Lisa Bertke, Founder/Owner, Director, CYT has been a passionate yoga student and instructor for over 13 years and believes that “yoga feeds your soul." After 15 years in the corporate world Lisa followed her heart and opened the Prana Yoga Center in 2003. Lisa’s yoga journey began with the completion of 200 CYT through Moksha Yoga Center in Chicago. Lisa continues her in-depth study of yoga and is finalizing the completion of her 500 level certification of the Para Yoga Master Teaching Training Program thru Rod Stryker's Para Yoga program which is a complete system of practice which includes Asana, Pranayama, Bandha, Mudra, Visualization, Meditation, Chanting, Kriya and Mantra. Lisa is also embarking on a the 2010 study of Living Tantra :Yoga, Ayurveda and meditation thru the Himalayan Institute with the spiritual head Pandit Rajmani Tigunait, PhD. Lisa lovingly and skillfully teaches from her heart using the princliples of intelligent sequencing and the cultivation of life force energy (prana) so that students can experience the deeper dimensions of authentic yoga.Lisa has a human resources degree from DePaul University and lives in St. Charles with her husband Tom and is the mother of 10 year-old twin boys and a 14 year-old son and two cats Columbus and Clarisse.
Jennifer Adams~Kraus received her teacher training at The Temple of Kriya Yoga, Chicago, Il. in 2001, thus obtaining her 200hr RYT. She is also a licensed Massage Therapist, licensed by The Ohio State Medical Board and has been in practice since 1999. She has had the opportunity to study with many master teachers, the students in her classes being some of the greatest. It is with much passion and curiosity that Jennifer teaches her classes, which consist primarily of a Hatha Vinyasa style. She also employs her knowledge of the anatomy and physiology, energetics and intuition into her teaching. From 2002~2008, Jennifer and her husband, photographer Marian Kraus, owned and operated L’Artiste 2 - A Gallery of Integrated Arts, in downtown Naperville. The gallery hosted Marian’s Photography, Jennifer’s yoga studio and massage therapy practice. In 2008, they and their daughter Stella followed their path to St. Charles, which has led her to a teaching position at Prana Yoga Center!
Jennifer Biddle, 200 RYT, has been passionate about yoga since first being drawn to it for stress relief in the late 1990s. Able to attest to the healing power of yoga on both the body and the mind, Jennifer turned to her practice when the economic downturn in 2008 led to the loss of her corporate job. Asking herself “what would make me truly happy and feel fulfilled?” she signed up for Prairie Yoga’s 200-hour Teacher Training program for 2009 (a long-time dream). Studying under Tricia Fiske and Laura Jane Mellencamp, she learned more about the power of yoga than she ever thought possible. “You never stop learning…that’s why it’s called practice.”
Jennifer enjoys creating safe and rejuvenating vinyasa-style classes for her students, linking breath with movement, including pranayama and meditation. She encourages all of her students to listen to the inner wisdom found in all of us whether on or off the mat. Yoga is the tool that allows us to tap into this beautiful voice. She couldn’t be happier about her career change, which was more of a career calling. She lives in Elburn with her husband and two busy little boys.
Charisse Crisciis a Certified Thai Yoga Therapist and Certified Yoga Teacher, a student of Saul David Raye and Leela Mataji.She was introduced to yoga in 2005 shortly after having her son and making the choice to not return to the Corporate world.Following several months of yoga practice, the world as she knew it began to unravel and her Spiritual journey of life began to unfold, as she awakened to learn how to live Consciously & in alignment with Truth.Through the years she has shed the many layers of falsehoods, misconceptions & disbeliefs that shadowed her Inner-Being & her outside perceptions of the world through the years.
As a devoted yoga practitioner Charisse has plunged into the depths and facets of Yoga, Thai Yoga, Ayurvedic Medicine, Metaphysical & Spiritual studies, Shamanism, prayer and meditation. She continues to study the deeper teachings of Yoga and enthusiastically begins her journey as a Certified Yoga teacher.
In class, her intention is to create a sacred, safe space for students to show up, unroll their mats & re-discover who they are. Believing there is no greater teacher than one’s own breath, Charisse guides students to focus inwardly, to link their movements to breath and to use breath to align their body in each pose.By allowing the breath to create space, one can detach from identifying with the mind and body, creating an opening to tap into their inherent Intelligence & Heart’s Wisdom.
Deeming one’s body as a Temple, Charisse guides students to listen to their body, honor its edge and to embrace it with gratitude. By holding space for one to explore into the realms of their highest potential, she encourages them to find ease, grace and contentment in the pose & hence, in their lives.By feeling the body’s strength at the core one can move deeper within their Soul, trust their Inner Wisdom and open to Self-Awareness, Joy & Inner Peace.
