OUR VISION
WELCOME TO THE TRANSFORMATIVE SCIENCE & DISCIPLINE OF YOGA
The word Nirmana is a Sanskrit word that translates in many different ways in the East, commonly 'change', 'transformation', 'without pride' and it truly speaks to the deeply transformative qualities of this ancient and most sacred practice. Nirmana Yoga Loft came to be out of the desire to be of service in our community, doing our part to be a light in the darkness. With the rapidly growing divisive nature of our present reality, the practice of Yoga, which translates directly as 'to yoke' or 'to unite', is more important now than ever before.
Unity is at the core of the heart & soul of the practice of Yoga. Not only the unity that takes place within the microcosm of Self via mind, body, spirit, but also the macrocosmic unity of our Communities, our Countries, and our Planet. Yoga is an ancient practice of self-realization, a mental science of knowing oneSelf so that we may realize for ourSelves the Oneness of which we belong to. The concept of Unity is not just a fluffy term used in new age, esoteric, spiritualism but is a matter of understanding within Quantum Science and other scientific insights.
We created this space for you, or in the spirit of Oneness, for US. To provide a safe space for personal discovery, spiritual practices, and respite from the traumas and challenges we face along our path. This is an inclusive space that views all sentient beings as One and we seek to revive the deep, sacred roots of Yoga that the Western World has long forgotten. We'd like to invite you to join our community, to share in the ineffable Oneness that we are all a part of, and to truly come home to yourSelf. "We are all just walking eachother home." - Ram Dass
OUR TEACHERS
"Teaching yoga itself is great karma yoga, because it reconnects people to the source." - Amit Ray
The team at Nirmāṇa ॐ School of Yoga is made up of a conscious collective of heart-centered teachers who desire to teach the heart & soul of yoga well beyond just poses. We come from a variety of backgrounds, practices, and specialties, but all share the same commitment to teach in such a way that it supports our community in turning inwards to begin the more subtle practices of self-inquiry & self-realization.
JESSI HOEY
Founder, E-RYT 500 & YTT Lead Faculty
Holistic Nutrition & Wellness Practitioner
Past Life Regressionist & Spiritual Guide
Transformative Retreat Experiences
Jessi stumbled into the practice of yoga as a way to manage IBS & mental health, but she quickly fell in love with the physicality of yoga, and began her training in 2013. She had no idea of the depth of philosophy & sacred history that this training would introduce her to, which has completely transformed all aspects of her life, calling her into a never-ending journey of Self-discovery. She shares the practice of yoga with others through drop-in yoga classes, retreat settings, and in her Yoga Teacher Trainings as an offering of profound transformation and is excited about seeing her community evolve in awareness & consciousness. She is a forever student of the ancient mystery schools of yogic wisdom, earth medicines, and healing practices and is always gathering more knowledge to integrate into her own life in order to deepen her own practice so that she has more to share with her students. She teaches from the heart, using her own experience and vulnerability to create a safe space for others to open up to the profound & ineffable mystery of being.
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TARA VANDERHEYM
RYT 500: Vinyasa, Yin, Bhakti
Yoga Teacher Training Faculty
Student of Psychology
Tara's teaching style is grounded in embodiment and intentional spaciousness, facilitating an inner exploration that utilizes the physical body as a gateway to the deeper layers of our existence. With 500 hours of comprehensive teacher training, Tara has not only honed her skills but also played a supporting role in teacher training programs. She is a perpetual student of yoga and is currently engaged in an additional 100 hours of specialized Yin training. In her quest for spiritual growth Tara has recently embarked on the path of Bhakti, cultivating a profound love for music and mantra. Her connection to the healing power of sound has inspired her to learn to play the harmonium, ukulele, and guitar.
Tara is a whole-hearted advocate for the transformative potential of yoga and meditation. Her personal journey, marked by struggles with anxiety and arthritis, led her to seek spiritual and physical healing through yoga. Her practise has helped her find a sense of radical self-love, acceptance, and reverence for the wisdom of the body, and she is passionate about helping others discover their own great teachers within!
