Dr. Suzanne Marotta
I began studying yoga in 1998 to relieve the stress of being a school superintendent. I had practiced yoga on and off for many years prior to 1998 but began to study in earnest when I arrived in Western Massachusetts. Initially, I found yoga helped me to keep calm and then the physical benefits started to manifest and I was going to yoga classes whenever my schedule allowed it. Once I was sure that yoga was going to be a permanent part of my life and possibly my future work, I began to seek out expert teachers and attended workshops and intensives with some of the “greats”; Gary and Mirka Kraftsow, Tias Little, Amy Ippoliti, Shiva Rae, Seane Corn and my current teachers, Francois Raoult and Courtney Bauer. I obtained my 200 hour certification in Embodyoga. I completed my 500 hour training at Sacred Rivers in CT. I hold the E 500 RYT certificate from Yoga Alliance. I attended yoga retreats in Assisi, Italy (2008), Lesvos, Greece (2010), Southern India (2010), Southern France, (2013), Crete, Greece (2014), Ebbio, Italy (2015), Feather Pipe Ranch, Helena MT (2015), Studio Anya (2009, 2015 and 2016), Santa Margherita Ligouri, Italy) and participated in programs offered at Kripalu, Omega and other yoga centers. I obtain a certification from Yogafit entitled YogaSweat, (2011). Last year I attended the Yoga Prison Project training with 8 teachers who are affiliated with Karma and many of us are beginning to teach yoga to the underserved. Various Kula classes in NYC 2020. Enrolled in a 1000 hour training I attended the Cadaver Lab (Boulder CO 2019), Shoulder Intensive (New Orleans 2020) and Essentials (at Karma 2020) modules last year (2019-2020). I am the Lead teacher for all of the teacher training programs held at Karma and I am very proud of those who have received their training at Karma and I honor all of my teachers. Om shri gurubhyo!
I am a licensed Esthetician in Massachusetts specializing in advanced esthetics. I completed my Ayurvedic Health Counselor January 2017 and became a Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner July 1, 2018. I have completed the initial levels of Thai Yoga Massage and obtained a certification from Lotus Palm Massage School for Level One and Two. I am currently studying Jyotish (another sister science of yoga) with Simon Chokoisky and I practice reading natal charts to help people with their relationship to the cosmos. These studies are on-going and I work with anyone using these skills who is interested in optimal health using the methods taught in the ancient sister sciences of yoga for a reasonable price.
My greatest joy is to help students obtain maximum physical, mental and spiritual health. I want students to have fun while observing their physical, mental and spiritual progress. Each day it is possible to lose our mind to come to our senses, support our body’s work to bring us into homeostasis and connection to new ways of thinking. All modalities experience brings us into deeper harmony with the universe.
Elise
In 2012 a friend introduced me to chakra meditation and my yoga journey began. I started meditation and slowly began practicing yoga in my free time. In 2016 I attended a work event at Karma Yoga and won 5 free yoga classes in a raffle. I attended one hot yoga class and I was hooked. Since I’ve started practicing at Karma Yoga my whole life has changed. Suzanne has been my inspiration because of the unconditional love and dedication she shows her students, and her passion for yoga. I now teach kids yoga and the 5:30 am hot classes. “Om mani padme hung”
Brie
Yoga is so much more than a series of movements linked with breath; yoga is a way of life.
I began my journey a few years ago introducing different kinds of yoga randomly into my already jam packed schedule. With an extensive background in health and fitness, I always thought yoga would be fun and easy. After my first class I quickly found that it was NOT as easy as I imagined. What I felt was something I had never experienced before – I felt present and at peace in that very moment and I somehow found myself in a deep trance while in one of the hardest shapes of yoga called savasana. For the first time I wasn’t competing with the person next to me. There was no “fastest time”, and it was OK that I couldn’t touch my toes or wiggle my body into every shape. It wasn’t until that moment I truly found the meaning of yoga and started to see all of the amazing qualities it has. I fell in love with the strength and joy yoga brings me, which has motivated me to pass that incredible feeling along to others. Yoga is the best counselor I have ever been to. It keeps you grounded through the hard times, celebrates with you in the good times and heals you during the sad times. I strive to bring energy and new challenges into each and every class with a balance of detoxifying twists and deep stretches bringing clarity and stability to each and every student.
