Meet Your Teachers

Our teachers are more than instructors—they are dedicated practitioners, lifelong students and heart-centered humans here to support your journey. Each brings a unique blend of wisdom and lived experience to the mat, weaving ancient philosophy with modern insight. Our team is here to hold space, offer guidance and walk beside you on your path of self-discovery.

 

Discover the wonderful teachers at Shala Living Yoga.

 

  • Ara Lyman (she/her), Owner

    Ara loves sharing the healing power of yoga with others as well as learning about it herself. She is grateful for her personal practice and the amazing teachers she has had the privilege of learning from.

    She has a 200hr certification through The Yoga School of Spokane with Karen Francovich, Katie Cooley and Allison Rubin, a 350hr certification through Yarrow Hot Yoga and Wellness Studio with Coco Swanson, a private Baptiste training with Rhea Slichter, a 500hr Radiant Body Kundalini certification with Kia Miller and a 200hr KRI level 1 certification with Guru Singh and Sada Simran.

    Ara has also completed a levels 1—3 sound healing certification with Geoffrey Torkington. She is currently completing her 600hr Ayurvedic councilor’s certification with Shakti School.

  • Jon Swanstrom (he/him), Owner

    Jon's first glimpse into the world of yoga was as a young boy in the early 1970's, with his Mom, watching and practicing to "Lilias, Yoga and You" on PBS. His fascination was rekindled when he began practicing hot yoga in 2010 (with Ara as one of his teachers). Since then, Jon has two teacher trainings under his belt. Kundalini Flow and Hot 26&2 (Bikram / Ghosh yoga). Jon is co-owner of Shala Living Yoga with his partner and love, Ara Lyman. Aside from yoga, Jon is a musician, artist, video creator / editor and has been in the vintage clothing and antique business since 1990. He has two amazing adult children and two grandsons. "Breathe in, breathe out. Sat Nam."

  • Kundalini Flow, Gentle Kundalini w/Sound Healing and Flow, Pranayama & Sound Healing

    Anna has been working with energy since she was a child. “I have always been attracted to energy, yoga, and fitness, and always knew I am meant to be a healer.”

    She started teaching fitness while attending EWU in 1998, expanding into yoga, pilates, and many other types of classes. She has had extensive training and numerous certifications. A 200hr Kundalini Teacher Training with Ara and a 200hr KRI Certification with Sada Simran and Guru Singh.

    Anna is a certified level 3 master Reiki healer in the Holy Fire and Karuna methods. She leads monthly reiki experiences and twice yearly Reiki certification courses. She is also a sound healer.

    “I love teaching at Shala Living Yoga and I think it's absolutely the best yoga studio in Spokane! I love my classes and the people who attend them! I absolutely love what I do and I am very passionate about it. I love seeing people improve physically, mentally, and emotionally. I am grateful to be able to teach at and be a part of the Shala Living Yoga” :)

  • Rachael (Rocky) is a lifelong movement practitioner with a background in dance and martial arts. She has spent over 15 years teaching and training in these modalities, and brings a deep knowledge of alignment, injury prevention and recovery to her yoga classes.  Her focus has been on learning the nuances of teaching individuals– helping people to learn how to connect more deeply with themselves and their bodies.  She believes that yoga is an accessible practice for everyone and teaches a variety of styles to suit individual needs, including Vinyasa, Yin, Mindful Body and Restorative Yoga. 

    Yoga came into her life slowly and over many years of home practice. In 2018 she took her 200hr Certification training with Allison Rubin at Harmony Yoga and began teaching with Shawn Brow at South Perry Yoga. She has gone on to teach at a variety of studios and continues to pursue her training and practice at Shala Living Yoga.

    Rachael enjoys backpacking, hiking, dancing, gardening and spending time in nature with her loved ones. Professionally she is a full-time teacher, working as an Instructor for Spokane District 81 and teaching Irish Dance, Tumbling, Yoga, Art and Science.

  • A native to Spokane, Jayme has always carried a lust for exploration and travel and in her years growing up, this was all she could think about. Once graduated from high school, Jayme immediately moved to Kona, HI to pursue her love of photography and adventure. That first experience of a new place, new tastes, and smells sent a pulse through Jayme, and from there she spent the better part of the next ten years moving around the country and traveling to different parts of the world, it was during her travels that she began to take an interest in practicing yoga. Jayme became a regular practitioner almost immediately, trying as many different classes as she could throughout the years but ultimately finding that Ashtanga vinyasa movement was the style of yoga that truly spoke to her body and soul. Once returned to her home town, Jayme enrolled in and completed her RYT 200 Yoga Teacher training and certification in 2018.Jayme has since been teaching yoga regularly and continues to learn about the human condition, our emotions, and how mindfulness, breath and the nervous system truly impacts not only our mental wellness but our physical wellbeing.

