Lori Lee
I am the founder and owner of Yoga Haven. I will have been teaching yoga for 20 years as of February 2019. My classes are designed to inspire and challenge you to find your edge in all aspects of yoga. We focus on pranayama, intentions, strength, and flexibility. My intention is to evolve our yoga on all levels and explore postures in creative yet authentic ways. I love teaching Sivananda yoga for it’s philosophy and roots, vinyasa flow for its intuitive nature, hot yoga for the way it makes my muscles sing, and yin yoga for its yummy contemplative release. My goal is to take the practice of yoga off the mat, so we are having a mindful experience of life.
My first business, Aroma Haven, was in aromatherapy and pure essential oils continue to be one of my great loves. This self care quest led me to yoga and belly dance. I started taking yoga classes in 1994 and I knew after taking my first class I was hooked and wanted to teach.I did my first teacher training at the Sivananda yoga ashram in the Bahamas in February of 1999 and I started teaching soon after. Belly Dance teacher training and workshops followed. I was then drawn to study Kundalini yoga at the Yosodohara ashram in British Columbia. This was a week long training of contemplative yoga. It was here I discovered the moving meditations of Gabrielle Roth. Teaching and practicing trance dance and moving meditation has been transformative, and there is nothing like moving to the sounds of Jai Uttel live with the guidance of Shiva Rea! Shiva Rea’s courses on philosophy, history, ayurveda, and yoga practice for the householder have deeply influence my teaching.
After years of travelling, taking yoga workshops, holding retreats and running the yoga studio, I went back to the Sivananda yoga ashram in the Bahamas in 2008 for the 500 hour advanced yoga teacher training. It was at the ashram I met Ayurvedic gurus, Dr. David Frawley and Dr. Vasant Lad. I completed yin yoga teacher training with Bernie Clark in Whistler in 2009. In 2011 I was inspired by two retreats in BC with Dharma Mittra in Naramata and a surf and yoga retreat with Eoin Finn in Tofino. In 2011 I had an incredible life expanding experience with Thich Nhat Hanh at a 6 day mindfulness retreat at the University of Vancouver. In 2012 I trained in New York City in Unnata Aerial Yoga with Michelle Dortignac. I have studied Ayurveda with Cate Stillman and Myra Lewin and have done Ayurveda workshops at the Sivananda Ashram with Dr. David Frawley, Dr. Vasant Lad , Robert and Melanie Sachs and Maya Tiwari. I have been certified by the California College of Ayurveda for Ayurveda Yoga Therapy and Yoga Nidra with Dr. Marc Halpern. I am influenced by workshops with teachers such as Baron Baptiste, Rodney Yee, Rod Stryker( 2001 and 2010), Bhagavan Das (2000 and 2008), Gurmukh Khar Khalsa, Ana Forrest, Ram Das, Sharon Gannon and David Life.
I am passionate about teaching yoga, ayurveda, health and finding joy and pleasure in every day…yes…every day.
