Teachers

Sue Ann turned to yoga after many years long distance running.  In 2012 she moved to the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga to further her understanding of classical ashtanga yoga.  The Centre is deeply rooted in the practice of Karma Yoga which speaks to Sue Ann’s passion for helping others. Sue Ann’s classes are focused on alignment, postural benefits, and cultivating peace. Her passion is to help students feel stronger, flexible, and more in touch with their bodies. She loves how yoga asanas challenges her body and mind, and is constantly inspired and encourage by the journey yoga has taken her on. Sue Ann has a B.A. in Liberal Studies/Education and a Masters in Public Health which she organically calls upon while teaching.  With a love for learning, she is forever a student and... more

Cat Matlock has been a student and practitioner of yoga since 1988 and began teaching yoga classes in 2001. Cat is a licensed massage therapist, since 1993, and has devoted her career to the study of anatomy and Trigger Point Therapy to relieve chronic pain and discomfort in the physical body. She has taught in various yoga teacher training programs and was a highly regarded instructor of Kinesiology (the study of how the body moves), Integrative Massage, and Yoga at the Asheville School of Massage and Yoga until she resigned to begin the West Asheville Yoga studio. Cat now runs the studio and her prenatal yoga teacher training program, “The Sacred Journey to Motherhood” and offers continuing education courses for massage therapists as well as teaches regular yoga classes,... more

Amy is a yoga instructor and professional photographer living in Asheville, NC. After graduating from the Savannah College of Art & Design in 2002, Amy moved to New York City to pursue a career in photography. While living in the big city she found she was seeking something more and decided to try yoga. What she discovered was a true path toward health and contentment. After practicing yoga for several years, Amy completed the Sankalpah Yoga 200-hour teacher training with Mary Dana Abbott & Isaac Peña and began teaching yoga in NYC. After teaching for a couple years, she decided to further deepen her practice through the Laughing Lotus 300-hour Advanced Teacher Training, studying with Dana Flynn, Alison Cramer, Raganauth Cappo, Elena Brower, Sadie Nardini and a host of other... more

My passion for yoga was born out of my love for movement and the expression of the human form. As a dancer of many years I found great satisfaction in the emotional depth and the transformational and healing capacity of working with the body. These stepping stones from my early foundation as a dancer lead me down many paths that I continue to integrate into my life work. My love and reverence for this beautiful planet and living with awareness of her rhythms and influences is central in my teaching. I am also a firm believer of weaving together strong and flexible networks of support in our local communities. Our inner work and our work in our communities and in caring for the earth are powerful reflections of each other. Our capacity to care comes from our direct connection to something;... more

Ra Ma Kaur is a highly observant soul-soother, change-maker and alchemist.  Ra Ma calls on her passionate study of Kundalini Yoga, Astrology, Ancestral Healing, Elemental Medicine, Daoist Stone Medicine and Soundscapes to inspire and inform each offering she makes to her community. Ra Ma was introduced to the technology of Kundalini Yoga at the age of 15.  She has been teaching yoga since 2006 and is certified through Kundalini Research Institute and the Kripalu School of Yoga.  She has spent over 1000 hours in professional certification beyond her college degree.  At this time she is working towards a Master of Arts in Cultural Astronomy and Astrology. Her current offerings include weekly classes, workshops, private mentorship, women's lunar gatherings, and ceremonies in the... more

Deirdre began to practice yoga in 1994 to acquiesce her pesky friends that insisted she would fall in love with it. Fortunately for her, they were right! From that moment began her almost 20 year love affair with the practice and teaching of yoga. Deirdre’s passion is to create a sense of belonging in her classes by coupling her serious dedication with a light-hearted approach. Her classes are alive with questions, philosophy, and humor based on connecting real life situations to the physical practice. Deirdre’s background as a professional modern dancer in NYC encourages her creative spirit to choreograph every “class as an intimate concoction of equal parts inquiry of the heart, humility of the mind, and precision in expression of the body” (student Kris H). She is... more

Izzy began practicing yoga after a prolonged foot injury forced her to take a break from her professional training as a Contemporary Ballet dancer. Using yoga as an education on emotional, physical, and spiritual wellness, she was able to recover from her injury and pursued her RYT certification through Yoga Oasis under the instruction of Darren Rhodes. She now holds her 500hr RYT and has been teaching since the summer of 2016. Izzy’s passion is in the health education of uterine bodied/femme identifying individuals and she is currently in school preparing for Master’s entry Nurse-Midwife programs. In addition to teaching yoga, Izzy works in Asheville as a certified Birth and Postpartum Doula CD/PCD(DONA), as well as a certified Ayurvedic Wellness Counselor and an Ayurvedic Doula.... more