Stacy
I have always enjoyed an active lifestyle, being one of the first young women to play Little League, playing soccer through high school, biking and running. The combination of competition and fitness was an integral part of my life. While in college, I explored weight training, racquetball, cycling and yoga. At that time, yoga did not become part of my fitness routine.
In 2006, while living in Jacksonville, Florida, a gym friend urged me to give yoga another try; I was reluctant, but agreed. I was struck immediately by the physicality and emotional impact of the practice. I was hooked!
While I remain competitive, yoga has brought a level of relaxation and self-acceptance that was not part of my fitness world. I took the opportunity to practice a spectrum of yoga styles in a number of different studios, but I always found myself drawn back to that first style of yoga from 2006, Baptiste Power Yoga.
I am a 200-Hour Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT), having completed teacher training at MBody Yoga, a Baptiste Power Yoga Studio in Jacksonville. As a credentialed instructor, I began teaching in February of 2014. I was fortunate to have trained with Baron Baptiste, and have participated in several additional trainings, including the Art of Assisting.
I continue to expand my yoga horizons here in Massachusetts with my inspiring instructor, Suzanne Marotta, at her studio, Karma Yoga. I acquire new skills by attending workshops here at Karma, at Kripalu and Canyon Ranch in the Berkshires, and at Baptiste Power Yoga Boston.
Power yoga classes are energizing and fast-paced, with a concentration on strengthening poses. These classes will improve your flexibility, with the goal of creating strength and focus by moving with your breath.
I am excited to share this practice with you! My aim is to provide a class that will challenge you physically, while giving you an opportunity to reset your mind and focus.
Marisa
I have been practicing yoga on and off for as long as I can remember. My aunt, a lifelong yogi, first introduced me to the practice at a very young age and would bring me to classes and retreats as I was growing up. Then, about 10 years ago, I found hot yoga and immediately felt a deep connection to it. It was exactly the type of exercise my body and mind had been yearning for. The mat became the place that I went to not only to take care of my physical self, but my emotional self as well.
I am a school guidance counselor and naturally, an exercise that focuses on connecting the mind, body, and soul resonates with me. I believe that with all the stressors that can happen in life, it is important to take care of our whole selves. We must nourish every part of us. Yoga has been my therapy and has been a wondrous journey of self-discovery, wellness, and acceptance and one that I hope to share with others.
I am also a daughter, wife, friend, and mother of three beautiful, sweet, amazing young boys that make my heart beat.
Heather
Heather has been practicing yoga for two decades. She believes yoga strengthens your body, mind, and spirit. Heather enjoys teaching all facets of yoga because it has changed her life. As a reiki practitioner, Heather believes that healing comes from the inside out. Grounding and surrounding herself outside in nature is where she is happiest! Heather also believes that every body is a Yoga body and by creating a space where the body can access the skills and energy that serves their authentic self will increase overall well-being. Everyone, no matter their age or level of practice is made for yoga. Heather looks forward to sharing her energy and practice with the K2 yoga community–
Amanda
In high school, my gym teacher offered a unit on yoga. When this unit was offered, I always chose it and loved how it left me feeling calm for the rest of the school day. A few years ago, I went to a retreat and was reintroduced to yoga. I starting seeing yoga as a way to heal, a way to become present in the now, and a way to be kind to oneself. I began taking classes and eventually found Karma Yoga. Since coming to Karma, yoga has become one of the most important things in my life. I completed the 21 day challenge in February (21 classes in 28 days). This challenge made me realize that I love yoga in all of it’s forms. As a math teacher and a yoga teacher, I hope to help make students feel loved, comforted, and to give them the opportunity to see themselves grow.