TAYLOR BILODEAU
RYT 200 Yoga Teacher
Equine Massage Therapist
Equine CranioSacral Therapist
"A wise horseman once said that horses are the gateway to personal development and it is exactly in this way that Taylor first stumbled onto the path of yoga. Initially she turned to yoga to help alleviate the stress and strain placed on the body through working on a farm with horses. However it soon became much more then a physical remedy. Taylor realised this newfound awareness and presence profoundly enhanced not only her relationship to herself, but also her connection to her horses and within her equine bodywork business.
Now Taylor is passionate about sharing this way of being with others through gentle yoga. By allowing ourselves to flow with the rhythms of nature, the wisdom of the body and the power of stillness, Taylor enjoys helping people to cultivate presence, awareness and connection within their own body, mind and heart. This practice may begin on the mat but has a far reaching effect, flowing into all other aspects of life."
JENNINE VANSCHEPEN
RYT 500+: Vinyasa, Hatha, Kundalini, Yin
Mantra & Sound Practitioner
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
Jennine began her yoga journey at 18 and has since become a dedicated practitioner and teacher with over 13 years of experience. Her yoga practice has been a constant source of solace, inspiration, and balance, deeply influencing her life. Jennine has completed over 1000 hours of training in various yogic modalities, including Kundalini, Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin, and mindfulness practices. She leads group and private classes with creativity and a focus on connecting breath, movement, and meditation. When Jennine is not teaching yoga, you can find her playing keys and singing her heart out in
the musical project “Homestead Elite” she co-created with her partner Jon Sloan. They gig regularly together, playing at local businesses and private events within and beyond the Durham
Region. Jennine is also an artist who is constantly cultivating joy, creating beauty, and authentic expression in all aspects of her life.
MEGAN LEDDY
RYT 250: Restorative, Pre/Post-Natal
Reiki & Hands On Healing
Sound Healing Practitioner
Sacred Ceremony Facilitator
Megan dove deep into the practice of yoga as respite for a crumbling nervous system and relief from autoimmunity. After experiencing the profound impact that yoga has had on her life it is now her intention as a teacher to make this practice inclusive & accessible to people of all abilities as a therapeutic tool for mind, body, and spirit. As a former massage therapist, Megan brings a deep understanding of the structure & function of the body and helps to safely guide others into a practice of releasing deep tension, deep emotion, and cultivating an inner sense of calm.
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GILLIAN BUCKLEY
RYT 300: Vinyasa, Gentle, Restorative
Pre & Post Natal, Yoga Nidra
Thai Massage Practitioner
Gillian initially started practicing yoga over fifteen years ago as a complement to other activities in her life: it stretched out her muscles during half-marathon training and deepened her backbends in belly dance. Over time, she realized that yoga is much more than just physical movement and has found herself drawn to the history and philosophy of yoga as an ongoing off-mat practice. It was love.
In 2013 she completed her Vinyasa Yoga teacher training and has been teaching regular asana classes ever since. Gillian’s passion is in holding safe space for students, especially those who spend much of their energy caring for others, and for curating classes that are accessible to all levels of practitioners, new & seasoned yogis alike.
TIANA PRINCE
RYT 500: Bhakti, Vinyasa & Yin
Yoga Teacher Trainer
International Retreat Facilitator
Tiana is a passionate student of yoga and life! I see yoga as an embodied exploration of love — for ourselves, each other, God, and the world around us. She offers imaginative and meaningful moving meditations, woven with music and poetry, chanting and storytelling, to inspire both playful and profound connection and expression. In addition to holding more than 500 hours of formal training and an ongoing student of yoga philosophy, she curates international yoga retreats (Dvāra Yoga) and has taught on several 200-hour YTT's in Peru. Ever-inspired by nature, Tiana loves being outside and going on adventures and has spent the last several years travelling, learning and teaching yoga in many parts of the world, such as India, Peru, Canary Islands, France, Morocco, Guadeloupe, and Canada. Her teaching is inspired & embodied, filled with poetry and allegory.
