Shiela’s contact with mind-body practices from the East started early when her parents brought her, at age five, and her brother to the Transcendental Meditation Center in Denver to be initiated into the practice. At age twelve, she learned the adult form of the TM meditation practice she continues using today. In her twenties, Shiela traveled several times to India, trekking through the Himalayas alongside Buddhist monks, immersing herself in yoga ashrams daily life, and partaking in vibrant Hindu and Buddhist festivals and gatherings. During these remarkable experiences, she discovered how yoga resonated with her, evoking sensations of connection, bliss, and gratitude.
After completing her initial yoga teacher training at the Sivananda Ashram in South India, she began sharing her knowledge and teaching yoga to fellow travelers at the Sivananda Ashram and the Tushita Buddhist Meditation Center in Dharmsala. Her travels culminated in Mysore, where she studied under the guidance of the Ashtanga Yoga founder, K. Pattabhi Jois, and his grandson, Sharath Jois. Back home, she delved deeply into her studies with seasoned Ashtanga Yoga instructors Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor, which led to her participating in their teacher’s intensive training while earning an MA in Religious Studies focusing on Yoga Philosophy and Teaching Practices at Naropa University in Boulder, CO.
Shiela has taught yoga for twenty-eight years in New York City, San Francisco, Denver, and Boulder. (Her claim to fame is regularly teaching Michael Franti, singer and songwriter, at the Yoga Tree Studio in San Francisco.) She has designed yoga programs for women in San Fransisco halfway houses and elementary school students in the Boulder Valley School District.
In Shiela's class, you will become stronger, more flexible, and feel a deep sense of alignment. Her class induces a meditative atmosphere to uncover one's true self. Yet there is always room for laughter, never taking ourselves too seriously.
Shiela firmly believes in the transformative power of breath. By connecting to our breath, we can tap into our inner strength and fully immerse ourselves in the present experience of life. From this place, we can cultivate more joy, love, and a spirit of helpfulness, inspiring us to live our lives to the fullest.
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