchester, VA, with her husband and dog-child.

Diana began practicing pranayama and meditation in 1995 after obtaining a B.S. degree in Therapeutic Recreation. She noticed great benefit for herself and her patients. She later obtained certification in Therapeutic Massage and Bodywork to expand healing services for clients. In 2007, she earned certification as a Holistic Health Counselor. It was then that she met and studied with her yoga teachers, Joseph Michael Levry, founder of Naam Yoga and Shakta Kaur Khalsa, founder of Radiant Child Yoga. Diana has a passion for health, learning and joy. She loves music/mantra and will sing freely in class. She stays busy as a wife, mother, artist and library assistant. She thoughtfully prepares each class and looks forward to real connection with each student. Yoga Alliance 200 RYT, certified Radiant Child Yoga Instructor and founder of the NEST (Nurturing & Empowering STudents) after-school program.

Judy Jenner, E-RYT500, has been a practicing yogi since 1971, a year before she moved to West Virginia. She received her initial certification at Yogaville (Integral Yoga) and has been teaching since 1992. Judy pursued advanced studies at Yogaville, The Kripalu Center, The Himalayan Institute, and in India. Since 1995, she has staffed and taught at numerous teacher-trainings and workshops at Yogaville. She believes strongly in the yoga of service which has included free meditation classes and private sessions for yoga students with special needs. Her passion is anatomy and classical yoga, the yoga of the ancient sages, and she continues her studies in Vendanta, and interpreting ancient texts relevant to the philosophy, psychology, and science of yoga.

Elaine began her yoga journey over 20 years ago, practicing with her husband as part of a “date night”. Together they fell in love with the feeling of well-being offered by yoga. It was a perfect complement to their mixed martial arts training - improving balance and flexibility while building strength.

Marcie Rhoads, LMT, BCTMB, YTT200 is a Nationally Board Certified Massage Therapist, Licensed Massage Therapist in Maryland and West Virginia since 2011. Marcie has also completed additional training in Cranial Sacral Therapy, Myofascial Release, Sports massage, Reflexology, Acupressure, Trigger Point Therapy, Ayurvedic Massage, Geriatric Massage, and more. In 2017, Marcie completed Trauma Informed Yoga Teacher Training through Yogamore, which inspired her to complete Jala Yoga’s 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2018. Marcie continues her ongoing quest for knowledge, skills, and tools to share with her clients, community, and in her ongoing personal healing from trauma and chronic illness. Marcie wholeheartedly believes that every body has its own story to tell and that every body deserves time, focus, and mindful attention from the heart to support positive change. She has learned that the union of yoga and massage are complementary practices, fostering a mindful perspective paving the way to self-healing, self-care and self love.

Elli White is a 200-hour certified Sivananda Yoga instructor, with a deep interest in yoga as a relationship between mind, body, and spirit. She turned to yoga over 10 years ago as a way to rehabilitate her body from the strain and stress of a vigorous dance schedule. Yoga also turned her interest towards India, where she studied abroad in 2009, with a focus on traditional, spiritual yoga practices. Three years later, in 2012, she returned to India to study at the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Dhanwantari Ashram in Kerala, for a yoga teacher training program. She finds Sivananda yoga to be challenging, nourishing, rejuvenating, as well as very modifiable for all levels. Her classes offer a strong rooting in a traditional, sequenced practice, with lots of room to experiment and grow.

Ashley came to yoga in 2011 with a general curiosity about the practice. She found Jala Yoga in Shepherdstown, WV, and eventually began a steady practice that she soon relied heavily on. She enjoys the feeling of both strength and flexibility she gains from the practice, and its ability to settle the mind. Ashley completed her 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce in 2016. In her lighthearted classes you will find a flowing practice that links the breathe with poses, creating both strength and flexibility in the body that hopefully leaves you smiling.

Peggy Meckling, an artist and a former psychiatric nurse, is a 200 hr. vinyasa and hatha yoga teacher. She is also certified in Yoga of Recovery – a practice for people recovering from addictions. She was introduced to yoga briefly in her twenties while living in Pittsburgh. Moving and relocating several times, it wasn’t until three decades later that she discovered a style of yoga in Shepherdstown, WV which spoke to her on an emotional, physical, spiritual, and creative level. She has been a dedicated student of yoga since 2006. Peggy states, “Yoga offers so much more than physical fitness. The benefits are rewarding to experience and to share with others. There is such a strong and supportive community of yogis in this area. I feel fortunate to be a part of it.”

She encourages students to listen to their bodies when practicing. She will help you to adapt a pose when necessary to accommodate your own unique body type. She looks forward to sharing the multi-dimensional benefits she has received through the practice of yoga. In the spirit of Karma Yoga, the yoga of service, she teaches a donations only, private weekly Yoga of Recovery class. It is open to anyone in 12 step recovery. Peggy is also available for individual private yoga sessions.

