A passionate yoga student since 1998, I completed my 200 hour teacher training at Sacred Rivers Yoga in 2007. I fell in love with yoga because of the peace and acceptance that each practice brings to me. Yoga has taught me to bring breath and energy into everything I do, and provides me with an overall sense of calm and well being.

My class provides careful instruction on alignment and breath, and encourages each student to become aware of their physical and emotional self. Students are encouraged to listen to their bodies as we explore different levels of poses. We will find stillness and by holding poses longer.

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Ann Marie Bazzano, RYT has completed the 500 hour certification with Kim Valeri of Yoga Spirit. Ann incorporates many styles of yoga practice in her teaching including Iyengar, Kundalini, and Ashtanga. Her eclectic background and open heart brings a wonderful nurturing flow to her teaching. She is a certified prenatal yoga teacher and has also studied Meridian yoga, restorative yoga, and yoga therapy.

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Nancy Connell
A passionate yoga student since 1998, I completed my 200 hour teacher training at Sacred Rivers Yoga in 2007.  I fell in love with yoga because of the peace and acceptance that each practice brings to me.  Yoga has taught me to bring breath and energy into everything I do, and provides me with an overall sense of calm and well being.

My class provides careful instruction on alignment and breath, and encourages each student to become aware of their physical and emotional self.  Students are encouraged to listen to their bodies as we explore different levels of poses.  We will find stillness and by holding poses longer.

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The postures of my first yoga class were very loud, physically and energetically. With surprise I observed that yoga did not always take me to a quiet place; it was often a place of honest noise, for I gave years of internal dialogue the space to show itself. Within this space I continue to learn how to pause, listen, and voice what is heard.

The literal meaning of the word yoga is to yoke, or unite. This definition describes the personal, immediate power of bridging the energy and physical bodies within the parameters of asana practice, but speaks also of maintaining an enduring and compassionate connection to ourselves, the solid ground, and the people that surround us.

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Dana has also pursued advanced level trainings in various forms of yoga such as therapeutic yoga with Cheri Clampett and Arturo Peal, Yin Yoga training with Paul Grilley, and Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy. Dana’s understanding and appreciation of health issues, as well as her open communication style and sense of humor, allow her to bring compassion and caring to her practice, classes and workshops.

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Driven to deepen his personal practice, he was accepted into the Sacred Rivers Yoga teacher training program under the direction of his serene teacher, Paula Scopino, ERYT500. Upon graduation he was invited to teach classes at Sacred Rivers where he also continues to learn from Paula and others. Some of the highlights of his education have been a mass audience with His Holiness, the 16th Dalai Lama and the Yin Yoga / Yoga Anatomy seminar with Paul and Suzie Grilley.

John's uniquely fun, invigorating and spiritually uplifting class style is a reflection of his own humor, athleticism and love of nature. Prepare to be challenged, entertained and coaxed to your edge, physically, mentally and spiritually. The class unfolds at many levels so that everyone from novices to experienced Yogin will find something of value. As John says, "Sometimes it is what we leave on our mat that matters most, and sometimes it is what we take from it that counts more."

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The most powerful teaching experiences for me, however, have occurred during a series of Shakti experiences while gazing at a flower, the sky or embracing the energy of a sacred site. In a moment of clarity several years ago at an ancient temple in Teotihuacán Mexico, I was literally struck down and my mind stopped dead in its tracks. In the vast stillness that arose when the mind chatter dissolved I did not know who I was - there was no point of reference, no movement and a sense of coming home.

By standing my ground in that shaky state of being, the identification with the story of "me" broke down, and everything that my mind created was lost. In that place of stillness and peace, in the absence of old patterns or dreams, the Truth of who I really am was revealed. And, it is in that place of Truth that everything ends and all efforts to be someone or to find something cease. Then, and only then, was I able to be fully embraced by the fundamental and vibrant essence of life - spacious and full of unconditional love!

I have learned that surrender to what is in the eternal now is the process of yielding to, rather than opposing the flow of life. If we go to battle with whatever arises in "our" consciousness, we reinforce those old and stale definitions of that which we "believe" we are. However, if we yield and refuse to go to battle, the war is over and peace breaks out. All that we really let go of is a story of "me", an illusion of our true nature.

