Cara Sorkin

Cara Sorkin, Certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor, began her practice while ill and came through with strength, health and well-being. She has been following her passion for Iyengar Yoga for over two decades. Cara is honored and excited to share her experience and love of yoga. She has had the exceptional opportunity to study directly with the Iyengars, both in the United States and in India. Cara continues to enhance her practice and teaching through the ongoing study of yoga asanas (postures), anatomy, physiology, and philosophy. She holds a B.S. degree from Woodbury University, and previously worked in Fashion Merchandising for Federated Departments Stores, which she left to raise four wonderful children. It is clear to her, after raising children, that we are all unique individuals and we all have our own work to do. Cara owes a debt of gratitude to her mentors and teachers that have guided her. Cara’s students say: “Cara’s love of yoga really comes through in her teaching and keeps her students wanting to learn more.” “She is knowledgeable, compassionate, patient and professional.” “Cara gives clear detailed instruction. She inspires her students to work to their potential and encourages them to develop their own yoga practice.” “Her blend of yoga asana with spiritual affirmations creates a mind, body, spirit connection.”

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Sri Hari Moss

Sri Hari Moss in 1989 began his yoga journey under the guidance of Swamini Turiyasangitananda; founder and director of The Vedantic Center and Sai Anantam ashram. Her instruction in sacred music, vedantic studies, meditation and Bhakti Yoga for nearly two decades have greatly influenced his life. Sri Hari is blessed to have made numerous journeys to India and sat in the presence of great yoga masters.

He began teaching in 2004 and has both a 200-hour and 500-hour certification. With a focus on harmony between mind, body and spirit, his classes offer students an inspired understanding of yoga practice through a variety of techniques and styles in any given class. Sri Hari’s carefully planned classes lead students of all levels on a personal, and often playful, journey to a place of newfound awareness of energy and opening throughout the body.

To further study the role of yoga in helping the individual reach their optimum level of health and wellness, Sri Hari enrolled in the Yoga Therapy program at Loyola Marymount University in Los Angeles. Due to his former training and practice in Shiatsu Amma (a Japanese mode of finger pressure akin to acupuncture) and seasoned yoga practice he was admitted into the third year of their 4-year program.

Sri Hari shares inspirational music, dynamic stories from Hindu culture, anecdotes, and other texts, to foster clear understanding. He frequent reminders his students to smile, laugh and find the "Rasa" (Sanskrit: Lit. "juice" or "essence") in their practice. “Yoga practice is transformative, what we learn in practice becomes part of our lives. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish, if you are willing to feel sensation, face challenge, live in the moment and breath life into everything you do.” Sri Hari is co-founder and co-director of Yoga Upstairs in Agoura Hill, California. He also established Yoga Out Doors Activities (YODA) where he leads yoga classes on the beach and full moon yoga in Malibu, CA.

Certificates
500 hour – The Vedantic Center 2005
200 hour – Yogaworks 2008
Yoga Warriors – PTSD and the Mind Body Connection – 2012
LMU Yoga Therapy Rx-Level III Clinic – 2012

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Chandra Gero

Chandra Gero certified yoga instructor and RYT has been a devoted to practicing yoga for the past 35 years under the guidance of a most revered yoga master Baba Hari Dass. She teaches a blend of Hatha Yoga (physical form of yoga) that can be done by anyone at any level. She incorporates the use of props, to help you open and go deeper in your poses. She loves sequencing classes creatively stemming from her experience as a dancer and choreographer. Chandra loves teaching and it shows in her classes. She would love for you to take a class with her and walk away feeling relaxed, renewed and more flexible.

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Rebecca Lascoe

Rebecca Lascoe came to yoga in 1994 when a fitness instructor suggested that she learn how to breathe while exercising. She began her practice with an Iyengar yoga teacher and has been studying this style of yoga ever since.
Rebecca has been teaching since 2006. She received her 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Teacher Certification in December 2007 at Westlake Yoga Studio. She continued her studies with Iyengar Yoga teachers; Anna Delury, Intermediate Senior II, Linda Nishio, Intermediate Junior II and Kiha Lee, Intermediate Junior II. In September of 2013, Rebecca became a Certified Iyengar Yoga Teacher at the Introductory II Level. She continues to study with Linda and Kiha and attends workshops from various Iyengar yoga teachers.
Rebecca loves to learn and share her knowledge of yoga.