Crystal initially came to yoga for fitness reasons and enjoyed finding balance between strength and flexibility. The additional benefits of mental clarity, anxiety reduction, and the opportunities for constant improvement are what kept her hooked. Crystal completed her 200 hour training at Jala Yoga with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce in 2012, and received her masters degree in counseling psychology in 2016. She is currently a licensed therapist and has a passion for integrating yoga and therapy.

Kit has been a professional dancer and movement educator for many years, and she loves to facilitate other people's movement journeys. In 2010 she completed her 200-hour Prana Flow yoga teaching certification under the mentorship of Maria Garre at Ananda Shala (MD). She is currently enrolled in Embodyoga’s 300-hour training program with Patty Townsend (Amherst, MA), which integrates the groundbreaking somatic work of Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen’s Body-Mind Centering with Tantric-based yoga.

Kit’s classes emphasize an intelligent progression of yoga postures (with modifications given for more challenging asanas) and offer numerous entryways into
different body systems for students to find fuller embodiment in their practice.

Chelsea Green, RYT-200, first came to yoga in search of fitness, and has always loved the strengthening physicality of a vigorous vinyasa. Initially, she felt anxious and uncomfortable in the moments of stillness, and the thought of a class with the word “meditation” in the title made her want to run in the opposite direction. During her Teacher Training, she found that her high energy lifestyle was complimented by those moments of stillness, and that learning to tune into herself provided a sense of peace and stability. Chelsea seeks to bring this same balance to her students by combining the elements of strength and flexibility with moments of stillness and meditation. Most importantly, she hopes to create a lighthearted environment for students to have fun and experiment with the practice of yoga.

Chrissy Lewin fell in love with yoga years ago and hasn’t looked back since. Practicing yoga began as a physical practice, but soon turned into a way for her to ease stress and anxiety…to realize that she is enough. As a mother of four, public school teacher, and yoga instructor, she shares this love with children and knows the positive impact it can have on them. She started “Autumn’s Teacher” to build a children’s yoga community. To learn more about her and her classes, please visit autumnsteacher.com or on Facebook at “Autumn’s Teacher: Children’s Yoga and More”.

Mia Hamza, E-RYT 500, is a yoga teacher who sees the practice as potent medicine for body, mind, and soul. She combines more than a decade of dedicated yoga practice with her study of science and holistic health practices. Mia's classes focus on using movement therapeutically to strengthen and heal the body. She is currently completing her 1000-hour Yoga Medicine certification, a thorough, anatomy-based system where she is learning to work more powerfully with her clients and within healthcare systems. Within this training, Mia specializes in Sports Medicine and Orthopedics. She teaches group classes, workshops, and retreats around the world, and has designed programs for athletes, veterans, expectant mothers, recovering addicts, cancer patients, teens, those new to yoga, and experienced yogis, too. In her classes, expect a unique blend of dynamic movement, steady breath, restorative postures, and myofascial release techniques to create bliss and balance that lasts beyond the time spent on your yoga mat. @miahamza on Instagram.

Katherine Berger found yoga in 2000 after back pain and sciatica sidelined her for almost a year. Katherine is a RYT-200 Shiva Rea’s Prana Vinyasa Flow under the mentorship of Maria Garre. She has furthered her studies toward a 500 certification with Maria Garre and Shiva Rea as well as augmenting her training in yoga therapy, restorative yoga, and Ayuryoga with various well-respected teachers.

In her classes, Katherine shares her experience in cultivating a sense of inner balance, clarity, strength and compassion, as well as practical physical strength and flexibility to serve the flow of life. She seeks to integrate rhythmic breathing with conscious movement.

Katherine also offers private yoga sessions using Ayurvedic (the science of life) practices to offer a grounded yet transformative approach to living, being, and embodying Yoga.

Blending the knowledge she has gathered from her studies, Katherine creates dynamic and liberating classes and trainings that embody the alchemy of all these disciplines and teachings. The greatest lessons she has learned from her teachers, human and animal alike, are full-spectrum living, the power of presence, and the transformation that happens by living an interconnected life. Time off the mat is dedicated to equestrienne pursuits, working with the Jane Goodall Institute and the occasional tennis match.

Katherine Austin was introduced to yoga in the 1980’s while living in rural Illinois. She left yoga and farm life behind in 1994, to attend college and law school. When she completed that journey, she rediscovered yoga or yoga rediscovered her. In 2003, a lunchtime yoga class touched her on a profound emotional and physical level. As a result, she committed to a steady practice. Katherine credits her yoga practice for awakening her spirit, finding strength, and developing flexibility. Katherine hopes the same for her students. Katherine completed her RYT 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce at Jala Yoga in 2017.