Jacci Lea began her yoga journey in New Orleans as a way to help with some back pain. More than 20 years later she still practices yoga. After several years of studying Iyengar yoga she now combines the techniques of alignment with movement in group classes and therapeutic yoga for individuals. She began teaching in 1998 and taught classes for several years at Wild Lotus Yoga in New Orleans before moving to Asheville in 2005 (just one week before Hurricane Katrina). Jacci feels that yoga is a practice that can benefit anyone no matter what age or level of physical ability. One does not need to have a flexible body to enjoy the calming benefits of yoga. Her Basic Yoga classes guide beginners and experienced students to learn safe postures as well as focus on breathing. Her Gentle... more

I am a self proclaimed “yoga nerd” and love that there is so much to learn and share with others. One of my favorite aspects of teaching yoga is that it is truly accessible for everyone and every body, and I strive to help provide this for all. Yoga has personally helped me recover from abuse, trauma, an eating disorder and body image issues, and divorce. To say that I have fallen in love with yoga, is an understatement! Teaching and practicing the physical asanas are only a small part of the path, and I truly believe in living a yogic lifestyle. I was first introduced to yoga with a Rodney Yee VHS tape in 1998 on a mat in my living room. After several years and a somewhat daily practice, I stepped into a  studio for the first time in 2007, West Asheville Yoga! and my eyes were... more

Joe Taft believes in the transformational power of yoga. Joe (E-RYT500) is a former Certified Anusara® Yoga instructor who has dedicated himself to the practice of yoga since 1997. He began teaching in 2002. Joe infuses his classes with a deep, life-affirming philosophy through myths, story-telling, Tantra, and his own experience with the trials and tribulations of life. Joe’s in-depth knowledge of body mechanics and his innate understanding of the complexities of movement, allow him to guide his students more fully into their own bodies and lives. Joe enjoys teaching workshops and trainings both in Asheville and out as a traveling instructor. Joe values humor in all aspects of teaching and life which makes his classes a fun experience for everyone. Joe’s warmth and sincere... more

Kim Drye is a skilled and knowledgeable yoga instructor who specializes in alignment and accessible yoga. In 2011, Kim created her own brand, HereNowYoga, that offers a 200-hour yoga alliance certified teacher training, themed workshops, and both local and international retreats. The HereNowYoga brand became a collaborative effort with Becca Impello in 2014. She has trained primarily with instructors in the Iyengar tradition including local teachers Lillah Schwartz and Cindy Dollar, as well as nationally recognized master teachers Matthew Sanford, Roger Cole, and Aadil Palkhivala.  Her certifications include a 200 hour certification from the Asheville Yoga Center with Stephanie Keach (2008), and a 500 hour certification from Lighten Up Yoga with Lillah Schwartz (2009-2013). Kim... more

Kris started practicing and teaching yoga and meditation in the late 1990’s. Throughout the last two decades she has taught in various cities her own eclectic style that always includes a mind/body tenet to self-exploration.  Her classes blend pranayama, meditation, asana flow and gentle holds. Kris respects all styles of yoga that enhances the essence of the spirit and allows for playful exploration and fun, which she hopes to provide in each class that she teaches.  She has been blessed with hundreds of teachers across the US and is grateful for each of them. Kris is trained as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner (PMHNP-BC) and BRSHM Herbalist.  She has a private practice Asheville Holistic Healthcare. She is YogaFit, Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy (PRYT), and Yin Yoga... more

When a friend casually showed me my first yoga asanas in 1998, it sparked a deep remembering, and sudden illumination of a path before me. Yoga would be a guiding force of my life, and in order to fully receive this gift, I had to share it. I completed my first teacher training with Diane Wilson of Portland, OR in 1999. Diane is a completely unique, authentic and indescribable adept yogini and teacher whose guidance provided an unshakeable foundation for my yogic life. In 2005, I completed a 200hr vinyasa training with Jhon Tamayo and Sabina Stahl at Atmananda Yoga in NYC. During this time I spread my vinyasa wings wide, teaching many classes a week in the busy city and taking classes from many renowned teachers. Also during this time I completed beginning and advanced Thai Yoga... more

After my first experience with yoga and meditation I immediately felt the transformative nature of these practices and I have not looked back. I have studied with renowned teachers such as Mary Dunn at the Iyengar Institute in New York as well as Richard Miller in California. Upon arriving in Asheville I have been fortunate to study and work with teachers such as Cindy Dollar, Lillah Swartz, Michael Johnson, and Ryan Conrad…to name a few. I am passionate about teaching and bringing yoga to all persons, regardless of their background or circumstances. As a social worker and researcher I have taught yoga and meditation in addiction treatment centers, community centers, as well as correctional facilities. I am excited to be a part of yoga in this wonderful community. See you on... more

