Our goal is to spread the joy of yoga by guiding students to a greater self awareness, focus, and health. We do this with love, compassion and a sense of adventure!….
please click on instructor’s name to view bio
ANGELA MALI
I experienced my first yoga class in Sedona, Arizona five and a half years ago. My mother and I had traveled to Sedona in order to learn a holistic therapy, the Gerson Therapy, for healing cancer. We were there for two weeks, and I discovered a yoga studio right up the street from the lodge where we were staying. I would go in the evenings after I was finished helping my mom with her therapy. I absolutely loved my first yoga class and I was excited and eager to learn more! I had always wanted to try yoga, and prior to that time, I had been involved in dance. I had danced growing up, and then had owned and operated a dance studio business for 25 years. I taught children ages 3 through adult in ballet, tap, jazz, and tumbling. Yoga seemed to fit right in and feel very comfortable with my dance background.
When I returned from Sedona, I knew I wanted to find a yoga studio near my home in Orlando. I happened upon Guruv Yoga exactly five years ago. I began to fall in love with the practice, and loved how my mind and body felt during and after each class. I started practicing and attending yoga classes regularly at Guruv.
About seven months after finding Guruv Yoga, my mother transitioned, and I found myself in heavy grieving. To this date, it has been the most difficult year of my life. Even now, I’m not sure how I got through it, but indeed it was yoga and my yoga mat that i turned to in order to process the grief and heavy emotions. The yoga studio and yoga family gave me a safe place to be, to practice, and to work through what I was feeling. I am forever grateful and believe that yoga was my saving grace.
It was just two years ago that I made the decision to relinquish my dance studio business after 25 years. I made the permanent move from St. Louis to sunny Florida. I was definitely in limbo at that time and trying to figure out exactly what my next chapter would be. I loved my new freedom, but I also missed teaching. Last November, 2018, I learned that Tymi Howard would be offering a 30 day 200 hour intensive yoga teacher training right here in Orlando at Guruv. The timing was perfect, so I decided to do it! It was an amazing experience of learning, training, and personal development.
After the training, I began teaching a few classes at Guruv. Until then, I really had no idea how much I had been missing teaching! I love being on my yoga mat, and guding others in a flowing yoga practice. i truly beiieve that yoga is my ‘full body prayer.” I often go to another meditative place when I’m practicing yoga. i love sharing a safe place with others and hope that they, too, may find peace and healing, as I did (and still do) while on their yoga mats. I am grateful to Guruv Yoga for this opportunity and I look forward to practicing with you soon.
LIZZIE FREDRICK
Lizzie found herself at home the first day she stepped onto her mat at Guruv Yoga in 2014. She was a dancer looking to maintain her strength and flexibility, but she discovered that yoga offered her so much more.ANNETTE O'CONNELL
Annette O’Connell holds a 220 hr RYT certification in Hatha, Vinyasa and Yin Yoga from Guruv Yoga Studio and a 220 hr certification in KRI Kundalini Yoga. She began her yoga journey in 2013 as she searched for a natural way to rehabilitate a broken ankle. Now, fully recovered she continues on the path of the yogini. She maintains a daily personal yoga practice integrating breath, asana, meditation, and sound into a seamless spiritual journey that is carried off the yoga mat and throughout her life.
“I have great balance and strength, but that is not yoga. Yoga goes beyond that. Yoga is how I connect with my true self, how my heart opens, how I experience the interconnection of all things. This connection, this opening is the experience I want for my students.”
Annette’s educational background includes a Bachelor’s degree in History and a Master’s degree in Clinical Counseling. She currently teaches middle school Civics and Social Studies for Orange County Public Schools.
Annette raised two sons, which was an honor and an adventure. Her nurturing spirit is reflected in her close relationships to her family, her choice of professions, and a daily yogic practice.
LARA LARBERG
Lara accidentally stepped into a yoga class in 2009. She had been following the packs of YMCA skinny girls into cardio classes thinking, “to look like them, you have to work OUT like them!” After following herds of spandex around the Y, she ended up in a class filled with all shapes, ages, and sizes. Yoga was so different than the other classes… same quality work-out, more breathing, more stretching, and even a nap at the end! Headache gone. Shoulder tension gone. Work-related stress GONE. With an instant desire to learn more, Lara found her guru in Lake Mary with Tymi Howard and the staff of Guruv Yoga. Since then, Lara has been a toe-dip yogi: Taking one step farther in her yogic path little by little after testing the waters for many years. First developing a physical practice, reading more, learning more, adopting ahimsa eating habits; and – cherry on top of it all – learning to love meditation and pranayama as a daily routine. Gone is the need to look skinny. Gone is the desire to be or teach like anyone else – Lara embraces the transformative power of setting an intention at the top of the practice and using the flow to recognize and release from the inside out. Come with an open mind and a playful heart as Lara teaches Happy Hour yoga Friday evenings at 6pm in Dr. Phillips at Guruv Yoga. Lara balances her time as an RYT 200 Yoga Teacher and a project manager for Universal Creative in Orlando, Florida.
MANA HEISTAND
My name is Mana, which according to Hawaiian culture a person with mana is spiritually powerful, influential and courageous, yet humble. I’d like to hope I am living my name.I am new to Guruv Yoga and am excited to be part of this beautiful community.
As a former dancer, I have found yoga an authentic way to connect to my body, mind and spirit. Through yoga practice, I have learned to become more aware, to listen intuitively, and intentionally breathe. Yoga is a gift I desire to share with others.
As the gifted teacher at Windy Ridge School, I currently teach mindfulness through a Young Yogi Program. I believe empowering young minds to discover themselves from the inside out, to focus and concentrate, helps bring a sense of awareness our world needs today. I hope the rewards are limitless.
GREG JAREMA
Greg Jarema is a brand new transplant to the Orlando area from NYC. Greg brings his passion for connection, humor, storytelling, music, spirituality, and community into all of his classes. With a career background in theater and dance, you can tell in a second that Greg knows how to liven up a room. He earned his BFA in Drama from the Tisch School of the Arts at NYU, is a proud member of the Actor’s Equity Association, and has spent the past three years as a performer and dance captain aboard Disney Cruise Line.
As an RYT-200 through Earth Yoga NYC, Greg specializes in classes from beginner slow-flow to advanced power vinyasa. Classes are accompanied by his strong physical adjustments, dance-inspired movements, and a killer soundtrack. His students have come from all corners of the world including Thailand, India, Hungary, South Africa, Indonesia, the United States, and more. Beginning in October 2016, Greg is taking the 7-month journey to become a KRI Certified Instructor of Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan®.
Greg is also a certified Group Fitness Instructor with the American Council on Exercise. His specialty is BollyX, a Bollywood-inspired dance-fitness program that combines dynamic choreography with the hottest music from around the world. It is a high-intensity interval training program (HIIT) guaranteed to make you sweat and feel like a rock-star!
Come take Greg’s classes and experience what all of the excitement is about!
DALE TURNER
I started my yoga practice in 2007 after I gave up smoking and deciding to pursue a healthier lifestyle. What I found was so much more than that. My yoga practice not only helps me physically but it also relaxes me and helps me be a more patient kinder person both on and off my yoga mat.Guruv Yoga Studio and all of the people associated with it have truly become an integral part of my life. I feel truly blessed to be a part of such a wonderful community.
CHRISSY INFINGER
Chrissy likes to say that yoga “found her” a few years ago after experiencing extreme burnout from life, coupled with a lifelong struggle with body image. Through yoga, she was able to connect with her body in a way that she never had experienced before and bring a sense of balance into her hectic life. Yoga was the pause button she so desperately needed – learning to let go and just be… be present, be who you are with no expectations or judgements.
As a recent graduate of Guruv Yoga’s Teacher Training Program, Chrissy brings an energetic and dynamic teaching style that challenges the student to really listen to their bodies. In her classes, she emphasizes that each day our body is different and needs different things – it’s a continuous practice to learn to listen to the wisdom that the body is telling us.
