View Our 2019 Teachers
Keith Mitchell
Teacher
Keith Mitchell is a former All-Pro NFL player turned Celebrity Yogi, a Motivational Mindfulness Coach, Holistic Health, Fitness and Wellness Advocate, Community Activist, Humanitarian and Founder of the Light it Up Foundation.
http://www.keithmitchell59.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/keithmitchell59/
2019 Class Description:
On Saturday Keith will be featured as our Keynote Speaker, a free lecture from 1-2pm at Performing Arts Center. Come learn about his experience in the NFL, then reinventing and healing himself after devastating injury.
Special Post Festival Session with Keith on Sunday, October 6, 2019!
10:00am – 12:00pm – Keith Mitchell – Restorative Yoga & Mindfulness Workshop - Tickets on Sale Now!
Shannon Liebel
Teacher
Shannon started her career path as a Clinical Counselor after she received her MA in 2008. During her MA program, she was the team director of a competitive gymnastics program. In her youth, Shannon trained in artistic and acrobatic gymnastics. When she discovered yoga in 2005, it was the perfect balance of the mental work she enjoyed in Psychology and the physical movement of the body that she loved in gymnastics. Shannon completed her 200 Hour Teacher Training with Yax Yoga Concepts in Virginia Beach, VA in 2013 and has been teaching ever since. She received her 300 Hour Teacher Training with Beyond Bryce in Koh Samui, Thailand in 2018. Her teachers during her 300 hour training included Dice Iida-Klein, Briohny Smith, Honza Lafond, Claudine Lafond, and Mathieu Boldron. She strongly believes in the connection between mind, body, and soul, and this reflects in her Vinyasa style teaching. She loves the constant movement of the body in Vinyasa and feels that it helps us to find strength within and bring awareness into the present moment. Although arm balances and inversions are offered in her classes, modifications are always provided to make practitioners of every level comfortable during their practice.
www.stillwateryogalaketahoe.com
Instagram: @shannonlyoga
2019 Class Description:
On Saturday Shannon will offer two classes at Big Bear Yoga Festival 2019. Join her for Vinyasa – Open Heart Yoga at 11am for a heart expansive and opening practice. At 2:30pm Shannon will share a little taste of the Sunday morning follow-on workshop with a delightful Intro to Yoga Playground: Arm Balances & Inversions. This mostly intermediate class will be a Vinyasa flow structured around teaching arm balances and inversions. We will have a gentle warm up preparing us for multiple variations of different arm balances, and eventually end up upside down in inversions! Modifications are offered throughout the class so that practitioners of every level get the sense of flying, and get to enjoy this playful side of yoga!
Special Post Festival Session with Shannon on Sunday, October 6, 2019!
10:00am – 12noon – Shannon Liebel – Yoga Playground: Arm Balance & Inversion Workshop
Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser
Teachers & Musicians
Lemia is a passionate artist and teacher – sharing her love and devotion to oneness consciousness with the world in a field of unconditional gratitude. She brings a blend of soft vocals, groovy percussions, healing didgeridoo melodies, and bowls, gongs, and chimes to her yoga classes and live concerts. Lemia is dedicated to serving all life through music and Divine Spiritual Wisdom with compassion, grace, and an open heart.
Lemia Astarabadi is passionate about spreading the message of Love through Naam Yoga, Shakti Naam, Medicinal Essential Essences, Holistic Health, Live Music, and Kabbalistic Astrology. She is a Board Certified Holistic Health Practitioner, Harmonyum Practitioner, Birth Doula, Singer/Songwriter and Percussionist in “The Conscious Groove”, and is a Certified K-8 Teacher with a Master’s Degree in Education. Lemia utilizes her diverse background to bring a universal approach to self-healing in all of her classes, workshops, and trainings. Her deep connection to Mother Earth and love for music and sound therapy has been an inspiration for Naam Yoga & Shakti Naam set to live music with essential oils. In 2013, she co-created the first “Love Takes Flight Festival” in Irvine, California. As a member of the Naam Yoga Teacher Training Team, Lemia is committed to sharing this transformational and heart-opening practice with all who come to learn.