  • Tess is a teacher specialized in the 26 and 2 series, and has been teaching for just under five years. She began practicing as a teenager and has continued to dive deeper into the study of yoga each year that has passed since. Born and raised here in Spokane, she is grateful for the opportunity to share the practice with the community she calls home, and passionate in providing space for students to experience themselves in a kind and caring environment.

  • Jordan has been teaching yoga in the Spokane area since 2020 and is an RYT 200. Jordan was introduced to yoga when she was a philosophy student at Central Washington University where she took a yoga class for credit taught by her favorite philosophy professor. She immediately fell in love with the practice and kept wanting to learn more and more about this magical thing called yoga. Yoga has allowed her to tap into an immense strength within that she never knew was possible. Jordan teaches because she is devoted to sharing this beautiful practice with as many people as possible. Yoga is for EVERYBODY! Jordan was trained in the Vinyasa Flow style, and loves to teach a spicy flow class. When she’s not teaching or doing yoga, Jordan enjoys spending time with her family and two lab mix dogs.

  • Meagan first discovered Yoga back in High School after purchasing several Gaiam tapes, and then later DVDs with great yogi’s such as Rodney Yee and Patricia Walden. Over the years, she began taking yoga classes at the gym—which was great at the time—but she found herself wanting to go deeper and explore the spiritual side of Yoga.

    So, when she heard about a teacher training in January 2018, she knew she had to sign up. She still thinks of it as one of the best things she’s ever done.

    She is also a Master Reiki Practitioner and teacher who loves helping people get back to wellness. She is deeply passionate about Restorative Yoga and its ability to facilitate in healing the body, mind and spirit.

    Meagan looks forward to serving you in a Restorative Yoga class so that you can feel your best!

  • Sierra is a passionate yoga/movement teacher & sound healer, skilled specifically in Vinyasa, Yin and intuitive movement dance. Incorporating yogic philosophy and lifestyle into her practices, she believes Sadhana (daily spirtual practice to reach a desired goal) is an essential part of the practice.

    “Yoga isn’t just something practiced inside a studio for a set amount of time, it is life! A way to live and be! I try my very best to inspire this in my classes by encouraging people to be aware and listen to their bodies; to take a moment and feel completely into your state of being; and to clear the mind and create a clearer view into the path ahead. These are things to practice both inside and outside of class! There is much more to yoga than just the asanas.”

    Sierra has always been passionate about self expressive movement. She loves to dance, spin and listen to music!

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  • Suna first came to yoga in 2013 after practicing self meditation and vedic education through the ISKON community in Honolulu, alongside spiritual teachers such as Yogananda and Deepak Chopra. After more spiritual education she felt inspired to take on a physical practice and discovered Bikram yoga in Hawaii and became a regular practitioner. 10 years later after moving to Spokane, she wanted to make yoga a more permanent path by becoming a 26&2 teacher. She is so grateful for Ara’s teacher training and the community at Shala ,and is looking forward to continuing to deepen her practice in her yogic journey as both a student and a teacher.

  • Melissa is a Kundalini yoga instructor who completed her 200hr teacher training at Shala Living Yoga. She has been practicing yoga on and off since she was 15 years old. She started practicing mostly as cross-training in her rock climbing days but it grew to be a much bigger part of her life. She was attracted to how healing the movement felt for her body but also had a growing interest/appreciation for the philosophical side of yoga. She read books to learn more about the philosophy but was really able to expand and deepen her knowledge by completing the Kundalini yoga training.

    She enjoys all types of asana but Kundalini holds a special place in her heart. She loves to share her practice with others so that they too can continue to deepen and expand their practices. She is excited to teach, learn from, and learn with you in class!

  • Born in Shanghai, Lillian Hochleutner is a devoted Vajrayana practitioner and yoga teacher deeply connected to the Indo-Tibetan and classic Hatha yoga traditions. In 2017, she formalized her practice with a 200hr study guided by her beloved principal teacher Michele Loew.

