Hatha Yoga Instructor and YogaOasis Studio Manager

My first introduction to yoga was when I worked as a Barista in New York City. The owner of the coffee shop kindly provided a yoga class once a week for the staff. I found that yoga helped me with stress and to release the aches of a fast paced job. It was not until I moved to Tucson that I developed a practice (a fancy word for people who do yoga often). When I first arrived, many aspects of yoga were still foreign to me. However, I felt drawn to study the many nuances of yoga, which continually transform me spiritually and physically. After a few months in Tucson, I was lucky enough to be brought on as a manager of YogaOasis and tour assistant for Darren Rhodes. Working for YogaOasis has offered me many opportunities to continue to deepen my relationship with yoga and with this beautiful community. I look forward to continuing to manage YogaOasis and getting to know more of the friendly faces I see each day. Please join me for a fun and personable class!

 Anusara-inspired Yoga Instructor and YogaOasis Studio Manager

I took my first yoga class in the summer of 2003 while searching for relief from depression. I began teaching almost 3 years later having found not just relief but a whole new world, and wanting to share what I'd learned with others. My classes are uplifting, challenging, and playful, and offer my students a safe place to explore their strength, courage, and abilities, as well as expand their capacity for all this life has to offer. My Friday night class (6pm YogaOasis East) also ends with restorative poses to help you end the week and start your weekend with a sense of peace and calm.  I'm energetic and enthusiastic and so excited to share the practice of yoga I tend to 'geek out' from time to time. I'm not perfect but I'm a good student, and I'm always learning.. especially from the remarkable yogis I see in my classes. I'm forever grateful for YogaOasis, where I fell in love with Anusara Yoga, and for the Grace of my teacher Darren Rhodes who inspires me to look past what I know into what is truly possible.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

Yoga saved my life by showing me my life. I was living in a vacuum, a hollow man running on empty. Where was the time to breathe? To think? To feel? I had no clue.
It's been said the first step toward a spiritual life is to get in touch with your body. There's a phrase you'll hear a lot in yoga, "Listen to your body". My body had been talking to me for many years. It had tried to get my attention with anxiety attacks, backaches, and long episodes of depression, but I refused to take time to listen. It was only when the pain became too intense to ignore that I knew I must listen and must change, or else.
It has been my experience that some of the people with the worst problems eventually become strongest in the areas where they were the weakest. Little wonder that I became a yoga instructor. I immersed myself in body, mind and spirit.
After spending most of my life looking for answers out there somewhere, I finally began to look inside. The mat has taught me--and is still teaching me--honesty and sensitivity. To honor my body for what it can do, and what it cannot do.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

As an avid athlete, I initially began practicing yoga in 2001 as another of the myriad means that I enjoyed challenging my body. While experimenting with a variety of styles and teachers over the following decade, it was not until I returned to the healing heat of my desert home in Tucson that my relationship with yoga took a turn for the profound. Under the guidance of many wonderful teachers at YogaOasis, I began to experience the power of this practice to cultivate a more loving, grateful and compassionate relationship with the beautiful blessing of life. Each time I come to the mat, I am reminded of yoga's power to release tension and shed light. I am eternally grateful to be a student and teacher in this community and I enjoy giving refined alignment instructions in an atmosphere that is challenging and supportive, present and playful. I aim to offer classes that leave bodies vibrant, minds clear and spirits smiling! Off the mat I stay busy and inspired teaching environmental education, pursuing a Master's Degree in Public Administration, co-directing Fenster Ranch Summer Camp, exploring the Sonoran Desert, doing handstands and juggling! I am a Leo...or a Virgo...depends who you ask.

Anusara-inspired Yoga Instructor

It wasn't until I moved to rural Argentina, where yoga was little known and sometimes eyed suspiciously, that I recognized and began to explore the potency of the practice. I somehow knew I wanted to teach as early as I knew I needed to practice. With chronic back pain and other ongoing health issues as the final catalyst, I (un)willingly moved back to my home town of Tucson in 2008, where I serendipitously found the perfect community and opportunity to advance my yoga studies.  

My classes are challenging yet empowering; somehow the words goofy and intense work simultaneously side by side. As an alignment geek, I strive to offer effective and efficient instructions, which helps us safely access the power inherent in each posture. I encourage my students to dig deep and stay deep, as a way of stoking and evoking the lightness of life as it is. Cultivating awareness in action as a gateway to growth is an ongoing theme. My classes often end with a sweet serenade in savasana.
 
As a fiery Aries through and through, my free time is often spent flying too close to the sun. I enjoy rock climbing, acrobatics yoga, Salsa dancing, desert dwelling, the occasional haphazard attempt at soccer, and playing with my crazy cat Chuchuhuasi.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

I started practicing yoga eight years ago, as a dance major in college. After a few years of getting my feet wet, the path of yoga swept me away like a whirlwind romance that, well, endured. Since then, it seems like each phase of my adult life continues to bring me in deeper relationship with the practice, my mind, and my heart. I left my Midwestern homeland in 2010 to pursue further studies in Tucson. I study yoga philosophy, Tibetan Buddhism, and meditation in an on-going, life path sort of way. I draw from the wisdom of the sutras, to create accessible, practice-based classes that work the mind and body and aim to open the heart. I am endlessly grateful to all of my teachers and the teachings that fill my life.  My primary teachers include Mira Shani, Jarret Levine, Darren Rhodes, Kimberley Theresa, Christina Sell and Rachel King.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

Bio coming soon....

