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Our teachers are dedicated to YOU - our students - in helping you work with your body, mind and spirit -making them stronger, healthier and happier! Most importantly, we encourage self-acceptance, self-confidence, and self-compassion. We are here FOR you, and we are here BECAUSE of you. Always feel free to speak YOUR TRUTH! We invite all feedback, comments and suggestions. Namaste, friends!  INSTRUCTOR NAME & BIO
 Michele Adrianse, Founder and Director of SATYA YOGA CENTER, also known as Yoga with Michele, is pictured with one of her teachers and greatest inspirations - Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa (www.goldenbridgeyoga.com). Michele has been studying and teaching yoga since 1996. She was certified through the Temple of Kriya Yoga in Chicago in May 2001. Michele teaches a blend of the courses she has taken over the years. Her teachings are strongly influenced by her experiences and training with some of the greatest Yoga Masters in the world such as Rodney Yee, Shiva Rea, Ana Forrest, Seane Corn, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, David Life & Sharon Gannon, Gary Kraftsow, Paul Grilley, Rod Stryker, Mari Winsor (Winsor Pilates), Marsha Wenig, Jai Uttal, as well as many others. Michele continues her training weekly with her friend, teacher and mentor Lindsey Levin (www.lindseylevin.com) in Chicago, and has since 2002. Michele says one of her most enlightening experiences has been sitting in Kirtan (chanting) for three hours with Krishna Das - a celebration of pure joy! In her spare time, aside from traveling to Chicago two days a week, Michele enjoys running (a long time marathoner and trainer - although slowing down a bit these days!), studying with her yoga teachers, hiking with her husband Tony and their five dogs, walking on the beach at sunset, and traveling as much as possible. Michele & Tony just returned from a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains where they climbed the tallest peak, hiked a bit of the Appalacian Trail, and ran into a 200 lb. black bear and a wild boar! Michele loves adventure - she says "Bring it on!" Michele teaches Yoga-Lates on Thursdays at Noon, "Complete Yoga - Strength, Study, Relaxation" on Thursdays at 6pm, AM Gentle Vinyasa Flow on Fridays at 9am, Yoga-Lates on Saturdays at 8:30am, and Detox Yoga on Sundays at 4pm. INSTRUCTOR NAME & BIO
TONY ADRIANSE Tony leads the Yoga Basics for Beginners and Intermediates classes on Tuesday mornings. He is completing his Yoga Teacher Certification, and once complete, will add in classes such as Yoga for Men, and Yoga for Strength. In his spare time, Tony enjoys doing yoga, running, biking, mountain climbing, hiking, traveling, eating sushi and drinking sea weed - and all of the other crazy activities Michele convinces him to try...although he has her beat at carpentry work and cooking! Tony has taken classes with Master Yoga Teachers such as Seane Corn and David Life, and is also strongly influenced by the teachings of Rodney Yee, Jai Uttal, and Aadil Palkhivala, founder of Purna Yoga. Tony's 16 year-old son Evan also keeps him busy with downhill skiing, roller blading, biking, Sci-Fi movies, all new "techno" gadgets, - and - (gulp) a new drivers license this year! Tony wants to know when he gets to rest? Hmmm. Good question.....
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BRIAN J. BOWE & HEATHER ALLEGRINA-BOWE Brian and Heather Bowe, are a husband-wife team teaching classes and workshops at SATYA. Brian leads the weekly Mindfulness Meditation class at SATYA on Sunday evenings at 6:00pm. He has been studying meditation since 1990, with a strong leaning towards the Buddhist philosophy. His interests include long-distance road biking, yoga and hiking. *NOTE - Brian is taking time off to continue his studies. Instead, we will host a Monthly Meditation Workshop the last Sunday of each month at 6pm with special guest speakers. Heather is in the process of becoming a Certified Yoga Instructor, and offers the popular monthly Yoga for Cyclists Workshops, and also rotates teaching "Complete Yoga" on Thursday evenings with Michele. She has a strong passion for fitness, and her interests include biking, running, weight lifting, yoga and hiking. She says she had a life changing visit to India in 2004 resulting in a fascination with the Yogic arts.  INSTRUCTOR NAME & BIO
AMI HARJU Ami (*beaming* after a day of kirtan with Krishna Das) is Assistant Manager, and Director of Promotions at Satya Yoga Center. Ami leads numerous classes per week.
She started practicing yoga regularly after the birth of her daughter and was instantly hooked. A self professed klutz, yoga gave her a sense of connection with her body that she had been missing. It has touched every aspect of her life, and given her a new outlook as well as an increased awareness of the world around her.