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Stephanie Doherty

Certified Hatha Yoga Instructor - Registered Yoga Alliance (RYA 500) Stephanie has studied, practice and taught yoga in Europe, India and her native United States. It is her life path, as she remains committed to her yoga practice, on and off the mat. Her gentle manner, lightheartedness and love of yoga shine through in her teaching. She creates a safe and loving environment where one can quiet the mind and deepen their practice of yoga.

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Kristie Covaleski

I fell in love with yoga after walking into my very first class more than fifteen years ago, and I have been practicing ever since. As a former dancer, I immediately appreciated the discipline and physicality of the yoga practice, linking graceful movement with body alignment. What I quickly came to realize was how much more yoga had to offer….the importance of the breath, the conscious mind, and opening the heart to something greater than myself. I am pleased to be a recent graduate of a 200-hour teacher training program and becoming a RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher through Yoga Alliance). I am grateful for the guidance of my mentors who inspire me to find my own voice as a teacher. I want to share the joy of yoga with others, so that they can gain inner strength, balance, and peace uniting their whole body, mind, and spirit…and eventually finding their inner bliss!

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Bita Peck

Why I teach: Author and spiritual master Amit Ray writes: "Yoga means addition - additon of energy, strength and beauty to body, mind and soul." It is this concept of addition that has driven my love for yoga and my want to spread it's message. Since I was so privileged to have the opportunity to find yoga and learn from the best, I feel compelled to uphold this individualized level of fostering, the key groundwork for the proper introduction of yoga to students and a strong foundation for students' self-development in the years to come. Yoga is a wonderful addition to one's life, and one that is embraced when shared properly. Thus, the driving factor of my teaching is sharing the gift of yoga for life, one person at a time.

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Noreen Stimac Powers

Noreen has been practicing yoga regularly for over 10 years. She completed her teaching training in 2009 and is registered at the 200 level with Yoga Alliance. Noreen has experienced the benefits that yoga has to offer and wants to share these with her students. She follows the classical style of yoga, which emphasizes proper alignment and precision. However, Noreen also believes that yoga should be fun, so while she draws from the teachings of classical yoga, she also brings her own energy and style to her practice. She truly believes that her students are her greatest teachers, and so she tailors each class to benefit those who attend.

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Renee Green

Renee always thought yoga would be fun and easy. During her first class she found it was NOT as easy as she imagined, but the true surprise was the sense of peace and joy that she
found. The more yoga classes she took, the more she discovered that yoga had the ability to meet all of her physical, mental, and spiritual needs.
As Renee’s connection with the origins of yoga became stronger, she found herself feeling increasingly passionate about sharing the benefits of yoga with others, that is when the ‘yoga bug’ took hold of her and she enrolled in the 200-hour yoga teacher certification at Stretch for Success in Thousand Oaks California under the guidance of Purusha Hickson.
Yoga is the relationship that is built between the body, the mind and the breath. Yoga is creating a space free from obstacles in your own body to live. Yoga is freedom and release. Renee finds joy in others finding this release so that they can comfortably and competently move their bodies through life.

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Patrice Jones

I am grateful to be a part of the Yoga upstairs Family. I look forward to connecting with you and being of service any way I can. Stop by the office or call me if you have any questions or just want to say hello. Patrice has been teaching for 20+ years. The journey started after realizing her family has a history of Heart Disease and High Blood pressure. Watching my mother go through 8 major surgeries motivated me to seek another alternative. I did not want to do medication so I chose yoga, meditation, diet and exercise. I was drawn to yoga because of the way I felt after a class. My body was so happy. I received my 200hr Hatha yoga certificate in 2015. I am learning and growing one class at a time.

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