Stuart practiced various types of yoga over the last 20 years (Hatha, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa) but continues a strong (daily) practice of Kundalini Yoga since 2003. He has the Kundalini Yoga KRI Level 1 Teacher (200hr) certification and is Yoga Alliance (E-RYT200hr) certified. He also is a certified Hatha Yoga Teacher (200hr, Yoga Alliance (E-RYT200hr) certified), Silver Age and Silver Sneaker Yoga-Certified. He has been teaching since 2010, and teaches 15 classes weekly at various locations including private clients in Northern Virginia, Herndon Recreation Center, Jala-Shepherdstown, and at the Reston Community Center. He loves to watch how yoga changes peoples’ lives, and help them on the way. An avid Native American Flute player, he provides meditational and healing therapies through the use of the flute, gong meditation, and Tibetan metal bowls.

I enjoy yoga for it helps me be mellow, especially when I practice whilst listening to the cello.

I came to Jala in the winter of 2014 looking to supplement my home practice. What I found was much more than I ever expected. Under the auspice of Christa Mastrangelo Joyce I have endeavored down the path of my 200 hour teacher training with a benevolent passion.

Following a relaxed flow the emphasis of my classes will be to help students counter the mental & physical ramifications of modern life through the development of conscious body intunement. A kinesiology nerd, I find the human body, specifically the dynamics of human movement, infinitely interesting. Holding a B.S. in Exercise Science as well as a background passion for biomechanics & functional movements, it is my endeavor to inspire others to learn about the wonders of their body.

I came to yoga with the dire need to nourish my soul through movement. The continued practice of yoga keeps me grounded and whole, yet in wonder. I want to share that transformation by serving the community in offering a sacred space for all to experience the mindfulness within. You can expect creative sequences that are inspired from the heart. My intention is for yoga to heal, to be for all, and to be for love.

Gina is RYT-200 hour certified through Jala Yoga in Shepherdstown, WV. She attended Level One Yoga Instructor Training through YogaFit Systems but has primarily studied with local instructors including Christa Mastrangelo Joyce and Jill Donnelli-Hu. She started practicing yoga about 10 years ago as a way of finding balance and she is continually learning to apply yoga to her life “off the mat”. She enjoys practicing a variety of yoga styles but has gravitated toward Yin yoga over the last several years. Gina is a university professor with a love of teaching and this carries over into her yoga classes. She is interested in making yoga accessible to people with various body types and levels of flexibility. Her classes contain elements of yin yoga, gentle flow, and restorative yoga. Gina creates an atmosphere that is meditative, relaxing, and supportive with a little sprinkling of humor.

Lucy Pritchett is a Spiritual Life Coach. She connects natural healers back to their souls. She believes in consciously aligning people to their center, the love they naturally have for themselves, and establishing soul-care so their life can become magical. In order to show people they can create a life full of magic, she uses her intuition to combine her training in meditation, energy skills, emotional healing techniques, and life coaching for a purely unique experience. She also sprinkles in yoga since she recently completed the Jala Yoga 200 Hour Teacher Training with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce. She does her work one on one in person, over the phone, and small group workshops. When she isn’t meditating or doing yoga, you can find her in another city, state, or country! She is a world traveler, a karaoke singer, a swimmer, and a wife! She is currently creating digital manifesting workshops. You can connect with Lucy and get to know her better by checking out her Better Butterflies Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/betterbutterflies/

Halie came to yoga through her past experiences as a competitive dancer. The flowing movements of body and breath felt very similar to a dance, and left her hooked. She completed her 200hr training in Hatha Yoga under Christa Mastrengelo Joyce. Halie's favorite type of yoga to practice and to teach is Power Yoga. She is so honored to have the opportunity to share the transformative power of this practice through her teaching!!

As a trainer dedicated to helping his community avoid the risks and detriment associated with the obesity and poor lifestyle that he lived through. Matt looked into on yoga in 2015 hoping to add foundation, flexibility, and mobility to his practice and that of his clients. What he found helped him evolve far beyond his physical practice and into virtually every aspect of his being. It has since become one of his passions to better his ability to hold space for whatever yoga becomes for those that mesh with his practices.

Chris Jamison has studied human movement for more than three decades. First as a modern dancer, primarily the Martha Graham technique, then from clinical and scientific viewpoints. He has been a Physical Therapist for 30 years and has a Masters Degree in Biomechanics and Motor Control. This experience give him a keen eye for alignment and a skilled touch in assisting students to deepen their practice. Chris studied with Kim Manfredi for his 200 hour teacher certification in 2007 and his 500 hour certification in 2010. Chris has taught anatomy in numerous Yoga Teacher Trainings and travels frequently to study with teachers such as Noah Maze, Desiree Rumbagh, Christina Sell and John Shumacher.