Besides teaching yoga, Ami loves to read, sing, and cook, and is a fledgling vegetarian. She loves to expand her knowledge through study and training and to share her passion for Ayurveda. She is also a certified Reiki II practitioner. Ami is married to her best friend, Mike, and they have three great kids - two boys and a girl.
Ami has studied with Master Teachers such as Seane Corn, Paul Grilley and Suzee Grilley, Sean Johnson, and Marsha Wenig, and is inspired by Matthew Sanford, Sharon Gannon and David Life, and Krishna Das. She considers sitting in kirtan with Krishna Das as one of her most spiritual experiences, and tries to bring that same spirituality to each of her classes. Her emphasis in teaching is listening to your own body, making this YOUR practice. She loves one-on-one time with students and teaches from her heart. Join Ami on Monday (through the month of October), Tuesday, or Wednesday nights, and Sunday mornings.
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LEGACY SCHOOL OF MARTIAL ARTS
Come and join us for Tae Kwon Do on Mondays at 4:30pm, and Saturdays at 11:30am for Kid's TKD, and Noon for Adults (see schedule for times & age appropriate). The Legacy School is led by Master Brady R. Guidry (pictured), a Certified Master Instructor. Master Guidry comes to us with over 30 years of experience, and is a certified 7th degree Master in Korean Tae Kwon Do. He has been teaching Martial Arts since 1982, and has been teaching self defense since 1987. Master Guidry also has 17 years experience as a Paramedic in the West Michigan area, and has first hand knowledge of what really happens on the streets. Our team of instructors will also include Senior Instructor Ben Huston (pictured). Ben has been training under Master Guidry for many years, and has accomplished Black Belt status.
This class has obvious physical and psychological benefits, although one of the most important hidden benefits is teaching one self-confidence and self-empowerment, and learning how to take preventative measures for his/her personal safety.
MEERA, FOUNDER "BIG YOGA" Have you ever wanted to try yoga, but didn't want to go to a regular class because of ..... Your size? Your age? A disability? Well, you don't have to be thin, young, or flexible to enjoy the benefits of yoga! Over 25 years of yoga teaching experience has given Meera Patricia Kerr a unique approach to teaching students with a variety of health challenges. Big Yoga, not just in terms of large - but expansive -inclusive - integrating all aspects of yoga, including chanting, asana, pranayama, deep relaxation, jnana, raja, kriya and karma yoga, as she had been taught under the guidance of her Guru. When Patricia Kerr (Meera) left the Midwest in the mid 70's, she wasn't exactly seeking enlightenment. What she really had in mind was fame and fortune in the record business, so she put together an all-female band, Ira Gobu. While woodshedding in Connecticut, the girls discovered an Integral Yoga center and began coming for hatha classes, and Friday night kirtan. One day their teacher, Padma, informed them that her guru, Swami Satchidananda was coming to town, and they were invited to meet him in a small private satsang at his home.
It was a meeting that would change her life. Patricia asked Swamiji to bless her little band, and he serenely told her to "give the people something uplifting" with the music. After that, a series of events transpired, like beads on a mala, (rosary) all strung together: She went to a ten day silent retreat to be initiated by Swamiji himself, where she met her future husband, who then got her a record deal at RCA, where she recorded her signature ballad, "Water My Soul", which she often sang for Sri Gurudev, Swami Satchidananda, and the other devotees.
He gave her the name Meera, the celestial singer.
A corporate purge at RCA left "Water My Soul" languishing on the shelf, but Meera continued to write and record while her interest in yoga was flourishing. She took the Integral Yoga teacher training in 1978 at the Satchidananada Ashram, began teaching at the IYI in New York City, and got married.
A week after her husband, Les Alexander, left for California to produce his first sit-com, "No Soap Radio", Meera gave birth to her latest production, Sam. They moved to the west coast, where Les began producing movies. Two years later, son Dave was born. Although Meera was a full time mom, she continued to teach yoga privately in her home, and when the boys were a little older, moved with them to the Yogaville Ashram in Virginia. For the next three years, Sam and Dave attended school at the Vidyalayam, (Temple of Learning) where they had close contact with Sri Gurudev, and were taught in the yogic tradition.
One of the outstanding aspects of the Ashram was the Lotus Temple, an ecumenical shrine designed by Satchidananada as a spiritual home for people of all faiths. Meditating together every day at noon became Meera's cherished ritual, and it was during one of those divine meditations that Big Yoga came to her. It wasn't until she came back to the West Coast that Meera actually started teaching Big Yoga. With Sam and Dave off at college, Meera has devoted more time to teaching her unique class, which is an adapted version of Integral Yoga Beginners Hatha One. And now, the first of several videos is ready for release. Yoga can benefit everyone. Learn more on Meera at www.bigyogaonline.com.
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