Lillah Schwartz, ERYT 500, has more than 30 years of teaching experience. In her dynamic classes, she shares her deep knowledge of the body and the benefits of a skillful asana practice with students of all levels and abilities. “My training and experience allows me to help students understand how to apply the principles of yoga to their own unique situation by learning the value of alignment, and accessing their inner wisdom to heal from the inside out.” Lillah has studied with many leading instructors, including BKS Iyengar and Aadil Palkhivala. She held an Iyengar teaching certificate from 1987 to 2009. She is the founder and director of Transformation Yoga Trainings, offering 200/500 hour registered courses with the National Yoga Alliance. She is also a registered yoga... more

Lillian walked into her first yoga class as a junior in high school looking for a way to get in shape. She left that class amazed at the way 90 minutes of asanas and  heightened awareness of breath made her feel both physically and mentally. She continued to return to my mat for reasons deeper than physical fitness. Yoga provided her stress release and a sense of calmness and clarity as she pursued her degree in International Development and Social Change.  As her own yoga practice developed she discovered she wanted to share this practice with others.  After exploring many styles of yoga she decided to pursue teaching Vinyasa yoga because she was drawn to the creativity of Vinyasa sequences. A few years into her journey as a yogini  she felt something was missing.  Either by... more

Maeve Hendrix has been teaching Hatha Flow, Yin and Restorative Yoga Since 2011. She  received her 200hr training at The Yoga Garden in San Francisco, CA. and has a M.A. Degree in Clinical Mental Health Counseling with an emphasis on Expressive Arts and Body-Centered Therapy. Yoga and meditation are integrated into Maeve‘s therapeutic counseling practice, likewise Expressive Arts Therapy is woven into her yoga teaching approach. Maeve‘s teaching style reflects the message that each of us are our own greatest teacher and to embrace yoga as a way of life, a journey of self-discovery that unfolds with every conscious... more

It is with joy, wisdom, and pleasure that Raphaela Fritz brings 2 decades of practice, study, and teaching of yoga to West Asheville Yoga.  Formerly Certified Anusara teacher, Certified Bikram Instructor, E-RYT 500,Bikram Yoga Champion representative, Yoga Therapeutics Practitioner and Licenced Massage & Bodywork Therapist since 2004. She incorporates layers of life wisdom, tantric teachings, and the language of the heart with structural alignment and dynamic flow; interweaving ancient teachings and myth with the realities of modern day life.  Mother, Wife, Yogini, Artist, and current student in the aerial arts, she brings her whole being to each class. Raphaela’s classes are uplifting yet challenging, leaving your body, mind, and heart soaring in bliss. Each class... more

Yoga has served as a foundation for healing and wellness in Roxy’s life the past 10 years. First beginning as a student in the Hudson Valley, NY then growing into a teacher when she decided to move to Asheville, NC to take the 200hr Yoga Teacher Training immersion at Asheville Yoga Center. Living in Asheville, NC the past 6 years she found her passion and life’s work as a birth and postpartum doula. Through that work, she found a new purpose and calling in teaching pre/post-natal yoga. She believes it is a privilege and gift to be present during this raw, subtle, transformational time in life. She is honored to guide women through a therapeutic practice that fosters courage and... more

I signed up for my first yoga class fifteen years ago because it seemed like the easiest option to fulfill a PE requirement. Nervous at the thought of moving for a whole hour, I stamped out a cigarette, and walked into what would eventually become one of my life’s greatest passions. I left my first class realizing the mistake of assuming yoga would be easy, but also thoroughly intrigued. More classes followed, and with them came a growing respect and love for the practice. Lifestyle changes came too, as I could no longer help but feel a reconnection to my own body and spirit. As a yoga teacher, I strive to hold space for others to find their own organic experience of yoga. At the heart of each of my classes is an opportunity to grow stronger and more conscious in an ever-changing,... more

Sierra Hollister is a mother, runner, green yogini and a dirty, tree hugger. She was incredibly blessed to start her Kundalini journey at Ahimsa Ashram and to be able to study directly with Yogi Bhajan. She has had yoga angels sprinkling lucky yoga dust at her feet since 1990. In addition to Yogi Bhajan, Sierra has been inspired and shaped by the teachings of Patabhi Jois, David Swenson, Sarah Powers, Sean Corn, Snatam Kaur and Gurucharan Singh Khalsa.  As much as Sierra loves asana, pranayama, mantra, and meditation- she finds her daily yoga guidance in the words of Aadil Palkhivala- “True yoga is not about the shape of your body but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; yoga cares about the person you... more