MEET OUR YOGA INSTRUCTORS

CINDY MASTRY

Cindy Mastry was introduced to yoga by her Grandmother Ann Ree Colton in the 60’s, and began practicing at an early age, first with Lilias Folan on TV and with Vishnudevananda’s classic yoga text on her own. Cindy has a background in dance and also worked in the fitness industry on and off since the late seventies, always maintaining a home yoga practice. Today, focused only on Yoga, Cindy is the co-owner of the studio. She is a registered yoga teacher through Yoga Alliance (E-RYT) trained in classical Ashtanga Yoga at Mount Madonna Institute in California, home of the globally respected teacher and spiritual leader Baba Hari Dass who inspires “teach to learn”. Cindy has also studied with Kate Potter, Sharon Gannon and David Life, Larry Schultz, Gary Kraftsow, Jon Kest, Bryan Kest, and Tias Little. She is currently enrolled in Georg Feuerstein's 800 hour History and Philosophy of Yoga Teacher Training. Her style blends knowledge learned from all her teachers to encourage practicing the principles of yoga with self awareness and balance, without competitiveness in order to reach the underlying vibrational life force energy and true essence of yoga. Cindy is an instructor for the Exalted Warrior Foundation which is a yoga program designed for wounded warriors in military and veteran hospital facilities.

JEN LOWERY

Jen loves to teach a strong, sweaty, and spiritual yoga class while at the same time remembering not to take the whole thing too seriously! She believes that having fun on the mat is much more important that than the position of our fingertips and toes, and that we should use our yoga as a path to strengthen our joy, gratitude, and compassion above everything else.
She is so grateful to have had the opportunity to spend hundreds of hours practicing with and learning from some of the greatest teachers in the country. She completed a 200 hour training with master teacher, Jonny Kest, and continues to study with him regularly. She has also been greatly influenced by Rolf Gates, Bryan Kest, Steve Ross, Shiva Rea and her philosophy teacher, the late Georg Feuerstein.
For Jen, teaching yoga is a labor of love. The intent is always to serve, to give what was so freely given, to heal and to be healed.

MARISSA SEGUNDO

Marissa Segundo is a native of St. Louis, Missouri where she first fell in love with yoga more than 10 years ago. She has been fortunate to travel the world from Morocco to Holland and living in Spain and Mexico. Her travels have provided Marissa with the opportunity to experience diverse yoga styles and practices. She incorporates her yoga practice into every aspect of her life and daily mediation. Influenced by yogic philosophy and teachings she brings the yamas of harmlessness and compassion into the union of yoga.

DOUG HARWOOD

I've been doing yoga since 1998 and teaching yoga since 2008. I began my exploration of yoga like many people, at the gym. What began as another route to weight loss and fitness has become an ongoing journey to find greater peace and happiness.

Whenever I ask someone if they'd like to try yoga, they always, always say, "I'm not flexible enough." My response is always, "Neither am I." Yoga isn't a place for a specific type of person or someone who is already flexible or already at peace with themselves. It's a practice for every person no matter who they are or where they are in life. Yoga always has something to offer. It provides a refuge from the hectic pace of modern life, something you can carry with you no matter where you go. It is fundamentally healing to the body, mind, emotions, and spirit.

I am not a "yoga nazi." My classes are adapted to each student. It's not about getting the poses perfect. It's about feeling each pose in your own body. The only things to strive for are self-acceptance, gratitude, and self-love.

I have two 200-hour Yoga Alliance certifications, the first from Joyful Yoga in Bonita Springs, Florida, and the second from Yoga Etc. in St. Petersburg, Florida. I've taught gentle yoga, vinyasa flow, and yin yoga, and I practice an eclectic mix that changes daily. I am also a NSCA certified personal trainer.

JULIE HEPPE

Julie has been teaching a variety of yoga styles for many years. Her styles incorporate the teachings of Kriya, Kripalu, Anusara, Iyengar and many others. She has enjoyed the knowledge of many great teachers including GoswamiKriyananda from the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago where she is an ordained Swami (Yogic priest).

She is excited to bring these spiritual teachings into her classes. Julie's classes combine gentle and restoring movements with breath and meditation. Her classes can be adapted to any level of student on their journey of yoga! She is most passionate about bringing yoga off the mat and into our daily lives. You will find Julie love to keep learning and will bring many yogic teachings to her students in the class room, in one on one consultations and in workshops.

JENNY MILLER

Jenny believes that yoga is for everybody. Within all of us are great capacities for compassion, renewal, and healing, and deep reserves of energy, strength, and peace. Jenny loves to see these inchoate qualities begin to emerge and grow in her fellow yogis. She teaches power classes emphasizing self-awareness and focus, leaving you feeling strong, connected, and happy. She is RYT-200 Yoga Alliance-certified.

Shila Tirabassi

Shila Tirabassi received her BFA from The Juilliard School in NYC for modern dance. She later toured internationally for 12 years, primarily with the Stephen Petronio Company, where she also served as rehearsal director and taught master classes. As a compliment to her dancing, Shila discovered yoga and its many benefits. This led her to completing OM Yoga Center’s teacher training program, directed by Cyndi Lee, where she taught for 6 years and developed the core yoga program. She has also completed trainings in Pilates with Kelly Kane, functional anatomy with Irene Dowd, Restorative Yoga with Judith Lasater, Fitness Through Pregnancy with Debra Goodman and Thai Yoga massage with Jonas Westring. Shila integrates her various disciplines into a vinyasa style class, which focuses on alignment and breathing techniques designed to bring about a deeper awareness within the body.