Michelle began her yoga journey over 27 years ago when introduced to meditation to alleviate her insomnia. Taken aback by the profound effects it had, she continued on to practice asana, which solved a reoccurring knee injury. While travelling in Greece she adopted a regular pranayama practice, which kick started her lifelong dedication to the traditional 8 limbs of yoga.
Michelle is inspired by her many teachers throughout the world. Completing her 320 hour Yoga Teacher training in Victoria BC, she has gone on to study Vinjana Yoga with Elizabeth Peckham, Iyenger with Shirley Daventry – French, Ashtanga with Chuck Miller and advanced asana with Lauren Peterson. In 2007 Michelle completed an intensive 1500 hour 4 month yoga therapy program under Yogacharia Venketesha in Mysore India and in 2008 studied with Dharma Mitra in New York City. Michelle continues to return to India to study with her teacher, Mr. Venketesha and takes yearly trips to California to study with Lauren.
As the founder and director of Stone Fence Studios and MY Studio in Victoria, Michelle has accumulated over 8000 of hours of teaching, 2500 hours of yoga therapy experience, yoga teacher training programs, bi-annual retreats, monthly workshops and produced free online yoga videos. Michelle’s registered only, boutique style yoga classes allow her to work on individual’s needs to develop a personal practice specifically designed to rehabilitate both body and mind.
Always being a believer in Karmic balance, in 2005 Michelle founded E40, a non-profit organization raising money for children in need. As an instructor in a yoga community Michelle feels it is important to include a Karma practice not only for one’s own duty, but also to set an example for students. Some of E40 projects include the construction of an eco friendly girls dorm in India, purchasing beds for an orphanage in Nepal and funding the construction of a birthing center in Uganda.
In her free time Michelle enjoys traveling with her husband Steven, taking their dogs Ravi and Chundra for walks along Dallas road, skiing, surfing, painting, cooking, eating, good wine and music.