“For everyone, no matter what their age or level of expertise, the important issue in hatha yoga is not flexibility and the ability to do difficult postures, but awareness – awareness of body and breath. From this awareness comes control, and from control comes grace and beauty. Even postures approximated by beginning students can carry the germ of poise and elegance.”

 

Anatomy and Hatha Yoga

by H. David Coulter

Meet the Instructors

Charlie Phillips received his yoga teacher certification from the White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara, CA. In addition, he received a 40-hour teacher certification in Ashtanga Yoga studying with David Swenson. His primary emphasis in his yoga instruction is on mindful breath, proper anatomical foundation and body awareness, self-acceptance, with the underlying tenet of "progress not perfection!" Some of his other passions include playing guitar and other musical instruments, songwriting, connecting with nature, ultimate Frisbee, bowling, table tennis, and cultivating friendship and community. He is the owner of Barefoot Yoga and Massage Studio and lives in Glen Mills.
George DePaola found yoga in April 2005. He began learning the art of teaching in May 2006. He was initiated in the Himalayan tradition in 2007, where he has undertaken the 200 and 500 hour teacher trainings with the Himalayan Institute. He continues to study at the Institute and with Rod Stryker (Para Yoga) Kaliji (Triyoga) and Joan White (Iyengar). George aims to allow students to become rooted in Being using the breath with asana.
Jean Fisher Jean has been a student and practitioner of Yoga for over 40 years. She completed the Iyengar Teacher Training with Theresa Rowland, a student of Yogacharya BKS Iyengar, in 1998. She has been a student at Barefoot Yoga and Massage since 2005. Jean is an avid gardener, enjoys riding horses and endeavors to bring the spirit of yoga to everything she does. She and husband, Gerry, live in Thornton.
Karen Orrio was first introduced to Sivananda yoga while living in Dubai, where she trained with Archarya Nelson from Kerala, India. In England, Karen started practicing Ashtanga. Upon her return to Dubai, Karen studied Advanced Iyengar, Ashtanga, and Power yoga and combined her love of yoga and holistic healing with her passion for writing, publishing articles on alternative health therapies in a Dubai newspaper. She finds yoga to be the unifying force that helps foster self-awareness and lasting relationships. Genuine, spirited and knowledgeable with and open-minded approach, Karen aims to balance classes of varied levels with personal physical and mental fulfillment and advancement. Her dedication, communication and motivation helps students develop, build and sustain a regular practice and solid relationships consistent with yoga as a way of life.
Teresa Winte grew up in Newtown Square, PA. After attending college, she was drawn to the allure of New York City. While living there, yoga became an integral part of her life. She practiced Ashtanga yoga in NYC, studied massage in Boulder, Colorado and studied Ayurveda in Santa Cruz, CA. Teresa’s true passion lies in working with children. For the past eleven years she has been a public school teacher educating urban and immigrant children. Her goal is to bring yoga into the public school system around the world, but she realizes she has to start one school at a time!
Jennifer Maguire is intrigued by and committed to the mind-body connection for health and well-being, and finds yoga to be an essential element of this connection. Considering herself a “student of everything,” Jennifer recently received her teacher certification for yoga from AAAI-ISMA. In addition to focusing on strength, balance and flexibility, Jennifer’s instruction also examines stress reduction and mindfulness. Jennifer teaches college English, is very interested in nutrition and cooking, and is currently learning to play guitar.
Pat Schmitt has been practicing yoga for many years and teaching for seven years. Her yoga training began with Power Yoga. As she deepened her spiritual practice, she studied and received certification in Classical Yoga, Cardiac Yoga, Pre- and Post-Natal Yoga, and Yoga for Kids. She enjoys working with people at all levels of yoga, and her instruction emphasizes honoring ones limits and working with compassion.
Lindsay Curtin found yoga while studying pharmacy at the University of Pittsburgh, and survived post-graduate residency training by establishing a regular yoga practice. She completed her 200-hour teacher training certification in 2011 from MOYO Yoga in Skippack, PA.  A lifelong student, she learns something new with each practice and encourages students to do the same.  Lindsay enjoys baking, sewing, and making a home with her husband, Shawn and dog, Loki.
Libby Piper has a B.A. in Speech and Hearing Sciences from the University of Maryland. She is originally from the DC area where she worked as a Behavioral Therapist with a focus on children with Autism Spectrum Disorder while pursuing her graduate studies in Speech and Hearing Sciences. In 2004, she and her family were relocated to PA, where she first began practicing yoga. Libby has a 200 hour RYT Certification from the YogaLife Institute in Wayne, PA. She holds an Advanced ChildLight Yoga Training certification including additional training in Yoga 4 Classrooms & Every Kids Yoga (for children with special needs). When she’s not practicing yoga she enjoys spending time with her husband and two sons traveling, cooking or skiing.