Hatha Yoga Instructor

I started practicing yoga about 11 years ago after the birth of my first daughter, Megan.  I went because I thought it might help me lose pregnancy weight and quiet my ever-chattering mind.  It did that and a whole lot more!  From the very first class, I knew that I had found a practice that would challenge me and help me grow for the rest of life.  I practiced on and off for a few years until about 2004 after having my second daughter, Macie.  I became a  much more dedicated student and loved both the physical and emotional well being it brought to me.  I found Anusara Yoga in 2006 and it felt like home.  As soon as my family and I moved to Tucson in July 2007 I began a steady practice at Yoga Oasis and wanted more and more, so I started the Immersions.  I became a yoga teacher after realizing that I truly wanted to share this practice with everyone.  I took my teacher trainings with Darren Rhodes and Christina Sell and have continued to take courses with many gifted teachers.  I love to teach fun and challenging classes that ask students to go beyond what they may have thought possible.  Students in my classes feel welcome and safe, not only expand themselves physically, but emotionally as well.  Yoga has helped me become more open to being vulnerable to change and growth, and I offer that to my students.  We are all in this process together, so why not learn from each other and offer support along the way.  Since marrying my sweetheart, Andy on December 30, 1995 we have lived in 7 places all over the country.  Moving around a lot wasn't always easy, but we've made great friends and had amazing experiences because of it.  We call Tucson home now and hope to for a very long time.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

I landed in my very first yoga class over a decade ago when my dad suggested I attend to help cope with anxiety and depression. As I practiced beside my dad during that first class I lost my balance again and again, was in a state of confusion and basically felt like an utter failure. Yet, as I lay in Savasana (final relaxation) at the end of class I noticed that something had shifted. The ever-present current of anxiety I normally experienced had subsided almost completely and I thought to myself 'I didn't know I could feel this way.'  I would not realize it until a couple of years later that this experience had cracked open something within me that would eventually lead to a deep love and devotion to the practice.

The story of coming into my practice is one full of remarkable teachers, dedicated practitioners, discipline and courage. The passion I feel toward my teaching and personal practice is fueled by the fiery transformation I have experienced in my own life. As I become increasingly curious, as I engage in self-study, as I open the doors to new creative realms, the potency of my potential becomes palpable. It is this that I bring to my teaching. In each student I see potential. I ask a lot of students in a way that is both uplifting and empowering. My classes are grounded in the notion that we are in this process together, students and teachers alike.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

 Initially, I was terrified to enter a yoga class. The very first OM nearly sent me running out the door! My conservative background made me leery of the spiritual side of yoga. I am from the south where every good girl knows that you have to "put on your face" before you go out in public. Needless to say, at a young age, I was already searching for what was behind my mask. This is what brought me to yoga. And this is what kept me from running out of my first yoga class in 2004 with my soon to be favorite teacher, Rachel Laing. This was the beginning of my journey - a journey that has continued to reveal deeper layers of myself through my practice of yoga.

By living through some difficult life experiences, I have learned to choose to live life from a positive, fun place. I have experienced the negative downward spiral and I have chosen to look for the good in the world, which, by the way,  I see most clearly from Down Dog! I began teaching yoga in 2009, but I have been a teacher for a very long time. I began my teaching career as an art teacher, and it only seemed natural to teach what I had become so passionate about - yoga. I teach because of a firm belief that anyone can reap the benefits of yoga. They just need a  teacher that makes yoga accessible to them, where they are and where they come from.

My classes are fun and playful with a focus on alignment. Focusing on alignment transforms our poses and, more importantly, our understanding of ourselves and our body. I believe yoga is a gift that anyone should feel able to accept, regardless of ability, flexibility, age, or size. My classes offer you a safe place to start or expand your practice.

I am from Alabama (and still have an accent that I will never lose!) and I absolutely love SEC football! WAR EAGLE!

Certified Anusara Yoga Instructor

I practice yoga for the love of it. In turn, yoga gives me strength and heart. The most senior teacher I study with is John Friend. For my day-to-day maladies and questions, I ask Darren Rhodes and Chris Coniaris.

As a yoga teacher, I continue to appreciate the endlessness of yoga philosophy, and I am constantly seeking ways to integrate it into every moment. This is THE moment; why are we running from it? In turn I share my practice with my students who, in turn, end up laughing at me a lot.

I’m a Scorpio.

I love chocolate and fun red wines, and I have a loud laugh when I get going.

 Art Director and Hatha Yoga Instructor

I have been working for YogaOasis for more than a decade carrying much of the graphic design and photography projects. Through Tirtha Studios I helped produce yoga products such as the poster, From Tadasana to Savasana, and Darren Rhodes' Yoga Resource book.

