Instructors

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Ryan Leier is a teacher, a student, and a creative force who leads with his heart and guides with his wisdom—inherent wisdom and wisdom acquired through extensive study.

A student of the Krishnamacharya yoga lineage, Ryan has received teachings directly from the Master Sri BKS Iyengar and the Ashtanga Guru, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois. He now studies primarily with Srivatsa Ramaswami, a student of 33 years of Sri T. Krishnamacharya. Ryan also continues to gather wisdom through the extraordinary teachings of Father Joe Pereira (Iyengar Yoga), Baron Baptiste, Dina T, Danny Paradise, Eddie Modestini and Nicki Doane (Maya Yoga). At home, he has roots in the local sacred teachings, and regularly studies with and serves the Elders in his home province of Saskatchewan. These various teachings have given him an invaluable root system of ancestry and technique—yet Ryan’s yoga classes have an intangible, some might even say magical, quality that can only be attributed to him.

Ryan’s teachings also extend beyond his asana classes, through the non-profit he co-created, Vinyasa Yoga For Youth, the international One Yoga studios and his role as a Global Yoga Ambassador for lululemon.

Ryan believes that through steady practice and devotion, all people – regardless of their age, gender, race or religion, can experience the Oneness of Yoga.

 Website www.ryanleier.com 

Instagram @ryanleier

 I began practicing yoga sporadically in November 2008, originally because a bunch of soccer teammates thought it might be a great way to bond and get in shape for the coming season. I never took it seriously, but I still felt myself drawn back to it from time to time, so I did stay in touch with a kind of practice. When I quit drinking for good, I found yoga, Savasana and meditation to be an integral part of the recovery.

My practice became more consistent in November 2012 after I was dragged to a hot Vinyasa flow class in Edmonton and today I have attended more than 1000 yoga classes and taught over 3000 classes. Initially, yoga was an alternate way to try and get into better shape, but it soon revealed many more benefits for me. It became my refuge and a place to recharge and clear my mind. I often joke about my OCD but in reality OCD and ADHD are difficult challenges to try to live normally with and the yoga mat has become a salvation for me and a way to become more productive in all other aspects of my life.

The most obvious way yoga changed me is when I learned to take my practice away from the mat. I know I am much calmer, focused and patient now when confronted with life's hurdles. In December 2013 I took up the challenge to commit to a daily practice and I cannot stress enough how exponential all the benefits became.

A couple things you may not know about me. 

I am a survivor of malignant cancer, a massive car accident and a battle with Rhabdomyolysis. You may have seen the tattoo on my neck, it signifies two of the bullets I have dodged. 

Also, on my birthday in 2011, I decided to change my life in all aspects. I went through a tough time personally and reached the point where I needed to change, or I would not survive any longer. I gave up drinking and dedicated myself to a full mental and physical transformation. I look back and cannot believe how I looked at the time I made my decision, 260 pounds and the embodiment of unhealthy and unhappy living. I owe a huge debt to the many way’s yoga has played a part in getting me to where I eventually plan to be!

www.bulletac.com

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Shawn received his 200-hour yoga teacher certification with Lisa Babiuk at Soul Mind Body Fitness in Edmonton in June 2016. 

Lisa’s strong focus on anatomy and a therapeutic style of yoga resonates deeply with Shawn and it both structures his class style and the way he informs his students.

Shawn received his 200-hour yoga teacher certification with Ryan Leier at One Yoga Saskatoon in July 2019. Ryan’s ability to share his joy and passion for yoga restored Shawn’s own love for the art, and Ryan’s devotion to yoga’s history, lineage and senior teachers has inspired Shawn to explore this path as well. 

Angie is a yoga instructor and entrepreneur from Edmonton, AB. After a career-ending knee injury as a dancer, Angie turned to yoga for recovery and fell in love with the practice. In January 2016, she quit her 9-5 job to pursue a 200 HR Yoga Teacher Training in Ecuador where she experienced her first moment of awakening, which inspired her to continue the newfound journey of self-discovery. Since her first training, she has devoutly expanded her practice and education, both at home and abroad.

