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Serge’s approach evolves out of a deep transition from younger years living in a Kula (yogic community), engaging in lengthy daily practice before the hours of dawn, and undergoing rigorous study with his teachers. In classes, Serge blends his knowledge of traditional Yogic practice and philosophy with thousands of hours of training in Vinyasa Yoga, Ashtanga, Yin Yoga, Rudra Yoga, Kundalini, Ayurveda and Tibetan Buddhism.

Serge holds a BA in Religious Studies with an emphasis on South-Asian traditions, a certificate in Yoga Philosophy, a diploma in the study of Yoga and Ayurveda, many teacher training certifications from diverse lineages of practice around the world, and an E-RYT 500 designation from the Yoga Alliance. He reads and writes Sanskrit and is a practicing Ngakpa (Tibetan Yogi) in the Nyingma Tradition.

When not teaching, you can find Serge creating music and DJ’ing under the name “Earthtones” (earthtones-music.com).

Instagram: @shivakaliyoga

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I was sitting in meditation one morning when one hand was pulled to touch the left side of my neck, the other, the front of my neck. The meditation became quite scary: full of darkness, illness, and fear. That particular morning I shook it off and went on with my day, but as the visions stayed, the weeks that followed became really difficult. My pranayama (breathwork) practice had become very labored, I found it hard to walk up and down stairs, and trying to carry out my three-hour, five-days-a-week practice was impossible. Something was definitely wrong, very wrong.

I am forever grateful for my meditation practice for giving me the insight to see what doctors couldn’t see. While I knew something was wrong, I was repeatedly sent home by different doctors and denied a referral to a radiologist. After finally begging a radiologist to see me without a referral, I was officially diagnosed with papillary thyroid carcinoma. My first treatments involved a full thyroidectomy and lymphectomy (removal of the thyroid gland and surrounding lymph nodes), ablation, and radioactive iodine. However, we soon found my cancer cells were resistant to the radioactive iodine, and my case was severe enough to put me among those with a one percent chance of surviving the cancer.

The severity of my case forced me to have five total full neck dissections with lymph removal. I found the recurrence of cancer every time in meditation.

On top of all of this, between my third and fourth surgeries my little brother went missing. About two months later, pieces of him were found in the Grand River. No one teaches us to process such brutal loss. I was trying to stay alive, and now I was left wondering how I was supposed to wrap my head around the brutality of his murder and even more importantly, live without him.

After all that I have been through, I do know this, with every piece of my being: without my yoga practice, I would not be here. For 15 years before my diagnosis, I stood on my head every day, flushing a space riddled with cancer with fresh life, blood, and breath. Mentally, without my meditation, I don’t know that I would have found my cancer in time. I don’t know how I would have processed my brother’s death or the idea of my former self without the silence of meditation. The whole point of yoga is to heal, to bring us closer to our authentic self and be aware of what that means. Yoga enables us to see inside ourselves, including our ugliness, sadness, and trauma, and find a way to process this reality so that we can heal and experience joy.

Now, with 31 years of yoga practice and teaching, my focus is just that. My studio, Hilltop Yoga in Lansing, Michigan, has been open 18 years, and as I approach a class to teach, I do it intuitively. I do my best to get a sense of what the students need so that those walls can come down. I see yoga save lives every day. We all suffer trauma, but there is a safe way to come to terms with the challenges on our path. I was told I was going to die. I lived 16 years with my cancer (now clear) — not treating it as the enemy but understanding that my body and I are one, not fighting, but accepting in order to heal. Why me? I ask myself that all the time. All I can do is trust that I have a purpose, that I am not supposed to leave yet. I see my job as helping others see themselves. When I teach my yoga students, I don’t see what they do for a living, what they own, or where they live; I see a story, often a beautiful but messy story. I am grateful every day, as each breath is a blessing.

About Hilltop Yoga

For the last 18 years, owner Hilaire Lockwood and Hilltop Yoga have been proudly offering yoga rooted in the Ashtanga tradition of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois through studios in mid-Michigan and Chicago. Stemming from Hilaire’s 31 years of yoga practice and experience, Hilltop offers yoga for students of all levels – from beginner to advanced – including basics, slow flow, vinyasa, ashtanga, power, and prenatal yoga as well as meditation and pranayama classes.

Find your power and run with it.

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With the intention to teach and deepen my practice, I traveled to Spain and completed 200 hours of training in Holistic Yoga Flow with Travis Eliot and Lauren Eckstrom. I discovered that teaching yoga is truly the intersection of my personal passions and natural aptitudes, and I am honored to share such an empowering discipline with others.

In my class, I emphasize mindfulness, safe alignment, and self-care. I encourage students to find their edge while strengthening the union between breath and movement, mind and body – always returning to a sense of connection to the present and detachment from the impermanent.

Yoga is a practice we can engage in at any moment and it gifts us endless opportunities to uncover patterns within, cultivate a broader perspective, and move beyond a limited way of being. By tuning in, we have the power to manifest health and happiness from the inside out and experience the life of our choosing.

I am grateful for your time and I look forward to practicing with you soon!

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Inspiration to become a yoga teacher came from Bryan Kest, her teacher and mentor for the past 19 years. She started teaching in 2000 at Bryan’s Power Yoga studio in Calabasas. In 2002, she coined the term “Practice with a message”.

