Debra Leibovitch

Debra’s passion for yoga began in 1982 when she met her first teacher Mollie Lawson in Montreal. The styles of yoga that she first learned were Iyengar and Kripalu. Since then she has continued to explore different styles of yoga by doing teacher trainings and workshops with various well known yoga instructors. She has been teaching for 8 years and is Yoga Alliance certified.

Debra also teaches at the YMCA, GoodLife Fitness, and offers her services in the corporate world. Her goal of inspiring and helping people to improve their quality of life through yoga has been a very rewarding and enriching journey. A journey that she hopes to continue for a long time to come.

The word yoga means to unite or bring together. When we practice yoga we unite our mind and our body with our breath to create a state of mental and physical well being. The dynamic energy of the poses is balanced with the soft, gentle flow of the breath. This practice will help alleviate stress and quiet the mind so we can actually see, feel and think more clearly. By doing yoga on a regular basis you’ll tone your muscles, increase your flexibility and improve your posture. By doing yoga we work on ourselves from the inside out.

Classes:
Gentle Yoga (Monday 9:15 – 10:45)
Gentle Yoga (Wednesday 9:15 – 10:45)

Contact:
T: 514.626.7362
E: debra@westislandyoga.com

Dr Madan Bali

Dr. Madan Bali is the founder-director of "Yoga Bliss", a research and training center based in Montreal. He was born in Northern India where he developed an interest on the spiritual path from a young age. A long time yoga practitioner he immigrated to Canada in 1969 and began sharing his knowledge.

For the past 35 years Dr. Bali has successfully introduced Yoga in Montreal at several CEGEPS, school boards as part of the curriculum, hospitals, corporations and community centers. He has developed Yoga as an alternate form of therapy in treating psychosomatic disorders. His practical and extensive experiences of the therapeutic benefits of Yoga techniques today are particularly useful in a fast-paced stressful way of life.

Dr. Bali is an extraordinary example of a healthy lifestyle. At 81 he continues sharing the joy of yoga in his classes and workshops. He is a Vedanta scholar with a Doctorate in Complimentary Medicine and one of the best sources of wisdom and knowledge about yoga and its applications in everyday life.

Contact:
T: 514.932.7971
E: info@yogabliss.ca
W: www.yogabliss.ca

Gigi Cohen

Owner of Jessy Naturel, the wonderful health food store below Om West, Gigi is a dynamic, passionate and creative vegetarian chef, health consultant, meditation instructor and host of radio show Wellness Within on 940AM Saturday mornings.

Classes:
Meditation (Special workshops)
Vegetarian Cooking Courses (Call for reservations)

Contact:
T: 514.428.0286
F: 514.428.0287
E: jessynaturel@gmail.com
W: www.jessynaturel.com

Jamie Lee

Jamie is an artist and former triathlete from Branford, Ontario, has been working in the health industry for more than 15 years and currently teaches Ashtanga yoga in Montreal. He has lead retreats and training camps in various parts of the United States, Canada and in the Caribbean.

Jamie graduated from McMaster University with a Bachelor in Kinesiology and went onto coach Olympic distance triathlon, duathlon and Ironman. Forever seeking to enhance his training programs, Jamie began exploring yoga.

Overtime, the holistic benefits of a regular yoga practice became more important than athletic competition and outward performance. Particularly, the path of Ashtanga yoga became his own personal practice as a yogi and a teacher.

Classes: Ashtanga Yoga (Friday 18:00 – 20:00)

Contact:
T: 514.884.7275
E: mythirdeye@live.com
W: www.mythirdeye.info

Classes:
Hatha Yoga I (Tuesday 9:00 - 10:30)
Hatha Yoga II (Thursday 18:00 - 19:30)

Micheline Ralet

Micheline fully dedicates her time to providing guidance in slowing the mind, relaxing the body and clearing emotional blockages.  A certified Healing Energy Therapist in several modalities, she has much experience in observing the benefits in her clients when releasing blockages, whether they be physical, emotional or mental.  

Micheline has offered a Meditation class since 2006 which provides exercises in visualization, breathing, chanting and meditation.

She is also offering Workshops, topics include Introduction to Awakening, “the Power of Now” and Visualization, to provide exercises as well as background information and understanding.  Different types of exercises and techniques are offered to answer to people’s different ways of understanding and visualizing.

