Sean McNallie

Growing up in Austin, Sean McNallie was passionate about gymnastics. Introduced to yoga by his girlfriend (now his wife, Kate), in college, McNallie connected immediately to yoga's healing benefits and the sensation of being totally in tune with his physical self. Exploring a wide range of yoga styles, he has studied with Bikram Choudhury, Shiva Rea and Baron Baptiste and enjoys integrating these influences into his classes. Because he believes yoga can transform anyone's life, McNallie opened Bodhi Yoga in the hope of making a positive personal contribution to the Austin yoga community. Students find him-literally- transcendental. McNallie Says: 1. Keep it positive- don't spend a lot of energy and time on negative thoughts. We are what we think. 2. Don't forget to breathe. Stress and tension lead to shallow breathing. Being mindful of our breath keeps us balanced, healthful, and aware. 3. Practice yoga on a regular basis. Develop your own practice, whether its 10 minutes or two hours a day. 4. Meditate daily. Practice stillness by taking time to go inward and reconnect with yourself. 5. Love yourself. Turn off the inner critic and stop judging yourself. When we accept ourselves fully, when we learn to love exactly who we are, we find there is more and more love to go around.

Gioconda Parker

Gioconda has been practicing and teaching yoga for over 10 years, and has worked with a variety of populations in sharing this ancient science of healing. She has directed several yoga programs around town, and had led teacher trainings and retreats both nationally and internationally. She is registered with Yoga Alliance as an ERTY-500, the highest level of training and experience recognized by the Alliance. You can find out more about her at www.giocondayoga.com.

G'Nell Smith

G'Nell has practiced yoga for over 10 years. She has over 700 hours of teacher training, including: Baron Baptiste Power Vinyasa, Sivananda, Robert Boustany/Anne Hyde (Ana Forrest style), Radiant Child Yoga, and locally through Dharma Yoga. She is currently enrolled in Anusara Immersion series, and will continue furthering her knowledge and inspiration in this method.

G'Nell was inducted into a mantra and given the yoga name, Karuna, "she who is full of compassion" at the Sivananda Ashram in New York. It is from this place that she strives to teach and live. She works full time at Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired as a Behavior Specialist for children with multiple disabilities. She is full of energy and jazzed about life, so come to her class expecting to move, laugh, sweat, and shine!

"Your vision will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes." - Carl Jung

Iva Drtina-Hall

Iva's aim as a yoga teacher is to be able to help initiate the process of transformation within every student. She invites all to participate not only in Asana (poses), but also in the practice of Pranayama (breath awareness), and Dhyana (meditation). Iva completed her 200 hr Teacher Training in Byron Bay, Australia and has completed her E-500 hr from teaching the last 7 years. Her interest in health, nutrition and alternative medicine has brought her to experience cleansing, fasting and Vipassana in Asia and the US. Iva has traveled extensively throughout Asia, North America, Europe and Australia. She has lived in Tokyo, Japan for the past 10 years, teaching cross-cultural awareness, running a café-lounge with her husband and teaching Yoga. Iva's classes incorporate meditation, yin poses and a flowing sequence with emphasis on increasing the internal heat not only to cleanse the body but also relax the mind and open the spirit. Iva hosts retreats and workshops internationally and facilitates on teacher training programs.

"in order to be truthful you must embrace your total being"   -Rumi

Hannah Emlen

Hannah's greatest aim is to instill truthful, accurate and joyful living off the mat. She is an Anusara-Inspired (TM) yoga teacher devoted to recognizing, embodying and sharing the abundance of life, and the transformational power of this method. She has been immersed in yoga for over ten years, and prior to pursuing Anusara studies, trained extensively with Baron Baptiste, whose teachings remain close to her heart. Hannah's classes blend biomechanical precision, soulful expression, breath, and silence of the heart, as she strives to offer asana practices that are exuberant, aligned, inquisitive and nourishing to the spirit.

She holds a BA in Music from Swarthmore College, and is a classically-trained musician. She is also a writer and a bodyworker, and is completing her MA in Clinical Psychology with an emphasis in Somatic Psychology.

www.yogaforinspiredliving.com

Sheila Singh

Originally from New Jersey, Sheila spent many years in the Northeast before relocating to Austin, where she enjoys being outdoors, kayaking along the lakes, and going on the hike and bike trails with friends and family. A sports enthusiast from an early age, a regular yoga practice became a natural part of her journey to health.

Sheila has taught a variety of classes, including Hatha Flow, Vinyasa, Children’s Yoga and Ashtanga. She has a strong passion to impart the teachings of yoga both philosophically & practically as it can be applied to her students. Students can expect a practice with a fluid and meditative quality. Sheila encourages students to quiet their mind and follow their breath. “I like to offer a space for students to explore the subtle connection between the mind, body, and breath and for them to leave class feeling spiritually grounded and physically uplifted.”

Sheila loves that yoga is truly a philosophy on how to lead your life with a greater sense of awareness and intention. It goes far beyond the physical practice and really helps to guide practitioners in every aspect of life. For Sheila, her yoga practice has enabled her to remain true to herself and embody a deep sense of awareness, acceptance and love through everything that life brings her way.

When she is not practicing or teaching yoga, Sheila loves spending time with her two girls and her husband

Melinda Stacy

Melinda has been involved in the Yoga Community for 10 years. She has been teaching since Spring of 2009. Melinda has participated and been involved with Baron Baptiste "Personal Revolution" Bootcamps in Tulum, Mexico and Costa Rica. She has also done several workshops with Baron Baptiste and an Assisting workshop with Gregor Singleton of the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Institute out of Boston, Massachusetts. Melinda completed Teacher Training Level 1 and Level 2 with Baron in Mexico and Montana. She's currently completing her certification with the Baptiste Power Vinyasa Yoga Institute. Melinda also, along with her husband Tom Stacy have a Commercial Development Company in downtown Austin. She is passionate about Yoga, the Yoga Community and the City of Austin, Texas!

Erika Henderson

Erika Henderson grew up in Vincennes, Indiana bailing hay and working on watermelon and cantaloupe fields. She graduated from Vincennes University with an Associates Degree in Communications in 2000 and went on to earn a BA in Communications and Sociology in 2003 from Ball State University.

In 2002, she was introduced to meditation while working in Japan, and upon her return to the states, she discovered the gifts of pranayama and yoga asana. She immediately fell in love with yoga and knew her search was over…or had just begun.

At the time, Erika was involved in many unhealthy habits and decided a change was needed. In order to heal, she moved to Austin, TX and began studying and practicing yoga and energy work. Yoga changed Erika’s relationship with her body and her self, and because of this healing, she decided to share her experience and the practice with others.

Her classes are fun, challenging, and focus mostly on deep psychological and emotional healing. She continues her passionate study daily and draws inspiration from her daily life. She is eternally grateful for the gift of yoga and the opportunity to share it with you.

Erika is an associate Baptiste Power Vinyasa Teacher and has studied with many inspiring teachers who include Baron Baptiste, Seanne Corne, Ana Forest, Gary Craftscow, Anodea Judith, Manju Jois, and Dr. Robert Svoboda. She also studies and incorporates Vajrayna Buddhism in to her teachings but thinks all religions and philosophies hold a piece of truth deeper than one label can hold.

Erika is currently finishing her Baptiste Certification. She is also continuing her study of Chakra Yoga, but most of all, she is enjoying the process and journey of her life, her yoga practice. 
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