Dorothy Diana

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Dorothy Diana is a master-trained nurse and has been a devout yoga practitioner for 18 years. She became proficient in fluid feminine movement and embodied sensual dance before moving from SoCal to the Charlotte area. She obtained a post-masters certificate in Human Sexuality and teaches sex-positive and body-positive sex-ed classes. She is now one of only a few certified S Factor teachers worldwide, the only one in North Carolina, and is excited to bring this woman-empowering and fun movement practice to Community Yoga. Nothing required except a female-identifying body and clothes to move and sweat a bit in!

Jennifer Loher

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Jennifer Loher (instructor)

Jennifer started yoga in 1999 after joining a yoga club in college. She was drawn to thespiritual focus and beauty of the poses. She has experienced the healing power within asana and spirtual study that helps calm anxiety and leaves her feeling centered and confident. Over the years her practice has changed but she is reminded each time that it is always there for her and a key component to her mental and physical health. Building upon her 200 hour teacher training, she has studied with teachers within different styles including restorative and vinyasa yoga. She aims to teach with clear alignment instructions, giving students the opportunity to learn about each pose. She is deeply influenced by the Iyengar method of yoga, most recently studying extensively with senior teachers in Philadelphia and Andover, MA. She also loves hiking, stand up paddling and reading. She moved to Davidson in 2015 with her husband, two little ones and whippet.

Doris Kapner

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Doris Kapner (instructor)

I avoided practicing yoga until 2009 when it became glaringly obvious that it was meant to be part of my life. Like many people, I was too intimidated to walk into a yoga class not knowing what to expect. Luckily, the climbing gym I went to began having small yoga classes taught by instructors that made laughing as important as alignment. It started as a physical practice with vinyasa yoga and slowly became a transformative one. Yoga has taught me about patience and compassion, not only for others, but for myself. It has helped me calm my monkey mind and helped me to be present. In my personal practice, yoga has become a moving meditation. I find peace in sun salutations. I’ve also fallen in love with Ashtanga, Yin, Kundalini, and Restorative yoga. There is so much to learn from each style. When I teach, my goal is to make yoga accessible for everyone, young and old. It can be modified to meet everyone where they are. Yoga brings me joy and I just want to share it. I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher certification in 2015 at Asheville Yoga Center with Kim Puryear, Stephanie Keach, Joe Taft, Michael Johnson, Sierra Hollister and Libby Hinsley. It was the most amazing experience of my life, and made me eager to learn more. I completed my 95 hour children’s yoga teacher certification with Amy Haysman through Grounded Kids Yoga and am currently pursuing my 500 hour certification through Asheville Yoga Center.

Cristin Gregory

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Cristin Gregory (instructor – Qi Gong)

Cristin is the owner of Wellbeing, a holistic health clinic in Cornelius, NC, and she is a Licensed Acupuncturist (LAc) in the state of North Carolina. She is board certified by the NCCAOM in both acupuncture and Chinese herbal medicine, and she has a four-year Master of Science in Oriental Medicine (MSOM). She has studied Qi Gong for eleven years in the US, China, and Tibet through the Heron Institute and the National College of Natural Medicine. She has studied under the tutelage of Heiner Fruehauf, Master Wu Zhongxian, and Master Wang Qingyu. She is trained mainly in the Mt. Emei and JinJing Schools of Qigong. In her clinic, Cristin treats a wide variety of conditions such as pain, fertility, depression, anxiety, insomnia, digestive disorders, and cardiovascular health issues. Cristin uses a combination of Acupuncture, Chinese herbs, Medical Qi Gong, Shiatsu Massage, natural supplements, and dietary counseling to offer her patients a holistic treatment that address the physical, spiritual, and environmental causes of illness. Cristin encourages her patients to participate in their own healing process and to work with her as a team to find their most optimal treatment strategy. Outside of work, Cristin enjoys taking her dog Kelsey to the local dog parks, participating in her book club, and learning how to prepare foods from around the world. She is an avid swimmer, Qi Gong junkie, and ‘wannabe’ potter.

Marjorie Dana

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Marjorie Dana (instructor)

Marjorie Dana grew up in Davidson and has lived in the Lake Norman area for over 25 years. She first tried yoga at Community Yoga in 2008 and became a certified yoga teacher a couple of years later to teach at her home studio. She is a real estate agent by day and enjoys all sorts of outdoor activities like gardening, hiking, and spending time with her family.

Practicing Yoga – Being OK with yourself

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First I would like to say, this Blogging business is new to me.  As you can imagine my thoughts were very clear in my mind, however my hope is that they land in a way that you also understand what I’m trying to say.

This morning, I found myself contemplating the wonder of Yoga during my 3 year commitment I’ve made to myself, to do 3 Sun Salutations to begin each day.   As I moved through the movements it was very apparent that my range of motion in my arms was very limited.  The reminders came flooding in as to what the practice is for me.  The idea of being with a pose, like being with the moment at hand.  Practicing being okay with the range of motion is really the only option if I want to find peace.

The mental component to this practice far outweighs the physical.  Quickly I am reminded four things I need to mentally rehearse: first, the ease of being, second the peace of mind, third the kindness to self and others and fourth, the patience with myself and others.

But how very cool that on top of that list of mental gains, we also gain physical benefits, again layering far deeper than the reflection in the mirror.  Every cell that makes up your body is affected.  Organs and glands that you don’t see benefit tremendously. The incredible feeling that runs through the body and nervous system are just incredible.

Please take the time to let me know what your thoughts are on this topic, I’m very interested in your point of view.

Why I Want to Teach Yoga

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September 3, 2015

One of my first ever Yoga classes was life changing for me. It was as if my cells came alive and I knew I was home and doing the right thing. The safety, love and acceptance was like nothing I had ever experienced and I remember how very grateful I felt to my teacher for sharing his love of this practice with us all. It was way more than just a “exercise class,” it was as if there was nothing but the possibility of connection to something way bigger than myself. It was and is divine. This is why I want to teach Yoga! It is very personal and exposing of my self.

I still can hear his voice when I notice life out of balance, “breathe and notice”. Or when I am all kinds of angry driving in the Lake Norman traffic, “breathe and send people love and light.” This is a practice that extends way beyond our 1 1/2 hour class time.

While on my mat I get to explore how quickly I get judgmental about myself in a pose, then decide what to do with that judgement. I also have the opportunity to notice when my mind drifts right off my mat and out of the room to thoughts or situations far removed from the present. Again, I am forced to decide what will I do about that. What is incredible, is that all that judgement or mind drift occurs all the time. Yoga practice offers a safe place to begin to notice and find this similar thread that weaves through my life.

For me, the practice of pausing during my day provides me with so much understanding, (or at least doing my best to understand) the big picture. This pause and the resulting understanding is what is really important to me, what I value and hold sacred.

Let’s face it, we all have bodies so it is extremely important to take care of our body. Learning our best practices, like how far we should take a pose takes time. Also understanding that how far we go into a pose does not define us as good or bad people. Allowing circulation to flow with more ease, to utilize our capacity to breathe and noticing how our thoughts interfere with the quality of our day are central to my practice.

This is why I want to teach Yoga!

 

Amy

Community Yoga is proud to introduce our new Blogger, Kathleen Finn

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Hello Community Yoga!

Amy has asked me to step in and do some guest blogging on her site. I am a childhood friend of Amy’s, a professional writer, a lifetime yogi, one-time yoga teacher and a food blogger. I am hoping I can share some of my recipes with you from my Pipelette blog as well as share other musings from on and off the mat. Thanks for reading.

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