Her goal is to share yoga with others so that they too can experience more balance, self compassion, health and happiness!
MELISSA ROSARIO
I have experienced Yoga to be a pathway to Freedom and Unity. It has also served as an opportunity to learn many lessons in my life.
I started practicing yoga solely for the emotional benefits as a way to bring balance and spirituality that was sincerely lacking.
Little did I know this was only the beginning of a blossoming holistic mind, body experience.
My background consists of 13 years in the dance aerobics arena. I was also a marathon runner. My body needed respite and relief from aching joints. The practice of yoga has opened and healed my body in ways I never would have imagined. It has set my body free and led me to the most incredible journey of self awareness.
I decided to embark in a teacher training and in August 2011 I graduated with my 200 RYT from Guruv Yoga, Lake Mary. Since then, I have been teaching and sharing and learning the precious gift that yoga has to give.
I look forward to continuing to serve the community with an open heart and a spirit free….
Namaste and much love!
CAYLIN O'DONNELL
Introduced to yoga while living in Switzerland as a professional ballerina, Cailyn found yoga a great way to stay in shape while dancing. Eventually deciding to return home, she reconnected with yoga on more of a permanent basis finding unlimited benefits other than the physical side of it. Cailyn always knew she wanted to further her knowledge of yoga and decided to complete her teacher training at Guruv Yoga with Tymi Howard. She is a registered yoga teacher with Yoga Alliance (RYT-200). Additionally, Cailyn maintains national ballet teaching certification from the American Ballet Theatre of New York. This combination provides Cailyn with a unique perspective of both arts. Cailyn is beyond grateful to share her love of yoga, movement, playfulness as forms of expression with the Guruv family!KAREN BURRIS
Karen’s love for exercise began at an early age as an accomplished ballerina. Additionally, outdoor activities such as water skiing, mountain biking, running, hiking and swimming have been a passion throughout her life including marathons and triathlons. Karen has been teaching and training since 2004 after earning certifications in Personal Training, Pilates I, Group Fitness, and Spinning. Karen likes taking fitness to the extreme, specializing in boot camp and kickboxing style classes. She has also been involved in Teen and senior fitness programs. Karen’s love for fun and teaching is evident in her classes and training.DEANA ELWELL
Deana is a dedicated Yoga Instructor that will challenge the experienced Yogi while breaking down the basic asana to beginners or intermediate students. Deana was first brought to yoga in 2006 while training for a marathon and received her certification from The Yoga Education Institute in 2012. “Yoga is an important part of my life, it has helped me grow stronger, more flexible and fearless both on and off the mat. Yoga inspires me to live each moment more mindfully; however I will always be a student of the practice. In my classes I love to combine creative sequencing, a spirit of playfulness and a dose of inspiration to help deepen your practice. I seek to help others nurture their body, mind and soul with yoga so they step off their mat feeling refreshed, nourished and balanced”.
ALYSSA KAPLAN
Alyssa has been practicing and studying yoga since she was 15 years old under Tymi Howard. She began sharing and teaching in the fall of 2006. Since then, Alyssa has instructed everything from Hatha to Vinyasa Flow, kids yoga up to seniors, and now her newly inspired passion since her newest chapter in life, Prenatal/Postnatal yoga. She believes that the power of the practice can help assist and bring balance into any phase of one’s life. She also believes you are never too old and never too young to begin the practice of yoga. Since she has given birth to her son, Jaden has been practicing yoga next to her. In fact, he is almost always the teacher/leader.
Throughout her years of teaching and studying, she has developed her own yogic practice which spends more time focused on connecting with the pranayama and slowly integrating the asana practice inspired by Hatha, Anusara, Ashtanga, and Vinyasa Flow. Alyssa incorporates the spiritual lessons of the yamas and niyamas and also adds her personal experiences to the mix. She encourages her students to have fun, to have faith, and to take every opportunity to find love and joy in their practice, on the mat and off the mat. Yoga has shown her how to open up to the divine light within. In these chaotic times, the world needs this light. The world needs us to shine, to burn brightly, to raise the vibrations upon the earth. No matter where Alyssa teaches, she will be grateful to ignite that light in other’s souls.
NICOLE ROSEMEYER
Nicole infuses her fun-loving curiosity for learning in her classes, workshops, and corporate wellness trainings. Her classes are thoughtfully crafted to create accessibility for all, and leave students feeling empowered to balance the demands of their daily life. What sets her classes apart? She is a teacher by vocation and avocation. Nicole graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. in English and a Masters in Education. Nicole began her professional life as a classroom teacher and after an award winning career in the classroom she decided to pursue a new path. A friend suggested she should check out Guruv Yoga in Lake Mary. After taking Tymi Howard’s Vinyasa Flow class, Nicole knew she had found her passion. She became a E-RYT 200, RYT 500 and has been fortunate to have been taught by the likes of Steve Ross, Mukti Buck, Desiree Rumbaugh, Ross Rayburn,Jason Crandell, Gary Kraftsgow, and of course her mentor Tymi Howard.SHANNON LOCKHART
Shannon Lockhart is a Mother, Folk Herbalist and light-worker. As a healer, her passion in life has become empowering others by helping them learn how to be responsible for their personal health and well-being. With such a busy life and being mindful of the fact the she is human and not immune to the external stressors in our world, Shannon decided to implement yoga into her daily routine. After all, the philosophy behind yoga fell in line with her holistic life path and mind set. After attending yoga regularly, she was pleased with how yoga helped her off the mat in every aspect of her life. Having been guided in her practice by Tymi Howard and feeling blessed to be a part of the beautifully spirited community of like-minded individuals she helped grow, She was in Love! Shannon soon decided she wanted to deepen her practice and began teacher training the following summer.
Shannon has been teaching yoga ever since and is truly humbled by the opportunity and experience. Allowing yoga to take a key role in her life has been essential as it has opened doors to new positive opportunities, new friends, and most importantly opened her heart! Shannon wants to share her passion and love for yoga with others, knowing it will have many positive affects in their lives as well.
KIM DOVE
Kim has completed a 200 hour comprehensive Ashtanga Vinyasa Teacher Training Program and is a 200 hour Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance. She has been into physical fitness her entire life and is an Aerobics and Fitness Association of America Certified Group Fitness Instructor. She was first introduced to flow yoga about 5 years ago at a local gym. Her interest, curiosity and practice grew from that point. “Yoga is my passion and has truly been transformational for me. By being a practitioner and student, I am able to live in the present more often ultimately taking my practice off the mat and hopefully being a kinder, gentler, more compassionate human being. Being a teacher and being able to share my love for this practice is a gift and an honor.”ISAAC SHATARK
When I was introduced to yoga, I felt as if a puzzle piece that I never could quite find was revealed through this ancient practice. Without even realizing it, I had been interested in uniting the breath, body, mind, and the spirit since my youth. Other forms of exercise, philosophy, and religion never truly united these four qualities leaving me with a thirst that I felt almost unquenchable. Most philosophies require only the mind to be strengthened, neglecting the body and spirit. Meanwhile, most forms of exercise only require the physical, and ignore the breath and non-material. Religion likewise tends to stay in the spirit and heart, leaving the mind and material unattended. However, the path of yoga has been the path I felt I should have been on all along. I have been deeply inspired by my many teachers to further share the beauty and practice of all the aspects of Yoga. A 200 hour yoga teacher from Tymi Howard’s Guruv Yoga certification program, I am blessed to join this family and serve the community with the fruits of Yoga.Namaste
BELINDA LOWRY
When the student is ready, the teacher will appear. I am so grateful and blessed to have had incredible teachers appear in my path when I was ready to receive them. Having been involved in a lifetime of fitness, beginning with ballet and gymnastics moving on to aerobics and weight training, I was reluctantly pushed in to an Ashtanga yoga class. My preconceptions of yawning and soft stretches were immediately put to rest. I was hooked on the physical aspect of yoga. It wasn’t until years later due to life happening… and a shoulder injury that I began looking deeper into the mind body connection. Finally deciding to simplify my life and pursue my passion I immersed myself in my training. Finding peace, joy and bliss in my practice on and off the mat. It is one of my greatest pleasures sharing the gift of yoga and what I learn in the process is priceless.
