Let
us welcome you to Learning To Listen's Teaching Collective,
it is made up of a group of people
committed to promoting tools for conscious living in
the areas of the arts, body treatment,
family focus, environmental awareness, service projects, food
awareness, classical yoga, daily meditation practice, therapy,
and various other awareness-based professional support offerings. Please
have a look around, there is something mindful here for each
person engaged in the path to greater awakening.
BERKELEY,
CA - USA (FOUNDING
TEACHER)
Jonathan
Reynolds has
trained with the White Lotus Foundation, Erich Schiffmann,
and Spirit Rock Meditation Center. He is currently
enrolled in JFK University’s Graduate Counseling
Psychology Program, and hopes to further integrate the practices
of meditation, therapy, embodiment, and conscious relationship
into his own life and work. Jonathan’s teaching
is born out of a deep gratitude for the inner relief and
freedom that his own practice has provided over the years. Drawing
on many wisdom traditions, his teaching and psychotherapy
sessions
are centrally rooted in Buddhist Vipassana Meditation, the
Classical Yoga of Patanjali, and the Nondual Advaita Vedanta
teachings of Shankara. Generally speaking, Jonathan’s
teaching is greatly informed by his love of India, the cultural
present and historical context of this sacred and enchanting
land. His manner of teaching meditation is greatly
influenced by time spent in the presence of Jack
Kornfield,
whose wisdom has infused Jonathan’s voice with compassion,
playfulness, and story.
Jonathan is a founding teacher of the Learning To Listen Yoga & Meditation
Collective, a San Francisco-based Nonprofit Teaching Collective committed
to offering tools that promote conscious living. He is a husband and a
father, and currently resides in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he offers
private psychotherapy sessions, teaches meditation and yoga, enjoys drinking
tea, and occasionally offers retreats both locally and worldwide. www.ayogisway.com Jonathan's
Book & CDs
BERKELEY,
CA - USA (FOUNDING
TEACHER)
Jen
Burk Reynolds first experienced the
transformative power of yoga in 1994 and realized immediately
that she had found a completely new, more authentic way
of being in the world.
What began as a simple desire to balance mind and
body quickly became a full-blown love affair with the art
of yoga.
Over the past twelve years Jen has studied various
styles of asana and continues to fall more deeply in love
with the practice each day. As a heart-centered practitioner,
Jen strives to bring love and compassion to each of her classes.
Her vinyasa style uses the awareness of breath and
flowing movement to liberate body, mind and heart. A
true believer in the power of yoga to heal the various ailments
of a society living life out of balance, Jen hopes to ease
suffering and cultivate the expansion of consciousness by
sharing her practice wholeheartedly with everyone around
her. www.twowingsyoga.com Jen's
Yoga DVD
BERKELEY,
CA - USA (FOUNDING
TEACHER)
Darshana
Weill is
the founder of the FRUITION WOMEN'S
HEALTH PROGRAM. Her passion
is to support women to find their power,
strength, and voice in the world without
compromising their health. She
uses the tools of nutrition, yoga and
counseling to find this balance. Darshana's
inspiration to be a health counselor
came from her own struggle with food,
body image, digestive issues and hormonal
imbalances. She knew she didn't
want to take medications or pills. She
also wanted to take charge of her own
health and intuitively knew that she
could do so with the right food and
a steady yoga and mediation practice. Darshana's
eCookbook
She is a graduate and former program director of The
Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York City, as well
as BAUMAN COLLEGE in
the Bay area. She is a certified Yoga teacher and has studied yoga and
mediation with Erich Schiffmann, at the Kripalu
Yoga Center, Jivamukti Yoga Center in NYC, Anusara Yoga with John Friend, Spirit
Rock Meditation Center, and at the OSHO International Commune in Pune
India. She received her counseling certification through the Interchange
Counseling Program in San Francisco. For more information about Darshana,
yoga or health, please visit her website. www.fruitionhealth.com
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA (FOUNDING
TEACHER)
Stephen
'V' Allario's training in the healing arts began in January 2001
with the first bay area Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training in Hayward, CA. This
training was a 200 hour program with in-depth study and practice of meditation,
pranayama, asana, anatomy, physiology and the yogic lifestyle. Steven
currently has a regular Kundalini practice and teaches both public and
private classes as well.