Jake White is an Integrative Energy Medicine Practitioner who graduated from White Winds Institute of Energy Medicine in 2010 and is currently studying at the Somatic Experiencing Trauma Institute to become an SE Practitioner. Jake has been a guest teacher for the 200HR and 300HR teacher training at Jala Yoga and offered classes on meditation and contemplation. Jake has a private practice in Winchester Va. where he works with individuals and groups, in order to resolve the energetic dynamics that keep us from being a consistent loving support system for ourselves. Jake has a passion for creating dynamic healing environments that invite us to live from a place of vulnerability, authenticity, and an open heart.

Facebook: Jake White, Jake White Healing

Danica Binkley is a trauma-informed yoga teacher who approaches the instruction of yoga with compassion and lovingkindness, fostering a nurturing, non-judgmental environment of openness acceptance for each of her classes. Experienced in the teaching of meditation, vinyasa (flow) yoga, gentle yoga, yin yoga, restorative yoga, and general hatha yoga, she most enjoys teaching gentle, calming styles yoga for healing and stress-relief with special emphasis on the breath, mudra, and diverse meditative practices. In addition to completing her RYT200 holistic yoga teacher training at Pure Prana Yoga Studio in Alexandria, VA, in 2009, she has completed specialized yoga teacher training with Anodea Judith, PhD, utilizing the chakra system to attain radiant health and wellness, higher consciousness, and connection to our greatest good; restorative yoga teacher training with Judith Hanson Lasater; has studied yin yoga under Biff Mithoefer; and has completed a number of trauma-focused teacher trainings, including “The Body Keeps the Score: Brain, Mind, and Body in the Healing of Trauma” with Bessel van der Kolk and “Surviving Trauma: Yoga Therapy for Early Complementary Intervention Following Assault or Trauma” with Diana Tokaji

Erin completed her 200 hour teacher training under Christa Mastrangelo Joyce at Jala Yoga in 2016. She began practicing yoga in 2008 as a way to manage stress and become more aware of her body. Through the ebbs and flows of life, yoga has helped her focus her mind, reduce anxiety, and gain strength and flexibility. These transformations in her own life inspired her to deepen her study of yoga, and to share that knowledge with others.

Erin’s classes offer flowing, vinyasa-style movement, paired with the breath. She loves offering her students the opportunity to try new things.

Kalyn understands that our daily lives can be full of stress and anxiety. Her desire to teach is rooted in the belief that this can be managed through the breathing and asanas learned through yoga. She began practicing yoga in 2007 while at Temple University with a two semester Hatha course. She has practiced at various Heated Vinyasa and Power Yoga studios in Philadelphia and Northern California. She moved to West Virginia in 2010 and found Jala Yoga shortly thereafter. Kalyn completed her 200 hour certification through Jala Yoga with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce and is grateful for the community she has found there. Kalyn enjoys a fun, challenging, and heat-producing practice. Her classes will help you come to your mat and leave your day behind. She’ll melt away your stress with a vigorous flow and leave you feeling re-energized. She looks forward to sharing yoga with anyone who wants to learn.

Lindsay DeGraw is a wife and mother to four beautiful children, and has been practicing yoga since 2003. Residing in Martinsburg WV, she received her RYT-200 certification in 2017 at Jala Yoga Studio in Shepherdstown, WV. The practice of yoga has served Lindsay through many different seasons of her life, and she is honored and excited to be able to share this amazing practice with others. She is passionate about helping people understand the integrity of poses, as well as the many benefits these poses and Pranayama (breath work) have to offer in health, well-being, and state of mind. She believes that the practice of yoga is a beautiful discipline that will meet you exactly where you are in life. She encourages that yoga isn't about being flexible, nor is it restricted to the fit and skilled. She believes that anybody can practice yoga and that the benefits of it are for everyone!

Mandy came to yoga in 2010 when she returned to Virginia. She had taken classes before but was never brave enough to go to the studio alone. After breaking free from dependence on other to accompany her to class, she joined a studio down the street from her home. After several weeks of classes she felt a deep emotional connection with herself and the practice. Mandy completed her 200hr training with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce in September 2017 and is now teaching at and managing the Jala studios. When Mandy is not teaching or working at Jala she is spending time with her dog, Pocket or trying out new recipes for her juice business. Mandy can be contacted at mandyjalayoga@outlook.com If you're interested in juice cleanses or special events, check out the website www.juicejarwinchester.com