Peace and Love, Belinda
Faith means living with uncertainty – feeling your way through life, letting your heart guide you like a lantern in the dark. Dan Millman
Belinda Lowry completed the 200hr RYT Yoga Teacher Training at Guruv Yoga
MELISSA SETSMA
Authenticity and enthusiasm is what Melisa has to bring to her classes. Her passion to connect with people and her love for others is why she teaches yoga. She loves connecting breath with movement and this thought of yoga invites everyone to a yoga mat! After teaching Hatha 1, she is passionate about yoga for ALL! Her energetic love for life and God draws others to herself and the yoga mat. She encourages her students to love the present moment and take every opportunity to see life as a gift. A wife and a mother of 3 boys, she keeps herself super busy. But being grounded in her faith and love for God and taking time, daily, onto her mat, she is full of peace, light and joy. And this is her offering to her classes…love, light, peace and joy! NamasteIGOR MORAN
The practice of yoga came to my life without me even noticing it, as a professional former athlete I went through many injuries during that period of my life, unaware of the damage I was doing to my body.
Falling in love with the teachings of Yoga, being amazed everyday by my teachers and our beautiful community at Guruv Yoga, keeping my practice constant and exploring my body though the asanas and meditation, always wanting to learn more from my teachers and students I joined the 200 HOUR RYT Guruv Yoga Teacher Training Program in the Summer of 2015. Hugging every word of wisdom and practicing my asanas with so much love and open heart, I graduated as a Yoga Teacher from Tymi Howard and Steve Ross.
Very thankful and with much gratitude I was given the opportunity to teach at the Guruv Yoga Studios and share the love and practice of Yoga with so many inspiring students in our three peaceful and beautiful studios in Central Florida.
Yoga and meditation has softened me, helping me to bring awareness and consciousness to my mind and body, while making a transformation to overcome to my fears and limitations. Bringing focus and enlightenment to my life.
Yoga and meditation offered me a clear understanding of life and its purpose to my life and to people around me.
Sharing the Yoga teachings and bring wellness to others is part of my journey.
The journey of a Yogi.
TOM LAKE
Currently on teaching staff for Florida School of the Arts, The Osceola County School for the Arts, Dr. Phillips High School, the School of Dance Arts, Access Broadway, Dance Masters of America and Dance Educators of America.Taught for Cedar Lakes Dance ensemble NYC, Studio Harmonique in Paris and at the Conservatory in the Czech Republic.Began his training at Virginia Intermont College, and graduated from the University of the North Carolina School of the Arts. Attended the Joffrey School of Dance, David Howard and Harkness Ballet schools in New York City, and at The Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival In Becket Massachusetts. Danced with ballet companies in the United States, Mexico, Puerto Rico, Taiwan and Canada. Choreographed, Co-choreographed and performed in Feature Film, Network Television, and TV Commercials. Most recently finished filming for the upcoming movie “The Smurfs” to be released in the summer of 2011.Worked for over 35 years in Las Vegas, New York, Los Angeles, Reno and Lake Tahoe teaching, performing “adagio” work, stunts, dancing, singing and acting.With over 10,000 live performances, Thom Lake is considered (by himself!) as one of the most versatile purveyors for the arts.MONICA SACARRAS
Starting her yoga journey in 2011, Monica completed her 200-hour Teacher Training with Tymi Howard at Guruv Yoga Studios in 2013. An enthusiastic student and teacher, she strives to bring creativity, lightness, and balance to her classes. Through yoga, she found her passion for health and nurturing the body. She has decided to pursue this at UCF, where she studies Health Science.
Monica firmly believes that yoga will change your life if you let it. Understanding that the body often mirrors emotional blockages that we may have, Monica knows yoga to be the ultimate therapy. Having experienced the transformative nature of the practice, it is her joy to be a small part of that process for others as well.
Being a part of the Guruv family has been one of the biggest blessings in her life. She is honored and deeply thankful for the opportunity to share the practice!
She looks forward to connecting with all. Namaste.
JOSE RIVERA
Jose “Yoga Fool” is a graduate of Tymi Howard’s 200hr YTT and works for Tymi at Guruv Yoga in Orlando Florida and is currently enrolled in Tymi’s 300hr program with an emphasis on Thai Yoga. Jose has a background in instruction via the Air Force and is constantly reading books and seeking to grow, and share. Jose’s teaching style is from the heart and his practice is one of deep gratitude. Jose wouldn’t describe himself as a teacher but more as a professional student with a knack for sharing things effectively. He currently studies, teaches and practices Yoga, Budokon, SUP Yoga, Kirtan, AcroYoga and Thai bodywork.HEIDI ANN SANTIAGO
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Heidi was always attracted to the mysticism and beauty of yoga. But it was not until she moved to Orlando, FL that she finally discovered the eightfold path and decided to walk it. “Yoga is a never ending journey – which allows us to supersede the limitations of our bodies and to connect with our higher selves and with the higher power, bringing us an exceptional awareness which naturally produces love and surrendering of the ego; stripping off the unwanted human afflictions such as hate, anger, jealousy, fear and pride; yoga takes us to places both physically and spiritually that we never dreamed of”. Like the Bhagavad Gita teaches – “Yoga is the journey of the self through the self to the self”A former Human Resources Professional.
Heidi is a Professional Photographer and Certified 200 Hours Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Instructor through Tymi Howard’s teacher training at Guruv Yoga. When not teaching yoga, Heidi enjoys seeing the world through the lens of her camera, capturing the beauty of all there is.
MELISSA SORICELLI
Melissa’s passion for physical fitness began from the realization that a healthily lifestyle was the only true rehabilitation for her physical and emotional aliments. Being introduced to Yoga in 2005 as a way to stay active while pregnant with her second child; Melissa quickly fell in love with the unity of Mind, Body and Spirit. This was the missing link in all of her other physical practices. Melissa became a personal trainer in 2009 and has since been teaching Boot Camp, Yoga, Pilates and Vertical Fitness. Completing the 200hr RYT training program at Guruv Yoga has inspired her not only to share the gift of Yoga but also to share the light within her self to inspire others. Melissa is an upbeat, playful teacher who believes in the motto, “ If it is not fun, don’t do it.” “ If one person feels better when they walk out than when they walked in I am satisfied.” It’s all about sharing positive energy with people.
THOMAS ALLMAN
The practice of yoga means something different to almost everyone, but everyone who gets on their mat is looking for the same thing – a good experience. Thomas creates a fun and safe environment that allows his students to practice what their bodies and minds are truly ready for and encourages students to let go of the need to get any particular result and just be in the moment.
Thomas brings a genuine style of teaching that guides his classes with a blend of humor, authority and motivation that inspires his students to move beyond what they thought was capable for them physically or spiritually. He has an intuitive spirit that gives him deep insight into the nuances of the yoga practice but has a humble nature that makes him approachable to all people.
Thomas brings his lifetime passion of fitness training that includes weightlifting and running into the yoga classroom. He has been inspired by yoga teachers Jacob Blanchard and Belinda Lowry, but is primarily influenced in hot yoga by the teaching of Shelly Kwiatkouski from Hot House Yoga, Ormond Beach.
Come to class with an open mind and heart and be ready to flow and get your sweat on. Of course, there will be an arm balance or two; because they’re just fun to do! No worries, no expectations just you and your mat and time to give yourself what you need for just the here and now.
“I want to make sure during class that I can truly connect with my students because I am learning as much from them as they are from me”.
