---

 

Maria D’Costa-Millward

 

Maria’s greatest joy is to support her students as they journey “home”.  Maria has been exposed to the teachings and philosophies of Patanjali’s “Ashtanga Yog Sutras” for many years and for the past several years has been teaching Meditation and Self-Awareness courses in the community of Brockville.  She is currently teaching Hatha Yoga and incorporates the basic and fundamental principles of Kundalini and Ashtanga Yoga into her soothing but invigorating Yoga classes. 

 

Maria’s meditation classes are restful havens where deep inner soul searching takes place.  Each student is gently guided, at their own pace, towards Self-discovery and personal liberation.

 

Born of an East Indian background, Maria delicately and expertly blends the mystical traditions of her Eastern heritage with practical knowledge acquired from her Western experience.

 

Fully certified in the teachings of Yoga, Meditation and Patanjali, Maria is also a Registered Practical Nurse as well as an Early Childhood Educator.  These gifts humbly enable her to add a specialized dimension to all that she offers.

 

Kelsang Donsang

 

Kelsang Donsang is a Canadian Buddhist monk and the resident teacher at Kuluta Buddhist Centre in Kingston and Lamrim Buddhist Centre in Belleville.  He is a close disciple of Geshe Kelsang Gyatso, having received lineage blessings and oral transmissions directly from him.  Donsang's heartfelt and practical teachings are presented with warmth and humor, making them accessible to everyone.  He shows the joy of living a spiritual life and is an inspiring example of Buddhism in practice. Through his clear presentation, he is able to help students discover for themselves how to integrate these timeless teachings into our modern world, making everyday life joyful and meaningful. 

Donsang travels to Brockville Branch at the Healing Arts Centre weekly to offer meditation classes which are perfect for beginners and are also suitable for people with more experience. They introduce basic Buddhist meditation, psychology, and philosophy. Through practical advice, guided meditation, and discussion we develop the wisdom and confidence to solve our daily problems and increase our inner peace. Everyone is encouraged to test the teachings and see for themselves why Buddha said that happiness and suffering come from our mind and not from any external circumstances.

 

Peggy Gillies

 

Peggy has been practising yoga for 25 years and teaching yoga for 8 years. What initially began as a supplement to her fitness regime has evolved, now yoga is a part of her daily life that guides her in everything she does.

As a yoga teacher, she draws on her professional background in adult education, leadership and development training, social work and communication.

She believes in teaching from the heart so that classes are infused with passion, energy and joy.  Her yoga studies include: a 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training in India with Yogi Vishvketu; a 200 hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at Rama Lotus in Ottawa; a Yin Yoga Teacher Training with Mark Laham in Ottawa; a Pre-Natal Teacher Training with Esther Myers Studio from Toronto as well as numerous yoga workshops at Kripalu Centre for Yoga and Health in Massachusetts.

 

Sandy Grey

 

Sandy first studied YOGA with the Ghosh Yoga Institute, in 1981, where she enjoyed individualized classes and experienced the benefits of a daily yoga practice. Upon her return to Canada, she practiced Yoga intermittently, but eventually her interest led her to become a certified Still Point Yoga Instructor in 1999. She has also received training in Advance Yoga Teacher Training with Eric Schiffman, and has attended classes from a variety of disciplines, including Bikrum, Kripalu, and Iyengar.

 

Since 1973, she has been an active member of Springwater Centre for Meditative Inquiry and Retreats, and has volunteered at the Centre for extended periods of time as Retreat Manager, Housekeeping Coordinator or Kitchen Coordinator. 

 

From 2000 to 2004, Sandy taught yoga both in Brockville and in Kingston. She and her husband then moved overseas to work as volunteers with CUSO, taking this opportunity to travel the South Pacific and South East Asia. Amazingly, yoga was practiced wherever their travels took them – even in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea!

 

Sandy and her husband have now settled back into the 1000 Islands, and she continues to have a strong interest in both yoga and silent meditation practices.

 

Lurena Hay-Miller

 

Lurena is a Registered Doctor of Natural Medicine. She has been active in holistic healthcare and education for over 20 years. Lurena has studied and worked internationally in the fields of Specialized Kinesiology, Reiki 3, Polarity Therapy, Cranio-Sacral Therapy, Somatic Therapy, Reflexology, Oriental Medicine, Holistic Massage, Shamanic therapy, Nutrition, QEEG Neurofeedback, and more. 