Charisse’s inspiration to teach is derived from her desire to learn.The gift of knowledge & wisdom she has received & continues to receive from her teachers and experiences is felt in her practice & her presence.Her greatest blessing it to help people discover their Truth, to empower people to take responsibility to Heal, to encourage people through their efforts & to see people Radiate with Light and Beauty overflowing from their Hearts.
What students are saying about her: "Charisse is a disciplined, compassionate teacher with a deep understanding and knowledge of Thai Yoga.Her intention for all she comes in contact with is peace, grace and healing…Through her eyes you can see the beauty of her Soul.She lives a mindful life in complete communion with ALL in the Universe… OM OM OM".
Nancy Dwyer
has been a registered Nurse for over 30 years and has a master's degree
in Science majoring in physiology. She has taught Nursing at waubonsee
community college, santa monica college and UCLA for 25 years. Nancy
began practicing yoga in 1988 with Bikram in Beverly Hills and then with
Ana Forrest in Santa Monica. She then practiced with Diana Lang for 9
years in Woodland Hills, CA where her love of yoga became a passion.
Upon moving to Illinois Nancy discovered Prana Yoga as her new 'home'
and enrolled with Prairie Yoga in a pursuit to deepen her practice.
Nancy holds a 200 hour certificate in teaching along with a lifetime
teaching credential from the state of California. Her training is based
in the Iyengar tradition and with a medical background believes in
precision alignment and body mechanics. Safety is key and Nancy
nurtures her students to respect their own bodies as each of us are sewn
together differently. You can expect personal attention andhands on
adjustments if desired. Look for her series classes in fundamentals as
she builds upon basic poses. In the coming months she will add a series
class in therapeutics.
Desiree EasthamDesiree’s
passion for yoga began after she showed up to practice the physical
discipline of asana but learned there was a well-spring of other yogic
practices including:meditation;pranayama and mantra.Through these tried
& tested practices, Desiree was able to stop asking the big
questions and began to livewith awareness,
connect with universal consciousness, feel gratitude and live more fully
from her heart.Desiree is certified through the
Chicago Yoga Center and is pursuing Anusara Yoga certification.For further information regarding Desiree please
visit, www. lilayogakula.com.
Sachiko Eubanks was born and raised in Japan, and has been living in the United States since 1989. Growing up in Buddhist family, she was first introduced to meditation at school when in the 7th grade. Sachiko started her regular yoga practice and study in 2000, and recently finished the teacher training at Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago, and is registered to Yoga Alliance at 200hr level. She had many fortunate opportunities to become familiar with different styles of yoga practice by attending workshops and conferences, and found herself drawn to mindful Hatha style yoga practice with focus in alignment. Her practice and study is most influenced by the Hatha style taught by master teacher Kim Schwartz of New Mexico, who was the director of teacher training program at Temple of Kriya Yoga. She is also inspired by the teaching of master teacher, Aadhil Palkhivala, and his approach to yoga called Purna Yoga (which means complete or whole yoga in Sanskrit language). Purna Yoga includes asana (postures), pranayama (breathing & energy), meditation, nutrition, Ayurvada, and Patanjali’s 8 limbs of yoga in Yoga Sutra. Sachiko enjoys teaching alignment based Hatha style of yoga to promote more unrestricted flow of prana (energy) in the body so that our own bodies can help heal any ailment, and can lead us to total health in body, mind and spirit. Sachiko lives in Geneva with her husband, Robert, and her son, Sam.
While relatively new to yoga instruction, Jenny Glick is no stranger to the beauty of yoga and the art of teaching. Jenny has been practicing yoga since 1999 and teaching multitudes of students about the dynamics of television studio production. Now, she has combined her two greatest talents – yoga and teaching – to provide students a revolutionary form of yoga, meditation and relaxation.
A graduate of the Heaven Meets Earth Yoga Studio in Evanston, Illinois with an emphasis in the Radiant Child Yoga Program, Hatha Yoga and Meditation, Jenny believes that her style of teaching is uplifting, motivational and restorative. Previous to her yoga instructor training, Jenny was the Program Director at BATV (Batavia Access Television) where she also taught television studio production to Batavia High School students. A 1996 graduate of Ball State University, Jenny also worked at WTTW Chicago Channel 11 as an associate producer on such well known programs as Handy Ma’am, Trinity Irish Dance Company and ArtSafari.
