When people think about professional development, they often imagine leadership seminars, executive coaching, or communication workshops. Rarely do they think of a yoga teacher training. Yet many professionals who…
If you've been thinking about trying yoga but don't know where to start, you're in the right place. Los Angeles is one of the greatest cities in the world for…
Venice Beach, Los Angeles, has long been synonymous with health, vitality, and conscious living. Long before "wellness" became a global industry buzzword, the people of Venice were meditating on the…
Santa Monica and Venice Beach together form one of the most extraordinary yoga corridors in the world. With the Pacific Ocean on one side and the hills of Los Angeles…
Los Angeles is full of yoga studios, but if you're looking for the best heated yoga experience in the city, Shefa Yoga Venice stands in a class of its own.…
coming soon.
Shawni’s journey began in India at the age of 21. She has been studying, practicing and teaching yoga and meditation ever since and for over 20 years now.
She was initiated into the Sri Vidya tradition, the Tantrik lineage of the Masters of the Himalayas, by her former teacher, Rod Stryker, with whom she studied for over 11 years.
In 2018 she found her latest and current teacher of Zen Buddhism, Adyashanti.
Shawni is a Holistic Coach, a Life & Meditation Mentor and a Sound Healer.
She offers Transformational Sound Meditations and in her private practice she draws upon many modalities to work with her clients, such as: Holistic Coaching, Biofield Tuning, Sound Healing, Meditation, Pranayama, Kriyas, Yoga, Body Temple Dance and Shamanism.
Shawni is also a musician with extensive releases and a mantra and lullaby album soon to be released.
Angela’s instruction will help your practice grow wings you never imagined.
After a life changing injury, Angela’s souls purpose unfolded down the path of yoga and today she teaches others to move beyond their fears and limitations. While her mastery of the poses provides inspiration, she maintains a magical knack for leading yogis straight into the achievement of postures they never thought possible, distracting them with humor, inspiring with music and leading with colorful metaphor. Angela teaches warm Vinyasa Flow to music. You can expect to feel supported yet challenged while having fun in the process. Angela completed her 200 and 300 hr trainings with Yogaworks. She feels blessed to have gotten to study with many inspiring teachers, with her main influences being Annie Carpenter, Brock Cahill, Krista Cahill, Dice Lida-Klein, Maria Villella and Kathryn Budig.
David is a lover of learning and expression, a forever student. From this place of curiosity he discovered yoga in many modalities in southern California where he has practiced for the last decade. After multiple journeys to the foothills of the Himalayas in India to submerge himself in the ancient wisdom, along with years of consistent, devotional practice, David has welcomed the role of sharing these transformational teachings with others. David leads asana practices from the Bishnu Gosh lineage, facilitates breathwork journeys and guides meditation in the Yogic-Vedantic tradition.
Erin Rusler, E RYT® 500 • YACEP® • MA Yoga Studies • MS Ayurveda & Integrative Medicine
Erin’s spirited classes—Vinyasa, Rocket, 26 & 2, and now Sculpt & Flow—fuse Yogic wisdom with cutting-edge health science. With upbeat energy, grounded humor, and fierce anatomical precision, her classes are where yoga, strength, and Ayurvedic insight come to life.
Armed with master’s degrees from Loyola Marymount University and Maharishi International University—and rooted in a healing lineage—Erin blends philosophy, physiology, and heartfelt intention.
She loves teaching at Shefa Yoga Venice because of the strong community. Erin also leads teacher trainings, manages an Ayurvedic clinic in collaboration with a traditional Vaidya, and supports continuing education in LMU’s Yoga Studies Department.
Her teaching bridges East and West: timeless wisdom and modern practice, ancient rituals and current science—all delivered with joy, depth, and approachability.