– Thomas Allman
JACOB BLANCHARD
Hi everybody. My name is Jake. I am an E-RYT200/ RYT500 yoga teacher from Ormond Beach, Florida. I teach a pragmatic, no BS flow. While the entire asana practice inspires and interests me, being on my hands or upside down lights me up the most. Expect inversions and arm balances in my classes. The flows I offer are vigorous, and well rounded. In the spirit of finding equilibrium, I strive to find a balance between work and play, strength and surrender by challenging students to work hard while aiming to keep the mood light and fun with good music, laughter and meaningful stories from life, literature and philosophy. My classes offer strong and disciplined flows backed by a voice of genuine care for students’ success. While the classes may be challenging, I strive to make them universally scalable so they are accessible to everybody. If you can’t do a full pose you are encouraged to modify, if something isn’t challenging you enough feel free to embellish. The class is what you need it to be for your body. For me, yoga is a way to sweat, breath and find a few moments of reprieve from the flow of daily life.
ASATTA JONES
Asatta Jones began teaching group fitness after a 3 year personal fitness journey resulting in 50lbs of weight loss. As an AFAA certified group fitness instructor, Asatta enjoys teaching multiple formats such as: Vinyasa Yoga, Yin Yoga, PiYo® LIVE!, circuit training, Aerial Yoga and Pole Dance fitness.
Coupling her fitness education with her background in the psychology industry, Asatta is a true believer in the mind-body connection and a big advocate for positive mental health. Asatta strives to safely challenge every participant in her classes to push past old boundaries and achieve new gains.
ASHLEY LIGUORI
My yoga journey began in 2001 when I stumbled across Steve Ross on Inhale. It dissolved everything I thought I knew about yoga and I was instantly hooked! I received my first 200 hour teacher training in 2003 and a second 200 hour in 2013 with my teacher and mentor Tymi Howard. I am a wife, a mother to Olivia, Michael, JohnLuca and my labrodoodle McLovin. When I’m not doing family, I can be found on my mat. I most enjoy teaching vinyasa flow, power yoga, arm balances and inversions.
My classes are designed to uplift the heart, build strength and cultivate a quiet that enables the practictioner to truly hear the heart. Yoga is my church. It’s the place that no matter what I’m holding on to, it always receives me with open arms and sends me on my way a better version of myself. It’s a place where I can always find God. My prayer as a teacher is that the students I’m Blessed to work with leave feeling strong, empowered and loved.
CAREY MURPHY
My yoga journey began in 2001 when I stumbled across Steve Ross on Inhale. It dissolved everything I thought I knew about yoga and I was instantly hooked! I received my first 200 hour teacher training in 2003 and a second 200 hour in 2013 with my teacher and mentor Tymi Howard. I am a wife, a mother to Olivia, Michael, JohnLuca and my labrodoodle McLovin. When I’m not doing faCarey’s journey to yoga started as a pursuit of physical relief, to offer respite to tired muscles after years of high impact activities, what she found was so much more. The practice of yoga, with its focus on the unity of mind, body, and spirit, offered not only a physical balance, but also an emotional awakening and inner peace.
Carey’s passion as a teacher is to make yoga accessible to everyone. No matter what brings someone to the mat, Carey’s goal is that each yogi walks out of practice feeling fulfilled. Carey’s fun and energetic style of teaching is aimed to both inspire and challenge anyone she is blessed enough to practice with.
In January 2018, Carey trained with Tymi Howard at Guruv Yoga in Lake Mary and completed the 200-hour teacher training for the Yoga Alliance. Carey continues to deepen her education with daily reading, studying and practicing, always looking for more to share with others on their yoga journeymily, I can be found on my mat. I most enjoy teaching vinyasa flow, power yoga, arm balances and inversions.
My classes are designed to uplift the heart, build strength and cultivate a quiet that enables the practictioner to truly hear the heart. Yoga is my church. It’s the place that no matter what I’m holding on to, it always receives me with open arms and sends me on my way a better version of myself. It’s a place where I can always find God. My prayer as a teacher is that the students I’m Blessed to work with leave feeling strong, empowered and loved.
MICHELE HANN
MICHELE HANN 200 RYT is an internationally certified Yoga teacher, with a focus on holistic theme weaving and intentional living. Her vision is to offer a sacred space for yoga, creating congruence throughout the body, mind and spirit. As a seeker of extraordinary living, she is dedicated to integrating timeless world philosophies, pranayama, asana, mantra, ceremony, sound and silence into her practice, both on and off the mat. Having been raised by a Buddhist and trained as a classical ballet dancer, she is passionate about sharing the joys and health benefits of conscious-based movement.
Drawing inspiration from her teachers, she’s moved by the Hopi saying “We are the ones that we’ve been waiting for.”
GEETA BATRA
Born and brought up in India, Geeta came to the U.S in 2005 for a more rewarding career in the information technology sector. After becoming a mom, she decided to take a hiatus to be with her son.
Yoga found her in 2014. She became completely devoted to a daily practice of yoga asana and meditation; which would not have been possible without the inspiration and guidance of her teachers. In February, 2016, she decided to sign up for 200 hour teacher training at her home studio Guruv Yoga with Tymi Howard and Steve Ross.
Yoga continues to teach her to just be with life and finding peace as it happens. She is thankful beyond words, she cannot pay back to all who have inspired her but would like pay it forward by sharing conscious breath and movement through this beautiful science of Yoga.
Namaste
ANN HALL
Ann first discovered yoga recovering from an injury. After healing, she continued her practice. She fell in love with yoga during a crystal bowl meditation lead by one of her most inspiring teachers. The passion that spread from teacher to student was undeniable. From then on, she has aimed to share her love of yoga by inspiring and uplifting students just as she was. She completed her teacher training at Guruv Yoga and immediately began instructing. She is a 200 hour trained teacher. Her training focused on Hatha Yoga and Vinyasa Flow. She also competed a 65 hour aerial yoga training. Not a day goes by where she doesn’t share her practice with the world both on and off the mat.
SHELLY KWIATOUSKI
Eureka, you’ve found her! California native, Shelly Kwiatkouski is a kinetic jewel. She is full of dimension, color, energy, wisdom, humor and sparkle. Shelly teaches yoga classes that embody what it means to be deeply present, creatively challenged, and playfully amused. She has dedicated her life to serve, assist, and guide others to flourish in their own power, passion, and purpose. Thru avid study, faith, practice and integration, Shelly has crafted a one of kind unique teaching style.
Her style has been described as intensely passionate, purposeful, and intended to spark growth and change lives. Her classes are written by her soul and enacted thru her heart. Students have been known to effortlessly loose themselves in their practice, finding what it means to be alive, in the presence of Shelly’s calm and connected energy. What Shelly has to offer the world and every yoga community cannot be duplicated nor imitated.
Expect Shelly to keep it real. She is a deep ocean, overflowing with currents of experience, knowledge, true love, unguarded emotions, and pure liberation. Not only is Shelly an expert in asana (vinyasa, yin and core), pranayama, meditation, symbolism, story telling and the yoga sutras, she has been gifted with the ability to intertwine all things together in a simplistic all encompassing fashion that aligns students to their own interpretation of yoga. Her classes are designed to transform yogis spiritually, emotionally, physically and energetically.
KEVIN MURPHY
Kevin has been practicing meditation since the 1980s and yoga asana practice since the 2000. “Yoga has changed my life. The integration of the mind, body and spirit through the practice of mediation, asana and pranayama on daily basis is what yoga means to me”. He is 200+ RYT Yoga Alliance certified and he has studied mediation at the Buddhist University in Chiang Mai Thailand and at the Ananda Ashram in California. He has been teaching meditation, yin and Hatha since 2014.
First introduced to yoga asana practice after a crippling back injury and years of physical therapy he avoided surgery through the adoption of a yoga lifestyle. Kevin is a devoted and passionate practitioner of yoga hopes to give back to others what he had discovered through years of practice. Through his pursuit of yoga he has learned to be more accepting, loving and forgiving of others. His teachers and search for inner peace have introduced him to vegetarianism and a healthier lifestyle while reuniting him with spirituality, service and caring for others. To share the gift of yoga with others is his passion and to help others on their life journey. He is a former chef and is currently a Professor at the Rosen College of Hospitality Management.
