Yama Studio - Yoga, Ayurveda, Meditation Arts in Baltimore, Maryland

Reverend Divyamani (Diane) Finlayson is the director of the yama therepeutics Yoga Therapy Training progams. She has been practicing yoga & meditation for more than 20 years, is an E-RYT 500 through Yoga Alliance and holds a 1,000 hour Yoga Therapy certification from Integrative Yoga Therapy. She has trained extensively with Wise Earth school of Ayurveda founded by Swamini Mayatitananda (Formerly Maya Tiwari) and holds an Ayurvedic Health Educator certificate from David Frawley’s American Vedic Studies Institute. Rev. Divyamani is an ordained Interfaith Minister and wrote her thesis on Ayurveda in America for Johns Hopkins University. She leads workshops and retreats across the country.p>

Abir Alzenate , RYT 200. Corporate Yoga Teacher
Abir Alzenate completed her 200 hour certification at yama therapeutics and is a registered yoga teacher (200RYT) with the yoga alliance. Abir has unique experience teaching students of all levels and all backgrounds. Her classes include both empowering and rejuvenating sequences as part of a balancing practice. Using the tools yoga offers, Abir guides students on a journey of transformation, from the inside out and the outside in. Abir is a dedicated ashtanga and vinyassa practitioner and appreciates the worlds of art, music and philosophy.

Kathy Anderson, E-RYT 500. Teacher Training Staff, Westminster classes
Kathy holds a 200 hour Yoga certification through Integrative Yoga Therapy and went on to study Structural Yoga Therapy with Mukunda Stiles. Kathy offers teaches Yoga Philosophy courses at Frederick Community College and teaches Yoga and offers Yoga and Massage Therapy and in Westminster and Frederick.

Tammy Carr, RYT 200, A2Zen Adolescent Yoga Teacher Training Program, Corporate Programs, Workshop Presenter
Tammy Carr was given the Spiritual name Manashakti{mind energy} by her Guru Swami Niranjanananda Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga when she was given initiation into Jignasu Sannyasin during her Pilgrimage to India in the fall of 2010. Tammy is a Yoga Therapist, an Ayurveda Wellness Coach, and a Meditation Facilitator. Tammy holds RYT500 and RCYT Specializing in children’s yoga with Yoga Alliance. Tammy also holds a B.S. degree in Elementary Education and an A.A. degree in Art. She has taught Internationally in Japan as well as in Alaska. Since, May 2008 Tammy has taught yoga to children from the age of 3- 18 throughout Baltimore. Tammy teaches adult corporate classes at various John Hopkins Locations.p>

Jeanne Deignan-Kosmides, ERYT-500, Teacher Training Staff
Jeanne is a Kripalu Yoga Teacher, Phoenix Rising Yoga Instructor, Positive Pregnancy Fitness Instructor, Childbirth Assistant and BirthDoula. With almost 30 years experience in yoga, meditation, nutrition and alternative healing Jeanne brings a broad and unique quality of experience, knowledge and nurturing support to her workshops and trainings. Jeanne co-facilitates the yama Meditation program and offers Pre- & post-natal Yoga Teacher Training for yama. Jeanne is currently a Masters of Science Pastoral Counseling candidate at Loyola University. Her website is http://www.breathofjoy.com

Pat Dunning, Ph.D.,ERYT-500, On-line and Teacher Training Staff.
Pat Dunning has been teaching and practicing yoga for more than 30 years, is an E-RYT500, and is the first recipient of the 1,000 hour Yama Therapeutics Program at yama studio. Currently, she is a member of the Teacher Training Staff. Pat studied yoga under the tutelage of Professor Risvodkar, an Indian guru, while also pursuing her doctorate in intercultural communication, with a focus on East/West cultures. During her career as a department chair, and faculty member at George Washington University, University of Maryland, Goucher College and Southeastern University, and as Director of Foreign Service Employee Program for the government, she taught yoga part-time to students, faculty, and government personnel. Pat offers yoga, asana, pranayama, philosophy, Ayurveda, meditation and yoga therapy for groups, individuals and corporations. Recently, she developed the Yoga and Ayurveda Wellness Program, a holistic approach for physical, emotional, mental and spiritual harmony and health. She has taught the Chakra Sadhana program in a monthly format and is now offering it as a distance learning course.

Shawn began teaching yoga in 2006 with a certificate from YogaFit. She continued her training with Yama gaining her 200-hour certification in 2008. Since beginning a regular practice herself, Shawn has found freedom from the knee and lowback pain which until then nagged her daily. She enjoys sharing these types of healing benefits, as well as the peace and insight yoga brings with her students.

Leanora (Lay-ah-nor-ah) is a certified Therapeutic Yoga Teacher (RYT 200). She practices and teaches yoga as a moving meditation, releasing stress from the mind-body-spirit to create peace within. Connecting breath and positive words with each mindful movement, her classes encourage relaxation, rejuvenation and deep awareness of the whole self. Leanoraʼs yoga teaching journey began five years ago, earning her certification through yama studioʼs yama theraputics 200-hour teacher training, under Diane Finlayson (Divyamani). She currently teaches Yama Studioʼs corporate yoga classes (i.e. John Hopkins, Kennedy Krieger), the Faith Presbyterian Church community and the women and juvenile detainees at the Baltimore City & Chesapeake Detention Centers. She has a BA in Urban Studies, from Eastern University and is currently earning her Occupational Therapy Assistant degree. She also works as an Outward Bound wilderness instructor and practices yoga outside as much as possible.

