Our Team
Interested in teaching with us? Please email us at info@yogalifestudios.ca and we’d love to get in touch with you!
Caren Hui
“We learn more by looking for the answer to a question and not finding it than we do from learning the answer itself.” -Lloyd Alexander
Yoga has been in my life on and off the mat since 2004. I have never been a very serious practitioner but yoga has always found itself back into my life. I found that the classes offered in the city were not very beginner friendly and the experiences that I had were inconsistent. I had a hard time getting into a regular yoga practice. When I finally found my way in developing a more regular practice, I then saw the amazing qualities that yoga has to offer. Since then, it changed the way I wanted to live my life.
This is why I ventured into building Yogalife with the help of an amazing group of people. I wanted to provide beginners an awesome experience so that they would continue to practice to truly indulge in the benefits of yoga.
I took my first 200 hr teacher training in 2009 with Erica Blitz. I continued to take my 80hr Hot Training with Kristin Campbell and Alex Atherton in 2010, and 100hr Powerflow Training with Baron Baptiste in 2011. I just can’t get enough!
Heidy Ashlin-Mayo
I have been practicing yoga for over a decade and I always felt so incredible during and after each practice. A huge transformation occurred in my personal yoga practice while I was living overseas. I was blessed with more time in my schedule to learn from some amazing international teachers. I experienced many styles of yoga during that time and as I began to dive deeper into my own practice, more amazing opportunities and experiences continued to unfold in my life. Implementing yogic principles on and off my mat really transformed me physically, spiritually as well as emotionally. While living in Vancouver I decided to take my yoga teacher training at Prana Yoga College. Upon completion of my training I decided it was time to return to my prairie roots. I am very excited to be a part of the Yogalife team and community. I look forward to passing on what I’ve learned from so many of my amazing teachers worldwide. Come on out and lets play!
Brittany Rudyck
Teaching yoga has been one of the most amazing, hilarious, beautiful, fun, self awakening adventures that I could have possibly embarked on in this life! There is this quote that says, “Your practice is for your students, and your teaching is for you.” Sharing the art of yoga fills me with someting that no other “job” could. Getting on the mat with others and working together on what it means to be human is humbling, and so fantastic.
We share in a deep connection when we join for our practice, coming together to find out exactly who we are. Sometimes these realizations aren’t easy to take, and other times we leave our practice with laughter. Either way, yoga unites each of us, not only to ourselves, but to each other.
As a teacher, I love coming to lead a practice with a light heart. Some of my inspirations include: Led Zeppelin, the yoga sutras, adventures with the Edmonton transit system, nature, longboarding, being on my farm in Saskatchewan, making art and practicing yoga (duh).
I’m trained in vinyasa, hatha, restorative/yin styles, but since we’re all students, my study of yoga is ever expanding, and I’m continuously adding to that list.
Continue to play, explore and enjoy your practice! I look forward to being apart of it.
Lindsey Park
I was first introduced to yoga in 2001, and despite much encouragement from family and friends to try it, I didn’t feel yoga was for me. Shortly after, I was going through a difficult time in my life and thought that maybe yoga would help alleviate some stress. After my very first class, I was in love! Not only did it make me feel more emotionally balanced, but I really connected to the physical practice, and found it was a great compliment to my other passion, long distance running. After about 5 years into my love affair with yoga, I crushed my ankle in a skydiving accident, and was devastated at the thought of not being able to practice, or run. Through my recovery, yoga was the only thing that kept me going, starting with meditation and pranayama, and after 3 long months of not being able to weight bare, I rediscovered my physical practice. It was during this time when I realized I needed to be a teacher, and share this beautiful practice with others.
I took my 200-hour teacher training with Yogi Vishvketu in 2008, and have continued my journey of unearthing new knowledge in workshops and trainings along the way with great inspirations like Ally Bogard, Meghan Currie, Kate Potter, Patrick Creelman, and more.
Not only did yoga aid me tremendously in my recovery, but because of my injury I have a new found respect for my body, and try to express that to my students, to help them find that deeper connection with themselves.
See you on your mat!
Hari Om
Melissa Perret
I began my yoga journey 7 years ago, when life brought me to South Korea in the midst of a confusing time in my life. Having never tried yoga before, a meander through my new neighbourhood led me to a building that offered yoga.I felt a sensation of an energy pulling me in through the doors, and I was greeted by an angelic, beautiful man and,without a word, I joined and attended his Hatha yoga for the following 4 years of my life there. He taught me peace, moderation, focus, clarity and the importance of relaxation, which is so often lacking in our western culture.
After my departure, I came back to Edmonton and finished my 200 hour teacher training and am Yoga Alliance Certified.I returned with a desire to help guide people to just slow down, appreciate and smile.
Thicht Naht Hahn has many beautiful quotes, but this stays in my heart everyday,”Because of your smile, you make life more beautiful,” so keep smiling and watch grace and peace envelope you and all those around you.
