Jill began practicing yoga 12 years ago as a way to make peace with her body after having her second child in two years. As her practice grew, she began to awaken to the idea of energy and creating a deep spiritual practice through the techniques of yoga. She discovered the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago and the teachings of Goswami Kriyananda, and everything shifted. She received her 280-hour certification from the Temple program in 2007. She continued her studies through the Temple completing both the Mystical Sciences and Kriology courses. She is a Kriya initiate and is deeply grateful to her teachers in the Kriya lineage, especially Kim Schwartz, David Lipschutz and Camella Nair.

She founded Uttara Yoga Studio in Roanoke, Virginia in 2008 and has been blessed with wonderful instructors and students who continue to bless her with the opportunity to spread the teachings. Her eclectic style weaves in the knowledge of Kriya Yoga as well as her studies with many gifted yoga teachers, particularly Gabriel Halpern of the Yoga Circle in Chicago and Andrea Boyd and Jeffrey Cohen of Jivamukti Yoga Charleston.

She is currently studying the Science of Breath with Kathleen Barratt of the Barratt Breath Institute and is their apprenticeship program in restorative breathwork. Her most challenging teachers continue to be her three children, ages 15, 13 and 10, who keep her focused on dharma as she walks the path of the householder.

Jill has a gift for bringing yoga to people of all ages and abilities, and in 2007 was certified through YogaEd to teach yoga to children and educators (ages K-8). She continues to teach yoga throughout the local area at public and private schools, as well as other children’s groups.

She teaches a diverse group of students and classes including all levels of hatha yoga, restorative yoga, yoga nidra, meditation, spirituality and astrology. Her classes weave together the physical practice with a spiritual awakening; and are an interesting balance of sacred, silly and fun. “I want my students to come to know their inner and outer Universe intimately; to understand the creative power of their mind; and to experience union with their highest and best selves.”

When practicing yoga asana, the simple act of connecting movement with the breath begins to create a greater awareness-- first of the body, and then of how sensations in the body affect the mind and spirit.  Catherine shares with her students this awareness that their physical practice helps to create a more mindful approach to life off the mat when it comes to reacting to others, decision making and understanding emotions.

Catherine teaches a vinyasa-flow style of class which builds and maintains heat in the body and thus helps to focus a distracted mind. She wants her students to move beyond their expectations, and she creates a safe, supportive environment where students can challenge themselves through their practice.  Her teaching style is strong, yet loving; focused, yet relaxed.  Catherine is a certified yoga instructor registered with the Yoga Alliance at the RYT 200 level, and is also a certified personal trainer. 
 
Catherine is inspired by many teachers including Shiva Rea, Baron Baptiste, Adi Amar, Andrea Boyd and Jeffrey Cohen of Jivamukti Charleston, and most lovingly, Jill Loftis of Uttara Yoga.  She aspires for the benefits of her practice to extend all her relationships . . . epecially with her husband and their three young daughters.

Vani is a Roanoke native and has an extensive background in teaching Dance and the Arts with a B.A. in Dance and an M.A.L.S from Hollins University as well as a M.F.A. in Photography and Film from Virginia Commonwealth University. Currently her path has lead her to pursue a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy at Jefferson College of Health Sciences. Vanessa has been practicing yoga for over 10 years and was first introduced to Yoga through the Ashtanga Yoga practice. She is a graduate of the Integral Yoga® 200hr teacher training program and has enjoyed being a part of Uttara since its inception in 2008! 

Since joining the Uttara staff, she has had the pleasure to explore a variety of teaching experiences including Integral, Hatha, Yin, Power, and Hot Yoga classes. Whatever style she is teaching her classes focus on conscious use of the breath and the bandhas, anatomical awareness, sensitivity to the energy body, and an active but gentle control of the mind to access the power of the here and now. She is committed to a path of healing and helping others realize that they have the ability to heal and empower themselves physically, mentally, and spiritually.  She is eternally grateful to her many teachers including Nora 'Vimala' Pozzi of Integral Yoga® Richmond, the staff of Uttara Yoga, her family, friends, and all her students.

In her spare time she enjoys taking yoga, dancing, spending time in nature, working with animals, cooking and eating vegetarian food, and getting together with her beautiful goddess friends! Vani is excited to share her love of working through the body to achieve and maintain inner and outer wellness. Jai!!!

Feel free to visit her at: www.vanessafassie.com.

Martha is a 2010 graduate of Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga’s teacher training program.  There she studied Ashtanga yoga with Jeff Tiebout. Originally from Roanoke, Martha danced for many years with the Roanoke Ballet Theater.  Growing up with formal ballet training, she finally found yoga in her thirties as a welcome change. 

Martha was more than ready to begin a serious study of yoga, having had several injuries that required yogic breathing and mindfulness to truly be released. In addition to asana practice, Martha is actively training to facilitate restorative breathwork through Barratt Breathworks.  She is also studying to be a Bioenergy practitioner with Mietek Wirkus and Kathleen Barratt. She is studying Kriya Yoga with the Self Realization Fellowship of California. 

Arien studied dance for 20 years and received a BA in dance from Hollins University in 2006. She is fascinated with the body's tendency toward movement and the role of mobility in a person's overall health and wellness. From this understanding, she believes that through movement the body can heal both itself and the mind. This realization is also what has inspired her to explore the practice of yoga.
 