In 2013, she completed her 200-hour RYT with Tamal Dodge. Tamal’s life-long embodiment as a Yogi, scholarly knowledge of the esoteric and spiritual practices of yoga, expanded her understanding of the Yoga Sutras, Bhagavad Gita, and refreshed her interest in studying and exploring more about the intricate scientific aspects of yoga.

In November 2017, Astrid completed her Advanced 300-hour Teacher Training (Yoga, Psyche, Soul) with Master teacher Ashley Turner.

She finds this cutting-edge coursework to be powerful and illuminating. Ashley has artfully created a training that honors and weaves the yoga philosophy, spirituality, and the world of psychology together. The training is a rigorous, emotional, and empowering journey that helps teachers become strong containers in body, mind, spirit, and soul. Learning to hold the space for ourselves and others, in the yoga studio or in our own lives is truly amazing!

Astrid’s classes are an eclectic flow and typically include themed messages (“Practice with a Message”), music, meditation, and mantra.

“Come flow with me as I return “home” to SMPY&M!”

Learn more about Astrid

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He loves to incorporate different music styles and genres into his classes. He has been very creative with the playlists he has organized. Daniel’s intuitive gift to feel the vibe of the room results in a unique and powerful experience every time. His music can be loud at times, but will often be followed or replaced entirely by the soothing sound of his voice, showing his talent and one-of-a-kind versatility. While Daniel loves the role of “Yoga DJ” he also enjoys instructing classes without the use of music, which can be more appropriate at times.

Daniel brought Power Vinyasa Yoga to the Redlands community when he opened The Yoga Room in 2003. The passion to share what he believes, to live the healthiest lifestyle, has inspired this community and many of his yoga students to follow their dreams and live life to the fullest.

He is grateful to all the wonderful instructors that he has learned from and continues to learn from.

Contact Daniel

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As a teacher, Kate’s passion is reminding students how special they are and how we can all stay connected to what really matters both on and off the mat.

Kate has completed over 1,500 hours of yoga teacher training including 400 hours of meditation training and has been teaching for 6 years. Her love + appreciation for stillness in the mind and body manifested into leading teacher trainings where she shares the benefits of Yin Yoga and the meditation practice, Yoga Nidra.

Based in New York City, Kate teaches weekly classes in Power Flow, Yin Yoga, Meditation and Yoga Nidra. She is grateful for her teachers including her mom and dad, Bryan Kest, Kay Kay Clivio, Yogi Charu, Ulrica Norberg and Joshua Greene. Forever a student, Kate is honored and very excited to be on this path.

Contact Kate

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You can say I’m a rookie compared to some fabulous long-standing teachers out there. I have noticed the change in myself as I went from student to instructor; instructor to teacher; teacher to student. Yoga showed me the struggles, the grace, the denials, the acceptance, the beauty, the challenges, the rewards, and the conscious application of yoga day in and day out. The journey never ceases and with determination comes tears at times; with fear comes confidence. Pushing through can break barriers. Limitations can also show us rewards because as I see it, the limitations are there for us to figure out a way. If I wasn’t meant or able to do this, the universe would have shown me by now. So, I must be doing something right.

Yoga has given me the privilege to teach in several countries and study under/alongside other like-minded genuine yogsters and yoginistas. It led me to meet Bryan and now here I am. I am extremely humbled and grateful for this path.

“Believe in the way” – Lao Tzu.

Contact Desiree

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Experience a journey of self-healing and harmony deeper than ever imagined. Allow yourself to come into ‘true relaxation’ and restore balance to your overall well-being. As this practice is amazingly simple to do, it also simplifies life. Being able to lie still and quiet the mind is not necessary; just lie down, listen and notice. Who would have thought that something so effortlessly transformational could be benefited by anyone at any time? Welcome to Yoga Nidra as adapted and guided by Eric Bennewitz, ‘Relax into Being’ Yoga Nidra guide.

Eric has been a student and teacher of Yoga Nidra for 12 years now. He was introduced to the practice in teacher training while living in Toronto, Canada. He realized immediately afterward that this would be a life-changer for his well-being and for others.

Upon relocating to Hamburg, Germany, Eric introduced Yoga Nidra into yoga asana classes with success. While deepening his Yoga Nidra practice through self-study, practice, and mentoring, Eric was invited to write an article for ‘Yoga Aktuell’ magazine about this topic and later invited to guide practice at the German Yoga Conference with Bryan.

Over the past few years, Eric has been a mentee of renowned Yoga Nidra teacher, Jennifer Reis from America. He continues to share his Yoga Nidra passion with all those interested through his Hamburg studio, Peace Out Yoga, and in countries abroad through workshops, retreats, and teacher training in English and German.

Release tensions. Deepen awareness. Open yourself. Simplify life. That’s Yoga Nidra in a nutshell.

Visit his Website

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Here’s the deal: I think yoga is fantastic, and people who practice are fantastic, and the mental and spiritual benefits are fantastic, and the post-class high is fantastic…but sometimes we get so caught up in our own ego that it becomes super easy to forget about the fact that yoga is ultimately about inner peace and personal development. It’s not a competition about who is the most flexible, who is the most spiritual, who is “The Most Yoga”. It’s about YOU.

My practice is steeped in the concept of ahimsa and all of my students are strongly encouraged to intelligently listen to their mind-body connection both on and off the mat. Above all, the class spirit is lighthearted and infused with humor – there’s nothing better than a yogi who can crack a smile during Trikonasana.

Come to class. We’ll have fun.

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