Jana Derges
“I feel like I started teaching yoga life times ago. Nothing in my life has flowed so smoothly, like I’ve simply remembered my passion. I am a soul who is playful, honest and real. I truly want to help the world be happy. I believe people are designed to love, smile and move. The Sanskrit word “Shri” means beauty. I hope to inspire others to ‘See the Shri’ in everything!
Feb 2008, I broke my back in a snowboarding accident. Life came to a screeching halt. I instantly embraced my new reality. My community quickly came together with full support. The injury created space to reflect on my life’s path and really think about where I’m going. To be honest, it was a really cool experience. The past two years have been a huge period of growth and transition for my spirit. I turned to what I know to heal body, mind and soul: Yoga. The first month home, yoga asana didn’t look like what I was used to doing, but I knew I needed to move. Two and half months later, I was back in a studio.
I had been practicing yoga for years, but with all this, I had a hunger to understand how it all works at a deeper level. I took Gaiatri’s Yoga Immersion and Teacher Training where I had my first glimpse of Anusara’s Universal Principles of Alignment (UPA’s) at a deeper level. Through steady, mindful practice applying the UPA’s – my back is better than ever! My long time teachers – Ally Bogard and Trevor Yelich, teach from their hearts with full joy and passion. In turn they have helped me brush the dust of my heart and rediscover my passion. I have been studying Anusara Yoga and am working to become an “Anusara Inspired” teacher. Many of my Anusara training hours are with the founder himself, John Friend. Over my studentship I have practiced Hatha, Ashtanga, Anusara, Vipassana Meditation and whatever style of yoga different teachers have presented to me from their hearts. I hope I can share my heart with you through this beautifully diverse practice of yoga.
Jana is on a beautiful journey around the world. Read up on her blog
Emily McNicoll
My yogic journey started four years ago when I was living in Australia. I timidly wandered into a beginner yoga class led by a beautifully inspiring teacher named Kristy. Over the next couple of years my practice blossomed. An energy and desire started to burn within me. When I arrived home, there was no need for me to consider what I wanted to do for a living, for my calling was obvious: to share Yoga with the world.
I completed my 200 hour teacher training with Gaiatri Yoga. The amazing people from Gaiatri helped to spark a sense of wonder inside of me that expands everyday.
In this life there are so many distractions of the mind. I believe if we can turn inward and dwell in the space of our hearts instead of our heads, we will never be led astray; for it is our hearts that guide us to our truth, our passion, and our peace.
Neil Haggard
Yoga is a valuable practice to develop flexibility, de-stress, build endurance and enjoy some personal time while learning to breathe, relax and create a healthy body and mind. Hatha yoga is the foundation for other yoga styles and practices, a way to recover from injuries and is complementary to all physical activities.
My Hatha Yoga certification was completed with the YAA – Yoga Association of Alberta and I have been teaching students of all levels since 2003. I enjoy supporting beginners and intermediate levels of yoga including yoga for athletes. I help students to achieve improved alignment, strength and flexibility and believe that yoga should be fun while learning. Students learn how yoga can positively impact their lives through mindful practice and work with the breath.
Being inspired by BKS Iyengar, and having studied with local senior teachers I have continued my personal learning in workshops, retreats and classes with the YAA and international teachers including Judith Lasater, David MacAmmond and Sandra Sammartino. In August 2011, I completed my Yin Yoga certification with Bernie Clark in Vancouver.
Yoga has helped me improve my own performance in cycling, skiing and climbing. I enjoy bringing that focus and the benefits of the Hatha Yoga practice to my students. I hope you join our community!
Bhavna Chavda
Bhavna’s journey into Hatha Yoga started in the early of 2006 from student to teacher certified through the Yoga for Today teacher training program. She continues her journey and path to discovery of immersing herself within the practices of yoga, while developing a greater appreciation for its theories and principles. She has come full circle with what she sees as the first chapter of her yoga journey. She continues to grow and learn about herself while strengthening, stretching and challenging her body. She guides her classes with the intention of creating a safe space for her students to discover their true authentic Mind’s, Bodies and Spirit’s
Graham Parsons
Graham has, throughout his life, been drawn toward the things behind things, and after a foray into the sacred movement of Taoist Tai Chi, began to explore the path of Yoga in 2004, and has been continuously captivated by the blessings, challenges, purpose and harmony that it has brought to his life. Certified as a Hatha &Yin Yoga Instructor after spending time with teachers in British Columbia and Hawaii, Graham enjoys creating an atmosphere of warmth and stillness in his personal practice, which has allowed him to do so in his classes. Our lives demand such a myriad of mental and emotional calisthenics as we move through each day, and the gift of being able hold space together and let all this silt settle, so that we may see clearly into the warm still centre of ourselves and one another, is one to be cherished. Let’s explore together. Om & Prem.
