Teachers
Leslee Hartwell
Leslee is founder of Well Heart Yoga and Casco Bay Yoga Teacher Training School. Her earnest study of Hatha Yoga and desire to share her experience in teaching, compelled her to begin both schools. Working closely with Yoga Alliance and colleagues she has created a rich offering for Yoga Teacher Training in Coastal and Southwestern Maine.
Leslee received Yoga Teacher Training from Yogi Master, Rodney Yee.
She is the author of a regular Yoga/Ayurveda and Island Living column in the Casco Bay Island Times. She travels from Cornish-Casco Bay, teaching yoga to Islands down the bay (Chebeague, Cliff, Great Diamond and the Town of Long Island.)
Her energy has been the catalyst for annual Yoga Teacher’s Retreat Weekends, bringing a sense of community and support by Yoga Teachers for Yoga Teachers. She has led many retreats from Yurt Yoga excursions, Yoga on the Beach, Mountain climbing tours and other fun Yoga Retreats in New England, Ireland and Spain. A student of Yoga for over 12 years she has curiously tried many styles of yoga including Vinyasa, Restorative, Iyengar, Kripalu, Ansura, Astanga and Kundalini she accepts all traditions and honors all fellow teachers in their quest for sharing.
She was chosen by and awarded a scholarship to stay at Kripalu Yoga Center to advance her training under spiritual teachers Sharon Salzberg and Bhakti Yogi, Krishna Das. She has spent time on the cushion at The Insight Meditation Society in Barre, Massachusetts under guiding teachers Michael Biebenson Grady and Maddy Klyne (a part time Mainer herself) both from the Cambridge, MA, Insight Meditation Society. Also in Intensive retreats with Buddhist Teacher, Shaila Chatherine from the Bay Area Sangha in California. Her journey led her to Teachers Pamela Wilson from the Vendanta Philosophy and Jeannie Zandi from Living as Love organization.
Leslee’s own teaching journey has evolved to embrace the many traditions of Hatha (physical) Yoga with the goal of maintaining physical and spiritual health. Since 2006, when graduating from a residential school, she has taught in earnest; meditation, women’s weight-loss circles, Ayurveda health care, 12 step Yoga Recovery, Astanga, Iyengar, Children’s Yoga, Yoga Dance and Yogilates. Her most heartfelt student story was having her youngest child, Cassidy graduate from Well Heart Yoga Teacher Training School December 2011.
Most of all she honors the multidimensional layers of Yoga, meditation and the human experience. With varied interests she thoroughly enjoys this world we live in. Things that bring her gratitude are , enjoying the company of her four grown children, boating on the Bay, Portland’s fine cuisine, a nurturing yogic community in Cornish and the Town of Long Island, hiking,chanting Hindu invocations, singing old Celtic tunes at sessions and sending out loud spontaneous laughter with friends.
Suzanne Silvermoon
Suzanne Silvermoon is a Holistic Nurse, Yoga Therapy Practitioner, and Certified Yoga Instructor, who draws from 30 years of personal study and yoga practice in a wide variety of styles. The gift she brings to her teaching is a broad understanding of the multidimensional aspects of the human experience and a deep respect for yoga’s healing and centering effects. Her teaching style is warm and engaging, as she encourages her students to find their bliss while practicing within their safe “sage edge”. Suzanne continues to deepen her awareness and skills in therapeutic yoga and tantric healing practices as she is enrolled in a 1,000 hour apprenticeship program with Kim Valeri of Yoga Spirit Studios. She is currently teaching community classes at The Blue Pearl Yoga Studio in Lovell, Maine, and seeing private clients at The Wellness Center in Bridgton, Maine. You can also listen to Suzanne’s monthly Yoga Wisdom segment on Blog Talk HeartGlow Living Radio. FMI Visit:www.indigolotusyoga.com
Eric Andrews
ERIC ANDREWS has been practicing Ashtanga yoga since 2000 and teaching in the valley since 2005. His classes are extensions of the traditional Ashtanga yoga practice as it was taught to him by prominent practitioners and leaders in the Ashtanga community. Eric has had personal instruction with Sri K Pattabhi Jois,David Swenson, Annie Pace, and Beryl Bender-Birch.
Hugh Tims
Hugh Tims is a 30 year old Yoga Instructor from Cornish Maine with a passion for Tai Chi. He has been doing yoga since he was 18 and was certified in Lewiston, Maine. He has been doing Tai Chi since he was 23. He believes in unifying internal and external life energy to bind mind, spirit, and body together in peaceful harmony.
RAJI
A self described lover-girl of life, she finds joy in sharing her life’s work. She draws on the joy of her own daily sadhana (personal practice) to inspire and uplift others in my teaching. Calling on her spiritual name, RAJI, as much as possible as a constant reminder; this name means, ‘princess, lioness of God, who dwells in a divine state of consciousness and uplifts others with kindness and compassion…YES!!
Raji feels blessed to teach Kundalini Yoga as taught by Yogi Bhajan, Journey Dance, a professional numerologist, and the lucky mother of Finn, age 8!
If you can’t see God in all…you can’t see God at all ~Yogi Bhajan
Tasha Brodeur
Tasha’s passion for yoga led her to the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health where she received her 200 hour yoga teacher training in March of 2010. Tasha has had the pleasure of studying under Priti Robyn Ross, Sudha Carolyn Lundeen, Devarshi Steven Hartmann and Grace Jull. She serves on the advisory board for Farm Wellness Retreats and owns a small, organic farm in Parsonsfield, Maine. Her primary influences are Baptiste, Anusara, and Kripalu Yoga. She strongly believes in guiding students in finding their own yoga, in hopes that this will lead them to the discovery of their true selves.
Susannah Sanfilippo
Kirtan is part of the path of yoga called Bhakti, or devotion. Singing is the heart of kirtan (call & response chanting) and it doesn’t matter what you sound like; part of the practice is to cultivate non-judgment toward self and others. During our time together we learn Sanskrit chants and sing to the many names and aspects of god. Although it comes out of the Hindu tradition, this practice is not religious, but is a celebration of the world and an expression of gratitude.As meditative music, we link our voices and breath with sound and silence, merging with Kirtan is part of the path of yoga called Bhakti, or devotion. Singing is the heart of kirtan Kirtan is a beautiful, powerful, renewing, transformative means of finding our heart and to our connection with Life. Unfold with us in co-creating a vocal journey with melody and rhythm. No previous experience is needed. Susannah (harmonium and vocals) and Francesco (drums and vocals) Sanfilippo lead accoustic kirtan throughout New England. http://kirtanandyoga.com
Darcy Specker
Darcy discovered yoga ten years ago while pregnant with her first child. she was instantly aware of the calming effects it had on the mind, as well as, the invigoration I felt within my body. A decade and three children later, she still find peace and vigor on my yoga mat, making life feel complete. Inspiring students to find an inner voice of calm that resonates within.