Eventually we all lose everything that our mind has created and awaken to who we truly are. It is only when our love and desire for Truth outweighs our personality's compulsive need for security that we begin to stop struggling and allow our soul essence to be swept up into the arms of an ever unfolding revelation of the Truth and Freedom of our divinity. I am thrilled that Sacred Rivers Yoga is hosting the Friday evening meditation satsangs that I facilitate. Each Friday evening we sit together in a sacred circle of unity. Initially, we do so in silent reflection. We then engage in an intimate investigation into the nature of spiritual awakening and living an awakened life.

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Wendy believes everyone can foster more joy, greater health, enhanced mental clarity, and a more positive outlook on life through the practice of yoga and meditation. She encourages students in her classes to listen to their bodies, and allow the flow of breath to sweep away the obstacles, finding rejuvenation and growth in all areas of their lives.

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Jack has also studied with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Ana Forrest, Nancy Gilgoff and Doug Swenson. Through Continuous study and practice he is able to offer not only primary and second series Ashtanga classes, but also unique classes inspired by these other distinguished teachers.

You will enjoy the way Jack's sense of humor and compassion puts you at ease while fostering a safe environment in which to work the body.

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Paula has taught in many different settings, including corporations, hospitals, and fitness and rehabilitation centers. She has studied many different yoga styles all over the country and has been inspired and influenced by numerous wonderful teachers. Her love and interest of yoga, movement, and energy led her to study massage therapy, Reiki, Feldenkrais, and Pilates.

Paula is a Registered Yoga Alliance Teacher - 500 hour, and is a certified Cardiac Yoga Teacher, having studied "Yoga of the Heart" with Nischala Joy Devi (the stress management portion of the Dr. Dean Ornish program). Paula does yoga therapy for heart disease and cancer, and yoga therapy for chronic conditions, back problems, arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. She teaches prenatal yoga, yoga for children, and yoga for 60, 70 and beyond. She is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists (www.IAYT.org).

Paula graduated from the Connecticut Center for Massage Therapy in 1989 and is a Connecticut licensed massage therapist and member of the American Massage Therapy Association. She also assists her brother, Rick Haesche in teaching the Art of Traditional Thailand Massage in massage therapy schools as a part of their regular and continuing education curriculum. In addition, she is certified in Karuna and Usui Reiki. She has maintained a private practice in massage therapy since 1989.

"May the Yogis of old, and the teachers of all the great spiritual traditions, from whose words we have learned wisdom and knowledge, bless the path you take and look after your wanderings, and may your personal God, even a God unknown to you, shine its light upon you, and bring you safely home to your heart."

Paula would like to acknowledge the following teachers with deep thanks and gratitude:
My Parents, my Son, Richard Hittleman, Clare Matthews, Ruth Bender, Baron Baptiste, Bikram, Viraj, Beryl Bender Berch, John Schumacher, Doug Swenson, Larry Payne, Lilias Folan, Judith Lasater, Rama Berch, Nischala Joy Devi, Dr. Dean Ornish, Ram Dass, the Iyengar Institute of San Francisco,  Anya Foos, Patricia Walden, Bo Forbes, Barbara Benagh , Ravi Singh, Kripalu, Seane Corne, Shiva Rea, Paul Grilley, Gary Kraftskow,  and so many others too numerous to mention...Paramahansa Yogananda and others in Spirit.

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After years of asana practice Emily became interested in learning more – specifically about alignment and injury prevention as well as therapeutics. She achieved this through her trainings with Mitchel Bleier and Deb Neubauer, both of whom are Senior Certified Anusara Yoga instructors. Emily is trained in precise biomechanical instruction for in-depth asana instruction with a focus on anatomy & physiology as well as advanced pranayama, contemplation and meditation techniques. Her 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification is in flow/vinyasa style yoga and she is working toward her 500 hour certification.

“I find that a vigorous/heat building asana practice helps me move deeper into a meditative state - using breath as the bridge between body and mind resulting in improved focus and concentration (dharana) coupled with a strong, flexible and balanced body”.

Om Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
~ May Peace & Happiness Prevail

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