Angelique Grant - Yoga Teacher Training Instructor
I practice yoga because it changed my life. I teach because I want to share with others the love that yoga awoke inside me. Yoga found me over ten years ago. I completed Ashtanga (Vinyasa Flow) teacher training in 2004 at Gaea Yoga Center in Charleston, SC. Since then I’ve been blessed to practice and study with incredible teachers like Erich Schiffmann, Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa, Saul David Rea, Shiva Rea and many others whose names may not be recognizable, but whose effects on my life and practice are unending. My most influential teachers taught me that the greatest teacher is within. In order to hear, though, we must learn to be still and listen.
According to Patanjali, the author of the Yoga Sutras, there are Eight Limbs of Yoga. Asana (physical postures) is only one limb. I commited to a yogic lifestyle because the Eight Limbs made sense to me. I have to recommit to my path daily. Remembering ahimsa, to not harm others in thought, word or deed is a choice we make hundreds of times a day. The same goes for satya, or truthfulness. Abe Lincoln’s declaration resonates well with me, “When I do good, I feel good; when I do bad, I feel bad.” Practicing yoga feels good.
In my classes you can expect to be challenged and nurtured, to sweat and to take rest, to hear a mix of music from Jack Johnson to Krishna Das to an occasional Justin Timberlake to Bach. I aim only to facilitate your growth. I teach from my heart because that’s where yoga resides.
Peace, love, and headstands– Angel Grant
Sue Ward – Affiliate Instructor
It was not until I had been practicing for quite some time that I realized how yoga is not just about what you do on the mat… you carry what you learn into your life off the mat as well. Having come from a high charged background in my ever changing career path of retail sales and management and now as a real estate broker, just allowing myself to live in the moment was a challenge.Knowing I needed more than aerobic classes like step or spinning, I tried yoga after months of urging from a friend and client, Marilyn Rubin, a certified Iyengar yoga teacher in the Miami area who has been teaching for 20 yrs. In my middle 50′s I finally found the balance through my yoga practice.Now having completed Vinyasa Flow certification with Angel Grant I feel that I have even more to offer as a yoga instructor. My wish is to impact my students, awakening in them the inner peace that I have found, and the ability to accept what life gives us … each day a gift and each practice allowing us to accept the gift with humble gratitude. Namaste
Melissa LaScaleia– Affiliate Instructor
My teaching style is centered around my personal practice and life committment to a spiritual path which has its foundations in Divine Love. This universal love is the beauty found in simplicity, nature, and seeing myself and others as souls. I was blessed to spend ten years of my life dancing– but yoga revolutionized my life and put me in greater connection with my spirit and joyfulness. Yoga is not something I do, it’s my way of life, in every action, in my every choice, to cultivate self awareness and dignity through consciousness.
That consciousness for me, began on my mat. As I learned to listen to my body, I allowed my heart to guide me, and began to release tension, negativity, and physical pain with gentleness and subtlety. Eventually I could hear the same language off my mat, and began a beautiful journey of self-discovery that made me more sensitive to life, to others, and to the flow of energy present in nature.
I love the spiritual intensity and clarity derived from the practice of Sivananda Yoga; the freedom of Vinyasa, the beauty, strength and elegance of Ashtanga, the subtleness of Yin, the nurturing found in restorative, and the joy of Anusara yoga. I completed my formal training in Sivananda Yoga, at the Paradise Island Ashram in the Bahamas. I teach a fluid, heart centered yoga style based on the principles of self-respect, responsibility, dignity, love, joy, and abundance. I incorporate many elements in my classes to awaken the authentic YOU, and facilitate your connection to Love.
My personal yoga and spiritual practices have lead me to embrace my divine feminine nature and to honor my spirit and body through deep listening. It’s an honor and a privilege to see the divine feminine and divine masculine in every student I teach, to guide each person to unveil their own authentic selves, to nourish and love themselves. I create a sanctuary for my students, a safe space for you to explore your body and your spirit without judgement or competition, a space for you to be nurtured and embrace yourself, your true nature as infinite joy and love.
Mary Lee — Affiliate Teacher 
Mary ‘Shakti’ Lee– Affiliate InstructorPeace in my Mind, Love in my Heart, and Health in my Soul is my mantra. Along my journey I hope my teachings provide insight and inspiration to all who come into the rooms, on the mat, on their personal journey. My personal journey started 8 years ago at the age of 45 when I attended a class at CCU. I immediately got on the band wagon and wanted what I saw my teachers possessed, an overall sense of peace, serenity and joy in life. I attended Holy Cow Yoga Teacher Training in Charleston SC under the guidance of Trace Sahaja Bonner. During this time I had the pleasure of being in the company of greats such as Cyndi Lee, Stephanie Keach, Manorama, and Amarita from Yogaville. I am currently a 200 hour certified Hatha Yoga Instructor registered with the Yoga Alliance, on my journey working towards my 500 hour certification. ~om shanti
Elissa Blosser – Affiliate Instructor
Elissa Blosser began practicing yoga at her local gym in 2006. She thought it was a good complement to her running and weight training, but realized after a few years, that yoga was extending further into her life off the mat. Elissa found Yoga in Common when she moved to the Market Common area, and she was hooked! The studio and teachers helped expand her practice, and in May, 2011, she completed the Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training Program with Angel Grant.