 

Lurena offers individual Healing Work, by appointment in the following modalities:

 

Chakra & Meridian Balancing: Energetic balancing and integration of the chakra and meridian systems for health and well being;

 

Cranio-Sacral Therapy: a gentle method of detection and correction of negative stress on the central nervous system such as chronic pain, motor coordination, learning disabilities, fibromyalgia, and other health challenges;

 

Edu-K/Brain Gym: A series of specific Integrative movements for dyslexia, ADD/ADHD, and other learning disabilities, as well as enhancing personal performance in sports, work, and play;

 

Holistic Massage incorporates Swedish, Acu-Pressure, Craniosacrial, Polarity, & other energetic/massage techniques for whole body-mind integration;

 

Holographic Mind/Body Integrative Therapies: Detect, integrate and transform life issues gently with specialized kinesiology and various energy medicine techniques. Synchronize & balance multi-dimensionally;

 

Reiki: Gentle hands on energy technique that balances Body, Mind & Spirit with universal life energy. Advanced training;

 

Reflexology: 5000 year old therapy balances the body's systems by addressing corresponding reflexes in the feet.

 

Anne Harper

 

Anne has been active all her life with exercises such as dance, teaching aerobics for over 20 years and practicing tai chi.  She has taught several different groups of people; professionals, children, young adults as well as seniors.  Receiving her Aerobics instructor certification in the early 80’s Anne has taught in schools, churches and for many fitness organizations within the area. 

 

Anne’s introduction to Yoga began about 4 years ago, taking a class in Hatha Yoga at our local YMCA.  While driving through Kemptville one day, she came across the Bodhi Tree and stopped to take a look.  There she discovered they were offering a Yoga Teachers Training Course and it was then and there she knew her Yoga Journey was about to begin.

 

Anne’s studies of Hatha Yoga, pranayama, asanas and yoga philosophy have led her down the path to become a confident and compassionate Yogi.  During her Yoga Teacher Training she has discovered that many of her own values tie into the philosophy behind the study of yoga.

 

Anne will be teaching to create body wisdom and encourage everyone to honor themselves and listen to their inner guide.  During her classes she will guide the students with compassion and always offer modification to yoga postures.

 

Yoga has been life changing for Anne and she feels honored to share the practice of yoga to all.   With the beginning of a new chapter in her Journey, she continues to keep learning, living and loving Yoga.

 

Peggy Kizilirmakli   bio coming soon . . .

 

Mary-Beth Lynch

 

Mary-Beth has been studying yoga for the past eight years and received her Certification from Savanna Yoga Vedanta Centre in the Bahamas.

 

Kathy MacKinnon    bio coming soon . . .

 

Meena Parameswaran   bio coming soon . . .

 

Donna Wilson

 

Donna is the Founder and Director of the Healing Arts Centre. She has been practicing yoga for almost 20 years. She received her initial yoga certification with Lila, formerly known as the Yoga & Relaxation Centre in Kingston.  Donna has since completed a Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training program at the Kripalu Centre with Seane Corn www.seancorn.com.  Further studies include a Parent and Child Certification with Georgia Morissette of Ottawa, Ontario, a specialized Yoga Training Program for Babies & Toddlers. With an intense desire to learn more of the infinite holistic and therapeutic qualities of the ancient art of yoga, Donna participated in her third teacher training program in Brampton to acquire the Yoga Certification, Exploring Yoga Anatomy: The Joints, with the highly respected and internationally renowned yoga instructor, Paul Grilley www.paulgrilley.com

 

Participation in numerous workshops and seminars with international yoga instructors such as Dr. Rolf Sovik, Dr. Timothy McCall, Aadil Palkhivala, Rodney Yee, Baron Baptiste, Mark Whitwell, Christine Felstead, Ted Grand, Diane Bruni, Yogi Vishvketu (Vishva-ji) and Swami Nityamuktananda “Nitya”, has given Donna the opportunity to deepen her own practice as well as her teachings. 

 

Exploring the expressions of yoga while learning to make peace within one’s own body by integrating a physical yoga practice with inner body awareness is what Donna achieves to share with her students. Integrating the many teachings of this 5,000 year old practice and then modifying to the individual’s expression is a creative process for both the teacher and student. Bringing this sharing through, not only Donna’s experience, but the offerings of the many other teachers and students within our Centre allows our community an opportunity to deepen their knowledge and understanding of individually appropriate and safe practices during this life long journey.

 

Donna is available for private and therapeutic yoga consultations by appointment. Please call 613.345.7757 

 

---