Joshua is a practical spiritual lover of music and yoga. He loves to share with all people the positive effects of sacred sound through guitar, drum, native flute, Tibetan bowls, and voice. His intention is simple: collective community consciousness of love via music and heart to heart communication.
Joshua Bowser is a Holistic Health Practitioner, a Nationally Certified Massage Therapist, and Naam Yoga 1, 2, & 3 Instructor, and a Harmonyum Healing Practitioner. Joshua graduated from Healing Hands School of Holistic Health in the spring of 2007, and has since been on the path of truth and healing through Naam Yoga, meditation, Harmonyum Healing, nutrition, plant medicine, massage therapy, and laughter. He is an enthusiastic teacher and is passionate about health, the environment, and the conscious evolution of all life, and he shares his passion for teaching as a member of the Naam Yoga Teacher Training Team. In 2013, he co-created the first “Love Takes Flight Festival” in Orange County, California. Joshua is a rhythm guitarist, singer, and songwriter in the band, “The Conscious Groove“, and believes that music is the greatest example of how to flow and find harmony and joy in life.
Connect with Lemia & Joshua: https://www.theconsciousgroove.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConsciousGroove/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theconsciousgroove/
2019 Class Description:
Two classes at Big Bear Yoga Festival with Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser with LIVE music with "The Conscious Groove"
11am – 12noon – Front Hall at Performing Arts Center – Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser – Mystic Medicine Circle with "The Conscious Groove" - Please join soul and sacred sound musicians, Shakti Naam Yoga teachers, and advanced Aromatherapists, Joshua and Lemia, for a unique journey into the heart of the inner mystic. Experience nature through medicinal aromatherapy, connect two energies guiding your primary planet, vibrate the Naam with your own unique and healing voice, and receive vibrational healing through ancient indigenous sounds of the gong, crystal didgeridoo, crystal singing bowl, Tibetan singing bowls, and the Native American Flute. This sensory experience is a guided journey into remembering your strengths and empowering you to a line to the highest frequencies available for health, Love, abundance, and joy. This workshop include sacred plant and tree essence anointing, wisdom of the Laws of Nature, live music, sound bath, mantra meditation and so much LOVE!
3:00pm – 4:45pm – Front Hall at Performing Arts Center – Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser – Shakti Naam Yoga with Live Music from "The Conscious Groove" and Aromatherapy - Raise your voltage and turn into your Shakti vibration with this transformational experience. Naam is the frequency that connects us as One. Get ready to chant breathe dance and shift into your highest potential. With the guidance of the plants and the trees this experience will send you to a mystical and magic portal of the heart. Open and expand your entire Being with Shakti Naam Yoga set to the live rhythms of The Conscious Groove and anointed with the very powerful Wisdom of the Earth medicine. All levels are welcome!
Christa Smith
Teacher
Christa Smith is a lifestyle coach with a desire to help busy people achieve their health and fitness goals.
Though her full-time profession is in television and film production, she’s always had a passion for fitness. In 2012 she received her 200-hour yoga instructor certification, and has taught traditional Vinyasa yoga, Yoga sculpt, Cycling and Barre.
As most women Christa found herself at her heaviest weight after the birth of her son. It took her nearly 5 years, but on her 30th birthday she finally decided to refocus on herself and her fitness journey. She began to get involved with online fitness accountability groups and started to see results quickly.
She realized she could take her various experiences, both failures and successes, and pay them forward. By combining a balanced diet, Yoga, HIIT and cardio she believes people can obtain their healthiest physical body.
However, Christa doesn’t solely believe that a physical change is enough to reach and maintain a healthy lifestyle. She encourages individuals to find their "tribe" as well. Christa achieved her best fitness results after participating in an online challenge group. Since then she's hosted and facilitated many of her own.
By refocusing her mindset Christa has been able to shift her life towards a more positive and uplifting state of being. Through her work as a lifestyle coach she hopes to help others do the same for others.
