My main focus is: working playfully with yoga postures as a moving meditation, using pranic breathing with internal visualizations, encouraging vocal affirmation/release and guiding with spiritually uplifting poetry and music to facilitate a true journey into the heart of being human. My teaching techniques sometimes include Thai yoga massage, Reiki, partner work, hands-on adjustments, Aromatherapy and yin sequencing to open each student energetically and ecstatically. Since 1995, I have worked with many people; old, young and in-between. I have worked with those with cancer, addiction, mental illness, and other physical traumas. I have especially worked with those just needing to let go, relax and stretch — to reawaken the body & reconnect to the soul. My goal is to get to know each of my students and learn about their story, so together we can find what works. Each person and body is unique. Our needs vary moment to moment, day by day. People can benefit from a yoga practice in various ways – physical, mental, emotional, spiritual and psychological. I like to help guide each person to their own healing, courage, wisdom, faith, strength… The Authentic Self… the “Namaste” under all the muck and crud of the two-legged experience.

My first training started in the womb – my mom did yoga when she was pregnant for me! I come from a “yoga family” and both my parents continue to practice yoga. I did my formal studies at Sonoma State University (in the Northern California wine country) where I received a B.A. in Transpersonal Psychology in 1997. My studies there focused on holistic forms of mental health such as Yoga, Dream Analysis, and Art Therapy but I also dabbled quite a bit in biofeedback, psi phenomenon, and eco-psychology. After a two year internship assisting yoga classes (under Eleanor Criswell-Hanna), I realized I had to devote my life to living Yoga. Since then, I have been teaching all eight limbs of yoga full-time and continuing my education in the fields of yoga, ecology and the healing arts.

My hope is that I will assist all who cross my path to surrender effort, go with one’s uniquely natural pace and become content with whatever is present within each moment. I currently have 12 branches of Cloud Nine Yoga Schools across the West Coast, including California, Hawaii and Nevada. I’ve been leading annual retreats to Bali, Costa Rica and Hawaii. Our first international branch is being created in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where we will offer annual retreat trainings for international yoga students.

Aside from training yogis, I also teach Thai Yoga Massage, Yin Yoga, Reiki and Priestess Playshops. I provide community support, social gatherings and create networks for yoga practitioners. I am also a S.H.E.S. minister (Spiritual Healers and Earth Stewards) who enjoys officiating Weddings, Life Celebrations and Blessing Way ceremonies.

Please check my schedule for further information or contact me at (310) 989-0878
yoginiom@yahoo.com

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