Soon after his yogic training, he then attended and completed the basic (110
hour) massage certification course at The
Pacific School of Massage and Healing Arts in Gualala, CA.
Following this certification, he continued on to an advanced training
in their Transformational
Bodywork Program, and has acquired 250+ hours of classroom time,
hands on training, and classroom assisting in the basic massage course. Since
January 2004 Steven has been dedicated to developing a full time bodywork
practice in San Francisco.
V's work blends a number of modalities: including Swedish/Deep Tissue, Shiatsu,
Accupressure, SHEN, and Reiki. During his offerings, he help's the recipient
access one's pranic energy thru simple breathing techniques that support the
healing experience.
His work involves using intuition - this allows access to the
Universal Life Force which opens the flow of energy throughout the body,
and helps us understand the body/mind/spirit connection, thus leaving
us relaxed and rejuvenated. Stephen strives to create "Healing
thru Awareness and Awareness thru Healing". www.thespiritualrevolution.com
BERKELEY,
CA - USA (PROGRAM DIRECTOR, YOGA FOR SENIORS)
Vlad
Moskovski began his yoga journey at age 18 and has dedicated
his life to the understanding and embodiment of the spiritual
path of liberation. His teaching approach is founded on
the philosophy that Yoga is more than physical exercise - it
is a system that integrates physical poses for cleansing the
body with breathing techniques, mindfulness, philosophy, and
meditation. Together, these simple and accessible techniques
can be integrated into people’s daily lives so that whatever
their age, size, shape, or physical condition, Yoga can bring
about a transformation. Each of his classes is tailored
to the needs and abilities of the students present.
Using metaphors and story-telling, Vlad is able to share
his knowledge in a fun and interactive fashion.
He was born in Russia, has lived in Israel, and grew up in New Jersey before
moving to Berkeley, California where he now brings Yoga to a variety of different
populations such as homeless, youth, adults, and seniors. He is Co-Director
of the donation-based outdoor Yoga collaborative, Yoga
on the Bay, and also runs www.meditationsecretsrevealed.com where
he writes articles on health, meditation, and Yoga. Contact Vlad
His personal website is: www.yogamuse.net Vlad's
Book on Awakening Vlad's
Donation-Based Yoga Classes
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA
Anne
Amis is passionate about
helping others discover their innate ability to thrive through the practices
of yoga, massage therapy, and wellness counseling. Her approach to wellness
is guided by daily meditation and asana practice and decades of
study in dance and other healing arts. Since 2006, Anne has studied
Para Yoga with master teacher Rod Stryker, learning Tantric techniques
designed to remove obstacles to growth, freedom, and success.
Her yoga classes and private sessions encourage inner exploration
and are designed to build shakti, the physical, mental and spiritual
vitality needed for success in all aspects of life. Anne completed
advanced training at the San Francisco School of Massage in 2011
and began offering mindful bodywork in 2012. Using an intuitive
and calming rhythmic touch, massage with Anne is like a meditative
dance that invites deep relaxation and healing in order to nourish
body, mind and soul.
Anne
lives in San Francisco with her husband and two daughters
and considers motherhood one of the highest (and hardest!) forms
of practice. She also serves on the Board
of Directors of Learning
to Listen (LTL), a non-profit collective of mindfulness
practitioners offering family retreats, donation-based yoga and
yoga for seniors. Anne gives ten
percent of her earnings from private client donation-based
yoga classes to the LTL community. She
can be contacted via email.
BELMONT,
CA - USA
Ben
Dineen first
began his practice of yoga in 1996.
Since then he has had the good fortune to study
with many excellent teachers in a variety of yogic
traditions. In his classes, Ben encourages
each of his students to gradually undue any knots
or tension present in their body and mind, through
the mindful use of breath and posture. He
sees yoga as an invaluable system, complete with
all the tools necessary to safely undue these knots,
and thus helping to bring about a healthy body,
a peaceful mind, and ultimately a direct knowing
of one’s Self. www.wakefulway.com Ben's
Online Meditation Book
CORTE
MADERA, CA - USA
Daniela
Kratz became
interested in Ayurveda in 1999 when looking
for a natural way to improve her own health,
a health impacted by her profession in a global,
competitive and fast-paced business environment. Fascinated
by the positive effects of implementing already
simple Ayurvedic routines into her life-style,
her interest continuously grew and she decided
to enroll in the Ayurvedic Diploma Program at
the Ayurveda
Institute of America.