Website: www.christajaninefit.com
Instagram: @christajanine
2019 Class Description:
1:00pm – 2:00pm – FREE CLASSES. Registration still required. Happy Trails Under the Trees – PAC – Vinyasa Power Yoga with Focus on 7 Chakras Connection. In this one hour power yoga class we will explore each of our bodies 7 chakras by building upon each throughout the flow. We will touch on the benefits of each chakra and how they effect your daily life both on and off your mat.
4:00pm – 5:00pm – FREE CLASSES. Registration still required. Eagle’s Nest – PAC – Advanced Vinyasa Flow. This advanced vinyasa flow with incorporate complex transitions and both arm balance and inversions in the flow. The flow will focus mainly on building core strength and incorporating breathe to further deepen poses and hold inversions for an extended amount of time.
The Conscious Groove
Musicians
We are thrilled to have The Conscious Groove back at Big Bear Yoga Festival! The Conscious Groove is a band of harmonious gypsies that travel around and spread loving vibrations through sound ancient mysticism rituals and prayers for individual and global healing. Vibrating positive lyrics and mantra from many different traditions and belief systems, The Conscious Groove serves to spread the frequency of love and devotion helping listeners connect to the creative life force that lives within the heart. Move & groove to fun and uplifting rhythms while chanting as one with commUNITY and raising your frequency to new heights with The Conscious Groove.
Connect with The Conscious Groove: https://www.theconsciousgroove.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheConsciousGroove/
Instagram: www.instagram.com/theconsciousgroove/
The Conscious Groove will be sharing their positive music and vibes during two classes at Big Bear Yoga Festival with Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser AND for our community sharing and dinner on Saturday night! Come dine with The Conscious Groove!
11am – 12noon – Front Hall at Performing Arts Center – Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser – Mystic Medicine Circle with "The Conscious Groove"
3:00pm – 4:45pm – Front Hall at Performing Arts Center – Lemia Astarabadi & Joshua Bowser – Shakti Naam Yoga with Live Music from "The Conscious Groove" and Aromatherapy
5:00pm – Dinner with The Conscious Groove – Guided Meditation, Live Music with Conscious Groove, and Vegetarian Meal Together in Lodge Gathering Hall – Advanced registration required! Very limited number of tickets available. Come join us and break bread together and share in community! Music and community starts at 5pm, dinner at 5:30pm.
Elizabeth Peregrina
Teacher
If you are lucky enough to count Elizabeth Peregrina as teacher and friend, you are lucky! She is a vibrant, passionate, energetic, intelligent, kind, and wise being. Big Bear, Big Bear Yoga and Big Bear Yoga Festival is VERY lucky to have her as volunteer, friend, supporter and yoga teacher!
Elizabeth is a Veda Yoga Teacher, an Ayurveda Wellness Counselor and Reiki Master Healer. She was the past Wellness Program Coordinator at Dancing Shiva Yoga and Ayurveda. She studied Ayurveda Wellness at Kerala Ayurveda Academy. She was a regular yoga teacher at Big Bear Yoga.
From Elizabeth, "My journey into yoga began through an injury, which lead me on a path to Hatha Yoga & Ayurveda. I've has studied two extensive programs that covered asana, Ayurveda, pranayama (breathing techniques), mantra, and yoga therapy. A unique style of teaching brings a light hearted variety of asana, pranayama, Ayurveda and meditation in every class. My intention is to integrate the sister sciences of Yoga & Ayurveda by guiding one in the process of healing, inner peace and balance. She began her yoga journey in 2005. Her devotion to yoga and the desire to share with and give back to the world are what motivates her. Her emphasis is on mindfulness-creating integrity within each pose that can be carried beyond the mat into daily life."
https://elizabethperegrina.blogspot.com/
Instagram at @queen_elisheba and @breathflowthrive
2019 Class Description:
Gathering Hall – Lodge – Fireside Community & Conversation – Elizabeth Peregrina – Women’s Empowerment
Karen Elaine
Teacher
Karen Elaine is an Acro Yoga Montréal Certified Instructor who teaches two INTRO TO ACRO YOGA sessions each week in Venice Beach and hosts an intensive immersion called the ACRO YOGA RETREATS ON CATALINA ISLAND several times a year. Emphasis in Karen's teaching focuses on all participants learning the three elements of acroyoga- spotting, basing, and flying.
