Future of the Yoga Teacher

Jacob Kyle, MSc, MA, is a yoga asana teacher, writer, philosophy educator and the Founder/Director of Embodied Philosophy, an online educational platform for Eastern philosophies and contemplative practices. Kyle holds two Masters Degrees in Philosophy: an MSc in Political Philosophy from the London School of Economics and Political Science, and an MA in the History of Philosophy from the New School for Social Research. His ongoing studies in Western and Eastern philosophies have included the study of the Yoga Sutras with Edwin Bryant and Tantrik philosophy with Christopher Wallis. He was initiated into Neelakhanta Meditation and has since then been enrolled in Blue Throat Yoga programs under the tutelage of esteemed Kashmir Shaivism scholar Paul Muller-Ortega, studying the texts and practices of the Trika Kula lineage of Kashmir Shaivism. In 2019, he commenced the SadaShivacharya meditation teacher training process with Blue Throat Yoga. To augment his yoga asana teaching practice, Kyle has completed over seven hundred hours of training and workshops with many master teachers.

Trish Tillman is a history professor and yoga teacher in the Washington, DC area. She holds a PhD in History from the Catholic University of America, and currently teaches at University of Maryland – Global Campus. She teaches yoga for, and helps to manage, District Flow Yoga in downtown DC near Capitol Hill. She is also the Wisdom Editor at Embodied Philosophy. Since completing her original yoga teacher training, Trish has been steadily involved in the study and practice of Bhakti yoga, via her teacher, Hari-kirtana das.

Oneika Mays, she/her, LMT, E-RYT, is a multi-hyphenate facilitator who leads with joy, passion, and wisdom. She is a grounded leader with lived experience that centers on mindfulness and transformation. As a Black, queer feminist she brings a poignant lens to building a world that is more compassionate and understanding. With deep roots and knowledge in Buddhist and yogic teachings, Oneika delivers practical application and authentic connection through her facilitation skills. With openness and vulnerability, she facilitates the space to talk about change and embrace every part of ourselves.

From mindfulness and movement classes to keynote addresses and board meetings, Oneika consistently delivers a practical application of transformative practices at the intersection of joy and disruption. Book Oneika as your next wellness speaker, yoga teacher trainer, or retreat guide at: www.OneikaMays.com. Join her movement to tap into joy and change the world by connecting with her on Instagram at @‌OneikaMays.

Daniel Simpson is the author of The Truth of Yoga, an accessible guide to yoga history and philosophy. His approach combines scholarly knowledge with humor and insight, informed by more than 20 years of practical experience. He holds a master’s degree in yoga studies (from SOAS at the University of London) and teaches courses at the Oxford Centre for Hindu Studies, on yoga teacher trainings and via his website, truthofyoga.com. In a previous career, he was a foreign correspondent, working for Reuters and the New York Times.

Gopi Kinnicutt (ERYT 500) is a dynamic, Bhakti-infused yoga teacher who has developed her own unique teaching style. She organically creates and designs dynamic fluid yoga sequences, infused with deep spirituality. In her classes she incorporates mantras, breath work and Kriyas to release untouched energy and Prana. She bridges the philosophy of Yoga and the authentic traditions coming from India, making them accessible to the modern 21st century Yogi. She is the owner of Bhakti Yoga DC and founder of Yoga Mandali in Saratoga Springs, New York. Gopi leads National and International yoga retreats. She has been the head of RYT 200 hour and 300 hour teacher trainings since 2008. gopi is also trained in trauma-sensitive yoga. Gopi also lived in a Bhakti Yoga ashram for 10 years, where she studied and taught Indian philosophy and mantra meditation.

