Teachers

Kim Drye is a skilled and knowledgeable yoga instructor and current studio owner of West Asheville Yoga. She specializes in therapeutic and restorative yoga.  Her classes are typically a themed slow flow interspersed with a breakdown of technique and alignment details. In her over 12 years of teaching, Kim has taught on mountain tops, beaches, at Airbnbs and private homes, in her own private practice, gyms, basements, various studios, retirement homes, offices, everywhere! She regularly teaches classes, workshops, retreats, and teacher trainings under a brand she created in 2011, HereNowYoga. Kim trained primarily with instructors in the Iyengar tradition including Asheville, NC teachers Lillah Schwartz and Cindy Dollar, as well as nationally recognized master teachers Matthew... more

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, Founder of FreeBody Therapeutic Massage Clinic, Founder and former owner of West Asheville Yoga, is a chronic pain specialist known for her deep knowledge of anatomy.  She blends the use of therapeutic rolling (think foam rollers and balls) with strengthening and opening yoga, breathing practices to soften the nervous system, and guided meditations for restoring balance and harmony at all levels of being.  Cat is an Advanced Instructor of Therapeutic Yoga through Integrative Yoga Therapy, a graduate of Trauma Informed Yoga Therapy™ and a certified facilitator of Overcome Anxiety™, a therapeutic yoga series designed for people with high stress, anxiety, and panic disorder.   You can find her rolling videos on YouTube under her name, Cat Matlock.  She is a massage... 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

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

Maeve has been leading yoga and expressive arts groups since 2011 and is Licensed Professional Counselor with a certificate in Expressive Arts Therapy. She has a private counseling practice in Asheville, NC and offers weekly yoga classes to the Asheville and Black Mountain Community. In her counseling practice, she offers a warm, compassionate presence to hold space for sharing and therapeutic processing. Rooted in Attachment Theory, she offers a Body-Centered Mindfulness-Based Approach inspired by EMDR (Eye Movement Desensitization and Reprocessing). She also employs Expressive Arts Therapy, which may include writing, visual arts, movement, music and other forms of expression. Expressive Arts Therapy is based on the principle that creative expression fosters healing and personal... more

In his late teenage years, Matthew became increasingly curious about our ultimate purpose in this life. Not satisfied with formal religious practices he discovered Yoga (Asana) and later meditation. After listening to Roy Eugene Davis speak, he knew he had found an authentic, practical, and direct way to God. Matthew was initiated into Kriya Yoga by Mr. Davis in 2008 and cultivated a personal relationship with his teacher until his passing in 2019. It is Matthew's sincere belief that you will find meditation as a great benefit and foundation for your spiritual practice. As Mr. Davis often quoted his guru Paramahansa Yogananda: "Read a little, meditate more and think of God all the... more

Meet Gillian Hailey - She is a holistic wellness guide, feminine energy & embodiment coach, and founder of BLOOM | EMBODIED WELLBEING. Gillian was introduced to yoga at the age of 13 and she was immediately drawn to the sense of sanctuary she experienced during classes. Over time she discovered that the practice of yoga guided her into her own inner sanctuary, offering profound relief from the anxiety and panic attacks that she suffered through silently. This experience set her on a deep personal & professional journey through holistic wellness & wellbeing which has profoundly transformed her personal sense of wellbeing & vitality and informs her body of work & offerings today. Gillian seeks to empower her students to honor the wisdom of their unique inner experience... more

Mackenzie believes in a holistic approach to health and wellness which has led her to pursue a career in yoga and massage therapy. Her dedication and love for yoga and massage compelled her to complete a 230-hour teacher training program at the Asheville Yoga Center in 2009 and a 675-hour program at the Asheville School of Massage and Yoga in 2013. Her yoga classes focus on an integrated blend of vinyasa flow, breath centered moving meditation, pranayama, restorative and yin practices. Her passion is to create a space for people to reconnect with themselves, deepen their awareness, and navigate the practice physically and mentally, on and off the mat. Mackenzie keeps busy in her massage therapy practice and teaching yoga. Otherwise, you can find her hanging out with her 3 and 5 year... 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

