OmBodies Yoga & Functional Wellness Teachers

Heather is a double 500-hour certified E-RYT 500, a Yoga Medicine Registered  Therapeutics Specialist, Functional Nutrition Guide and a YACEP (Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider) with Yoga Alliance, and the owner of OmBodies Yoga. Her Vinyasa yoga classes feature challenging, creative sequences with an emphasis on precision cueing and healthy alignment. She uses these elements in combination with a deep understanding of anatomy and physiology to draw in all of the aspects of the yoga practice, such as, pranayama and meditation.

 

Heather has been practicing yoga since 2000 and teaching since 2005. She completed the 200-hour Teacher Training Program with Sivananda Yoga in 2005, the Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Works in NYC in 2006, the 500-hour Advanced Teacher Training at Moksha in 2014, and has most recently, completed her second 500-hour Advanced Teacher Training Certification with Tiffany Cruikshank & Yoga Medicine.

 

She opened OmBodies Yoga Studio in 2009 and has developed two successful teacher training programs, the OmBodies Foundational 200-hour & the OmBodies Advanced Teacher Training, both registered with Yoga Alliance. 

 

Heather has loved yoga since the first class she took. The only thing she loves more than practicing yoga is sharing yoga with others!

Iian has been studying movement and the body for most of his life. At the age of 5, he joined a swim team and over the next 20 years, became one one of the world's best swimmers. He has dedicated much of his and early adulthood practicing and studying technique, hydrodynamics, and anatomy and physiology, to achieve peak performance. 

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He began his "official" yoga journey in 2002 with his first-ever yoga class with Rodney Yee in the San Francisco Bay area, where he was living at the time. Since then he's been able to practice under the guidance of amazing teachers such as Mark Stephens, Rusty Wells, and Kofi Busia. 

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His personal practice has developed steadily (and not so steadily at times) over the years. In January of 2018 Iian decided to take the next big step in his journey by becoming a a certified yoga teacher under the tutelage of his current teacher, Hilaire Lockwood. He received his 200-hour certification in June of 2018; 500-hour certification in August of 2019; and is currently working to complete his 750-hour certification. 

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Iian's teaching style is both playful and challenging. He strives to bring a sense of lightness, inquisitiveness, and creativity to the yoga flows that he teaches. You can expect to perspire, laugh, be challenged, be safe, and fall deeply into your practice and yourself.

Carlin found her way to yoga in 2010 after the birth of her children. While focusing on her family and raising her wonderful children, she felt like she was losing herself in the process. Having been a competitive gymnast, Carlin felt like she needed to find movement again. She was attracted to yoga for the physical benefits, but soon realized that it had much more to offer. Carlin fell in love with the physical, mental, and spiritual aspects of the yoga practice and continued to develop her own personal practice over the years, finding a particular enjoyment in the challenge and strength of inversions.

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Carlin has a Bachelor of Science in Health Fitness from Central Michigan University and also attended the Naturopathic Institute of Therapies and Education and found that the natural benefits of yoga complemented her education and beliefs. 

 

In 2012 Carlin decided to deepen her knowledge of yoga by enrolling in the 200-Hour OmBodies Yoga Teacher Training program and has been enjoying teaching ever since.

I am the former owner of Yoga on Main in Mt. Pleasant. Closed in early March, this represents the end of one chapter and the beginning of a new one. Change offers infinite possibilities, and one of those possibilities is the opportunity to share my teaching now with students at OmBodies. I began my yoga journey many years ago. I initially came to OmBodies to practice, and later, completed my 200-hour teacher training with Heather.

 

In early 2020, I began studies for 500- and 750-hour teacher training in Lansing at Hilltop Yoga, with Hilaire Lockwood. Since then I have completed all coursework and am now finalizing other requirements for this designation. I am also a certified Yoga Health Coach and work with groups and individuals who are interested in evolving their daily habits to improve their health and wellness. 

 

I teach from an intuitive space that connects body and breath and incorporates the principles of Ayurveda, which translates to the “science or knowledge” of life. It’s a healing wisdom that co-arose with Yoga and is estimated to date back 5,000 years. My teaching is Iyengar-inspired, alignment-based. I love to practice and teach vinyasa, from gentle to advanced, and always include Ayurvedic teachings which are both healing and balancing.

Yoga has held a special place in my heart for the past decade. I have been teaching for nearly 6 years and have absolutely LOVED every minute of it! I've enjoyed teaching everything from a challenging, hot Yoga Sculpt to Yin Yoga and everything in between. 

I have experience teaching children, adults, and elders.

 

I am a RYT-500 teacher that has recently returned home from Albuquerque to my beautiful home state of Michigan. I am so happy to be home and teaching here in this beautiful place. I look forward to meeting you on the mat!