Having worked many years in stressful corporate management positions,  Micheline is well acquainted with the demands of today’s lifestyle and provides a practical program where students are encouraged to learn to do the exercises not only in the class setting but also in their own environment whenever needed. 

Classes:

Meditation (Saturday 16:00 - 17:00, bi-weekly)
Visualization (Saturday 14:00 - 15:30, bi-weekly on demand)
Relax Your Body, Relax Your Mind Workshop (available on demand)

Contact:
T: 514.996.9099
E: micheline@healingenergyoflight.com or micheline.montreal@hotmail.com

Penka Apostolov

Originally from Bulgaria, Penka is an enthusiastic yoga instructor and Om West’s resident shiatsu massage. (Her office is across from Studio 2). The focus of her yoga classes is on breathing techniques incorporated into gentle poses and on exercises that stimulate the meridians or energy lines in the body. As former professional chess player and international chess coach, Penka also specializes in teaching chess with yoga to kids as a way to help them improve concentration and mental focus.

Professional achievements

• Member of Canadian Women’s Olympic Chess Team 1994
• 2nd in the Canadian rank list for women (1994-1996)
• 1st in Quebec’s rank list for women (1995-1996)
• Woman FIDE master 1996, recognized by FIDE (Fédération Iternationale des Échecs)
• Champion for Quebec’s correspondent chess championship for men (1996-1998)

Classes:
Yoga & Meridian Exercises (Monday & Thursday 19:45 – 21:15)
Power Yoga I/II (Tuesday 9:30-11:00)
Kids Chess Lessons (Saturday 10:30 - 11:30 - Starts Jan.15, 6 classes)
Kids Yoga & Chess Camp:

Spring: March 2 - 6 2009, 13h - 16:30h
Summer: July 6 - 10 2009, 13h - 16:30h

Therapy: Shiatsu Massage (Call for appointment)

Contact:
T: 514.816.4713
E: info@penkaapostolov.com
W: www.penkaapostolov.com

Rhiannon Rollit

Born and raised in Pointe Claire, Quebec, Rhiannon was a competitive gymnast as a child, but was forced to stop training due to an injury. She continued to be involved in the gymnastics community and coached at WymGym Montreal before discovering yoga in her teens.

Rhiannon instantly fell in love with this ancient practice and became an enthusiastic student of Ashtanga yoga. She also studied Anusara yoga and is certified in prenatal yoga. Rhiannon received her B.A. in anthropology and East-Asian religious studies from McGill University in 2003, and is currently the Eastern regional trainer of Lululemon Athletica.

Classes:
Currently on maternity leave

Contact:
T: 514.463.9028
E: rrollit@lululemon.com

Sue-Anne Hickey

Sue-Anne Sue-Anne Hickey began practicing yoga in 1990. She loved it at once, which ultimately led her to a new life path of a healthy diet, meditation and spirituality. In 1993 Sue-Anne went to southern India for the teachers training course with the International Sivananda Yoga organization, followed by a spiritual journey that took her around the world for one and a half years. Wherever she stayed, at ashrams in India, meditation retreats in Thailand, or Buddhist monasteries in Nepal, she taught yoga to the many people who wished to learn.

Upon her return to Montreal she continued teaching on a volunteer basis until she made it a full-time career in 1998. Sue-Anne loves what she does, giving energy to her classes and also receiving it in return. She feels fortunate to be able to share her passion with her students. Her goal is to enable her students to discover the numerous benefits of yoga at all levels, making a difference in her students lives. In her classes she maintains a balance of fun and a quiet space for inward journey.

She continues to study and practice Buddhism, meditation and is setting up a practice as a naturopath.