Daniela would love to share her experience
of this 5000 year old ancient Indian science
with everyone who is interested. Considering all aspects of body,
mind and spirit, she offers tools to reveal ones innate constitution and to find
routines that fulfill its individual needs, and to help each of us to live in
a harmonious and balanced way. Ultimately, this natural balance will promote
one's natural health and prevent disease. Daniela
can be contacted via email.
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA
Greta
Kent-Stoll is intensely interested in yoga, the
mind-body connection and holistic wellness. Initially a
dancer, it was her studies with Kofi Busia, Senior Iyengar Teacher,
that led her to pursue the practice and study of Iyengar
Yoga more deeply. Greta is a certified yoga
instructor; she apprenticed under Sabine Kuehner, and has had
the good fortune of studying with Senior teachers and those who
have learned straight from the source. She made her first trip
to Pune, India in July 2011 to learn at the Ramamani
Iyengar Memorial Yoga Institute. www.yogahara.org
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA (GUIDING
TEACHER)
Karma
Moffett is the founder of
the Tibetan Bell Experience,
a vibrational sound experience and
wish bestowing ceremony.
For 32 years he has collected and
played a unique collection of rare old Tibetan
singing bowls, black metal hand bells, ten
foot long horns, large and small cymbals,
native flutes, and an assortment of many
other instruments. Karma's
CDs
Most of the music presented by Karma is designed to activate and harmonize
the chakra system, and then dissolve the listener into the stillness of the Great
Mystery. www.karmamoffett.com
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA
Kate
Truka teaches
Restorative Yoga, Hatha,
Flow and yoga for children
in San Francisco, striving
to cultivate students' curiosity
and kindness towards their
own experience moment to
moment. As a longtime
dancer, Kate was first drawn
to yoga by its systematic,
artful methods for aligning,
strengthening, and opening
the body.
Her study of yoga and
meditation sprouted amidst
the green rice seedlings
while living in Japan,
and she completed her
teaching certification
at the Integral
Yoga Institute in
2005.
In 2006, she completed specialized certifications in both kids and restorative
yoga and pursued advanced therapeutic restorative training in 2007 (Advanced Relax & Renew). In
asana practice, Kate guides awareness towards precise alignment
and conscious movement of breath and energy to deepen access to
the spirit of the postures, and the spirit!
Classes include jnanic (self-inquiry), bhakti (honoring), pranayama
(breathing), and pratyahara (turning the energy of the senses inward)
practices. Kate
aims to create conditions for students to more fully inhabit their
bodies, and unfurl into their own wisdom and well-being. More
Info on Kate's Offerings
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA
Kristin Allario was
first introduced to the Holistic Arts at San Francisco State
University, where she earned her Bachelor’s Degree
in Health Science, with a concentration in Holistic Health. While
at SF State, she studied Eastern Perspectives in Healing, Yoga
and Meditation, Imagery and Shamanism. She has practiced
yoga and meditation for over 15 years. In the summer
of 2007, Kristin attended and completed the basic (110
hour) massage certification course at The
Pacific School of Massage and Healing Arts in
Gualala, CA and earned her CMT. Later that year,
she completed an additional advanced training course
in Transformational
Bodywork. Kristin continues her education in bodywork
and the healing arts by attending additional courses offered
by the Pacific School of Massage, namely a 3-day course in Yoga-Massage,
and workshops in Complex Homeopathy and Identity Clearing. Although
not a bodyworker by trade, Kristin enjoys working on family and
friends and expanding her knowledge and understanding of the
healing arts. Kristin believes in the integration
of her spiritual practice into everyday situations and
environments, to the end that all places and beings are
sacred.