Kimberly Moon (Chandra Kirin) is a vocal performing “heArtist,” reiki master teacher, sonic celebrant and traveling yogi whom enjoys uplifting nature and community through one-of-a-kind “Sound xPeeriences.” Her offerings trickle from roots in martial arts, dance, music, and nutrition, and her performances paint presence of poetic grace, webbing science, art and spirituality into a tapestry of integrative mindfulness explorations. A graduate of Shenandoah Conservatory’s Ethnomusicology, Music Production and Vocal Performance programs, she has studied, lived and taught integrative performing and healing arts since 2007 in such places as Tanzania, Egypt, Taiwan, Mexico, Peru and along the west and east US coasts. After severe spinal injuries, Moon began a self-practice of asana yoga in 2000 when an astrology reading suggested it to prevent addiction, relieve stress and heal insomnia. She was immediately and profoundly influenced. Her first yoga teacher, Jennifer Thurman Bayliss, lead her to Reiki in 2007, which brought her to kundalini, kriya & tantra yogas in 2010, & on to receive her Hatha 200hr training under Christa Mastrangelo Joyce in 2015. Kim loves lightning-summoning, gardening with toads, the good life with her animal children, the Traveling Heart Tribe and is always ready for adventure! Visit kimmoon.org for more.

Phil is a RYT200 certified Hatha (vinyasa) yoga teacher who trained at Yoga District in Washington, DC. Phil embraces yoga as a powerful catalyst of growth and wishes to unify his community by helping individuals find the inner balance that will allow them to reach out to one another with Love.

Debbie Coulson has always been a fan of life-long learning. She completed her RYT-200 in 2017 and is currently working to earn her Advanced Yoga Certification with Christa Mastrangelo-Joyce. She enjoys practicing several styles of yoga, but particularly likes a grounding or restorative practice. She hopes to help her students find ease and stability in yoga poses and in life. When she is not teaching, practicing, or studying, you might find her singing barbershop.

Marlon completed his RYT 200 teacher training with Jala Yoga in 2016. In 2014, like most people in America he found yoga at a local gym. One day, as he was passing by a yoga class that was about to end, he saw the yoga teacher end the class by saying, “Namaste.” And the class responded back, “Namaste.” Somehow the word “Namaste” piqued his interest. Little did he know a seed was planted that day. He didn’t know what “Namaste” meant then but it sounded kind, loving, and full of light which is what Marlon is all about. Marlon loves yoga and after consistently practicing yoga for about a year and a half, he noticed that yoga transformed him in so many ways – his mind, body, and spirit. Today, Marlon teaches yoga so that he can spread love and light in the community. He wants to help others experience the wonderful effects of yoga. Teaching yoga was never his intention but it became his calling and now his passion. Marlon’s classes are generally fun, active, and vigorous vinyasa-based flows with a focus on balance and breath. Come ready to sweat but leave calm and strengthened.
Yoga Teaching Experience
Gold’s Gym Martinsburg, WV and Hagerstown, MD locations May 2016 – Present
Jala Yoga Shepherdstown, WV and Winchester, VA February 2017 – Present
Taught various private one-on-one and group sessions throughout the area

Elizabeth has a unique style of teaching incorporating vinyasa, breath work, visualization, and energetics into her class. She has completed 200 hour RYT through Yoga Alliance and has been teaching since 2009. During the training Elizabeth focused on Hatha, Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Yin Yoga, and continues to expand her studies in Austin, Texas.

In addition to yoga, Elizabeth has also extensively studied energy medicine and is a healer, sex coach, and writer. She has lead yoga and spirituality retreats in Sedona, AZ and Austin, TX. In addition, and has co facilitated in teacher training as a energetics and meditation teacher. Elizabeth has a unique way of linking yoga, empowerment, spirituality and energy into her classes and also her workshops.

She found alternative ways to heal and empower herself after years of unhealthy behaviors. Her goal in life is empower others to shine as brightly as they can.

She is a true light to be around and work with as she holds space for you to be your authentic self.

Elizabeth uses the flow as a moving mediation and embodiment of the divine. She teaches at Yoga Vida in Austin, TX and offers life coaching through www.lizcdavis.com

As we age we lose balance and flexibility. Many things can throw us off balance but flexibility decides our landing. After many years in emergency medicine Ethel wanted a change. Long an Ashtanga practitioner she decided to explore an education in yoga. Completing a 200 hour training brought a desire to teach. In order to better serve her students Ethel enrolled in Jala Yoga’s excellent advanced yoga teacher training and Jala’s aerial teacher training. I have long believed if there is a miracle on this Earth it is the human body. Combining my tools to teach yoga on the ground or in the air, individuals or partners, offers the pure joy of seeing my students create their own balanced, flexible and healthy bodies.

