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.
Sarah Girard is an interdisciplinary educator with over 18 years of experience across the country. A native to Venice Beach, she became a member of the Royal Academy of Dancing and performed with the Los Angeles Ballet Theater before the age of 16. She then learned the somatic movement teachings of Martha Graham, Josef Pilates, Frederick Alexander and Bonnie Bainbridge Cohen through deeper exploration of dance.
Her formalized yoga practice began while studying with Many Ezraty, Annie Carpenter and Bryan Kest in the studio spaces which Shefa Yoga now inhabits. After moving to NYC in 2011, she continued learning Iyengar techniques with Nikki Costello, anatomy and applied therapeutics with Leslie Kaminoff at The Breathing Project and eventually became a part of the teacher training staff at Yogaworks NYC under Jodie Rufty.
Her unique experience of having pediatric cancer and being raised by a family of spiritual educators has given her a grace and wisdom of someone beyond her years. As a perpetual student herself, Sarah continues to investigate holistic and allopathic remedies for our modern stress response. It is her great passion to empower others toward embodiment and to find their own pathways to personal healing and growth.
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.
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!
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