ANGELINA JENNINGS
Hey there beautiful people! My name is Angelina but most people know me as Lina or YogiBear. I’m from Baltimore, MD and have been living in Florida for over 10 years! Yoga is my passion and I’m so thankful to learn and share as I grow. I’m a student, working on gaining a bachelors in Natural and Holistic health as well as furthering my education in the philosophies of Yoga. My goal is to guide you into a practice that you can apply ON and OFF your mat!
WENDY ROSS
Wendy came to yoga to help bring balance to her life and provide an offset to the long hrs and demands as a registered nurse. Through yoga she found peace of mind body and spirit and her goal is to share her passion of yoga with as many people as she can. Yoga inspires her to live each moment more mindfully and be more in the present moment.
JULIANA
Juliana discovered yoga in a small private setting in upstate New York while she was battling a serious health issue in 2012. She found the practice allowed her to be still in an upside-down world of medical treatments and confusing diagnoses. Her instructor taught out of his home in a beautiful room that overlooked a peaceful lake. Not soon after beginning classes with him she signed up for his teacher training program, knowing she wanted to be able to share the impact of the practice she felt with so many other people.
Since her certification in 2012 which focused on restorative and hatha styles of yoga, Juliana has focused on donation-based classes to raise money for a global yoga program in Africa. Recently, she went to Tulum, Mexico to study Level 1: Journey into Power with Baron Baptiste to prepare her for a trip to Africa in the coming year. Here she will train with the Y12SR program to utilize yoga as a tool to overcome addictions and trauma. She aspires to create a yoga community that will contribute to the betterment and overall health of whatever community she is serving.
SCOTT TEMPLES
After having been involved in a lifetime of fitness, playing competitive tennis up until college and competing in triathlons for 18 years, Scott began practicing yoga seeking more balance in his life both physically and energetically.
Soon after, he knew that he wanted share his strong passion and love for yoga with others and completed his 200 hr RYT Teacher Training in St. Petersburg, FL.
Scott teaches both Vinyasa Flow and Yin, ensuring that the student experience is fun and accessible ,regardless of age and fitness level.
As a dedicated practitioner and teacher, Scott is continually enhancing his skills. He is currently working on his 500 hr RYT under the guidance of his teacher, Tymi Howard.
Scott is grateful for the opportunity to share his love of yoga.
When not on his mat, Scott enjoys spending time outdoors paddling, boating, biking as well as traveling.
CINTHYA HERZOG
I have been with Guruv Studios ever since Tymi Howard opened her first studio. My personal practice on the mat and further teacher training with Tymi (and others) have transformed my body/mind in ways that other exercise and therapies have never done. I studied with Tymi Howard receiving my 200 RYT and 500 RYT (2016) certifications. In 2017 I became an Internationally Certified Yoga Therapist through IAYT (2017). The focus of my extended training was 120 hours of Yin, Yoga Nidra, Restorative Yoga and Yoga therapeutics. I am also a licensed psychotherapist in private practice and often combine Yoga and therapy in practice with my clients. My personal practice and that for my students includes breath practices, meditation and mindful movement to restore balance, build strength, resilience and flexibility in body, mind and spirit. My focus, to help each Yogi develop a confident and compassionate practice for the continual and ever changing self. Yoga Rocks!
CAITLIN WAMBOLT
Caitlin began practicing Vinyasa yoga 15 years ago while living in northwest Indiana. Her practice evolved tremendously when she moved to Chicago, IL and continues to grow today in Florida. She always found solace in athleticism, especially when paired with music. From dance to kickboxing and Taekwondo, if it promoted good health, Caitlin would try it. Initially, she was attracted to the physical benefits of yoga and how it complemented her active lifestyle. As time progressed, however, she discovered the deeper meanings of her practice and cherished the tranquility, clarity and freedom it brought to every aspect of her life.
In Chicago, Caitlin started a personalized yoga practice, where she catered to the individual needs of her students through a customized approach in both sequence and nutritional programming and offered such services in the comfort of students’ homes and offices. She gained a lot of experience teaching wellness workshops that included meditation and tai chi and continues to grow her practice to encompass multiple disciplines of practice, yoga philosophy and mythology. She loves learning new styles and formats of movement and believes changing up routine is the most fulfilling and effective way to grow, physically, mentally and emotionally.
Above all, Caitlin is passionate about sharing yoga and all its holistic benefits with the world. With each class she teaches, Caitlin invites students to open up to the possibilities, embrace the present moment and take the lessons that are learned on the mat with them into their everyday lives.
ERIN PEGAN
Erin is the mother of two busy toddlers, a dedicated wife, and a lifelong student of all the world has to offer! She is thrilled to be a part of the Guruv family and to be able to share her passion and enthusiasm of yoga to her students.
Through her life, Erin has always been interested in Yoga, but was intimidated to try it for several reasons like not being flexible enough, not knowing the names of the poses, not being able to keep up, etc. Luckily, Tymi Howard invited her to take one of her classes at Guruv. After the first class, Erin’s love for yoga began to blossom. She threw out all of her fears and expectations of yoga and decided that the only thing you need to practice yoga is a flexible mind! She took yoga classes whenever she could make it to the studio and practiced at home regularly. Erin even practiced through both of her pregnancies. She loves the way yoga makes her feel so calm and centered. She decided to take the teacher training course in 2018 and began teaching immediately in an effort to share to others what yoga has meant to her.
Her classes are geared toward strengthening the body, mind, and spirit. She creates all of her own sequences based on the class needs and wants. She hopes to cultivate love and joy in her students.
Erin holds an Associate of Science in Sports Medicine, Is a Licensed Practical Nurse, and is certified through the Yoga Alliance as a 200 hour RYT. She loves to teach Hatha, Vinyasa Flow, Yin, Prenatal, and Kids yoga.
MOLLY MASTRANGELO
Molly began taking yoga classes in New York City in 2010 as a way to find some stillness in a fast-paced city. After seeing the benefits of yoga in her daily life, she decided to get certified in 2011. She is certified in Vinyasa yoga under Cyndi Lee (Om Yoga Center) and pre-natal yoga under Bec Conant. Molly teaches with the student in mind. Classes are safe, alignment based, judgement free & will leave you with a better understanding of your own practice that you can take with you off the mat.
Molly believes that yoga is for everyone and looks forward to having you in class!
KAYLEEN McCALL
My journey with yoga feels like it is just beginning- even though this will be my tenth year practicing. My practice evolves with my life challenges and experience, and my classes are always fresh and evolving as well. I find joyful purpose in guiding my fellow yogis through flows with an emphasis on breath/movement coordination. Let us find the present moment together.
LISA STARR
Namaste.
My approach to yoga involves not only the physical poses and movements, but how we can take that which serves and supports us from the mat, into our life practice.
Yoga is made up of eight essential parts:
1. How we govern ourselves.
2. How we interact with others.
3. Physical movement.
4. Following the breath.
5. Going deeper within.
6. Focus and concentration.
7. Meditation and devotion.
8. Complete contentment.
Mindful movement to align both the body and the spirit.
I love to share the journey…of how this practice has changed my life in so many ways.
I feel honored to witness the transformation in others and to be able to be a part of this experience.
E-RYT200, RYT500, YACEP
HEIDI ANN SANTIAGO
Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Heidi was always attracted to the mysticism and beauty of yoga. But it was not until she moved to Orlando, FL that she finally discovered the eightfold path and decided to walk it. “Yoga is a never ending journey – which allows us to supersede the limitations of our bodies and to connect with our higher selves and with the higher power, bringing us an exceptional awareness which naturally produces love and surrendering of the ego; stripping off the unwanted human afflictions such as hate, anger, jealousy, fear and pride; yoga takes us to places both physically and spiritually that we never dreamed of”. Like the Bhagavad Gita teaches – “Yoga is the journey of the self through the self to the self”
Heidi lives in Orlando with her husband Gabriel, daughter Julie, two sons; Nathan and Jared and Min Pin, Dante Massimo.