Jenny resides in Chicago with her husband, Marc and young son, Michael. In addition to yoga, Jenny enjoys photography, gardening and crocheting. Her global adventures have taken her to such places as Spain, France, Greece, and Canada. My favorite asana is … Prasarita Padottanasana (wide leg, forward bend). This is a good stretching exercise that reduces the stiffness, tiredness and tension in the muscles.I wish someone would have told me … about yoga sooner in my life. The greatest lesson I’ve learned from yoga is … the importance of kindness in all aspects of life – it radiates from a small place and grows so much larger – kindness to strangers, friends, family, your spouse, your child, yourself …
Michelle Holtorff took her first yoga
class over a decade and was instantly hooked.She found the breathwork linked to the graceful movement grounding and
emotionally stabilizing.After
practicing several different yoga styles with various teachers she found Forrest
yoga, a style that really resonated with her at a spiritual level. Using Forrest
yoga, she was able tackle emotional difficulties, especially depression and
anxiety, trapped in the body, finding freedom of movement and expression.Yoga practice has helped bring more joy,
compassion and meaning to her life.Michelle completed her Forrest level one teacher training in 2008 and
has been teaching ever since.When
Michelle is not teaching or practicing yoga she works as a full-time hospital
pharmacist.She is also an animal lover
and outdoor enthusiast.
Terry Hoffmanhas been studying and practicing yoga since 1997. After
a vertebral fusion, due to an auto accident in 2003, yoga helped her
recover beyond what the therapists had predicted and she grew even more
devoted to her practice. Throughout the years,
Terry has studied with a variety of master teachers such as Cindy Lee,
Tias Little, Seane Corn, Saul David Raye, Paul Grilley and others. In
2004, she began Moksha Yoga Teacher Training Program so that she could
study Yoga more intentionally, delve deeper spiritually, and share
yoga’s benefits with others. She now serves as a mentor for students going through the current Moksha Yoga teacher training program.
Terry’s personal practice is organic in nature and includes varying levels of intensity. Subsequently, her teaching style has mellowed into a comfortable fusion of a variety of teaching styles and philosophies. Terry
enjoys mixing hard work, devotion, and humor in her practice and she
believes that the study of both the physical and spiritual aspects of
yoga are necessary for one to fully appreciate either.She
teaches a variety of classes including hatha, vinyassa flow, basics,
yin, and meditation. She strives to make her classes a blend of
spiritedness and spirituality, making concepts relevant and tangible to
facilitate students’ interest without intimidation.“I
believe that the most important parts of one’s practice are to open up
your heart and mind, release your inner Spirit and energy, and
celebrate the yogi that you are today”.
Terry has worked full-time at College of DuPage in Glen Ellyn, IL for over 20 years. She lives in nearby Warrenville with her husband Bob and their dog, Nitro, and their cat, Sabrina.
Sarah
Pomaro found yoga just in time to save herself from her too-busy schedule:
Working full-time, going to school for her MBA, and trying to keep up a home,
she barely found time to take care of herself. Yoga helped her quiet the
nonstop chatter that ran through her head and ultimately led her to a new life
path.
Sarah is a
teacher who knows that each person comes to yoga for a different reason. When
she took her first yoga class 3 years ago (after much encouragement from her
sister, who also teaches yoga), Sarah had no idea where it would lead her. The
destination turned out to be a place on the mat that gave her time just for
herself, time to nourish her adventurous spirit, and time to explore her strong
body through pranayama and a hot, sweaty practice. Sarah is grateful for the
lessons she's learned from Forrest Yoga: Strength and openness can live in
harmony.
Sarah was
inspired by her first yoga teacher to question why she was professionally
stuck, running short on time, and energetically zapped. The answers Sarah found
in her practice led her to embark on a new chapter of her life: She recently
quit her job to focus on her master’s degree, and she attended a 200-hour
teacher-training course with master yogini Ana Forrest, who inspired her to go
deeper still into her practice. Sarah now hopes to help inspire others to make
time for themselves, to take care of themselves and to go deeper in their own
practice.
Sarah grew
up in the Chicagoland area, then ventured out to explore the Northwest in the
early '90s. Love brought her back to her roots: She now lives in the far
western suburbs with her dear husband and their well-trained "kids"
(2 cats and a dog). Check the schedule for Sarah’s classes.
Libby Scanlan has a degree in Physical Education from the University of Missouri, Columbia and a Masters in Counseling from Northern Illinois University. Throughout the ‘80’s she taught a wide variety of fitness classes before starting a 16 year stint as a counselor at Waubonsee Community College. Libby started practicing yoga consistently 5 years ago and has completed Moksha YogaCenter’s 200 hour training and is currently working on her 500 hour advanced teacher training with Prairie Yoga. Libby teaches Iyengar based classes, focusing on correct alignment, proper sequencing, and fun. She lives in Sugar Grove with her husband and 4 children.
