About Us
Yoga Bywater was established in October of 2003 in the historic Bywater neighborhood in downtown New Orleans. Founding member Heide Grace returned to New Orleans in 2008 to re-open her Yoga studio.
The teachers:
Heide Grace is a certified Iyengar Yoga Instructor and teaches in the Iyengar tradition. She has been teaching since the fall of 2002 and practicing since1998. She travels to India regularly to continue her education and study directly at the Iyengar Institute in Pune, as well as travel to the Himalayas to study meditation and yoga with Swami-ji Sundaranand. She also studies regularly with Senior Certified Iyengar Instructors Gabriella Giubilaro, Patricia Walden, and Ramanand Patel.
The Iyengar method is based on the teachings of living yoga master B.K.S. Iyengar, author of the classic yoga text "Light on Yoga". This method emphasizes correct alignment, strength, and flexibility. Often to achieve this we use props such as blankets, blocks, belts, chairs, and ropes. This is not a flow method of yoga. In Iyengar yoga we hold the poses for increasing lengths of time to develop strength and stability. We work on standing poses, seated poses, forward bending poses, twisting poses, back bending poses, and inversions. Emphasis on standing poses in the beginning helps to develop strength, stamina, concentration, and body alignment. As the practice progresses we start to work on more advanced poses, balancings, and inversions.
Bear Hebert -Bear Hebert teaches an integrative yoga class that flows with dynamic movement. Experiential and fun, these classes offer practitioners of all levels a chance to align with their breath and their own highest truths, both in the body and the spirit. Bear has been through hundreds of hours of training, and relishes the privilege of sharing the joy and mystery of practicing yoga.
Helen Cassidy - Helen Cassidy is certified in PYT™ Yoga , Functional Movement Screen. Active Isolated Stretching, and French Education She teaches Palpation and Sports Massage at Delgado University. She also teaches Continuing Education courses for special populations. Additionally she continues her yoga studies with Heide Grace, Becky Lloyd and visiting Senior Iyengar Instructors.
Stuart LeBlanc
Stuart became interested in the Astanga yoga practice of K. Pattabhi Jois and in the fall of 2000 began to study and practice locally with Sean Johnson. He is dedicated to the study of yoga and maintains a strong daily practice. Since 2008 he has traveled yearly to California to study directly with Ashtanga master Tim Miller. Additionally he is a musician and teaches at Loyola University College of Music and Florida State University. He also maintains a career in data network design and engineering.
Melissa Clark
Melissa began sincere ashtanga study under the guidance of Melanie Fawer in October of 2006. After trying many hatha yoga styles, ashtanga spoke to her with its strength in discipline and fluid grace. She wishes to instill in her students the understanding of the breath as the key to inner awakening through the simultaneous strength and softness of the ashtanga practice. She believes an attitude of humility and humor bring joy to life. Melissa is a graduate of the University of Georgia with a BA in Theater.
I.33 mairtri karuna mudita upeksanam sukha duhkha punya apunya
visayanam bhavanatah cittaprasadanam
through cultivation of friendliness, compassion, joy,
and indifference to pleasure and pain,
virtue and vice respectively,
the consciousness becomes favorably disposed,
serene and benevolent
B.K.S. Iyengar
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