Heidi is a Professional Photographer and Certified 200 Hours Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Instructor through Tymi Howard’s teacher training at Guruv Yoga. When not teaching yoga, Heidi enjoys seeing the world through the lens of her camera, capturing the beauty of all there is.he Universe speaks through me what the students need to hear and vibrates through me what they need to perceive.
I will forever be grateful for the amazing yoga teachers at Guruv, who continue to inspire me in my journey!
STACEY SCALETTA
Stacey took her first yoga class 7 years ago and knew immediately she had come home. After years of long distance running left her with ankle and knee injuries it was time to hang up her running shoes and roll out the yoga mat. What began as a form of exercise progressed into an absolute way of life. The physical practice brought much to her; but ultimately yoga helps her discover her inner peace, her stillness, her bliss, it also provides a space for her to discover and grow. Stacey received her 200 hour certification with Tymi Howard and Steve Ross in 2016.
She hopes through teaching to inspire others to positively shift their lives into a path of compassion, love, health, well being, and happiness.
TERI LARSON JONES
Like many people, a sports related injury brought Teri to yoga for the first time. In 2016, she sustained a severe lower back injury while training for the Barefoot Waterski World Championships. Teri managed to compete with the injury, and won the senior overall and tricks world titles, but when the adrenaline from her success faded away she knew she needed help.
Teri decided to try incorporating yoga into her treatment plan after she’d tried other non-surgical options. When she walked into Guruv Dr. Phillips for the first time in October 2016, she could hardly engage in normal daily activities and sleeping was impossible.
Yoga was incredibly challenging for Teri when she first came to Guruv. At that time, she was familiar with only a handful of poses, and the practice of yoga as a whole was so painful for her back that she used a pilates mat in class. However, it was Tymi’s knowledge, patience, and the loving community and atmosphere she cultivated in her studio that motivated Teri to keep coming back to class and push through the pain. In her heart, Teri knew she was exactly where she needed to be in order to heal without back surgery.
Fast forward to the end of 2018: Teri’s consistent practice with Tymi and her amazing instructors at Guruv Orlando paid off. Her back felt substantially better, and she’d even been able to return to competition; something she thought would never happen. Teri’s back improved so much expanded her yoga practice to address her previous shoulder injuries.
Because Teri viewed yoga as a life-enhancing gift, she wanted to share it with others. Therefore, she enrolled in Tymi’s one-month immersion yoga instructor course so she could make that happen. Teri is honored to teach in the very studio where her healing began, and aspires to create a welcoming environment for her yoga students that empowers them to tap into their physical, mental, and spiritual greatness.
Teri is a competitive barefoot water skier who has skied on four U.S. teams. She’s won world titles in addition to several U.S. national and regional titles. In 2012, Athleta selected her as a featured athlete for their website, which gave her the opportunity to inspire others through her blog about her experiences with shoulder surgeries as she prepared for the 2012 world championships.
MARIA ALLO
Maria has been practicing yoga consistently for the past 7 years, and most recently completed her 200 hour RYT with Tymi Howard. Her first experience with yoga was over 20 years ago, back in her hometown of Houston, TX. She was drawn to yoga because she understood it was much more than just practicing on a mat, but rather a medium in which she could connect to her own inner being with the ultimate goal of connecting to something or someone much greater than herself; a practice of going inward in order to achieve a level of stillness and peace through mind and body connection. As soon as Maria stepped foot inside the studio doors, it took only one whiff of burning incense and one glance at her fellow yogis in perfect harmony with the universe to know and deeply feel like she was HOME.
However, marriage, kids, fur babies, graduate school, relocations, and her passion for running ultimately shifted Maria’s focus and yoga was put on a hiatus. She has been an avid runner for more than 20 years, and while running brought Maria solace from day-to-day life, it also made her feel closer to God and nature. It was a spiritual experience every time she laced up her tennis shoes and hit the pavement. Logging more than 50 miles a week and putting her body through many grueling marathons and training; running was a way to make peace with her past, bring buried emotions to the surface, and to feel on the outside the way she felt on the inside. Unfortunately, years of running took a toll on her knees, and the outlet she once knew was no longer accessible.
Maria had been practicing yoga at her local gym, but was lucky enough to find Guruv right across the street. It took only one class with Tymi Howard for Maria to become hooked. Yoga quickly became her new modality in which to heal her body and mind. She aspired to one day not only teach yoga, but to also share her passion with others who perhaps have some mind/body healing to do as well.
LILI FERNANDEZ
“Life is one-constant-piece-of-practice, probably the longest yoga class you’ll ever take.”
Yoga, especially Ashtanga, has been Lili’s companion for the past 12+ years. While exploring different styles of Yoga in her hometown Vienna, Austria, her curiosity to understand the mind and learn how to quiet it down became so strong, that meditation, dharma talks, mindfulness practices and spiritual texts became part of her daily routine. Her heart resonates with buddhist philosophy, especially teachings of Thich Nhat Hanh. Lili’s Guru is Tiago, her two and a half year old son.
Beside “Om”, Lili is passionate about family, snowboarding, surfing, good music and collecting garbage at the beach.
KRISTIN URBAN
Kristin first began her yogic journey in 2008, as a freshman in college. Over her college years, she practiced occasionally, enjoying how yoga stretched and opened her up. It wasn’t until a couple of years afterwards, after practicing on her own, she started to long for something more spiritual. Falling in love with the Guruv community, she began to reconnect to herself, and the world, through yoga.
This is what she loves the most about yoga – it reveals how everything is interconnected, through love. Through sharing and teaching yoga, Kristin hopes to spread this message to everyone.
KRISTIN URBAN
Kristin first began her yogic journey in 2008, as a freshman in college. Over her college years, she practiced occasionally, enjoying how yoga stretched and opened her up. It wasn’t until a couple of years afterwards, after practicing on her own, she started to long for something more spiritual. Falling in love with the Guruv community, she began to reconnect to herself, and the world, through yoga.
This is what she loves the most about yoga – it reveals how everything is interconnected, through love. Through sharing and teaching yoga, Kristin hopes to spread this message to everyone.
STEPHANIE PETERSON
Stephanie brings a motivating positive energy and a sense of encouragement to her classes, empowering her students to find challenge, connection and joy on and off the yoga mat. As an avid runner, she initially turned to yoga as a compliment to her marathon training, but quickly realized the benefits of her yoga practice were more than just physical. Yoga helped her find a mind-body connection that brought a deep sense of happiness, calm and balance to her life. This passion inspired her to dive deeper into her yoga practice and obtain her 200hr RYT certification, specializing in Power Yoga. “Yoga provides me with the unique opportunity to do all the things I need: to move, to be still, to breathe. I approach my practice, and teaching, with a spirit of humor, good music and an open mind. My intention for each student is that they leave class feeling better than they did when they walked in.” Stephanie is currently pursuing her 500 hour RYT Yoga Alliance certification.
XIA LAN
Xia Lan has practiced yoga for 10 years. She got her first taste of yoga at a local YMCA after moving to Orlando in 2007, and began her regular practice at Guruv Yoga Orlando Studio in 2013. To deepen her knowledge of the yoga culture, Xia completed the 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training with Tymi in 2014. In 2016, she journeyed to India to participate in a two-week yoga retreat at Kaivalyadhama, learning breathing techniques under the guidance of Sri OP Tiwari ji. Since then, she has maintained a daily practice routine including asana, pranayama and meditation, and benefited immensely from this daily ritual.
By focusing on breathing and energy flow, alignment and flexibility are naturally achieved through conscious practice. The heightened awareness of the mind-body connection from physical movement on the mat helps bring a new perspective to life, together with peace of mind, clarity of thinking and improved physical health. Xia is eager to share her love of yoga with others and hopes more people will benefit from this ancient tradition.
