.png)
.png)
.png)
Our 2020 Teachers
David Phears
Teacher
David has personally traveled the road from recovery to discovery successfully in the last 35 years using the same principles and techniques that he teaches. He has been teaching Kinetic Mindfulness (KM) f for the last 10 years in classrooms, yoga studios, local and international retreats, corporate venues as well as intimate family and private sessions.
David has also served on the board for the Orange County Dept. of Mental Health’s Center for Excellence. While there, he helped bring about the first and second annual ‘Spirituality in Wellness” for the Mental Health community where he created and facilitated breakout workshops on the practical application of mindfulness for successful living.
David has recently worked with two major Recovery Businesses teaching mindfulness and breathing techniques to combat addiction relapse and depression.
David is a self-published author of two books: ‘A Book of Weeks’, and ‘Slight Adjustments’ as well as the voice on the well-received CD series titled ‘Mindfulness Matters Now’, which can be found on the App ‘Insight Timer’.
David is returning as our Master of Ceremonies this year online for Big Bear Yoga Mini Festival 2020!
Lisa Ann Gold
Teacher & Event Management
Lisa Ann Gold is an artist in many ways – she creates amazing yoga classes, she weaves words and stories together to unexpected conclusions, she makes yummy jewelry, friends and food. She loves community and the Big Bear Yoga Festival would not be here today if it weren’t for her loving hands. She says “yes” to life and other people’s ideas and helps find creative solutions. She said “yes” to keeping yoga alive in Big Bear with Big Bear Yoga.
As a yoga teacher, Lisa Ann is in love with helping find the best of yourself. She is versed in most physical forms yoga incarnates. Through our experience of breath, movement and stillness yoga becomes our inner language, to deliver the expanding and contracting energy of life itself. Lisa Ann is one of Big Bear’s beloved teachers, sharing her gifts in the beautiful mountains. Lisa Ann utilizes common sense in sharing mindful gems all yoga leads one to. She would love to give that to you, do join her for a blissful practice!
Lisa Ann offers Yoga Alliance certified 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training.
What students have to say about Lisa Ann: “Lisa Ann is an incredibly knowledgeable teacher. She understands the body, movement and breath. She has a clear natural ability to guide students to strength and healing in a gentle way. If you have any sort of injury, pain or are in recovery, she can show you how yoga can help! I love her classes!”
Contact Lisa Ann at bigbearyoga@hotmail.com
Peg McKnight
Teacher
After a lifetime of questing after inner peace, I’ve discovered that it’s never what is happening around you that causes stress, but how you choose to handle it. Choose Happy Vibes gives you the tools and the power to resist stress and negativity and find true joy, contentment, and happiness instead.
Cathleen Coombs
Teacher
I am a rehabilitation counselor by profession who has practiced yoga for at least 17 years. After teaching for the last two years, I have recently completed my 200 hour certification with Yoga Alliance. I love to teach yoga to the beginner that may be too intimidated to try yoga. I also teach to the experienced yogi that is ready to advance his or her practice. My classes focus on the power of the pranayama coupled with correct alignment for a safe and energizing yoga practice.
Steven Rubio
Teacher
Steven Rubio is a musician, artist and mountain resident. He is a recent student of Big Bear Yoga Teacher Training, and shares his gifts and passions in our community.
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.
Michael Garrity
Teacher & Musician
Michael Garrity (Swami Turiyananda) has been teaching yoga since 1981. He studied at the Bihar School of Yoga in Munger Bihar India as well as with teachers in the U.S. He has also studied psychology and has a master’s degree with a thesis focused on East/West psychology. Although he has taught and still teaches classes in asana, the physical posturesof yoga, his main emphasis is on dhyana yoga or meditation. He also leads group kirtan, devotional singing.
Aminah Teachout
Teacher
Aminah Teachout joins us from Skyforest,CA where she teaches yoga to ages 0 to 100. Aminah has been practicing yoga since the age of 12 and is now in her sixth year teaching professionally. She brings an eclectic and playful approach to all ages, all levels and all mindsets from her studio in Skyforest, CA. Aminah's training includes classic fitness credentials as well as BoomerPlus and Cosmic Kids training. She is a Contributing Teacher to Open Door's RYT200 this year in Pomona, CA. Aminah is the creator of EmpathiKIDS, a yoga method to empower young people and their families towards sustainable wellness and mindbody fitness. She also writes extensively on the pursuit of longevity and shares macroeconomic perspectives on depression, anxiety, and post-traumatic growth.
Website: www.skyforestyoga.us
Facebook: @skyforestyogi
Instagram: @skyforestyogini