I am back to teaching! Come check out my YogaHour class at yo downtown on Tuesdays, at 12:15 p.m.

Email: milo@yogaoasis.com

Check out my work online:

youtube.com: yogaoasis108

shop@yo (tirtha studios products)

Hatha Yoga Instructor

Watching my father practice headstands in the middle of the living room when I was a teenager was my first introduction to yoga. Initially, I resisted my Dad's invitation to practice yoga until I began my path in 1999 with Brian Kest's Power Yoga tapes in the hopes of becoming more "fit." Yoga asana (poses) came quite naturally to me since I did gymnastics as a little girl. While attending physical therapy school, I learned about my personal muscle imbalances that contributed to my bouts of back pain. This increased my yoga interest, and after graduating in 2005, I started using modified sun salutations as part of a home exercise program for my patients with low back pain. Consistent practice has resulted in improvement in my muscle alignment and little to no back pain. In December 2010, I started teaching public yoga classes with an emphasis on a therapeutic approach for those who have injuries, chronic conditions, or have had surgery. My backcare classes are slow paced and alignment focused, with props and pose modifications strongly encouraged. I want to offer students the opportunity to learn more about their unique anatomy and improve awareness in their bodies to help to heal or prevent injuries.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

I wandered through the door at Yoga Oasis looking for a physical practice to supplement my dancing, which I got, along so much more. Since taking that first class, I have been at the studio at least once a week. This place has become my second home, and I love the people in it. Yoga has given me more confidence, deeper relationships, and a grounding spirit for my vata-self. YO holds such a special place in my heart and soul that I'm honored to be part of the team. When I'm not doing yoga, I am dancing or teaching dance. I am co-Artistic Director of NEW ARTiculations Dance Theatre, as well as a member of Movement Salon, Tucson's one and only compositional improvisation group. I'm always telling my dancers, "Do more yoga!  It will change your dancing (and your life!)"

 I started practicing yoga when I was 17. The resort that I worked at offered free fitness classes to employees so I started attending classes whenever I could. Even though my first class was difficult, challenging and awkward, I made it through and I felt amazing! I was sore in muscles I didn't know I even had. From that class I knew that I wanted to teach. I took a couple of teaching training courses and started teaching when I was 19. I had two students and I was so nervous! To this day, I still get a little nervous from time to time when I teach because I respect my students, their time and feel truly honored that they set aside time out of their day to come to my class and practice. It is one of my primary goals as a teacher for my students to leave feeling that yoga is accessible to them. Period. Anyone can do yoga! I hope to challenge my students to work hard, deepen their practice and know that they will come through it stronger, more flexible, empowered and calm.

I am a reader. I love to read! I have been an avid reader since I was a child and it is still one of my favorite things to do.

Anusara-inspired Yoga Instructor

 My formal introduction to yoga began in 2000 with Ulla Lundgren at the Yoga Experience in Flagstaff, Arizona, but it was curiosity that led me up the stairs, through the door, and into my first yoga class. During my first class, I recall feeling uncertain and nervous at the start, but by the end, I felt intrigued and excited. Ultimately, I left my first class with a feeling of bliss and wholeness that made me take notice. The feeling of completeness I experience when I practice is what continues to bring me back to my mat.

As my practice developed, my desire to feel a deeper connection to that truer part of myself and others encouraged my exploration of yoga further. In 2003, I attended my first Anusara immersion and teacher training with Christy Burnette. My decision to immerse myself in Anusara put me on a surprising, new path. I continue my travels on this amazing and challenging path as I work towards Anusara certification. I feel incredibly grateful and fortunate to have studied with such gifted teachers as John Friend, Christy Burnette, Ulla Lundgren, Desiree Rumbaugh, and Darren Rhodes.

Over the years, I have learned that the practice of yoga is both an artistic expression of essence and a way of life. I firmly believe that the practice of yoga brings us back to the heart and reconnects us with our true nature, our blissful, joyful self. I believe that from that place of heart, all things are possible!

Hatha Yoga Instructor

My favorite thing about teaching is helping students realize how awesome they are.  When we start truly loving ourselves, we change the world.  Yoga is revolutionary.  I am passionate about social justice, radical acts of love, international travel, falling deeper in love with the parts of myself that lie in the shadow, the dance between strength and vulnerability, and music.  I am currently studying Somatic Counseling at Prescott College.

I am grateful to my sons, who have been my biggest life teachers, and Darren Rhodes, Christina Sell, Jamie Ackley and Rachel King who are my most influential yoga teachers.  Yoga Oasis is one of the most special places in the world. It is a blessing it is to be both student and teacher here.

Hatha Yoga Instructor

 My first yoga class was in 1996. I kept returning to practice because it offered me a side of tranquility and ease that wasn't familiar to me at the time. I started teaching in 2005 because I wanted to be able to offer back the great gifts that yoga continues to offer me today. My classes are fun and work at the same time. I want my students to walk away feeling accomplished and empowered. I want them feeling good about themselves because that's what it's all about. When I'm not teaching I'm in the studio working on my next painting.