2019 Class Description:
We are beyond excited to have Karen teaching TWO amazing classes at Big Bear Yoga Festival 2019! INTRO TO ACRO YOGA WORKSHOP with Karen Elaine will introduce the participants to the fundamentals of partner yoga stretching and lifting. Intermediate - Advanced. INTRO TO ACRO YOGA THERAPEUTICS WORKSHOP with Karen Elaine introduces the participants to partner stretch. Beginner.
Website: https://yogamusic.me/
Instagram: @acroyogamusic
Ren Rasa Yogamaya, E- RYT 500
Teacher
Ren Rasa Yogamaya is registered at the highest level with the Yoga Alliance as a 500 Hour established teacher has been teaching for over 20 years and is a continuing Yoga presenter with the Bhakti Fest. She is also a writer, a syndicated columnist and the author of Eat By Color: Foods, Colors And The Chakras. She has studied under masters including, Yogi Bhajan, Swami Satchidinanda, Swami Anand Tathagat and Drunvalo Melchizedek who imparted to Ren the eastern practices of Kundalini, Integral Hatha, Tantra, Kama Sutra, Tao, Zen, Tibetan Vajrayana and the ancient wisdom of The Flower of Life. Ren is one of a very few advanced Yoga teachers who practices and teaches from the lineage of T. Krishnamacharya, from The Yoga Korunta and is a natural channel for Universal Source.
Ren offers Private Sessions and Teacher Training for serious Yogis who wish to advance their practice and knowledge of Yoga. Her offerings include: Hatha, Ashtanga, Kundalini, Raja Vinyasa, Krama Vinyasa Yoga, Yoga Therapy and Chakra Life readings by scheduled appointment.
Class Description:
1:00pm - 2:30pm: Raja Vinyasa Yoga: Raja, aka The “royal” path of Yoga, Yoga mental mastery, also known as “Astanga prep”, and Intermediate practice. Within the practice, Ayruvedic principles are presented and experienced: The current Sun and Moon cycle, the coinciding Chakras, Sacred Geometry, the Tattva-Lokas (the dimensions) and Mantra. The class begins and ends with meditation and includes 4 vinyasa (flow) and the current Sun and Moon cycle, standing and floor postures.
www.renyogamaya.com
Brian Shaheen
Teacher
Brian Shaheen (E-RYT 500) has been practicing yoga and incorporating its philosophy into his life since 2010. He has studied with Leeza Villagomez, Saul David Ray, Janet Stone, as well as Shiva Rea and many more. Brian has traveled to India, Bali and has spent time at the Esalen Institute practicing this ancient science of balance (Yoga). He continues to practice and teach a blend of Bhakti Yoga and Vinyasa. Brian’s kind and gentle manner is well suited to leading students of all levels. When teaching he hopes for students to find balance mentally, physically, and spiritually providing them with a practice that they can embody in their daily lives off the mat. You can find Brian teaching all over Southern California, as well as assisting and leading teacher trainings through the Yoga Den Health Spa.
Instagram: @brianshaheenyoga
2019 Class Description:
Brian is sharing two amazing Bhakti Yoga inspiration classes with us at Big Bear Yoga Festival 2019. These classes share teachings and practices that awaken and strengthen the flow of prana (life energy), and open the gateway to the infinite within. All levels welcome. 9:00-10:30am - Theater (Stage) – PAC – Brian Shaheen – Bhakti Vinyasa & 11am-12noon - Chapel – Lodge – Brian Shaheen – Liquid Vinyasa Flow with LIVE MUSIC with Dru Ali.
www.renyogamaya.com
Ashley Yau
Teacher
Ashley Yau is a spiritual counselor, energy healer, and yoga practitioner. Her goal in life is to spread happiness, positive thinking, creativity, and loving energy. Ashley specializes in creating an inviting yoga practice to help every spirit follow their life purpose. She believes life is a beautiful journey guided by the universe learning to connect the body, mind, and spirit. Ashley has deep gratitude to yoga for guiding her exploration of herself toward inner peace.
Ashley's training is rooted in Ashtan