Ja’net Barchard, RYT, MScE, Yoga Director and Instructor

Maya Posavec, Certified Yoga Instructor

Colleen O'Brien, Yoga Instructor

Colleen is originally from prince edward Island, having also lived in Halifax NS, South Korea and Italy, has recently returned to Cananda and settled in Calgary AB.

Having been involved in sports all her life, Colleen has always held a great appreciation for physical wellness and the human body. She began practicing Yoga to increase flexibility and for injury prevention. Without expectation, the effects for calming the mind, stress relief, body awareness, amoung other benefits, soon became apparent as a result of a dail practice.

Although her formal education and career had begun with an Undergraduate Degree in Psychology and a Graduate Diploma in I.T., she was always in search of something more. The way in which Yoga transformed her life, she felt inspired to study Yoga. She trained in a Kripalu Centre in MA, USA, completing her 200 hour YTT. Is is her objectove to share what she has learned through her experience with others and continue a life long journey of study and practice of Yoga.

Jennifer Appleby, Yoga Instructor

Jen came to yoga originally in 2003 to seek healing for various injuries. As her body began to heal she noticed that her mind and spirit were healing as well. In the process, yoga led her back to herself and she found teaching a new direction and passion in her life. She studied with the World Concious Yoga Family under Yoga Vishva in the summer of 2008. She continues to pursue the study of Yoga under various teachers, both from within Calgary and from around the world but sill maintains that the people who teach her the most are her students.

Jen approaches both yoga and life with a lighthearted view. In classes Jen looks to find balance between asana, pranayama and meditation, but also to find smiles and laughter within being present and aware. She continues to study the yoga of smiling in her own practice every day.

Brette Ehalt, Yoga Instructor

Brette found her mat at a time when she needed it most - in the midst of her recovery from bulimia. In coming onto her mat, she began to come into herself and gradually reconnect to parts of herself - mind, body, and spirit - that had been forsaken for much, much too long.

She still remember's Colleen O'Brien's voice echoing in her mind during one savasana: "You are complete. You are perfect." In that moment, tears surfaced as she realized and accepted the truth of Colleen's words. This truth-the we are, each of us, whole and wonderful every day-is one Brette now endeavors to share with her own students.

Brette, a Kripalu-certified instructor, enjoys offering fluid movement set to comtemporary music in her classes.

She also has a husband who has yet to try yoga, and two pugs, Belle and Bruno, who can't get enough of down dog. She's currently finishing her M.A. in English, cruising on her bicycle, Blueberry, and reading and blogging like nobody's business.

Ryan Fairweather, Yoga Instructor

Ryan Marsh Fairweather is originally from Calgary, AB and spent many years growing up around the world, from Houston, Dubai and the UK and back to his Canadian home in 2000. He was introduced to yoga in 2005 and has been happily exploring and practicing in depths. Ryan completed his teacher training with Trinity Yoga at the end of 2008 and looks forward to his path on the yogic journey. In addition to his yoga practice he holds a BFA in glass, earned from the Alberta College of Art and Design and continues to practice the art of glassblowing with his collective, Bee Kingdom. Glassblowing and yoga beautifully compliment and enrich each other in the physical and mental nature while both being powered by the breath.

"I must be willing to give up what I am in order to become what I will be."
- Albert Einstein

Sophie Davies, Yoga Instructor

If you ask Sophie how she feels when she is doing yoga, she'll tell you she feels like "Super Sophie". She has been practicing yoga for 10 years now and realized it was for her the first time she did triangle pose in 1999. She took her teacher training in 2006 with Trinity Yoga and has been teaching ever since. Sophie is an avid story teller and likes to incorporate myth, philosophy and the day-to day into her teachings. Her passion for yoga has changed her life in many ways and it is her pleasure and privillage to watch her students thrive, grow and develop.

Om Shanti!

Be love - Be light - Be happy

Jessica Burylo, Yoga Instructor

Yoga is my rock. I used to think my journey started when I began taking classes, but now I see that I have been practicing my whole life. It's more than an hour of my daily routine, it is with me everywhere I go and in everything I do... and now it is my livelihood.