Mary Reilly Nichols, Director of Nalanda Institute’s Yoga, Mind & Spirit teacher training program has been teaching yoga for over 30 years. She teaches yoga from the perspective of non-duality offered in the Upanishads, Advaita Vedanta, as well as in the Tantric methods of Kashmiri Shaivism and Kundalini Yoga. She holds a BA in anthropology from Harvard University, is a devoted student of Muktananda, and completed five years of residency in meditation ashrams in both India and the US. Currently, Nichols teaches stress management in psychiatric settings and is involved in ongoing research on the mind/body benefits of yoga and meditation.

Eddie Stern is a yoga instructor, author, and current candidate for a master of science degree in yoga research. He has been teaching yoga for over thirty years, and is the founder of Ashtanga Yoga New York, the Broome Street Ganesha Temple, Namarupa Magazine, the Breathing App, and Yoga Education Collective. Eddie is a board member of LIFE Camp, a gun violence reduction non-profit in Queens, NY, which uses therapeutic wellness to heal violence related trauma and the Black Yoga Teacher Alliance, which supports training and education of Black yoga teachers. He is actively engaged in publishing research in yoga, and his latest book, One Simple Thing, A New Look at the Science of Yoga and How it Can Change Your Life, was a bestselling look at the underlying mechanisms that make yoga such an effective, healing practice. He lives and teaches in NYC.

Adrianne Du’sauzay started the physical practice of yoga over 20 years ago. She continued to practice during graduate school at George Washington University – MS: Exercise Science & Nutrition, and while she was a personal trainer.  In 2015 Adrianne completed 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training with CorePower Yoga. This led to full time teaching, management, and facilitating Yoga Teacher Training programs. In 2020 she became a Master Trainer supporting CPY’s yoga quality and trainings. Adrianne also began teaching virtually and leading virtual trainings for students across the world!  She has taught over 1,000 yoga classes and led countless training programs over the years. Adrianne currently lives and teaches in the DC area for various fitness companies and studios and continues her yoga studies through workshops, such as, Pranayama (breath), Meditation, and Integrative Yoga (Kriya) workshops.  As a yoga practitioner she is forever studying and sharing yoga (beyond asana)!  Adrianne is committed to inspiring curiosity to explore your authentic self through the practice of yoga.

Alexandria Crow is an internationally respected teachers’ teacher who leads teacher trainings and workshops around the world. Through her Yoga Physics methodology she aims to clearly explain the what, why’s and how’s of asana, meditation and yogic philosophy making the practice approachable for everyone, of every level and of every walk of life. She shares this knowledge with her students and other teachers so they can practice and teach wisely, sustainably and mindfully. Her in-person continuing education workshops and online DeConstruct to ReConstruct Course, as well as her 300 hour teacher intensive train teachers to be better informed on yogic philosophy and history, the physical mechanics of the body and how to apply that knowledge to asana, as well as how to ethically lead group classes that are accessible and sensitive to all. Her Yoga Physics mentorship program is helping teachers build on their strengths, while discovering their own unique voices.

Stephanie Corigliano is the editor for Tarka at Embodied Philosophy and co-director of the Yoga Philosophy certificate program. She also works as a lecturer in the Religious Studies department at Cal Poly, Humboldt. Stephanie holds a PhD in Comparative Theology from Boston College University and an MA in Theology from Loyola Marymount University.

Reggie Hubbard is the founder/chief serving officer of Active Peace Yoga.   His yoga and meditation practice have served as a sanctuary of peace and perspective while navigating the stresses of being a black man in the world, serving in pressure-filled jobs at the height of politics and have helped him navigate complicated emotions (anger, grief, disappointment) to find and nurture peace of mind and ease of spirit.

Reggie’s life work sits at the intersection of bringing more peace and balance to activists; guiding the wellness community toward being more engaged, concerned citizens; and, enhancing the well-being of all walks of life.   Achieving this balance is how we catalyze transformative change in our society, which we are desperately in need of at this moment.

He received a B.A. in philosophy from Yale University and an MBA in international strategy from the Vlerick Business School in Belgium.

You can find out more at www.activepeaceyoga.com.