KIAH KLINE
Do everything with a mind that has let go” -John Chan
I stepped into my first yoga class back in 2014, I was searching for peace of mind and a way to manage stress and anxiety. What I learned in that first class was how to let go. I was able to breath a little easier, tune out everthing that didn’t matter on the mat and dive into a world of just being present. From that first class I was hooked. I became intrigued by yoga and wanted to learn everything that I could about this ancient practice and deepen my personal practice. I found a 200hr YTT Yin and Vinyasa teacher training program at Guruv in 2019 and quickly knew this was the path I was supposed to take. While in the YTT training, I wanted to broaden my knowledge on other types of yoga and participated in a Prenatal Immersion Course at Guruv Yoga and learned just how incredible the human body can be. Over the years, I have discovered how much peace, joy, community, love and compassion there is in yoga and through the YTT program, I became eager to share this passion of yoga with others.
Thank you!
Kiah
Kiah has completed her 200hr RYT through Guruv Yoga.
CHELSEY VENNE
I found yoga in 2013 after various car accidents lead to herniations in my neck and low back. This, combined with the stress of corporate work, left me in pain. Yoga was the first thing that offered relief from the pain my body was constantly facing. Yoga taught me techniques to find strength and comfort through the pain. In January of 2019, I began my yoga teacher training journey with Guruv, finally had back surgery, and left corporate work. Throughout the year of YTT and recovery, I really learned the importance of listening to my body, taking rest, and rebuilding strength. Combining my passions for yoga and business my life has been transformed and I now dedicate my time to consulting health, wellness, and lifestyle businesses while sharing my yoga and rehabilitation practice.
My practice and classes focus on using your breath and listening to your body. I believe in an individualist practice in which each yogi does what their body needs in that moment. I enjoy focusing on alignment, injury prevention, and the use of props to support and strengthen our bodies and our practice.
Guruv Yoga has been a light in my life and I am proud and honored to share this practice with our yoga family. I am forever grateful to and inspired by the Guruv Yoga community and the teachers who serve this community.
“The difference between who you are and who you want to be is what you do.”
SAMANTHA O'DONNELL
Samantha was first introduced to yoga in 2010 while she was in college. Growing up around sports all her life and playing golf at the collegiate level, she fell in love with the contrast of the non-competitive and non-judgmental atmosphere of a yoga studio. Her first yoga class introduced her to the tools to listen to what her body and mind needed to be healthy.
Samantha completed her 300hr RYT certification at Warrior One Yoga in Orlando, FL in 2018. Throughout her years of practice, she’s discovered the healing capabilities of a mind body connection and the power of her breath. She’s realized the importance of mindfulness and connecting to the present moment to reduce anxiety and live with more clarity. Her classes provide an atmosphere of inclusivity, healing and strength to give you the tools to become the best version of yourself.
“To me, yoga is connection. I am committed to helping you form a greater connection with yourself so you can create greater connections with the world around you.”
TRACIE KI WINTERS
After living a very inactive existence, Tracie started running in 2005 and tried yoga to help stretch and build strength. She loved how yoga complemented running, as well as provided a mental escape from the daily grind; however, she still let a demanding career control her schedule so everything else came a distant second.
In 2009, Tracie participated in a 21-day yoga challenge during one of the busiest months of the year for her job. Somehow, she completed the challenge and realized she could and needed to make yoga a priority in her life. Since then, Tracie has enjoyed exploring and practicing different styles of yoga and their respective benefits, as well as being part of an amazing yoga community. For years, she wanted to take teacher training to gain a better and more complete understanding of yoga, as well as deepen her physical practice. When the stars aligned and Tracie completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance certification at Guruv, she was pleasantly surprised to learn she loved teaching yoga and did not want the journey to end.
Tracie is a long-distance runner and hiker who returns to her mat to recharge physically and mentally. She also attended a 10-day Vipassana Meditation course in Thailand. She looks forward to continuing and sharing her journey with you.
SARAH AYOUB
Yoga has been a part of my life since I was a kid as I sat and watched my mom teach. Initially drawn into it for the physical aspect, the meditative aspect is what kept me coming back to class. Once I started at UCF I took the initiative to practice almost daily. Yoga makes me feel strong, physically and mentally.
I loved the physical challenge and the high vibe of the group I was practicing with, I was hooked and wanted to teach. Beginning my teaching journey in 2016 at UCF, Yoga has never been the same. Earning my YTT-200hrs at Radiantly Alive in Bali and continuously seeking more knowledge about anatomy, spinal mobility, and intelligent sequencing.
My classes reflect my personal practice and I give my full heart into every one, with precise body and breath cues, my goal is to find a moving meditation and a sense of body awareness that drops us right into this present moment, taking all we learn on the mat into our daily lives.
JESSICA COYNE
Hi, my name is Jessica Coyne. I recently moved to Florida from Delaware with my husband, teenage daughter, 2 dogs, 2 cats And 2 cockatiels.
I have been practicing yoga since my early 20s because I thought it looked cool and I wanted to learn how to be flexible. Little did I know that it would change my life.
I took my first Yoga teacher training in 2012 And opened up the very first yoga studio, Higher Power Yoga and Fitness, in my City, Dover, Delaware, in December 2013, which I later gave away to the community in 2018 as I left to spend a year volunteering with the Humane Society in Ontario Canada.
I believe that teaching the fundamentals of yoga is crucial in any yoga practice. I also believe that one must learn and utilize the eight limbed path on and off the mat in order to fully get the benefits of yoga.
I strive to teach classes that are fun, engaging, lighthearted, educational and safe for all practitioners whether they are brand new or seasoned Yogis and Yoginis that have been practicing for years.
When I’m not on my mat you’ll find me fighting for the rights of animals, the earth and children.
My personal yoga practice is based on Ahimsa, The very first principle of yoga meaning Non Harming to all beings. I try to practice this in all that I do and try to teach others that no matter what they do, to do it with compassion and kindness.
I have been blessed to be able to lead a life of service to others and I encourage everyone to find their purpose and do what they were put in this world to do. I believe that each one of us has a specific reason for being here and my greatest joy is to see others living up to their potential. I hope to see you practicing yoga on AND off your mat.
AMY BRUCE
Amy discovered yoga in 2015 and completed her first certification in 2016. She is passionate about creating safe space for students. Her classroom is lighthearted, flooded with music, and a love for creating community.
Amy is always on the path of learning more about yoga and how to help people find healing — body, mind and spirit. She has completed several trauma trainings, touch trainings and Yin trainings and obtained her 500 hour Master Holy Yoga Certification in 2018. She is currently pursuing her 500 hour Yoga Alliance certification. Amy has a dancer background and loves teaching others to link movement with breath.
Amy’s vision for success is to help others find breath, balance, strength, and healing on their mats. Her greatest desire is that students learn tools on their yoga mat that transfer off the mat and into their daily lives. Amy is a mom of two, wife to an amazing man, Holy Yoga Ambassador, artist, and photographer.
Amy Bruce
RYT-200, C-MHYI 500
TONI SEARLES
“You cannot teach a man anything, you can only help him find it within himself.”
Galileo
Yoga found me when I was training for my first 1/2 Marathon. I was encouraged to give it a try for cross training and recovery. I was reluctant at first….found my self judging yoga, which is out of my character. I took my first class, which had close 50 people in the room. The teacher had an amazing gift and when she guided the class, her words and cueing hit home. I cried that day and left forever changed having made for the first time a mind body connection. Yoga is now home for me, it’s a time to intimately connect back to my true nature.
I completed my Yoga Alliance 200YTT with Tymi Howard at Guruv. Tymi was there when I needed a gentle push into the realm of possibility. I am forever grateful for her guidance. I completed a second 200 hour YTT with Holly Garrison at Firefly studio. Knowledge and growth as a teacher and practitioner are at the forefront of my being. I learned during this training that what ever shows up on the journey is the journey. Grateful for Holly’s gentle and loving approach.
Join me on the mat for a discovery based flow. Class will be guided with alignment based cueing and the linking of breath with movement. All levels welcomed and encouraged to Join as we carve out this time for personal and collective growth. Hope to see you soon.