Angie finds great joy in creating different experiences so that students of all skill levels can dive deeper into their bodies with a greater understanding of the mind-body relationship. Angie facilitates from her intuition which creates an organic practice and this approach also allows her to become witness to her student's breakthroughs and also her own. Angie is open-minded and approachable and her practice focuses on connecting the mind, body, and emotions in the present moment.
 

Passionate builder of things; financial plans, strong community, healthy futures. 

As an engaged community advocate and a business owner here in Vernon BC, I value the importance of building a breath and movement practice daily to counteract the stress cultivated in our day-to-day lives.

Over the course of my career, traveling extensively and building multiple businesses - I understand the deep need to prioritize work / life. My aim in teaching is to actively seek harmony, my focus is on giving back to the individuals and families that, like me, perhaps are looking for a medium to soothe while strengthening themselves. 

With over ten years of deep meditation experience, I obtained my RYT 200 certification in 2018 from yoga alliance here in Canada with a focus on body mechanics and alignment to expand my offering. In my meditation background I have trained in multiple spiritual disciplines, specializing in centring prayers, Four Direction practice, litanies for intention, Ignatian meditation, Franciscan spiritual practices - earth & mantra focused, with Nidra & Guided being my primary focus. 

Currently at One Yoga Vernon I will be offering a mixture of hatha and flow. Come prepared for a curated upbeat playlist, some smiles and a little heat. My classes are for all bodies and all abilities. 

Graham has in recent years found a deepening nourishment drawn from how our yoga roots us to the earth, to our current surroundings, to the present moment. After over a decade teaching & practicing at several studios in Edmonton, he and his partner Keia built a tiny home, packed up their pujas, mats and cat, and made for the west coast. Having now nomadically spent time between Saturna Island, Coquitlam, Maźatlan Mexico, and most recently landing in the North Okanagan, getting on the mat each day and activating the chemistry of steadiness, contentment and peace has been a through line and a blessing.  Wherever you dwell, let your breath, your movement, your subtle attention blur your edges, so that you may be reminded of this quiet but potent kinship with the wide world around you. 

Om & Prem~

 My journey with yoga began right around the time I got sober. I had been to a generous amount of classes before then but I could never stick with them and it was months between practices. I was struggling with multiple addictions, clinical depression and anxiety, and all of the physical side effects that go along with mental illness. 

My fiancée suggested I take the YTT 200 class his mom facilitates, and I knew intuitively it was right for me. 

Today, my mat is a place for me to just be, regardless of how I am feeling. My mat is a place to regain connection to the body that has supported me my whole life. My mat is a place of refuge for the aches and pains of my heart. My mat guides me towards resilience and courage, and it teaches me how to show up for life one day at a time. What is your yoga mat teaching you ? 

Kamala comes to One Yoga with 17 years teaching experience and 20 years of daily personal practice. 

Her first 500hr Hatha certification (SOYA) was in 2003 and her subsequent yoga studies took her to the paths of Ashtanga Yoga, Yoga Therapy, Erich Shiffmann-style intuitive yoga, Anusara Yoga and Yin Yoga. 

Her expertise lies in helping her students make poses fit their individual needs and she aims to impart the practical aspects of poses and breathwork through the lens of curiosity and wonderment.

I am a certified yoga and meditation facilitator with training in Hatha yoga, Somatic Therapy and Kundalini yoga (RYT 550, KRI 500), with a background in dance. 

It is my purpose and joy to bring sacredness to each moment through awareness. The most important posture I am practicing is compassion, and like everyone else I am just practicing. Yoga has been a grounding force for me in navigating life with an open heart and it is an honour to share yoga that is inclusive, courageous and authentic. I love all the things that grow; plants, people, and communities and what really lights me up are relationships and collaborations that form strong, diverse human ecosystems. I work for the Young Agrarians as the Okanagan Land Matcher and am nearly completed my education in Mediation and Third-Party Conflict Resolution.