Natalie (Nat)
My introduction to yoga occurred almost twenty years ago at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland. I tried it as a way to increase my flexibility from years of running and team sports. We learned basic postures, breathing techniques, meditation techniques and how yoga could alleviate common ailments. It was a wonderful introduction to the breadth of yoga. Since that time, I practiced yoga at various gyms and studios around the Washington, D.C. area before moving to Massachusetts. I mainly practiced traditional hatha yoga, vinyasa and Bikram. In addition to my yoga practice, I was a former fitness instructor who taught Pilates, group conditioning classes, step aerobics and various strength classes before moving into a career in human resource management.
I have always wanted to enroll in a yoga teacher training program. Since going to Karma for classes and then joining the 200 hour teacher training program, I have experienced profound changes in body and mind. I first came to the studio with various injuries and a disappointed attitude that I could no longer run – my life long “go to” for fitness. Suzanne helped me gain a deeper appreciation for my body. She taught me to celebrate what I can do now rather than dwell on what I could no longer do. Instead of saying “I can’t do this,” say “I can’t do this yet.” Because the mind is a powerful tool, I am better attuned to my body than I was twenty years ago.
Further, my inspiration draws from various teachers who incorporated readings and quotes into their classes. The readings helped me focus throughout practice and stay present with what I was feeling in each posture. Many of these readings still resonate with me not only on the mat but also in daily life.
My classes include inspirational readings and pranayama (breathing techniques) to help quiet and focus the mind. I try to incorporate a mix of vinyasa (flow), strengthening and flexibility postures while providing a variety of options for all levels of practitioners.
Chaitali
Yoga and Meditation have been a part of my life off and on for the past 15 years. I am very connected with my Hindu roots and strived to look for a studio that honored what I was bringing with me. I meet Suzanne and the Karma Community and never looked back. I decided to pursue my Yoga Teacher Training to deepen my Mind-Body- Spirit connection as I dealt with some personal challenges and looking for my purpose. Since joining the 200 hour Teach Training at Karma Yoga, I am transforming into the person I was meant to be and love sharing what I learn with others. I look forward to continue to share my knowledge with others. I have taught various classes at Karma from Power Yoga, Gentle Yoga and currently teach Meditations on Sundays. I believe yoga can benefit anyone and with the right support and guidance it can be a very life altering experience. I wish you all the best as you pursue your yoga journey. Love and Light.
Casey
I found yoga during a time where my relationship with exercise and food was an unhealthy one. However, yoga taught me to honor my self and let go of whatever did not serve me. Over my 15 year yoga journey, I have practiced in various types of yoga in different studios, gyms and on my own at times. When I walked into Karma for the first time, I was immediately welcomed by the community there and knew it was somewhere I wanted to deepen my practice. While I will always be drawn to a more vigorous, heated practice, Dr. Marotta has taught me to listen to my body and grateful for whatever I did on my mat during class. In her wise words, “honor the body you brought today”.
I am a licensed mental health counselor (LMHC) working in the field of child protection and prior to that juvenile corrections. When asked how I do my job, I always credit yoga and the tranquillity I find on my mat. I have also been able to bring the gift of yoga to my colleagues during a weekly lunch time yoga class.
I am grateful to continue my yoga journey and be part of the amazing community at Karma.
Nadene
At a young age I was searching for magic stones and had a passion for the mystical way. Falling into a very dark hole in my life with PTSD, I found myself in many unhealthy situations and by grace I was introduce to yoga. I slowly began to practice yoga and it completely changed my life. In my work of caring for others, which is often stressful, yoga keeps my mind balanced, my body healthy and my spirit nourished. You will have the same experience you if you give yoga a chance. It is for everyone who wants to be healthy, happy, and prosperous. Come join me and the Karma family in our classes and become one with self and the universe. My class combines all of the modalities I have learned in yoga, reiki, shamanism and magical arts to bring loving peace and kindness to all.