BERKELEY,
CA - USA
Lauren
Gonzalez has walked a few lives in one lifetime
as a writer, editor, filmmaker, photographer, teacher,
wildlife rehabilitator, and television host. Yet her many paths
are connected by her twofold interest in creating things and
connecting with and attempting to understand how people relate
to one another and to that which is greater than our individual
selves. Nature-based spirituality has been a part of
Lauren's practice since she was a child, having spent meditative
moments listening to grass grow and learning by listening to
animals and the weather. As an undergraduate in Chicago,
she found Zen Buddhism, and later discovered Tonglen and hatha
yoga, which remain a part of her daily practice in addition
to nature-based meditations, rituals, and intentions. Lauren
has been working with shamanic teachers from New York to New
Mexico to the Sierras to the Bay Area since 2008 to expand
the nature-based spirituality she spent many years developing
on her own, including meditations with feathers, water, and
stones. She is currently studying Transpersonal
Psychology at John F. Kennedy University's School of Holistic Studies in
Pleasant Hill, Calif., and holds a MFA in creative writing
from Sarah Lawrence College in New York.
She plans to meld her writing, shamanic work, filmmaking,
and teaching with her work as a therapist, focusing
on narrative, art, and photo-therapy as well as ecotherapy.
She teaches heart-centered memoir and creative writing
to a range of students, from young children to former
prisoners and adults who speak English as a second
language. She has tutored at the Fortune Society in Manhattan,
and has taught writing workshops for NYU’s
Gallatin Writing Program,
and the San Francisco Public Library. She
is the creator and editor of the anthology, Submerged: Tales
From the Basin, which was published in September 2008 (StepSister
Press, Chicago). A percentage of the book’s sales benefit
ongoing Hurricane Katrina relief programs in New Orleans. Lauren's work
is inspired by the spirit of creativity that weaves art, narrative, and nature
together to build communities and heal one another and our planet. Her
work has appeared in a variety of magazines and literary
journals; she is completing her first novel, The Junkyard. In
2006, she won a Hispanic
Scholarship Fund/McNamara Family Creative Arts Project grant to complete
a book of non-fiction, Animal People, which profiles individuals who
have remarkable and unusual connections with animals.
www.laurengonzalez.com 'Fade
Away' (story) 'The
Birdboys of Sri Lanka' (article)
SAN
FRANCISCO, CA - USA
Ritu
Riyat, MPH is
a wellness consultant, health educator,
researcher, and activist, passionate about
promoting health and wellness and empowering
people to thrive. She is the founder of Nutritionize!,
an integrative health coaching program
focusing on food, movement, and meditation
that helps people find balance in their
own lives without depending on medications.
In her practice she draws on
her 10+ years of experience in working
with diverse communities ranging from those
underserved, employee health, school health,
women of color, incarcerated youth, and
individual coaching clients to provide
a well-rounded approach to wellbeing.
Ritu holds a Masters
in Public Health from the University
of Southern California where she focused
on international health and Epidemiology,
and she is also a Certified Health
Education Specialist (CHES). She
is a Certified Yoga Teacher and has received
teachings from all over the world;
however, her primary yogic roots
trace back to her parents and her studies
at the Yoga
Institute in Mumbai, India. She is a graduate of The
Institute for Integrative Nutrition (IIN) in New York
City and has worked with thousands of students to support them in experiencing
the benefits of holistic nourishment. In her free time Ritu enjoys running, cycling,
crossfit, nutrition, reading, traveling, and experiencing her journey. For
more information about Ritu and her offerings, please visit: www.nutritionize.net,
a place to get your daily dose of nourishment.
PORTLAND,
OR - USA
Sarah
Robinette In
1997,
during
my
undergraduate
in
Flagstaff,
Arizona
my
college
roommate
brought
me
to
an ashtanga
primary
series class.
It
blew
my
mind
and
I
cried
in
savasana. For
the
next
four
years
I
knew
only
of
yoga
being
the
primary
series! From
the
mountains
I
moved
to
San
Francisco
where
I
completed
my
Master’s
in
Integral
Psychology
and
discovered
other
forms
of
yoga.