Katie is a therapist who also teaches mat pilates and yoga. She values the mind body connection and bringing meaning to movement: moving and breathing with intention to release repressed emotions and invite renewed energy. She finds joy in creating lively playlists and sequencing movements with the rhythm of music so her students can get out of their heads and into their bodies, fostering a flow state and getting a break from our typical mental chatter. In her classes, you can expect to laugh, sweat and feel a deeper sense of connection to yourself. Katie loves connecting with her students before and after class and hopes to meet you soon!
Start your day with a guided meditation in our beautiful Salt Room sanctuary. Using Bluetooth Hi-Fi headphones, listen to a variety of recorded meditations while the salt clarifies and the lights glisten. Sit in presence and set your intention for the day. Then take a yoga class after if desired.
*Recordings are offered during the weekday, and live teacher offerings on the weekends.
Krystina’s classes have been described as challenging, playful, and grounding. A perfect blend of intelligent sequencing, unique transitions, thoughtfulness & deep transformative holds that will leave you feeling truly balanced and inspired. She acquired her first 200 hour YA certified teacher training in Bali with the School of Sacred Arts in 2015. She has since taken a multitude of different courses and intensives, accumulating over 1000 hours of education, to continue growing her wealth of knowledge including certifications in the practices of yoga nidra and sound facilitation. Her influences are B.K.S Iyengar, Rodney yee & Colleen saidman, her beloved teachers, and crisp new books, vinyl records, and the simple pleasures of her everyday life. Yoga invites us to discover the many doorways within ourselves where our journey begins, bringing our attention to how we arrive to each moment and remembering the art of compassion and letting go throughout it all.
Rebecca started doing yoga during her early college years while working on her undergraduate music degree. During this time, she found yoga gave her a much needed calming peace of mind, energetic reset, and a clear, positive shift in her inner self-talk, which was often consumed with stress. Doing yoga provided space in her mind and life – she immediately fell in love with it. In 2019 while working on her Masters in Music degree, she completed her first Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training and 200 hr Power Yoga Teacher Training. Since then, she has also been certified in Personal Training and now teaches a variety of Vinyasa yoga, sculpt yoga, group fitness and private training. Being a musician herself, Rebecca loves engaging with dynamic and grounding music in her practice. For her classes, she chooses music she feels will inspire, uplift, motivate and ground her students. In her class, you will have opportunities to build strength and be guided to a deeper connection with your breath and body.
Originally from Breckenridge, Colorado, Dora has been sharing her passion for movement for the past eight years, teaching yoga, barre, boot camps, and Pilates. She discovered yoga in 2012 during college and earned her teaching certification in 2015 while living at an ashram in Nederland, Colorado—an experience that sparked a lifelong love for mindful, holistic wellness.
Dora holds a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Florida State University, deepening her understanding of the mind-body connection and inspiring students to tap into their inner strength. Known for high-energy, challenging classes, Dora always integrates her love for music, believing the right playlist transforms a practice and elevates the vibe in the studio. When she’s not teaching, you can usually find her at a concert or exploring new sounds to share in class.
Build flexibility and strength in this 50 minute music intense class.
Heated at 95 degrees.
Cristi is an author, teacher, and global wellness leader, on a mission to shake up the planet! After an injury ended her dreams of Olympic gold, Cristi shifted her focus to helping others awaken and transform through the healing arts of yoga, meditation, dance, reiki, and tarot.
With her best-selling book Chakra Rituals: Awakening the Wild Woman Within, and two decades of experience in helping students transform their lives, she has become a leading voice for women’s awakening and liberation. Her powerful teachings have brought her to more than 20 countries around the world. She has created an international 500-hour school of yoga called Kirana and is the co-founder of Deep Exhale, a transformational yoga and dance experience with her creative partner Marques Wyatt.
Cristi has graced the covers of Yoga Journal, La Yoga, Om Yoga, and Asia Wellness. She has been featured in publications such as The Los Angeles Times, Harper Bazaar, Marie Claire, Mantra Magazine, and Publishers Weekly.
When she isn’t teaching, writing, or empowering others, you’ll likely find Cristi dancing and doing backflips on Venice Beach!