Sophia first went to a yoga class out of curiosity, and immediately felt the powerful healing effects of practicing. Since then, she has continued to use yoga as a way to regulate the nervous system and find stillness. Sophia believes that everyone starts practicing yoga for a reason, and there is no wrong reason to start. What keeps us coming back are the other benefits that we perhaps didn’t anticipate: physical and mental strength, less stress, more confidence, finding community, and more. After years of practicing she knew the next best step was to become a yoga teacher and she has been teaching since 2016. Knowing how much yoga changed her life, she is honored to share this practice with others. In addition to teaching yoga, Sophia is also a certified birth and postpartum doula,... more

I’m Sarah, and I’ve been teaching yoga for over ten years. My experience of yoga is always changing, and my teaching reflects this. I love sharing what I’ve learned over the years, and I especially love weaving in bits of poetry, or wisdom from a variety of traditions. I’m interested in what brings my students to class, and how I can support them. It’s never about how an asana looks, but how it feels in my class. That doesn’t mean that I won’t give you some really specific cues! I like to offer multiple versions of postures sometimes; to meet you where you are now, and show you what else may be possible. I like to make each class accessible, but with an element of challenge. You get to make an informed choice each time. Ultimately, we are each our own best... more

Roxy is an experienced Birth and Postpartum Doula, Lamaze Certified Childbirth Educator, Certified Perinatal Yoga Instructor and Licensed Massage Therapist. She finds her greatest joy in guiding families through intentional yoga practices that combine functional movement, childbirth education, and body literacy. She’s honored to be apart of the West Asheville Yoga family where she teaches weekly classes and workshops that cultivate community, connection, and... more

“Yoga Has Been My Saving Grace For Decades. The Ancient Teachings Are Carried Within Me Always.” - Meredith Eileen In my current teaching of yoga, I diverge a lot from the original philosophy, spirituality and myth that originated in India. Although these aspects of yoga remain close to my heart, I find the teachings of my own ancestral Celtic Heritage to be calling me back home with great urgency. My roots bleed from being ripped out of their sacred grounds. The ancient language, the tales and stories that helped us make sense of life, the songs, the healing practices, the priests and priestesses, the outdoor intuitive spirituality, the remembering of all the rememberings……that sacredness is now gone. Colonialism brought its usual offerings: ancestral trauma,... more

Ra Ma is an artist, astrologer, alchemical mentor, cosmic priestess, herbalist, gridkeeper, writer, yogi, and the creatrix of the podcast Stars, Stones, and Stories. 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 both Kundalini Research Institute and the Kripalu School of Yoga, with over 1000 hours in professional certification ranging from Conscious Communication, Lifecycles, Prenatal Yoga to Birth and Postpartum Doula training. Ra Ma’s Kundalini workshops and classes weave together astrological transmissions, storytelling, breathwork, physical exercises, mantra, meditation and gong sound healing. You will leave feeling relaxed, uplifted and refreshed. Astrology and tarot entered Ra... more

TARA (BECKY) ESCHENROEDER(SHE/HER)— A 500 HOUR E-RYT, 200 HOUR E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP, CERTIFIED COACH AND MENTOR, AND SELF-PUBLISHED AUTHOR —IS AN ACCOMPLISHED YOGI WHO WAS VOTED AS ONE OF THE TOP THREE YOGA INSTRUCTORS BY RICHMOND MAGAZINE With some teachers, the lessons are planned. They are practiced. They are rehearsed. And they are perfected to a tee. But Tara Eschenroeder offers a different experience. Teaching was Tara’s Dharma long before she realized it. She grew up with a bow and arrow in her hands, learning to pull back with just enough aim and control to send her arrow into the abyss, knowing and trusting it would hit its intended mark. And so she enters each class, each workshop, each lesson.. Having prepared her body and mind to become that bow - that vessel - that... more