I
have
been
blessed
to
study
with
top
teachers
in
both
yoga
and
psychology. Currently
I
teach
in
both
fields
in
Portland,
Oregon. I
also
lead
domestic
and
international
yoga
retreats. I
have
an
amazing
husband
and
3
year
old
son
that
inspire
me
to
be
my
best
and
give
me
grand
opportunities
to
practice
patience. I
bow
deeply
to
my
formal
teachers,
Vernice
Solimar,
Sean
Esbjorn-Hargens,
Baba
Hari
Dass,
Tias
Little,
Jon
Kabat-Zinn,
Erich
Schiffman & Tim
Miller,
and
an
even
deeper
bow
to
those
in
my
day
to
day
life. www.tinybench.com
ASHEVILLE,
NC
-
USA
Since
2000, Lindsay
Wilson has
been
working
in
social
services,
encouraging
communities
and
individuals
to
embrace
topics
of
social
and
environmental
importance. Through
her
spiritually-engaged
service
work,
she
is
dedicated
to
protecting
and
nourishing
the
preciousness
of
life. By
focusing
her
energy
on
spiritual
practices
that
support
not
only
the
full
embodiment
of
our
own
experiences
and
senses,
she
also
helps
us
cultivate
a
connection
with
natural
cycles
and
what
she
calls ‘seasonal
intelligence.’ Lindsay
has
a
background
in
permaculture,
plant
medicine,
yoga,
meditation,
nutrition,
and
social
service
work.
She
has
a
dedicated spiritual
practice
that
is
earth-based
which
draws
on
the
physical
elegance
of
yoga
asana
and
the
deep
self-inquiry
of
Buddhist
meditation. She
has
co-lead
yoga/backpack retreats
with
Balanced
Rock in
Yosemite
National Park
and
taught at Yoga
Kula,
San
Francisco.
Recently,
she
served
as
the
Retreat Manager
at the Southern
Dharma
Retreat
Center and
developed a
small farm
at Trout
Lily
Farm in
Western
North
Carolina. For
more
information
on
her
background
and
work,
go
to
Madhupa
Maypop www.madhupamaypop.com
VARANASI,
UP - INDIA (GUIDING
TEACHER)
Anil
Shanker Vyas was
born in Varanasi
India in 1959.
Originally drawn to yoga as a quest of self-development, he
soon adopted yoga as his teaching profession, and began teaching
in 1978. His teaching
gurus include
Shyam Shanker Vyas
for hatha yoga studies, and
Sataya Charan Lahriji
for his study
of the discipline
of kriya yoga. In 1980 Anil
was awarded Yoga-Charya
by D.A.V. in
New Delhi, and
then in 1990 he was awarded Yoga-Ratan
by the Yoga Training
Center of Varanasi.
Anil is a bindu
yogi, and thus
he practices
the ancient techniques
of kechari and vajroli
mudras. He lives
in Varanasi
and teaches yoga
at the Swami
Chander Bindu
Yoga Research &
Training Center near
Assi Ghat. To
contact Anil,
simply send
him an email
by clicking
here,
or just drop
by for a
class if
you're in
his neighborhood. www.varanasiyoga.org More
Info on Anil's Offerings
INDIA,
EUROPE, BRAZIL
Beta
(Roberta) Lisboa I
first came to yoga with
a dynamic ashtanga approach,
whilst studying physical
education in Brazil over
12 years ago. As
an athlete and fitness fanatic, I quickly progressed in
the physical practice of asana; however it wasn’t
until some years later that I became interested in the
more subtle experiences and spiritual teachings of yoga. Intrigued
by anatomy and physiology and the maintainence of health
I studied Iyengar yoga and practiced massage and bodywork
in the United States, learning about tension patterns in
the body and how to alleviate unhelpful postural habits. I
also qualified as ashtanga
yoga teacher with Beryl
Bender Birch from the Hard and the Soft Yoga Institute.
Compelled
to continue traveling and
studying, I then worked
my way through Europe
and Asia, studying, teaching
and practicing as I went. It
was during this time that
I met and studied with the
masters who began to open
my mind and heart to a deeper
experience of yoga as
meditation. In India
I trained in Ayurvedic yoga
massage and developed my
personal approach to the
teaching of body dynamics. I
now divide my time between
India, Europe and Brazil,
teaching retreats and trainings
and practicing private bodywork
and massage. www.yogaswaha.com www.yogaswahakids.com
SPAIN
& INDIA
Jaya
Julienne Ashmore has
dedicated her
life to spiritual
awakening—both
in her own meditation since 1986
and in helping spark breakthrough
and depth for people of any culture
who want to live an authentic
life. When Christopher
Titmuss authorized her to teach
Dharma in 1999, she co-founded
Open Dharma to help people find
their own unique ways of lighting
up with life.