Renee Tai Ryanhas a healing
practice and is co-owner of the Lightheart
for Healing Arts in Winfield, Illinois.
She has been in the healing and martial arts for over 30 years. In May 2008
Renee wentto the Lang Ting Institute in
China,
where she studied Chinese calligraphy, poetry and Tai Chi with Chungliang Al
Huang and other beloved Teachers.
Renee` has produced three
DVDs: 8 Pieces of Silk Qigong Movement, Wake Up Your Qi! Seated Qigong and 7
Elements:The Keys to Living Your True Nature & Honoring All Your
Relations!, a workshop on 7 DVDs, exploring Asian, African, Hawaiian and Native
American Healing Traditions. For information call 630-260-1084 or www.TheLightHeartCenter.org
Noreen Vence was on vacation in 1998 when she took her first yoga
class for fun. She was drawn to it and registered for her first teacher
training at The Temple of Kirya Yoga in Chicago.
It was here Noreen learned that not only was yoga fun but a deep and intelligent
study that one could only begin to learn in their lifetime. Because of this
after years of personal practice and teaching Noreens interest led her to a
second teacher training course at the MokshaYogaCenter
in Chicago.
Noreen has a very practical approach to her teaching. She teaches in form of vinyasa style enjoying
yogas movement with grace and Hatha style finding its stillness. When working
with students she supports and encourages creativity, guiding students to
taking their practice off of their mats to find yoga in their everyday life.
This summer Noreen was certified as a Yoga Sculpt Instructor
from Corepower Yoga in Chicago.
This has strengthened and deepened her own practice as well as she hopes for
her students.
Nancy Wedemeyer, RN, CYT, feels her lifelong passion for
self- discovery and exploration of life’s subtleties led her to yoga. In 2004
she began regular practice then attained teacher certification in the Iyengar
tradition through Prairie Yoga, studying in workshops with such noted teachers
as Tias Little, Rod Stryker, Lilias Folan and Gabriel Halpern. As a Registered
Nurse, Nancy is
drawn to the health benefits of yoga, and as a poet, is attracted to the
connection of the individual person to the natural world and to all the
universe.
Nancy’s
style of teaching combines Hatha with Flow, which allows the body the joy of
movement and the mind the depth of stillness. When not on the mat, Nancy
hangs out with her family and Maddux the terrier. Check the schedule for Nancy’s classes.
Niki Wellsrediscovered yoga when she moved to the USA from South Africa
in 2006. Amidst all the chaos of uprooting her life, she discovered the
unbelievable sense of calm and contentment that comes with yoga. Even
though she was very un-supple, and didn't come close to touching her toes
she very quickly learned that yoga is not about being able to fold
yourself up into pretzel looking positions. It is so much more. Its
about acceptance of self and others. It is about energy and healing. It
is about love. There are no goals in yoga, and no expectations. Where we
are in our practice, and in our life, is exactly where we should be.Niki graduated from the
Temple of Kriya Yoga's teacher training program in the summer of 2008.
Karen Wisocki-Weber, LMT, RYT has been unveiling the path of self-realization for almost a decade. No matter what your reasons are for your practice, her hope is to inspire you to to create a habit of relaxation on and off the mat, find balance in all areas of your life, develop strength with an equal amount of surrender, become a witness to each day and grow clarity in mind and body so that they reflect your soul. Her foundation came from Daren Frisen and Laura Jane Mellencamp-Murphy. She is also completing her studies with Rod Stryker’s 500 hour Parayoga in the Swami Rama Himalayan Tantra Yoga tradition and T.K.V. Desikachar’s continuation of Krishnamacharya’s teachings with a 500 hour Healing Yoga Foundation Training for Personalized Therapeutic Yoga. In addition, she is studying Dr. David Frawley’s Ayurveda and Yoga distance course. Karen’s teachings draw on the wisdom of the Yoga Sutras as the primary tool for transformation, healing and the bringing of the unconscious to the conscious. Her classes include practical applications of the eight-limbs along with Bandha, Dristi, Kriya, Mudra, Yoga Nidra, Samkalpa, Bhavana and Mantra. Karen has written booklets and offers lectures on yoga philosophy and is also a Kriya Yoga initiate, Licensed Massage Therapist, Level 1 trained Thai Yoga Therapist and Reiki Master Teacher.