Chantel Giles
My yoga practice began 11 years ago as a must, not as a want. I was a typical “gym junkie” that never took time to stretch even though I knew I should. I was a competitive gymnast from the ages of 2-16 and when I retired from that I lost all my flexibility. I always felt so tight and misaligned that I decided I would make myself stretch in a yoga class once a week. I will be honest, I didn’t fall in love with yoga on day one. In fact I made my once a week class mandatory for a full body stretch but really didn’t buy into any other benefits that I always heard and read about yoga. I had a closed mind and simply went through the motions not wanting to learn or dive deeper into my practice. Luckily for me, I came across a fantastic teacher that opened my eyes. My simple “stretching” class took me to a place that is indescribable. She took me on a journey that quieted my mind and opened my soul. I suffer from a very busy mind like most people do. And for the very first time, my thoughts shut off for that hour. I was able to breathe, hear and feel again. All things that we take for granted until we have that full sense of freedom in our lives. From that day on I dove further into my yoga practice. I began to see it as a way to free my mind and give myself a break. The more I practiced, the more I noticed the physical changes in my body and the difference my practice made in my thoughts and decisions. Yoga reconnected me back to my body. Without trying or forcing practicing more, it became a deep need and want that left me fulfilled everyday.
After many years of enjoying my own personal practice I decided to take my yoga journey to the next step by learning to teach. I took off on a life altering journey to India to learn yoga. I completed a 500 hour teacher training course and came back filled with a passion and desire to share my love of yoga with others. I will always see myself as a student rather than a teacher. Yoga knowledge is endless and that’s why I love soaking up every bit I can. My goal is to be a leader and role model for others and to make sure that yoga is accessible to all ages and abilities. I am a human just like you. I am not a perfect pretzel that never falls down. I will teach you to fall and more importantly get back up!! I hope to unleash the inner potential of anyone I can and transcend any limitations that they face in their lives.
My favourite quote from the Lululemon Manifesto is “Breathe deeply and appreciate the moment. Living in the moment could be the meaning of life.” Bringing yoga into my life has opened my eyes to a whole new world. I have found that I am more aware and more thankful of my everyday surroundings. A daily routine never seems routine to me anymore. Yoga put me more in touch with my body, it heightened my senses to allow me to truly see, hear, touch, taste and feel. I feel so blessed to be able to find something beautiful in my day. My first major car accident years ago was a wakeup call to say “hey, this might be your last day so start living”. Since that day I have never looked back, only forward and up. If we all took a moment, even on the most crappy day, to look for one beautiful thing we would appreciate life alot more. It can be over in the blink of an eye so we better start living now!! It is so frustrating when I hear people say “I’ll start tomorrow”, what’s wrong with today??
My passion is hot yoga but I do incorporate other physical activities into my life and am a strong believer of variety for the body and mind. I love lifting weights, going for a good run, hiking stairs, rollerblading, wakeboarding and walking my dog. Anytime I can get outside I take it, I’m a huge sun lover and nothing feels better than some exercise and fresh air on a beautiful day! You can count me in for pretty much anything that gets my heart racing and sweat pouring!!
Yoga for me is happiness, freedom and peace. I really don’t know where my life would be without it. It brings a sense of balance to every aspect of my life. There is so much more beyond the mat. Yoga has brought me awareness, compassion, and love for myself and others. In one of my trainings a wise lady told us “when you see someone happy, be happy, when you see someone sad, be compassionate, when you see someone lucky be delightful and when you see someone wicked be indifferent”. That has been a quote that I try to live my life by, it just makes sense. I think the biggest joy of yoga is learning that it is so much more than physical exercise. Iyengar quoted something along the lines of “my body is my temple and my asanas are my prayers”. There is so much beauty in using our bodies as vehicles for expression of something so much bigger and greater than simply doing the best headstand or tree pose possible. I hope to continue to let my love and compassion for yoga touch as many people as I can throughout my life. I know that the world is already a much better place with yoga and will only continue to change lives in a positive healthy way as awareness grows. I would be lost without my practice. It is as easy as closing my eyes, stilling my thoughts, feeling my breathe and taking my mind on any journey imaginable. In my eyes, that is truly living in the moment.
Amy Stuparyk
To Amy, one of the key aspects of the practice is that in yoga she is forever learning. After concluding a ten year relationship with dance, she was exploring for a way to invite activity back into her life. April 2010, Amy was drawn to the hot yoga offered during the grand opening of YogaLife Studios. She never looked back, having found not just a passion but her calling. Eventually deciding to take her practice to the next level, Amy started to pursue a life in yoga not just as a student, but also as a teacher. This journey took her in May 2011, to Montezuma, Costa Rica, to receive her 200 hour certification at the beautiful Anamaya resort. Coming back more eager to learn then ever, she threw herself into the world of teaching.
“To me, yoga means so many different things but I can sum it all up with a single word, oneness. Oneness with yourself, your breath, your movement and the world around you. Creating peace, love and tranquility around. Om Mani Padme Hum”