ADAM DUKE
RYT 500: Hatha, Kids & Family Yoga
International Retreat Facilitator
Artist & Conscious Creator
Adam is a fruit loving yogi who attempts to blend a well balanced smoothie of postures, breathing, mindfulness, chanting, and devotion to serve our community a refreshing practice with a healthy zest of playfulness. His "orchard" of experience includes over 500 hours of training in India, Kids Yoga Certification, in addition to being a recreational gymnastics coach. He loves to explore the multi-faceted flavours of travel & exploration and has taught and walked the gardens of Mexico, India, Canada, and parts of Europe. Whether he is teaching his students to "sip" breath through pranayama practice (breathing techniques), squeeze the nectar out of our asanas (posture practice), ripen our hearts through kirtan (devotional chanting), or peel back the layers of our being through meditation, he is here to cultivate a more fruitful life and welcomes all to join!
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KAILEY NOBLE
Registered Yoga Teacher
Reiki Level 2 Practitioner
Cold Plunge Coach
Artist, Creative + Facilitor
Kailey is a multi-passionate being. Her main focus, beyond mothering her two daughters, is helping people step into their fullest expression. She encourages people to step out of their comfort zone to build strength and resilience; mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Teaching yoga has been something on Kailey's mind for over 10 years and the practice of yoga has come in and out of her life in that time. She feels a deep connection with yoga, although her personal practice has only just begun to flourish since beginning her training with Nirmana last fall. Yoga has supported Kailey in regulating her nervous system, calming her mind, gaining a deeper self-awareness, and so much more. She is excited to continue learning and growing as she follows the path of yoga, which for Kailey is a practice that goes far beyond the mat.
REBECCA PALEN
Registered Yoga Teacher: Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin
Breathwork & Meditation Teacher
Reiki Level 2 & Sound Healing Practitioner
Astro Cartography & Human Design Coach
Herbalist & Entrepreneur
Rebecca has been practicing yoga for over 18 years and teaching for 8. With a gymnastics background and extreme hyper-mobility, yoga became a natural transition as she moved away from gymnastics due to chronic injuries and pain. Initially drawn to yoga teacher training to support her own body, Rebecca discovered a passion for teaching and has since taught across North and Central America, from Guatemala to Vancouver. Incorporating Reiki, energy healing, breathwork, and meditation into her classes, she focuses on the profound connection between the nervous system, fascia, and movement. Rebecca is dedicated to helping students and teachers understand hyper-mobility and its impact on physical and mental well-being, providing tools to optimize our movement & wellness.
KAITLYN WEATHERILT
Registered Yoga Teacher RYT-450
Power, Restorative, Nidra, Chair
Mindfulness Meditation Teacher
Kaitlyn discovered yoga during college and quickly fell in love with it. It didn’t take long before her once-a-week yoga practice turned into multiple practices. The combination of movement with breath was exactly what was needed at the time and ended up planting seeds of growth that would flourish over the next decade. After taking her first 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training, Kaitlyn knew there were other yoga modalities to learn so she could teach others, and has continued her training to include Power Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Chair Yoga. The main lesson Kaitlyn has learned over theyears from practicing yoga has been to find the calm within the storm which has been very useful in her life. She is forever a student of life and enjoys connecting with everyone who comes and steps on their mats.
SHAVONNE WOOD
Registered Yoga Teacher: Vinyasa Flow
Registered Dietitian: Well Balanced RD
Shavonne took her first yoga class over 15 years ago while trying to find ways to move her body while recovering from a knee injury. She ended up falling in love with yoga after discovering that it benefited her busy mind as much as it did her body. Shavonne completed her YTT in 2018 and has taught classes ranging from mom & baby yoga to advanced fly & flow classes. She loves to see people honouring their bodies on their mats, finding a community and safe space within classes, and learning how to carry the mindfulness they find on their mat to their lives off the mat.
Shavonne is also a Registered Dietitian with a masters degree in health sciences and a Diabetes Educator. She practices from a holistic approach and teaches people how to optimize their health, diet, and lifestyle without unnecessary restrictions so they can enjoy life to the fullest. She loves to combine her science background with her yoga practice and love of movement to help people live a well balanced life- physically and mentally.