Born and raised at the Jersey Shore, the ocean always called to me. What else can settle the mind and calm the soul as the ebb and flow of the ocean tide does?
Yoga. Yoga. And more Yoga.
At the age of 48, I found myself drawn to the mat. But did not really make it a part of my life. Whenever I practiced asanas, I always felt so good. And every time I came back to the mat I wondered why I had stayed away so long. I had found a passion. In the summer of 2010, life as I knew it changed. I did my 200 hour teacher certification in Vinyasa Flow with Angel Grant at Yoga in Common. Having opened my mind and my heart to the world of yoga was an amazing experience. I love carrying this with me daily and spreading the love! I have many interests in the various dimensions of the yogic life style and I am totally enjoying the journey. I am currently teaching a PLUS SIZE class at Yoga in the Forest and plan to continue my studies as soon as time allows!
Off the mat I run our real estate appraisal company with my husband Gary. I am a mother to three sons and two daughters, grandmother to 10 beautiful little souls and enjoy sewing, golf, and anything else outdoors.
Let’s meet on the mat. Life is a journey. Walk through it with love. Let’s help each other to find serenity, wholeness and who we really are. Let’s nurture ourselves and allow our true nature to be revealed. Yoga is Love. And love is really all there is.
Jack Berman– Affiliate Instructor
I started doing yoga over four years ago to help me get back into shape and move me forward into a more healthy lifestyle.I played sports all of my life and when I couldn’t play hockey, lacrosse, or swim I found myself wanting to do something to tame my energy. Around the same time I started doing yoga I started doing adventure sports like rock climbing and whitewater kayaking. During that time i also lifted weights, ran, and did yoga as part of a daily routine. I found that yoga helped me the most. After a year of daily practice I realized that through yoga I was becoming not just a better person for myself, but better to the ones around me. This thought and feeling made me want to go deeper into my practice. I went to Kripalu school of yoga to go through a month long intensive training. After the first week I realized that yoga for me is more than being in your body and I realized that it was about giving what I had found to others. I’ve pushed myself to my body’s limit and relaxed into deep meditation through yoga. No matter how or where I practice it helps me become more comfortable and happy with myself and the ones around me. Being a yoga instructor allows me to guide people into a similar path. It allows all of us to become part of something wonderful. It helps us get through things in our mind and move into a state of well being, happiness, and love. Instructing yoga helps me see these things and allows me to share my passion to others.
Katie Costell0 – Affiliate Instructor
I’m Katie Costello, a 200-hr certified yogi trained in Vinyasa flow. I began practicing yoga in 2005 to balance out my intense lifestyle and rugby hobby. However, it wasn’t until recently that I began to see yoga as less “something you do” and more “a way to see.” Slowly, my practice has opened my eyes to the needs of the body and intricacies of one’s psyche and emotional flow. In layman’s terms, it helps you get to know yourself. I believe that absolutely everyone can (and probably should) practice yoga in one of its many forms. The physical benefits are the tip of the iceberg and the fascinating internal transitions a practicing person feels happen almost by accident and almost constantly. I also believe that yoga is not always meant to be easy or “comfortable.” The point of yoga is to explore yourself, the parts that we see as good and the parts that we label as “bad.” Great things can and do result. I believe in a safe practice that allows the individual to acquaint themselves with their own body and limits and encourages them, in a supportive and caring environment, to explore the space beyond what is routine, predictable, or conclusive.
Whitney Messervy – Affiliate Instructor
It happened accidentally. When I took my teacher training I never planned on teaching, and being a partner in a studio was not even a twinkle in my eye. My goal was to donate my time to at-risk teen youth. But as I moved through the training I was inspired by my teacher to share with as many as I could the transformative power of yoga. So really it was all very accidental. Each day I teach, every class I have, each student I’ve the pleasure to know, continues to motivate me. When I see someone evolve, see the surprise in their eyes when they realize they’ve accomplished something they never thought possible, I am renewed. When I see someone let go of self-doubt, and laugh at themselves falling out of a pose and then trying again, I am moved. When I see someone finally realize that they have the power within themselves to do anything they set their mind to, I am inspired.
