Director, Instructor
Joanna is one of the co-founders and proud owners of Moksha Yoga Halifax. With over a thousand hours of training in Moksha Yoga (Levels I & II), therapeutic yoga and pre-natal yoga, Jo is a firm believer that everyone can benefit from a regular yoga practice and that it's never too late to start!
Joanna began practicing yoga as a teenager. She "dabbled" in it for a few years, until she took her first Moksha class, and it was love at first breath! Although she was working on her MA in Spanish at the University of Western Ontario, she found that her yoga class was the most exciting and interesting part of her day, so she decided to get serious about her practice. In 2006, just days after submitting her MA thesis, Jo started herfirst yoga teacher training and hasn't looked back ever since!
After two wonderful years teaching at Moksha Yoga London, Jo moved back to Halifax in 2008 t to pursue her dream of opening a Moksha studio there, and Moksha Yoga Halifax opened its doors in August of that year. As studio director and full-time teacher, Jo is constantly amazed and overwhelmed by the enthusiasm and dedication of the Halifax yoga community, and she truly can't believe that this is her "job".
Joanna's non-yogic pursuits include a healthy love for food, wine, languages and travel. She aspires to be a disciplined student, an inspiring teacher, a multilinguist, and to have a passport full of stamps. She hopes to create more peace in the world, one sweaty yoga class at a time!
Director, Instructor
Bio coming soon!
Director, Instructor
Ted Grand created the Moksha yoga sequence of postures. In creating the series he drewupon his thirteen years of yoga experience and more than one thousand hours of training inyoga therapy, yoga teaching, and traditional yoga. Approaching this task with patience andtireless research, he modified and perfected the sequence based onthe opinions of a wide range of experts and peers in the yoga community. Ted is co-owner of Moksha Yoga Montreal and Moksha Yoga Halifax and is co-founder of Yaletown Yoga in Vancouver, Moksha Yoga Uptown and Moksha Yoga Danforth in Toronto. He has studied teacher training programs under Bikram Choudhury in Los Angeles, Acharya Yoganand Karandikar in Pune, India and with Georg Feuerstein at the Yoga Research and Education Centre in San Francisco.
He has also been fortunate to study teacher training with Janice Clarfield (pre-natal yoga), yoga philosophy with Rod Stryker, Anusara Yoga with John Friend, Iyengar Yoga with Patricia Walden, and Restorative Yoga with Judith Hanson Lasater. Ted feels an immense amount of gratitude to his teachers with every class he teaches and participates in. He works to support beginners as well as more experienced students with finding a path to peace through their yoga. His love of yoga is infectious and can be felt in each and every class he teaches. Ted is also a proud husband and father, an organic farmer, and an environmental/social activist.
Instructor, Assistant Manager
Tracy was first introduced to the Moksha Yoga series here in Halifax. New to the province, she was delighted to be welcomed to the community, and quickly became part of MYH's brilliant Energy Exchange Programme, which gave her ample opportunity to develop her practice and promote her growth. Tracy recognised the light that radiated from her teachers, and she knew that she herself possessed the same luminosity, She feels that standing gracefully in her own light will inevitably encourage her students and peers to do the same. Tracy considers herself a beginner first, and hopes to communicate that in her teaching.
Although her asana practice began in 2008, Tracy feels that her yoga practice began years before. In July of 2009, she completed the one month intensive Moksha Yoga training, working toward becoming fully certified in June of 2010. Her possibilities are endless!
Tracy has a deep love and respect for her family, whose infulence has given her an appreciation for the simple things in life. She has a passion for travel and adventure, and as an amateur photographer, she explored the world from a different perspective. She loves music, dance, and laughter. Upon meeting Tracy, she will offer you a big smile to warm your heart and lighten your day - a compelling gesture rendering change in the consciousness of her environment.
Instructor
Megan McDougall was born and raised in Southern Alberta, but has spent the latter part of her life as a nomad, bouncing around from place to place. She has a major passion for travel and has visited 16 countries in the past few years. She has made Halifax her home, while attending St. Mary's University. An avid athlete her entire life, Megan pursued Varsity level basketball, swimming and cross-country running. Upon sustaining an injury that would end her sporting career, Meg was introduced to hot yoga as part of her rehabilitation, and was instantly hooked! She completed the Moksha Yoga one month instensive in India in March, 2009.
One of Megan's favourite yoga lessons comes from two of her favourite teachers, Ted Grand and Baron Baptiste. Both have been known to say "You are stronger than you think you are". She applies this lesson in every class, and in her life off the mat as well.
Meg has so many favourite quotes that she jokes she could write a book of them, another one of her personal favourites being "One of the hardest things to realise is that our someday is right now." So, to you, Megan wishes to impart this message: If you are reading this thinking "someday I'll try hot yoga" then your someday is now! See you soon in the hot room!
Instructor
Although a relative newcomer to teaching at MYH, communication has formed part of Uriel's career for over 20 years. After graduating with a degree in Physical Education from St. Francis Xavier University, Uriel taught in the Ontario high school system before embarking on a career in the financial services industry. Having moved back to Halifax in the mid nineties she joined a major insurance firm where she formed part of a national team that pioneered the concept of adult communication and education to members of group retirement plans, an incredibly rewarding experience, where she helped members of the community, particularly minorities and women's groups, understand the importance of planning for their financial future. Uriel currently works for an International Human Resources Consulting firm where she specializes in health and retirement benefits consulting. She also represents the firm as their Eastern Canada marketing leader.
When Uriel isn't engaged in professional pursuits she enjoys taking on new challenges. Her favorite quote by Henry Ford is: "Whether you believe you can do a thing or not you are right". Uriel is an avid gardener, interior designer, golfer, and yes, hockey player. (Veteran player of the Halifax Hot Flashers ). Physical fitness and healthy living have always formed an integral part of her lifestyle but there was always something missing. Moksha Yoga filled that void and she has never looked back. When the opportunity to travel to India for the intensive teacher training in March 2009 arose, she knew it was the right direction. An important aspect of Uriel's life is spending time with her close friends but of the greatest importance is her family.
Instructor
Hot yoga became a passion for Amy about five years ago. She practiced Bikram Yoga in her hometown of Vancouver for several years and used yoga to help rehabilitate her knee after ACL reconstructive surgery. Amy moved to Halifax in the summer of 2008 and fell in love with the compassionate approach and green consciousness of the Moksha studio. She completed the Moksha one month intensive teacher training in the summer of 2009. Amy is a competitive Utimate Frisbee player. From an athlete's perspective, Amy loves how Moksha Yoga helps her t to listen to her body and calm her mind. Amy is also a theatre teacher and has completed her BA and BEd.
Instructor
Bio and pic coming soon!
Volunteer Coordinator
Bio and pic coming soon!
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