Toni
KRISTIN MULLEN
I discovered hatha yoga back in the 1990s and began my practice with the yoga book Richard Hittleman’s Yoga 28 Day Exercise Plan. This book was originally published in 1969! I cannot remember what first attracted me to yoga, but intuitively I knew that yoga was the answer for me in so many ways. I was living in Athens, Georgia, USA at the time, and I don’t remember there being any type of yoga around at that time so I purchased the book and used this 28 Day Exercise Plan over and over again. I still own this book.
In 2003 while living in Phoenix, Arizona, my doctoral mentor turned me on to Kundalini yoga, where she and I took Kundalini classes from a biochemistry professor named Tushar Ray. Unfortunately, he has since passed on, but what a gift! We would often show up for the 5:30 am class with just a handful of other people. Dr. Ray would always remind us to smile while practicing because when we put a smile on our faces, our emotions truly do become more positive. If we smile for long enough, we WILL feel the emotion of happiness or joy. Try it sometime!
During my tenure as an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida, I learned that I had fibromyalgia (around 2007). I had been feeling the symptoms while I was in graduate school, but never knew what was wrong with me. Around 2008 I found Bikram hot yoga, and I attribute hot yoga to part of the reason that I am now virtually pain free.
I’ve been blessed with the experience of many types of yoga since then: hatha, kundalini, vinyasa, Bikram hot yoga, Iyengar yoga. And I love practicing them all, but when I decided that I wanted to be a yoga instructor, I knew Kundalini was the answer. When I made that decision around 2017, I did not know nearly as much about Kundalini as I probably should have. I knew how much Kundalini really helped me get out of my head and away from my ego-driven thinking, but I did not know that it was considered the superpower of all yoga, meaning it is the quickest way to balance the mind, body, and spirit.
I received my Kundalini yoga teacher training in 2018 at the Sat Nam Wellness Center in Casselberry, Florida with Jai Kartar. What an amazing group of people I met during this training! There is something very special about Kundalini yoga. I have a mind that races often and an ego from which I would love to detach. With the mantras, music, mudras, kriyas, and meditations, I am able to get out of my head and let go of the ego. Even if that only lasts for a brief moment, it is totally worth it to feel bliss and pure awareness. And the more I practice, the more often I feel that bliss and total awareness. Please join me for this unique and uplifting experience!
Kristin Mullen, PhD
TARA BRADLEY CONNELL
Tara fell in love with yoga while working in L.A. as an art apprentice. From there, she lived in Grand Cayman as a PADI Divemaster before making her way to sunny Florida as a travel editor. Today, the writer/illustrator is an RYT-200 yoga teacher who uses her dance and art background to incorporate grace, strength, and music into her classes.
With a teaching style that focuses on seamless transitions coupled with music, each class carries the student from centering and grounding to warming warriors, confidence-boosting balances, playful inversions, and stress-releasing floorwork. Her goal as a teacher is to turn every move into an honored moment of power and peace. And in the end, helping her students find their bliss.
Tara lives in a log cabin on a lake with her husband and two dogs. When she’s not on her mat, she’s working on her Reiki certification or her children’s book series on ocean conservation and wellness
KRISTEN WEBB
Kristen is an International Yoga Teacher from Jacksonville, Florida. She began teaching in 2016 when she decided to follow her passion into the health and wellness industry. She spent the last year and a half traveling Southeast Asia sharing her love and knowledge of yoga through classes, workshops and retreats in Cambodia, Bali and Thailand. She is 500+ hour YTT specializing in Vinyasa & Hatha flows, Yin yoga, Yoga Nidra, Yoga for Athletes, Balance and Inversions, Meditation and Pranayama. A devoted meditation practitioner, she loves to share her calming energy with others. Her classes are perfectly balanced: invigorating flows which help to strengthen and stretch the mind and body, allow you to reach a deep state of consciousness and ultimately to surrender completely. You also don’t want to miss her profoundly meditative yin classes. In addition to teaching yoga, she does Intuitive Healing Bodywork and Massage to help bring the mind and body back to a state of balance.
“Yoga is about clearing away whatever is in us that prevents us living in the most full and whole way. With yoga we become more aware of how and where we are restricted- in body, mind and heart- and how to gradually open and release these blockages. As these blockages are cleared, our energy is freed. We start to feel more harmonious, more at one with ourselves. Our lives begin to flow – or we begin to flow more into our lives.”
MELISSA ROSENBERG
“She believed she could, so she did”. This is one of Melissa’s favorite sayings. She ALWAYS believes anyone can do anything they set their mind too. Including yoga. Yoga is for everyone. When people come and practice with Melissa, she makes them feel comfortable with who they are, and comfortable in their bodies. She’s been practicing yoga for about 20 years. A daily yoga and stretching session became a must, especially after her mom passed in 2004. Some other exercises that she is passionate about are running, speed walking in nature and weight training. She also believes in her nightly prayers and meditation work. This helps to keep her grounded, and relieve the daily stress of work and being a single parent to her two boys, Riley and Conner.
Melissa completed her 200 hour yoga teacher certification with Tymi Howard, and is a registered teacher with the Yoga Alliance.
CRISTINA DZIALO
As a former cheerleader and dancer, Cristina naturally took to yoga over 10 years ago. It was easy falling in love with the flow, flexibility, balance, and strength building yoga brings. Along her health and fitness journey Cristina also found aerial acrobatics and fell in love with it too, becoming an instructor after just a few years of extensive practice. Aerial acrobatics helped Cristina rediscover the joy that comes with coaching and being part of a tribe, so she pursued obtaining her Yoga Teacher Training knowing how fulfilling it would surely prove to be.
Being a part of the Guruv tribe is very exciting for her!
ALEX PICA
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never Forget how you made them feel.”
– Maya Angelou
I believe that what makes each individual an individual, is their ‘story.’ Here is mine:
While receiving my Bachelor of Fine Arts in Musical Theatre from the University of Central Florida, I discovered Yoga, as it became invaluable in connecting my mind, body and spirit, on and off the screen/stage. I graduated college and received my first professional acting contract in Virginia, discovering the anxieties of living away from home, living on my own and experiencing all the “adult” stressors at once. It was then that I joined my first yoga studio. Diving in at 102 degrees I learned to let go of outside worries, connect to Mother Earth and turn inward. I then made my way to Atlanta, GA for a 9-month long apprenticeship with the Atlanta Shakespeare Company, moving to the center of the city to experience the “City Life,” where I craved more space for myself, physically and mentally. This lead me to pursue many other ‘passion paths.’ I trusted my instincts and let abundance flow into my life, gaining my 200hr Certification as a Yoga Instructor in March 2020. Adapting to an uneasy year I have learned to be a ‘flexible’ teacher, offering private lessons, instructing group classes and hosting charity donation classes online ever since.
I can be found working on creative projects, taking acting classes, traveling to National Parks, walking dogs, cooking Vegan meals for my friends and family, reading on the beach and hiking mountains. I am currently pursuing my Holistic Health Coach Certification with the Institute of Integrative Nutrition and will be fully certified in February 2021!
My friends and family describe me as having a “Dreamer AND a Doer,” mindset with my, “Head in the Clouds and Feet on the Ground.” I am ever learning, ever growing and ever integrating the breath with movement. I love to experiment with my flows, focusing on movement that feels good for you. We will ease our minds and stretch our lovely bodies with a little sweat and a lot of breath. With the sky above, earth below and peace within, the light in me sees the light in you. See you on your mat!
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CLICK FOR BIOABOUT THE
GURUV FAMILY
Leave your shoes, ego and worries at the door, and get into the GURUV…at Guruv Yoga in Lake Mary and Orlando Florida, you will find many styles and levels of yoga, along with a wonderfully diverse, warm and welcoming community of students and teachers.
Our goal is to spread the joy of yoga by guiding students to a greater self awareness, focus, and health. We do this with love, compassion and a sense of adventure!