Leah Mazurkiewicz – Affiliate Instructor
I am so blessed to have found yoga, and especially to have found this studio. It has opened
the most amazing opportunity to love, be loved, and most importantly share love everyday….Go, go, go was all I ever knew. Growing up I played tennis, basketball, softball, danced, ran, and did just about anything I could to stay active and busy. I was like the energizer bunny, and honestly I never knew it was okay to slow down or just be. Yoga has not only helped me physically become stronger, but it has helped me find balance in my life, and most importantly it has opened my eyes to a whole new perspective on life. I have found the beauty and power in taking time to stop, and breathe, and wake up in this moment! I am so blessed to have had the support and encouragement of each person that helped guide me onto the path of light, love, happiness, and yoga! I decided to teach because I want to share what I have experienced with EVERYONE I come in contact with. If I can make even one-one hundredth of the difference in the life of someone that the people at YOGA in COMMON and YOGA in the FOREST have made in my life, then it will be worth it all! Yoga is a never-ending journey, it is challenging and rewarding and everything that happens on the mat can be taken with you and applied in life! If it wasn’t tough and physically challenging I don’t think I would have been drawn to keep coming back, but it wasn’t until I began to understand a new way of living, a new sense of peace, and path of happiness that is there for each of us that kept me feeling great inside and out, and that’s when I knew this was a gift that I wanted to be able to share with everyone! There is beauty in everything and everyone, and yoga helps us open our eyes to see it. Hope to see you on the mat, peace, love, and happiness!
Angelica (Angie) Loyd – Affiliate Instructor
GOT YOGA? I have practiced from coast to coast, and each time I did I realized how hungry I was for more. For many many years it was just a “physical practice” practicing from EGO and missing out on what yoga really has to offer . I realized my soul became hungry for more. Figured I’d give this “yoga stuff” a shot! So I signed up for my 200hr yoga certification with Angel Grant and learned so much more than I ever expected. WOW! What an eye opener….a heart opener. I devote time each day to pranayama, meditaion and/or a physical practice. I want to share with anyone and everyone how you feel better for doin yoga, I always felt worse when I didn’t. I invite you to take the greatest journey you will ever know, YOGA. Nothing between us and the mat but air and opportunity.
Manayeva manushanam koranam bandha mokshayoho(The mind is the cause of both bondage and liberation)Namaste -A
Mona Lee– Affiliate Instructor
I have always loved yoga since I was introduced to it 20 years ago. But for years, I was mainly into it for the fitness and flexibility of the practice, besides the fact that it felt great every time! A healthy life style has always been important to me since I grew up with a mother teaching aerobics from the time I was 5 years old.
With several life changing events happening over the past couple years, I finally decided to follow my passion of completing my teacher training because I’ve always loved teaching. I was truly blessed to get my formal 200 hour Vinyassa Flow Teacher training with Angel Grant. I had no idea that Yoga truly meant “union”…connecting the breath along with the body. What a life-changing, awe-inspiring, transformational, spiritual experience yoga has become to me… I finally felt whole and complete by choosing to live and breathe the yoga life!
I’m a heart-based teacher who loves to philosophize on life’s lessons. Being a master’s degree student of Transpersonal Psychology, I strive to learn more about the mind, body, soul connections. Along with teaching yoga, I also enjoy teaching mindfulness meditation. As I used to visit my grandfather, who lived in the temples in Thailand as a monk, I never realized how his meditation teachings resonated so deeply my heart. In these changing moments on our earth, I’m so thankful be alive during our Age of Aquarian soon to transpire, along with a whole new awakening. This world has been so full of stresses more than ever before, so as a Certified Hypnotherapist, I love to connect to people in our community to serve in any way that I can…hoping to make a difference, one life at a time! Remember: You’re only one choice away from changing your life forever!
For more information on Mona Lee, check out her website at www.hypnotherapywithmonalee.com to see how she can help you discover your infinite potential!
Lynn Coggeshall– Affiliate Instructor
Growing and strengthening spiritually and physically were my goals when I made the commitment to embark on the Yoga Teacher Training in the spring of 2011. Having practiced asana since 2005, I was ready for more of what yoga offers. What was accomplished through the 200-hour training was infinitely more than I had ever anticipated. I ventured on a journey that brought not only greater strength and spirituality, but also insight and joy. An important aspect of yoga is that the practice is meant to cultivate the heart as well as the body. As BKS Iyengar writes, “…a virtuous asana is done from the heart and not from the head. Then you are not just doing it, but you are in it.” Each day brings more growth and more joy as I find myself “in” yoga. It is exciting to share this practice and process with others as we all grow together in our community of love.
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