Jim Scully

Jim found yoga through a personal injury.  Through his practice, he was able to heal and recover.  This brought Jim to a place where he realized that he could also help others heal, while spreading the yogic experience.   Jim believes that the practice of yoga allows us to connect not only to the body but also to the spirit. 

Jim provides an atmosphere that is light and joyful for his students.  He believes in teaching the individual, even in a classroom setting.  He imparts the use of breath work and encourages self discovery within each of his students.   It is his goal to for his students to explore his/her abilities, while enjoying the whole experience of yoga.  

Jim completed his 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Certification at Moyo Yoga. He is also a RYT with Yoga Alliance. Along with his extensive training in yoga, Jim currently holds a 1st black belt in Tae Kwan Do.

 

Lisa Firey

Lisa has been practicing yoga and studying yogic philosophy for over 20 years.  Because of her pursuit of health and healing in the naturopathic and bodywork realm, she realized that yoga is also a healing modality.  She believes that Yoga opens the heart, the mind, and the body, allowing for a more centered and forgiving lifestyle in which to live, while promoting a happier sense of self and surroundings!  Lisa has studied under Shiva Das, Dirga Das, and Ed Zadlo, obtaining her yoga teaching certificate.  She now brings, with open heart, her skills as a practitioner and instructor. 

Lisa is also a massage therapist, focusing on therapeutic massage, myofascial release, and craniosacral therapies. 

 

Meghan Ryan

Meghan began her studies in mind-body fitness and health under Carlos and Debbie Rosas, creators of the Nia Technique. She fell in love with this technique and has received certifications in Nia, as well as, Body Rolling, Pilates Mat Science, and Zumba. As a lifelong athlete, Meghan developed a relationship with her body via the channels she currently teaches, as well as yoga! She has recently found a new harmonium with hooping, realizing that it is not only fun, but highly beneficial as an exercise. Meaghan is anxious to share her education, knowledge, and love of fun with each and every person whom crosses her path!

 

Marie Roberts

Trained in viniyoga, which emphasizes the connection of breath and movement, Marie now teaches in a style that combines viniyoga with flow and chakra yoga as a meditative whole

Marie considers herself a ‘recovering intellectual’ who came to yoga as a way to live healthily in her body instead of just in her head. She holds an M. A. in World Religions, an M. S. in Counseling Psychology and has been an ordained Presbyterian Minister since 1982. Marie is also a published poet and author of two books: ‘Out of Your Mind and Into Your Heart: Using Love Energy to Heal your Life’ and ‘Life Lessons and Soul Skills: Learning from Your Mistakes the First Time Around.’

She strives to help her students experience the beauty of this moment through breathing and stretching, knowing that we can only be more than our bodies by living in our bodies. She emphasizes an integration of body, mind and spirit as she guides students to work from the inside out. Marie’s classes have a meditative atmosphere punctuated with humor and laughter. She breaks down the individual components of postures so people can work at their own level of ability that day. There are moments of challenge interspersed with moments of integration and meditative awareness.

Sarah Carlisle, RYT

Sarah's path has been multi-faceted and filled with abundance. She grew up a musician, and moved to Baltimore to pursue studies in double bass on scholarship at the prestigious Peabody Conservatory in Baltimore, MD. Her studies and performances in music have taken her all over the world, including Russia, Israel, Egypt, Brazil, Canada, and much of Central and South America. She relocated to Philly this year to begin graduate studies in music on scholarship at Temple University. She plays regularly with local symphonies and in jazz venues in the area, and is also part of a touring kirtan group, Luna Rasa, and indian fusion group, Shantavaani.

After several years of disciplined yoga practice, she completed a 200 hour yoga teacher training in 2006 under the guidance of Kim Manfredi of Charm City Yoga in Baltimore, MD where she taught for four years. She was trained in the vinyasa style and, in addition, has studied tantric yoga with Rod Stryker, as well as traditional kundalini & yin styles. In her classes, she encourages mindfulness, presence, and awareness of energy cultivation while moving through the asanas, making the practice challenging and rewarding not only on the physical level, but also on the mental and energetic levels.

In 2008, Sarah became a certified, level 4 practitioner of Thai Massage from the Lotus Palm School in Montreal, QC, under the guidance of one of the world's masters, Kam Thye Chow. She was trained not only in many hours of massage techniques, but also in how to approach the massage from an Ayurvedic standpoint, so that it may be the most balancing to the individual in that moment. And, after becoming increasingly interested in Ayurvedic philosphy, decided to further pursue Ayurvedic studies in India. She received a Diploma in Ayurvedic Studies, Bodywork, and Pancha Karma Therapies from the College of Ayurveda in Kannur, Kerala, under the direction of Dr. Rajesh Devan and Dr. Sapna Rajesh, B.A.M.S. She has taken workshops with Maya Tiwari & Dr. Vasant Lad, and is currently pursuing certification as an Ayurvedic Lifestyle Counselor through the American Institute of Vedic Studies under the direction of Dr. David Frawley. She has also studied Nada Yoga with Russill Paul through his Yoga Mystery School, as well as privately with Acharya Roop Verma and Wah! She is thrilled to have the opportunity to share this ancient wisdom with you!