Luke has been teaching yoga since 2010 and practicing since 2006. He received his RYT 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training from Sol Yoga in Frederick, MD. Luke loves how yoga makes him feel connected to an ancient and sacred tradition, and through regular practice not only does he feel stronger in his body, but he learns more everyday and develops himself as a being of grace and power. Luke believes that practicing yoga can help anyone see meaning in all aspects of their daily life. As a teacher he loves helping students feel the joy of finding out who they really are, how strong they really are, and how to see beauty where once there was suffering. Luke hopes that his students leave his classes feeling empowered and taken to their edge.

Kate Powell, founder of Wild Sacred Journey (www.wildsacredjourney.com; https://www.facebook.com/katepowell.wildsacredjourney/), struggled with disconnection, depression, and body image issues for years before turning to yoga, where she learned to balance fiery discipline and whole-hearted surrender on her journey back to herself. Around that same time, Kate fell into working on small, sustainable farms, the physicality of which reconnected her to the natural world and her body. Her journey deepened further when she completed her yoga teacher training in 2013 and has since logged over 1,000 hours of teaching group classes, privates, workshops, and retreats. A graduate of WhiteWinds-FeatherStone Institutes’ 470hr Integrative Energetic Medicine and Coaching program, Kate has done the deep work herself that allows her to be a strong, compassionate presence for students and clients and gives her a wide range of tools to guide those she works with back into embodying their truth, trust, vulnerability, and playful, sacred Love. She is passionate about transformation and possibility and enjoys reading, creating, being outdoors, good food, and good conversations and can always be counted on to blurt out awkwardly and earnestly heart-felt things in a world that teaches us to keep those close to the chest.

Theresa’s early path in her yoga journey included practice in Iyengar Yoga. From this she brings a focus on alignment and “being in the pose” from the soles of the feet to the tips of the fingers. Currently, she is excited to be completing her RYT-200 hour training with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce at Jala Yoga.

As an avid outdoor adventurer she hopes to bring a sense of exploration to her classes that can help each student gain an understanding of their personal power, both physically and spiritually. “Live each moment completely and the future will take care of itself. Fully enjoy the wonder and beauty of each moment.” - Paramahansa Yogananda

Terri Ward, 200-hr Yoga Alliance certified through Jala Yoga, came to yoga in 2012 as a means of deepening her meditation practice and connecting with her essential self. A poet and Reiki II Master Practitioner, she quickly fell in love with yoga as a nourishing and gentle force for wholeness and transformation in her life. Although her primary style of practice is Vinyasa, Terri also teaches Gentle Yoga and Deep Relaxation yoga. She enjoys exploring other styles of yoga to share with her students and is passionate about helping others discover the transformative power of a consistent yoga practice on and off the mat. Through yoga and meditation, Terri helps individuals of all backgrounds connect with and blossom into the wisdom, strength, and wholeness of their beautiful essential self.

Connect with Terri on FB, Instagram, and Twitter @bloomyogaflow, or reach her by email at bloomyoga.terri@gmail.com.

Hannah Skedsvold, co-creator and designer of Malabella Jewels, creates high quality intentional jewels for intention setting, meditation, and living a mindful life where every piece sold plants a tree. Infusing the alchemic properties of gemstones and high quality metals she aims to empower people to live and feel their best life while helping to heal the earth. Hannah created Malabella when she was looking for a healing tool for her anxiety and depression. She loves yoga, dance, meditation, crystals, essential oils and loves helping people use their own power to heal. Hannah lives and creates in the Virginia Mountains near DC with her husband John Le, their pup Bella Luna, and kitty Shea.

Kristen Bowles RYT 200 RPYT 85 came to yoga as an athlete in 2006. In 2017 life led her to study and complete her certification with Christa Mastrangelo-Joyce of Jala Yoga. As a trained doula and mother of two, she went on to complete a specialized prenatal yoga training with Deb Flashenberg of Prenatal Yoga Center NYC. Over the years, she found that a steady yoga practice brings patience, freedom, and joy into all aspects of her life. Kristen strives to show up to each class with an open mind and an open heart, in hopes of inspiring and empowering her community through a seasonal, balanced, accessible practice.

I came to yoga as a child, following Rodney Yee videos with my mother. As a teen, I rediscovered the practice as a tool for stress management and began to build a personal practice. As an adult, I rediscovered yoga once more as a social, emotional, physical, mental, and spiritual way of leading a fulfilling life. I'm currently studying with Christa Mastrangelo for my 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training. Stop into my classes at Jala Yoga for an energizing vinyasa practice with a delicious finale of relaxation! Namaste.

