Abhyaasa Yoga Studio in Downtown Naperville

Raj has been practicing for over 20 years. He was first introduced to yoga at the feet of his grandfather when he witnessed him meditating in silence for what seemed like an eternity. His questions of what, why and how were answered with stories of the yogis living in the Himalayas.

After completing a medical education in the western tradition, Raj embraced yoga as a means to alleviate some of the common maladies of daily living. He was attracted to the Himalayan tradition of the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and eventually became a certified teacher through the White Lotus Foundation. 

Raj has studied advanced meditation and yoga techniques through the Himalayan Institute and has invested these teachings into his personal practice. Raj's classes are a skillful blend of asanas, pranayama, bandhas and mudras. For experienced students seeking to advance their practices, Raj will offer personal instruction in yantra, mantra and tantric meditation.

The yogic philosophy has always resonated with Kate, becoming an increasingly essential part of her life. Kate first studied yoga with the Sivananda Vedanta Society and later began to incorporate an eclectic mix of Vinyasa, Anusara and Ashtanga into her personal practice.

After more than 20 years of practice, Kate completed her 200-hour teacher training at the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara with master teachers Ganga White and Tracey Rich. Kate’s classes emphasize the incredible power and grace that can be tapped into as we learn to link movement with breath, creating a meditative dance that brings us to a divine place of stillness and harmony.

 

Joe has been a trader at the Chicago Board of Trade since 1984. He has been practicing yoga for the last ten years. His teacher certification from the White Lotus Foundation, which is located in Santa Barbara, California, is in vinyasa flow yoga.

Joe, an avid golfer, lives in St. Charles with his wife, Kathy. His philosophy: "In my mind it cannot be any simpler; if you want to look good and feel great then practice yoga."

___Michelle LeBlanc has been practicing yoga since she was four years old coming from a family of diversity and varied interest in health and natural living. She has pursued Physical Therapy as a occupation, but chose business in the end. She has tried many styles of yoga including svaroopa, basic hatha, ashtanga, vinyasa, anusara, iyengar, spontaneous and kundalini, but in the end power vinyasa flow is the style that resonated the most deeply for her. Although a life long in playing with yoga, she still considers herself to be a beginner and finds that her best teachers are often her students.