Arien has been moving and stretching intuitively since childhood. She studied yoga formally for four years with Felicia Whitcomb and completed the Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training with Jeff Tiebot in 2009.  Arien loves Ashtanga yoga because it integrates the eight limbs of yoga into a strong physical practice, bringing attention to the inner journey, and teaching one to experience life more fully. Ashtanga is based in the conviction that the fruits of yoga are only obtained through a dedication to the practice itself.  In the words of founder K. Pattabhi Jois, "Practice and all is coming!"

Arien received massage training at the Blue Ridge School of Massage and Yoga, is a nationally certified massage therapist, and is owner/operator of Anahata Healing Yoga & Massage. She practices an eclectic variety of techniques including Swedish, Deep Tissue, Myofascial Release, Thai Yoga Massage, and Reiki, and appreciates the privilege of holding the space for healing to occur.  She is eternally grateful to be a part of the Uttara family and for the dedicated students that present the opportunity to pass down the teachings of Yoga.

Kimberly grew up in Salem and recently returned from Seattle, Washington after being away from the Roanoke Valley for the past 15 years. Kimberly owned a yoga studio in Seattle where she taught many different styles of yoga. Her foundational training was in the Integral yoga tradition founded by Sri Swami Satchidananda. Kimberly also trained and studied in the Viniyoga tradition. This approach to yoga evolved out of the teachings transmitted by T. Krishnamacharya and T.K.V. Desikachar of Madras, India. Vini means to adapt and through this training, she became very skillful at adapting classes to the needs of the students.

Kimberly loves working with women and supporting women during the birthing process by acting a doula. She is a certified pre-natal, labor and delivery, and post-natal yoga instructor.

Kimberly also is a belly dancer and has been belly dancing for 12 years. She enjoys working with women of all ages, shapes and sizes, by teaching them the art of belly dance. She creates a safe environment where women can explore their creativity through movement and body awareness.

Kimberly’s classes promote a gentle and restorative asana practice that connects the body, mind and spirit through the integration of pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation and relaxation. She honors the tradition of Yoga, and yet accepts the Western lifestyle with its fast and busy pace and the stresses caused by living in this chaotic world. Her loving kindness and graciousness of spirit are the reflections of a Yogic lifestyle, which she embraces every day. Kimberly has been teaching and practicing yoga for over 20 years and dancing to her own drum just as long!!

Lisa Wade began her Yogic path almost 40 years ago. She has completed both a 200 and 500 hour certification with Anna Pittman in Blacksburg, Virginia.  Her Yogic path has allowed her to study with many different teachers and many different lineages. Two years ago Lisa began her path in the lineage of Kali Ray and TriYoga®.  In August, 2011, she received her certification in Basics from TriYoga®. She plans on beginning her training in Level One in Spring, 2012. TriYoga® is a kundalini inspired asana practice that is the trinity of flow, mudra, and breath, beginning with Basics and goes through Level 7. Her desire is that students experience the flow of TriYoga® and find the beauty, integrity, and awesome techniques she facilitates.
 
Lisa continues to teach Yoga privately in her studio on Grandin Road. She also teaches Yoga and Mindfulness for Jefferson College of Health Sciences. Lisa has well-rounded understanding of the body/mind connection. She has fostered her Yogic awareness through formal education with a Masters in Social Work as well as a Bachelor’s in Social Work. Her enthusiasm is contagious and she welcomes all to her TriYoga® classes. She is honored to teach for Uttara Yoga Studio and is blessed to teach with so many marvelous Yoginis from so many different traditions. Jaya Guru Devi! (Victory to the Divine Feminine!)  

Wendi Wagner has been practicing yoga since 1998. She approaches yoga as a system of self-care that creates strength, balance and flexibility of mind and body. The practice of yoga creates space for one to become more fully present in daily life.

Wendi has studied Ashtanga Yoga, Anusara Yoga and Jivamukti Yoga. Her class approaches asana through dynamic vinyasa sequences. Hatha flow focuses on facilitating the connection between movement and breath, developing and balancing the relationship between internal and external awareness, and cultivating an understanding of bandhas in order to begin accessing the subtle energy body. Class begins by building heat to stimulate engagement between body and breath in order prepare the body to move deeply into poses that dissolve blocked energy expressed as tension and resistance.

Classes interweave the study of Patanjali’s yoga sutras as a reflection on asana practice and its application to everyday life. Asana practice will focus on tapas (heat/discipline) and svadhyaya (self-study/reflection) with the intention of clearing inner obstacles, and moving the practitioner toward a state of ishvara pranidhana (surrender).

Wendi has been teaching movement and dance in the public schools since 1996, exploring the therapeutic potential of movement in healing mind and body. She is mom to Ciara, who inspires her and always makes her laugh.

Still the outer mind. go within. draw upon greater power.

Steve has been an athlete all his life, and is an All-American distance runner and has been a competitive bicycle road racer, tri-athlete and mountain bike racer. During his years as a personal trainer he was exposed to yoga and added it to his training routine in 2002. His knowledge, curiosity and interest in the bones, muscles and structure of the body have helped him to recover from and heal several knee surgeries and injuries.

His yoga practice has slowly evolved beyond the physical practice of asana, as he added breathing techniques, a knowledge of the elements, and the deeper spiritual aspects of the practice. He is a recent graduate of the Asheville Yoga Center's 230 hr teacher training program, and looks forward to bringing the practice of yoga to other athletes, especially those who think that their inflexibility is a barr to practice.

Steve's classes have a subtle intensity that reflect his kindness and gentle demeanor. He creates a safe, encouraging environment for students to find their way to a yoga practice that serves their needs and intention.