Instructor Bio's
Leia Morrison
An avid mountain biker, telemark skier and general lover of everything Gunnison, Leia has been teaching yoga and mat pilates in Gunnison for 9 years. Leia was introduced to yoga, under the instruction of Sherrill Stenson and through Sherrill's encouragement and support became inspired to teach! Leia also became interested in Mat Pilates and studied under Chris Cory, becoming certified in Mat Pilates Levels #1, #2 and #3. It is Leia's belief that the core strengthening principles learned in Mat Pilates are the perfect complement to a regular yoga practice. Leia is Certified in both yoga & pilates through AAAI and is a member of IDEA. Leia continues her education yearly in both teacher training courses and workshops, including hours toward the Yoga Alliance standards. Leia has been accepted and is currently taking classes through the Samudra Teacher Training program and is excited to be continuing her education under the expertise of yoga instructor Shiva Rea! Leia has studied numerous styles of yoga including: Ashtanga, Iyengar, Anusara, Bikram, Power Yoga and Kundalini. Specializing in fusing vinyasa yoga, dance and mat pilates, Leia's classes are perfect for those who have tried yoga and thought it wasn't for them. Balance balls, resistance bands, light hand weights and other props are often used in classes as well. Kinder Kids Yoga as well as Prenatal Stretch Strengthen & Relax are specialty classes designed for...well, the obvious! The newest addition to her repertoire: Leia is also available for private instruction. The cost for one hour privates is $45 per hour or 10 sessions for a total of $350. Half hour reformer sessions are also available at an introductory rate of $10 per 1/2 hour (Regularly $20 per 1/2 hour).
Call or e-mail Leia to schedule your private.
Susan Searle
Susan Searle started teaching yoga over ten years ago in Las Vegas, NV. She has been inspired by and studied under numerous yoga masters including Sean Corn, Rodney Yee, Baron Baptist, John Friend, and Sherry Goldstein. Susan is also a certified fitness and aerobics instructor and has an extensive background in competitive gymnastics. With a Masters Degree in spirituality and over twenty years of professional ministry experience, Susan's teaching style incorporates a sense of the sacred and spirituality with the physical exercise of yoga. Her creative and challenging vinyasa classes, infuse many styles of yoga aimed at helping one connect mind, breath, body and spirit. All of Susan's classes are practiced to the backdrop of contemporary pop, hip-hop, trance dance, world fusion, as well as traditional Indian music and chanting for inspiration. Each session concludes with a guided meditation and relaxation.
Susan's classes are also available for college credit
Register through Western State College Extended Studies.
Susan is available for private yoga sessions and/or spiritual direction.
Tiffany Betts
Tiffany was introduced to yoga as a high school senior in Los Angeles, CA. She was fortunate to be exposed to the teachings of many "yoga rockstars", including Seane Corn, Hala Khouri, Shiva Rea, and others. Her first teacher training was with senior Iyengar teacher Lisa Walford and Astanga warrior Maty Ezraty of YogaWorks in Santa Monica. This training initiated her love of yogic philosophy, anatomy, and asana. From there, she found her way to Julian Walker's class, a chance decision that opened the door to a lifelong cultivation of a practice that continues to nurture, challenge, and evolve her on every level. Julian taught her to carve her own path and find resources in body, breath, music, and community. This deepening in her practice corresponded with her exploration of bodywork, meditation, dance, and various mind/body practices. She has been a practicing massage therapist for six years; her fascination with anatomy, physiology, and the body in movement greatly informs her teaching style. Concurrently, she completed her BA at Reed College, in Portland, OR. As a Religion major, she wrote a thesis that explored the process of translating a religious or spiritual experience into a coherent verbal articulation, using her connections with the community in Santa Monica as a case study. This year long process helped hone her methods of precise and rich communication in her yoga classes.
She has recently moved to Gunnison from Boulder, CO, where she spent about two years exploring the mountainous regions. In Boulder she received her yoga certification and completed her most extensive training thus far, with Shannon Paige Schneider and Chris Muchow. These two offered a beautiful blend of Vinyasa and Anusura yoga, both steeped in the Tantric philosophy. After exposure to a wide range of asana styles and yogic philosophies, Tiffany has refined her teaching style to offer a class that is best described as "alignment-based Vinyasa". She is a lover of the grace, power, and freedom inherent in Vinyasa flow, while also fascinated with the process of creating optimal alignment and engagement in the muscular-skeletal system. Her recent education in Biodynamic Cranio-sacral therapy continues to inform her understanding of the subtleties of the nervous system and the communication between brain and body. She hopes to be a student for life, while also offering the benefits of her education to others. Her classes are simultaneously energetic and deeply rejuvenating. Expect music, poetry, sweat, tears, laughter, and release.
Tiffany also offers individual and small group yoga instruction as well as bodywork/massage therapy and complimentary Cranio-sacral sessions from her home practice. She would also love to offer a "yoga for rock-climbers" class at the Sanctuary- if you are interested in any of these options or to learn more, please contact Tiffany at:
Tony Smith
Background in Pilates: Been practicing Pilates since 1995 and believe it has given me the ability to continue to do the sports I love, even though I have a tremendous amount of Injuries. Pilates is incredible and I want to have an opportunity to teach some basic begining Pilates mat , because I know it is a form of exercise that people need to know how to do correctly!
Joe Bob Merritt
When I was a child I had an odd (or ordinary) experience. I said the words “blue sky”. I thought to myself…hmmm…strange…”I am here”. Then I thought…hmmm…”what am I”…“where is here”…”what is going on here”…”what can I do”. I REALLY wanted to know the answers to these questions…so…off I went wandering. I started asking around and around….and around…stumbling and striding…and finding a whole bunch of folks who were kind enough to guide me as far as they could or as far as I could go. It will be my privilege to share with you what has been shared with me, and to practice together as we make the efforts we make…to awaken to the creative expressions of life that we are.
I teach vipassana meditation, also known as mindfulness or insight meditation. The techniques that I facilitate are the results of the work of Shinzen Young and Soryu Forall Scott. My teaching style is influenced by 15 years of 4th Way work as taught by Phil Blecker and Dr. Bob Gibson. I have also been deeply influenced by the work of J. Krishnamurti, David Bohm, Martin Prechtel, and Patricia Albere as well as by my participations in Lakota ceremonies including Wiwayang Wacipi, Hamblechia and Inipi.
My aim as a mindfulness instructor is to facilitate experiences that contribute to the evolution of human consciousness. The system that I teach is removed from cultural and doctrinal trappings. The techniques can be practiced by the followers of any (or no) religion. Basic Mindfulness meditation is conducive to the development of sensory clarity, the strengthening of concentration skills, and the cultivation of equanimity. The efforts we make in these practices are aimed towards having direct experiences of freedom from mechanical conditioning and habitual reactions. Our aim will be to increase our ability to act creatively in the midst of challenging life situations.
Sherrill Stenson has moved to the Main Street Studio. Please call her at 275-5987 for a current schedule.