Yoga is my older brother. It roughs me up a little sometimes, and makes me question who I am. Only then can we shed our skin into a better person.

Yoga is my rabbit-hole. I can't help but fall further into the lifestyle, for everywhere I look there is a new, unimaginable surprise. It goes on forever; I am always a student and I am always a teacher.

Yoga is my Saturday morning cartoon. It never fails to bring joy to life. I encourage my students to experience that joy by laughing, asking questions and delving deep into themselves.

What is your yoga?

Additional Teachers

Kelly King, BA, Major in Kinesiology, Yoga Instructor

Seeking relief of neck/back pain, as well as spiritual guidance, Kelly was intuitively drawn to yoga during her first years of University. Since then, yoga has been the single most positive influence on her life physically, spiritually and emotionally.

Due to her devotion to the practice, and the genuine enthusiasm to learn as much as possible, she decided to pursue teaching yoga as a career. After having an open hearted conversation with one of her yoga teachers, she quoted " I want to make a living- living" and from that moment on, has followed her passion.

Her passion for yoga led her to the Trinity Yoga Teacher Training Program in Calgary, where she received her level 1 certification, and became a registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance. This solidified her understanding that yoga was her true creative outlet, and endowment that she wanted to continue sharing.

The quest to further her expertise within the field, led her to the Nosara Yoga Institute in Costa Rica. This one month long Interdisciplinary Yoga Teacher Training Program included 200 hours of training in the following areas:
- The philosophy of Yoga
- Cleansing effects of the yoga practice
- Physical anatomy
- Anatomy of inhalation/respiration
- Pranayama techniques to suit the needs of the individual students
- Meditation methods and benefits
- Physical postures, flows and sequences to meet the needs of students
- The Bandhas, and Chakras
- The student/teacher relationship - how to establish a safe environment, and strong level of trust
- The professional business of yoga

In her teaching - as in her life - Kelly strives to cultivate harmony: balancing effort with relaxation, flexibility with strength and encouraging a unity of body, mind and spirit. She looks forward in continuously learning from her students, and expanding her knowledge within the field. Most importantly, she is excited about helping others open their hearts, find their inner confidence, and view life's circumstances from the most positive perspective.

"You cannot discover new oceans until you have the courage to lose sight of the shore." - Anon

Robin Campbell-Ziffer (Prem Sagar)

Robin (Prem Sagar) began his spiritual journay in meditation at 18, and was introduced to yoga while completing his BA in Psychology & Anthropology at the University of Alberta. After completing his degree, Robin felt inspired to travel India to gain knowledge and experience of this ancient practice. In 1999, he met his teacher, Yogi Vishvketu, at Yoga Niketan Ashram in Rishikesh. He developed a deep connection with Yogi Vishvketu and has remained a dedicated student. During his trip in India, Robin was introduced to Vipassana (insight meditation), which he continues to practice on a daily basis. After returning from India, he moved to Toronto where he completed a 250-hour volunteering at Kripalu Yoga Centre. In 2002, Robin and his family built and developed Organic Roots, Edmonton's first organic grocery store and organic restaurant. At this time, Robin also began teaching Yoga therapy, Vipassana Meditation, and Yoga philosophy with David Mcammond. In 2004, Robin took the 200-hour teacher training with World Conscious Yoga Family at Kanv Ashram. The following year, he completed his advanced training with Yogi Vishvketu in Rishikesh, and then went to Pune for a month to study Yoga Therapy and anatomy with Dr. Nivedita Pingle. Currently, Robin has completed a 100-hour training in Pilates mat work with Steve Bryson (kinesiologist) and has furthered his knowledge and understanding of body movement and mechanics. In 2006, Robin assisted the World Conscious Yoga Family Teacher Training course, and helped to facilitate the Yoga Anatomy component alongside Dr. Pingle. Currently, Robin is exploring his interest in mind-body psychology and has enrolled in an MA program of councelling at City University.