Kate Victoria
Kate Victoria has been practicing the living art of yoga for over a decade. She earned her 200hr Yoga Alliance Teacher certification in 2016 from Karma Yoga West Springfield and has been teaching since with primary focus on Yin Yoga; yoga for the hard, cold tissues of the body; ligaments, cartilage, bone and the fascial system which houses our Qi (Prana, life force, space and fluids), the energy manipulated in acupuncture. Kate recently earned her Yin Yoga Teacher Certification through study with Liza Dousson( E-RYT & YACEP), Sean Going, Licensed Traditional Chinese Medicine and Acupuncture practitioner & Derek Cook, bio-mechanic and fascia expert. She also holds her Reiki 1 certification which she utilizes in class as well as in her work with socializing and training dogs and making plant based medicines.
Kate teaches from the understanding that as humans we are in fact nature, physically composed of mostly water, like the earth as well as all other elemental energies yet we are also spirit, energy, the universe incarnate. She works with the practice to connect and realign us to that orderly and divine natural state of being. Yin is peculiarly adept at this feat. We can achieve healing at the deepest levels of our physical, energetic and spiritual being by embodying the effifacious art of Wu-Wei, the Taoist ‘term’ for effortless action practiced in Yin. Being in long held asanas (3-5min avg) we “drop in” to the quiet space of the parasympathetic nervous system and in that meditation the body repairs, the mind quiets and we can tend to our spiritual self. The compression strengthens, hydrates and creates space in the hard tissues allowing for greater pranic flow in our meridians(energy rivers of the body). It all happens with our allowance and surrender. In our very active, stimulating yang heavy world, Yin is a way to bring us back to balance with our true nature of abiding calm, simplicity, perfection and joy so we may take it off the mat and lead heart led lives of informed intention from a more balanced state.
Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu
May all beings everywhere be happy and free, and may the thoughts, words, and actions of my own life contribute in some way to that happiness and to that freedom for all.
Sat Nam
Emily
Mystic
Jessica
For much of my young adult life I dabbled in yoga classes here and there. I have always enjoyed the physicality mixed with mindfulness and breathe but had never considered myself a true yogi. After many life events left me seeking “more,” I began to take my practice deeper and practice more regularly with discipline. What I noticed was a dramatic shift in how I viewed the world. It was as if there were infinite possibilities.
I began my yoga teacher journey at Karma to deepen my own personal practice. What I have learned is that yoga is not just a physical asana with pranayama, or breath. It is a way of life. It is how we carry ourselves off the mat. Yoga is a mind, body, and spirit connection deeply rooted in self-awareness.
As a yoga teacher, not only do I want to help students grow in class but I also want to help them take what they have learned from class into their daily lives. I hope to nurture students in their physical practice as well as their journey in the mind, body, spirit connection. My class focuses on synchronizing breath with movement to create heat, strength, and flexibility. I hope to help students cultivate self-awareness and techniques to bring strength, tranquility, and light in life.
COURTNEY BAUER
ANYA FOUNDER/CREATOR
It is my passion and calling to help others fall in love with the art of conscious living as a unique expression of their soul.
I grew up as the child who saw the sky a few shades different than the common eye. For a while, I described the colors just as they appeared, but over time, I learned it was much easier to describe it like everyone else. The same would be true for things I smelled, heard, touched, and tasted. What I know now as heightened sensibilities or embodied intuition, back then, made me feel alienated and alone.
I spent many years struggling to be “normal” when what I truly longed for was to be valued and understood for my style of sensing the world. In response to this primal desire for “be-longing” I created a method for wholeness devoted to the cultivation of the “Soul Sense” through Mind + Body fitness. Over the years, Anya, as a philosophy of movement, has become a gateway and guidebook for daily self-care and sacred connection for individuals and communities worldwide.