 

Monika Koenig

Certified through Yoga Education Institute, Monika Koenig has been practicing yoga for the last decade, with the last three years devoted to an intense study of this ancient art.

She specializes in teaching stress reduction techniques and breathwork, in addition to classical Hatha and Vinyasa Yoga. As a certified yoga instructor, she works with each individual student to present the safest means of practicing posture (asana) and breathing techniques (pranayama) which fit the needs of that student. Her study of pranayama and meditation techniques has included certification in Sudarshan Kriya as well as the meditation, stress relief, yoga and breathing techniques taught by Sri Sri Ravi Shankar. She continues to participate in ongoing monthly meetings and workshops with the Art of Living Foundation.

Monika dedicates herself tirelessly to demonstrating Yoga in its fullness, a practice that reaches beyond the mat and enriches lives. She recognizes that Yoga constitutes a way of life, rather than merely a set of poses. Yoga allows us to shape or lives, or in the words of the great yoga teacher BKS Iyengar, “Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured.” Monika has taught numerous classes, including an ongoing mixed-level Vinyasa Yoga series at the Montgomery County-Norristown Public Library, and continues to strengthen her personal practice by attending numerous seminars and workshops offered through institutions like the Arsha Vidya Gurukulam in Saylorsburg, PA.

She takes a passionate interest in holistic health generally and especially in helping her students create the healthiest life possible. She continues to expand her knowledge in the field while pursuing a distance learning certification as a Holistic Health counselor through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition (New York City). She has also written numerous freelance articles on various aspects of holistic health and yoga and maintains a blog on living a yogic lifestyle as part of her work with Bodhi Bliss Designs, her Etsy-based business creating yoga-inspired accessories.

 

Charles Brynan "Chas"

Charles has been studying and practicing the Art of Tai Chi for eighteen years. He trained nine years with Grandmaster Ho, Tsong Yuan from the Peoples' Republic of China, learning the Classical Yang Style Tai Chi Long form and Straight Sword. Under Grand Master Ho's tutelage, Charles has medaled in National and International competitions. In 2000, Grandmaster Ho certified Charles as Senior Instructor in the Yang Family style of Tai Chi and deemed him ready for teaching on his own.

Charles currently teaches classes at the Boyertown YMCA. He is owner and instructor of the Pear Garden School of Tai Chi holding classes Saturday mornings in Gilbertsville, PA. His class curriculum consists of Yang Style Long Form, Sword (Jian), Tai Chi Fan and Shaolin Eight Section Brocade. Charles provides Tai Chi instruction to The Academy of Massage and Body Works in Pottstown, PA, as part of the student curriculum required for graduation.

Charles continues to strengthen his Tai Chi knowledge base by attending yearly workshops at the Zhang San Feng Festival, which brings in the best teachers nationally and internationally. Charles was invited as a presenter at the Martial Arts and Health Expo at Kutztown University and is a member of the Taijiquan Enthusiasts Organization.

Charles is the author of "Tai Chi With Me", a monthly article chronicling a personal and introspective journey about Tai Chi. He is also a contributor to Qi Journal of Eastern Health & Fitness magazine with a feature article in this winter's current edition.

Instructor Charles has been employed for 39 years with a civil engineering company as Operations Manager and earned a BBA from Ursinus College, Collegeville, PA in Business Administration.

 

Debi Dunn

Debi Dunn, formerly Vice President of G.E. Capital Modular Space, is dedicated to promoting the benefits of a healthier and more energetic lifestyle for those interested in complementary solutions.  Debi left a successful corporate career in 2001 after having survived brain surgery at Thomas Jefferson Hospital to remove a small benign tumor. Having experienced an "aha" moment, she decided to pursue her passion in movement therapies such as qigong, t'ai chi and yoga.  Debi Dunn, certified qigong, t'ai chi and yoga instructor, has been practicing for over ten years.  She has studied with qigong master Dr. Yang Zwing-Ming, t'ai chi with Sara Gelhorn, and yoga with Bob Butera of Yoga Living Institute.  Debi has released two media publications: Qigong for Everyone (DVD) and Tranquil Journeys Meditations (CD).