Mark Garner, RYT 200, Corporate Yoga Instructor
Mark Garner is a Yoga Alliance certified teacher who earned his 200 hour teaching certificate from Yama Therapeutics. He is an artist, a husband, and the proud (stay at home) father of two beautiful children. “A Still Mind is a Sober Mind” is an affirmation which holds deep personal meaning for him and one that he would like to share with those in need of healing. As a yoga practitioner he weaves his own recovery into the fabric of his classes. Through a mutual cellular make- up with those in recovery he is excited to be given an opportunity to teach, learn, laugh, and cry with all who come to the mat and are willing to grow.

Christine Garrison, RYT 500, Teacher Training Staff & On-line Classroom Manager

Christine teaches a gentle, flowing style of yoga that connects breath to movement. She has been practicing yoga for more than 20 years. Christine also studied dance for many years and enjoys working with students of all ages and ability levels. Christine keeps the on-line classroom running for the yama therapeutics programs.

Pat Grimm, Meditation & Ayurveda Training Staff, Workshop Presenter
Pat maintains a private practice in massage therapy, reflexology, Reiki energy healing and meditation teaching. She is a certified infant massage instructor, and has taught parents, and provided, infant massage in the neonatal intensive care unit at the Saint Joseph Medical Center in Towson, MD. Pat is a graduate of the yama programs in ayurveda and meditation.

Tim teaches a gentle, insightful and nurturing style of Hatha Yoga that emphasizes cultivating mindfulness and that facilitates each student's awakening to the fullness of being human. Tim leads a monthly group meditation practice at the Westminster studio on the 2nd Sunday of each month. Tim also offers private Individual Yoga Therapy by arrangement in Westminster and Baltimore

Joe first became attracted to Yoga in 2000 as a complimentary discipline to distance running of marathons and ultras. The interest to share Yoga through practice & teaching continued to grow. The result was an intuitive awareness that through certification as an instructor, I might better serve the community, and have some fun. Maybe even make a difference. It was during the 200 hour YTT at Columbia School of Yoga in 2006 that he observed how his two passions, Yoga and a sober lifestyle based on the 12 steps of AA, were aligned as principle based programs of action. Completing the certification at the 500 hour level at Yama Therapeutics in 2010, Joe turned his attention in the Fall of 2011 full time to follow his Dharma and offer Yoga to the community through private practice, workshops and group asana classes, including the focus of special attention to the aspects of Yoga and addiction recovery.

My fitness career began over 25 years ago. After I started to practice yoga in the early nineties, my interest shifted to a more mind/body focus and I became certified by AAAI/ISMA in 1999 to teach yoga. A few years later I incorporated a Mind/Body Personal Trainer Certification to my teaching. After completing the ITY Teacher Training Program, 200 hour level, and the yama therapeutics Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training Program, 500 hour level, at Yama, I feel I have found my niche. I work with groups/and or individuals. I am currently working with the aging population putting an emphasis on posture, body awareness, and balance.

Michelle holds a 200-hr certificate from Integrative YogaTherapy, and a 500-hr certificate from Yama Studio (Yoga, Ayurveda andMeditation Arts). Michelle iscertified as a meditation facilitator, and also holds an MAT in Art Educationfrom the Corcoran College of Art and Design. Her classes focus on observing and reconnecting with ourinner bodies for the purpose of living whole, creative, and joyful lives.

In addition to her study of yoga for the past 17 years, since 1996. Helen has also studied Zen meditation, Buddhism, and has worked with shamans from the rain forest and Andean mountains of Ecuador, and Peru, and a Native American elder from Canada, among other notables. Helen considers herself a student of yoga as well as a teacher, and looks forward to sharing with students the joy and peace that yoga can bring.

Karen Shavin, RYT 200
Karen was introduced to yoga as a tool to ease chronic pain resulting from physical injuries and aging. In addition to relief from the pain, she discovered so much more through the practice of yoga. Hoping to introduce others to these benefits, Karen completed her 200-hour Integrative Yoga Therapy teacher certification at yama studio in Baltimore. Her primary goal is to assist others in realizing their own healing powers. Karen continues her personal journey with the study of Hatha Yoga is currently pursuing Therapeutic Massage training at Anne Arundel Community College.

Claudia Simpson, E-RYT 500, Teacher Training Staff
Claudia Simpson, E-RYT 500, is a Kripalu certified yoga teacher and Phoenix Rising yoga therapist. Claudia has led yoga classes, workshops and teacher trainings locally and nationally since 1990. Her passion for yoga as a tool for transformation combined with her compassionate and gentle teaching style has inspired hundreds of students to tap their own inner guidance. Claudia offers individual Yoga Therapy in Baltimore. You can learn more about her at www.Ineedyoga.com

Nancy Wachter, RYT 500, Certified Yoga Therapist, Ayurveda Wellness Coach, Meditation Instructor
Nancy holds a 1000 hour Yoga Therapist certificate. She has completed both her 200 and 500 hour certificates in yama therapeutics. She has also received a certificate in Ayurveda Wellness and Meditation Teacher Training from yama. Nancy has been practicing yoga since 1999, and would like to share with others the wonderful benefits (for body, mind, and spirit) that she has found in yoga. In each class, Nancy hopes to enable students to become centered and to practice self-compassion, allowing their breath and movement to flow together, and to let go of anything that might be weighing them down. Nancy currently teaches a at a cancer support center in Lutherville, a yama studio class at Keswick, and at retirement communities in the Baltimore area.