Jay recently completed 200 hour training with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce at Jala Yoga. He came to yoga late in life, but has found it to be a wonderful gift that he loves sharingwith others. He believes that people of any age can benefit from the mindful dynamic movement that yoga has to offer, to not only realign and strengthen the body but to re-establish our natural connections between body, mind and spirit. That helped him to not only reconnect with his body, but rediscover the beautiful vitality of life. Rather than focusing on improving our bodies or minds, its Jay’s goal to help others discover what is already right within them through the practice of yoga.

Sherry began practicing yoga in 1996 in hopes of reducing stress and aid health issues she was struggling with at the time. She found a great appreciation and love of yoga in this process of healing. Feeling the benefits of being a consistent

practitioner, wanting to deepen her knowledge of the practice and be able to share this with others, she completed her RYT-200 hour certification through Jala Yoga in Shepherdstown WV under Christa Mastrangelo Joyce.

Sherry began teaching at Jala Yoga in 2016 and is currently enrolled in the 300 hr training program there.

Sherry is also a Certified Laughter Yoga leader (CLYL)

completing her training under Alexa Fong Drubay in 2016, finding this to be another opportunity to bring happiness to others.

“Through gentle kindness, love and embracing the yogic traditions, My hope is to bring this awareness to other, that they can allow themselves to find balance...... through mind, body and spirit, creating their own space for inner peace, healing and authentic self awareness and love, in their lives” ~ Sherry ~

Kimber began her journey with Yoga in 2006 at the Shepherd University Wellness Center and immediately fell in love with the flow of movement and breath, as well as the sense of community involved. In 2012 while living in Austin, Texas she trained under Gioconda Parker and received her RYT 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training certification. Currently Kimber is working toward a 650-hour Ayurvedic Certification at the Kripalu Institute for Yoga and Health. To Kimber, Yoga is a complete lifestyle. In a balance of kindness and strength, whether she is interacting with others, caring for herself, or nourishing her body, Kimber strives to live her practice everyday. That balance can be found at any of the classes Kimber offers as well. She provides students with the opportunity to challenge and strengthen the body as well as increase flexibility and rejuvenate body and mind.

 

Kathy Hopson, RYT 200, has taught vinyasa yoga since 2007. Bringing together her work as an occupational therapist and yoga instructor, Kathy provides instruction that focuses on breath, alignment, and flow. In addition to vinyasa, Kathy has training in prenatal yoga, kid's yoga, seniors yoga, and pranayama.

Kathy works daily to bring her practice off of the mat and into the world.

Whitney Ingram E-RYT 200 RYT 500, has been a yoga practitioner since 2007 and a teacher since 2012. Whitney is a co-teacher for Jala Yoga’s Hatha Yoga 200 hour and 300 hour teacher training as well as a volunteer for the Prison Yoga Project with a focus on fundraising and advocacy. whitneyingramyoga.com

Terry Lindsay, E-RYT 500, is a certified Kripalu and Yin Yoga instructor. He started practicing yoga in 2001 and teaching in 2009. His yoga practice has helped him lose weight, reduce stress, improve his flexibility and core strength, and become more accepting of himself and others. He wants these benefits for his students too. He has expanded his understanding of yoga and his personal practice by studying under the guidance of senior yoga teachers like Doug Keller, John Schumacher, Cyndi Lee, Mark Stephens, Biff Mithoefer, and Ray Long, MD, FRCSC. Terry teaches alignment centered Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Flow, following a holistic practice founded in traditional yoga asanas (postures), pranayama (breathe control), and meditation.

“I’d love to do yoga but I’m not flexible enough!” 9 times out of 10, this is how people respond upon learning I am a yoga teacher. And I get it. Instagram is full of joyful yogis celebrating their yoga journeys with spectacular poses. But what if I told you that you do not have to be flexible to do yoga? That there is a place here for you, no matter what your story? That my own “yoga journey” began 25 years ago as a college athlete, long on strength and short on body awareness, who needed at least a C in dance to graduate with a Music Theatre degree, and one very oddball VHS tape of Yoga with Alan Finger from the clearance bin at Borders Books? And that if I can do this, you totally can, too!

What you can expect from one of my classes: Scalable sequences that will challenge you no matter where you are in your practice. Aerobic flows interspersed with the occasional long hold. The reminder that vinyasa is always optional and that I am an enthusiastic advocate of “vinyasa-less vinyasa yoga”. That space and strength are nothing without each other and that the most advanced posture is the one in which you can breath. Room to reconnect with yourself and to remember that you are enough, just as you are. A little live music during savasana when it is not allergy season. Cameo appearances by a yodeling cat eager to sing you the song of his people. Community.