Classes:
Prenatal Yoga (Monday 18:15 – 19:30 & Thursday 11:30 – 12:45)
Hatha Yoga II (Wednesday 18:00 – 19:30)
Hatha Yoga I (Wednesday 19:40 – 21:10 & Thursday 9:30 – 11:00)
Hatha Yoga for Cyclists (Thursday 19:45 - 21:15)

Contact:
T: 514.577.1963
E: info@illuminartyoga.com
W: www.illuminartyoga.com

Susan Frederick

Susan is a dynamic, bilingual, and spirited yoga instructor. Her Golden Yoga Fusion is an adaptation of "The Dr. Bali Method." She offers a deeply relaxing and healing type of hatha yoga, with floor postures, yogic breathing, visualization, chakra balancing, meditation, and stress management techniques. Susan specializes in teaching women who are in the process of healing from breast cancer and works with the Quebec’s Breast Cancer Foundation and Serenité.

Also a gifted reiki relaxation practitioner and artist, Susan is the co-owner of Functional Food Solutions, a manufacturing company that offers natural nutritional support for specific health concerns.

Classes:
Golden Yoga Fusion (Saturday 10:45 – 12:15)

Contact:
T: 514.892.9324
E: goldenyogafusion@gmail.com

Yasmin F. Gow

Yasmin is a passionate yoga instructor, writer and producer. Blending the dynamic flow of Ashtanga yoga with the structure and alignment of the Iyengar method, Yasmins uplifting instruction aims to inspire and empower. Owner of Centre Holistique Om West and founder of Practice Bliss, Yasmin is the wellness editor of Yu Magazine and the creator of two yoga CDs and an upcoming DVD series.

Core Strength Power Yoga CD
Yu Magazine

Classes:
Core Vinyasa (Monday 18:00 – 19:30, Wednesday 19:45 – 21:15, Friday 9:30 – 11:00)
Ashtanga Yoga (Monday 19:45 – 21:15, Wednesday 18:00 – 19:30, Friday 18:00 – 20:00)
Deep Tension Release Yoga/Tara (Wednesday 9:30 – 11:00)
Kids Yoga/Frances (Saturday 9:30 – 10:30)
Teen Yoga/Tara (Friday 16:30 – 17:30)

Private or Corporate lessons: Call for appointment.

Contact:
T: 514.836.5578
E: yasmin@practicebliss.com
W: www.practicebliss.com

Raymond Morris

Born in 1961 in the province of Quebec, Mr. Morris obtained a college degree in multimedia c ommunications and design. After working in marketing for 8 years in England, he established a publishing company for the city guide "Citylogic".

Since 1990, Raymond Morris has embarked upon a journey of personal introspection to attain a greater sense of wellbeing. His exploration of the vast domain of personal growth and holistic health has given him a thorough understanding of this industry.

Mr. Morris has also studied massage, reiki and reflexology. He worked as a therapist in England, the United States, Costa Rica and Trinidad. For 2 years, he worked as coordinator of communication at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in the U.S., the largest holistic multi-disciplinary residential center in the world.

Whilst at Kripalu he worked on a strategic development & marketing plan for the center. During this period it became clear to him that what the wellness industry needed the most, was expert marketeers who understood the products and customers in order to help bring these healthful products to the public at large.

Contact:
T: 514.798.2737
E: info@communion.ca
W: www.communion.ca

James Olmsted

James is a creative and dynamic drumming instructor who believes that learning should always be fun and inspiring. His fantastic Tam Tam drumming workshops appeal to adults and kids alike. A drummer with a lifetime of experience, James enjoys sharing his musical passion and jamming with his students.

He began playing percussion at the age of five upon the discovery of an old snare drum in the basement of his parents home. Improvising extended solos on this drum would become his favorite after-school activity for the next several years. He has a wealth of formal training in music and percussion. However, his academic music studies were balanced by James participation in his own rock band. James also earned an aircraft maintenance diploma and subsequently an A.M.E. license as well as an instructors post at the Chu Fen Do martial arts studio where he taught group and private classes for children and adults. He presently works as an aircraft engineer at Bombardier Aerospace at Dorval Airport.

James newest project is the opening of the Jimijamba School Of Percussion (in September 2006) where he teaches Djembe drumming in group classes. In addition, James gives family oriented drum workshops. He presently lives in Ile Bizard with his wife, Brigitte, and their two children, Timothand Laurie.

Contact:
T: 514-826-1607
E: james.olmsted@videotron.ca

Classes:

Parent & Baby Yoga/Pilates (Thursday 11:30am- 12:30pm) - Available in spring session
Kids Yoga (Saturday 9:30am - 10:30am) - Available in spring session