The main influences on her teachings
and path are: Tibetan, Zen, and
Theravada Buddhism (since 1987);
over six years in Lucknow, India,
with Advaita master Sri H. W.
L. Poonjaji (1991-7); Jin Shin
Jyutsu, a Japanese art of harmonizing
spirit, mind, and body (since
1994); and her long-time friendship
with Open Dharma co-founder Ajay
Singh, also from Lucknow, India
(1991 till today).
Born in the United
States, she studied
religion and art
at Harvard, and
loves how parenting,
ecology, poetry,
dance, and painting
enrich her spiritual
life. She has lived
most of her adult
life in India,
and now also lives
half the year at
Dharmaloca, the
tiny eco-hermitage
she runs with Gemma
Polo on Montsant
in northeastern
Spain. www.opendharma.org
INDIA,
EUROPE, BRAZIL
Susie
Legge I was
first
introduced
to
yoga
at
the
age
of
11
when
my
parents
met
their
master
and
trained
as
yoga
and
meditation
teachers. Often
attending satsangs (meetings of truth) with my parents, I learned
to chant vedic mantras and experienced feelings of bliss and
spontaneous meditation without fully understanding or appreciating
my experience at the time. It wasn’t
until
completing
a
degree
in
psychology
nine
years
later,
that
I
became
curious
about
the
power
of the
mind
and
began
to revisit
my
early
experiences
of
meditation.
At
the
age
of
19,
whilst
attending
a
Dru-yoga
conference
in
England,
I
met
a
psyhic
healer
and
shiatsu
master
who
encouraged
me
to
study
shiatsu-do
in
the
mountains
of
North
Wales. This was the beginning of many years of travel
and study in the healing arts. I trained in traditional western massage,
aromatherapy and reflexology, nutrition and stress-management counseling and
then journeyed to the east where I spent time studying Thai and Ayurvedic yoga
massage, Tibetan touch and cranio-sacral therapy. During
this
time
I
also
attended
a
year
of
Dru-yoga
therapy
and
trained
as
an Integral
yoga teacher. In more recent years I have returned to the process of
satsang with two deeply inspiring teachers, Satyananda and Mooji. Both
are
masters
who
share
how
to
live
in
truth
and
have
my
total
love
and
respect.
Although
continually
learning
and
growing
both
personally
and
professionally,
I
feel
a
sense
of
integration
evolving
from
the
lessons
life
teaches
me. I
have been fortunate enough to spend time with wise people and be taught some
valuable lessons. I have also had the opportunity to teach yoga and massage
workshops, retreats and trainings in many beautiful places with many beautiful
people, which continues to evolve as I surrender more and more to the flow of
life. I
am
deeply
grateful
for
this
life,
for
my
family,
my
teachers
and
for
the
growing
community
of fellow
beings
coming
together
in truth
and love. www.yogaswaha.com
IN
MEMORIAM
"Stephen
Spyrit is
one
of
the
most
profound
poets
/
writers
/
thinkers
of our
time. His poetry
flows effortlessly yet eloquently and I've never witnessed
him walk away from a microphone without leaving something
heavy on the minds of the audience. Often delivered
with humor, Stephen's work defies the limitations and expectations
of 'poetry' - his work, his sound, his energy is more like
'know-etry' because it's jammed packed with knowledge that
transcends social, economical, racial or gender lines. His
CD encompasses all that he is and more. It
is
a
must-buy
for
anybody
who
dares
to
liberate
themselves
via the
power
of
words." (This
Review taken from CD Baby Website)
Amongst many other things, Stephen was a gifted and inspiring yoga teacher who
travelled regularly to India - here he is pictured walking along the ghats in
Varanasi, the Ganges and he in contemplation.
Nov.
2010 Remembrance Article A
Friend's Varanasi Memories of Stephen
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2006 - Present • Learning To Listen