I am blessed beyond words for my training with my seriously amazing teachers. RYT-200 with Christa Mastrangelo of Jala Yoga and advanced RYT-300 training with Brett Larkin of Uplifted Yoga (completion November 2020). Vinyasa practice with Jeremy Falk. Meta Anatomy with Kristin Leal. Chakra and energetic work with Lucy Prichett. And now you! Yes, you. For we are all teachers of yoga in our own right. “Thank you for teaching me yoga!” -- Jeremy Falk

Maria E Garré, M.Ed, ERYT 500
Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist + Ayurvedic Practitioner + Prana Vinyasa Instructor

Jennifer Turman Bayliss, E-RYT 200, RCYT, RPYT, YACEP, has practiced yoga for 25 years. She has presented at The Floyd Yoga Jam, the Radiant Child Teacher Training and for many health fairs. Jennifer has created space for wellness circles, Reiki shares vision board parties and energy camps for children and adults of all levels and abilities. Turman Bayliss is the director of the Sunshine Studio and the Winchester Montessori School's Young Yogi program. She is part of the faculty at Vostrikovs Academy of Ballet and adjunct faculty for Shenandoah University. Her style of gentle yoga encourages students to remember the special light within.

Theresa has been teaching for Jala Yoga since completing her 200-hour teacher training in January 2014. She has practiced yoga her entire adult life, including Hatha, Ashtanga, and Bikram yoga. She loves how yoga and meditation offer the opportunity for increased self-awareness, relaxation, and the freedom to focus on the still-point in one's life. Teaching yoga has become a way for Theresa to contribute to the wellness and spiritual growth in her community - an opportunity for which she's very grateful.

After years of long commutes and overly hectic work schedules, where sitting at a computer became the norm, Paulette discovered yoga to de-stress. Yoga provided her the needed combination of a steady practice and a shift to a healthier mind-set, at just the right time. She hopes to share connectedness and a compassionate outlook with the yoga community. Paulette is 200 Hour Yoga Alliance certified through Jala Yoga with Christa Mastrangelo Joyce and currently teaches classes at the Jala studio in Winchester.

Karen has been practicing and teaching yoga and meditation for 19 years, and stress management since 2008. She discovered the benefits of yoga as a young, stressed-out mother of three and has been a passionate advocate of the practice since! She often taught “in a pinch” for her own yoga teacher and after much prompting from fellow students as well as her own teacher, finally got her certification in 2004 at Yandara Yoga Institute in Baja, Mexico. Karen has also studied and received certifications from Yama studio in Baltimore, Blue Cross/Blue Shield and the Les Mills Bodyflow program. Her clientele over the years has included Berkeley and Jefferson county public schools, hospitals and court systems,DHHR and the Girl Scouts.

She is currently in the process of becoming a yoga therapist for cancer patients and their families and is happy to be teaching at Valley Healths Wellspring facility (cancer specialty organization), Wellness Center and Jala Yoga in Winchester.

After resigning from her 9-5 desk job in April, Karen now teaches 10 classes a week in the Winchester area and will be adding more in the fall, and she is EXCITED about it! She describes her classes as a “mutt mix” of all the best she's learned over the years, “a little bit of this and a little bit of that,” with emphasis on Iyengar alignment, a solid grounding in Hatha and Vinyasa with strong burst of Ashtanga (power yoga) thrown in to keep it lively. Each class begins with a tai chi warm up and setting of intention followed by a vigorous practice with modifications for all levels and ends with 15 minutes of progressive muscle relaxation,positive affirmations and meditation.

A personal message from Karen-
Yoga is for EVERYBODY..... there is a place within each of us that is strong,mentally and physically,that place is different from one person to another and within my classes I present to you a canvas to find this place for yourself, as you are ready ,when you are ready. The hardest part can be coming to the mat, once you get there the rest just happens, and its all good from there. Lastly, finding yourself in a yoga class is an amazing experience. You find yourself in a room full of like-minded people all with similar desires for a physical practice that also penetrates the mind and heart, only the kindest souls wander through these doors,come on in.......

I first stumbled upon yoga while searching for a televised aerobics class during summer break in high school. Skeptical that stretching was not “real” exercise, I tried it, noting that I felt enlivened AND somehow calm afterward. Life moved on and I forgot yoga. Nearly ten years later, bored with the stair climber and growing weary of minor injuries from running, I purchased a number of DVDs and set up a yoga space in the basement. To my delight, I was sweating, breathing, challenging myself in a new way. With daily practice, I found gratitude in a new recognition of my body. This would begin a long relationship with my yoga mat and with a practice which surpasses exercise. About 15 years later, a local teacher training would allow me to begin to share the gratitude I experienced on my mat. Career and location changes prevented teaching and even personal yoga practice for a time. Yet, life IS change. Again, I gratefully returned to my mat, embracing the opportunity to share the lightness born of this work - vinyasa - moving with the breath..

RYT200, RN, RYT 300 (in progress)