    Embarking on an advanced journey, Lillian completed 3x300hr programs with esteemed teachers, including Professor Robert A.F. Thurman, Dr. Nida Chenagtsang, and Richard Freeman. These immersive experiences transformed her teaching and personal practice, unveiling the interconnectedness and integration of yoga tantras of Vajrayana with classic Hatha yoga.

    Rooted in Eastern culture and philosophy, fueled by compassion, Lillian dedicates her teaching to encourage individuals to discover their own inner journeys. Through the experience of discovery, they are inspired to find empowerment in elevating each other with wisdom and compassion. Teaching becomes a vehicle for awakening her own voice, a reflection of her inner nature, and a path to deepen her inward awareness.

    Now an American residing in Spokane, Washington with her husband, Lillian finds joy in the outdoors and welcoming communities. She shares her studies and teachings, fostering a local yoga community that embodies the transformative power of yoga.

  • Julie comes to yoga after a successful career in dance beginning with Jazz Dance when she was 19.  She went on to earn a Bachelor's Degree in Dance from Santa Clara University and studied various styles including jazz, modern, ballet, tap and hip-hop. She has worked professionally in various roles as a dancer, teacher and choreographer for 20 years. 

    Julie started practicing “Yoga with Adriene” in March of 2022 with the intention of healing her body from years of dance injuries. Four days after she moved to Spokane in 2023 she took a class at the Shala and she knew immediately that she had found her tribe!  

    She has since earned a 200hr 26 + 2 Yoga Certification with Ara Lyman. Most recently she’s received Reiki Levels 1 & 2 training with Anna Cutler.   

    Julie loves teaching 26 + 2 and looks forward to sharing this highly therapeutic practice that benefits all levels.

  • 550-hr Yoga Teacher Certified, Jessie focuses on ways to bring the mind and body into union through flow, breath and sound. She believes alignment in the body will bring us in alignment with our better selves in our everyday life. She has a passion for sound healing intentionally choosing frequencies that enhance the body’s ability to repair itself. 

  • Nicholas provides intuitive energy healing, drawing from Holy Fire Reiki roots and expanded Oversoul-based modalities.

    This is not a typical energy healing session.

    This is a sacred return.

    In these private sessions, Nicholas creates a distortion-free space for deep healing, remembrance, and nervous system restoration. Each session is intuitively guided and uniquely tailored to your soul’s blueprint, weaving together ancient frequencies, hands-on energy work, elemental support (crystals, essential oils), and breath-based recalibration.

    Rather than follow a method, Nicholas listens: to your body, to your Oversoul, and to the space between.

    Whether you are working through trauma, anxiety, spiritual disconnection, or simply seeking clarity, these sessions offer a chance to gently dissolve stored patterns and reconnect with the truth of who you are: without pressure, performance, or pretense.

    Common Themes:

    • Energy clearing + restoration

    • Emotional integration + trauma release

    • Soul remembrance + identity healing

    • Physical tension, fatigue, insomnia

    • Past life or attachment clearing

    • Nervous system support

    • Sacred transition or life direction work

    These sessions are best for those ready to meet themselves with love and honesty. Come as you are.

  • Bio coming soon!

  • Bio coming soon!

  • Rachel Cohen (she/her), Studio Manager

    Rachel first found her love for movement when she started dance lessons at 3 years old. She continued until she found yoga in 2009, realizing that yoga was much more than stretching, it was a life changing experience. The joy and serenity she felt after her first yoga class radiates today as she teaches Baptiste inspired Power Vinyasa Yoga, vinyasa flow and slow flow. 

    “I have a passion to help others and through yoga I’m able to accomplish that: physically, emotionally, mentally, and spiritually. I’ve been inspired and all I want to do is pass it on and watch students as they transform.”

    Rachel is also a certified children’s yoga instructor and teaches in preschools and daycares. A mother herself, she brings love and compassion into her classes, balancing strength with ease.

  • The road to enlightenment is one with many twist and turns, such was the journey for Richelle. Being introduced to yoga at twelve she was intrigued but also confused by this unique and foreign concept of moving her body this way for exercise. She grew up doing gymnastics, dancing and other team sports. She can still remember practicing to a cassette tape in the mornings with her older cousin, Willard, in the hallway between their rooms the summer she stayed with her family. She was Richelle’s first glimpse into this parallel world of the souls journey. Thank you Willard. 

    In the spring of 2015 Richelle took her first 200 hr training in Auburn, CA. Studying a form of Yoga heavily influenced with Bhakti and Vinyasa. Swooning in all the devotional mantra and kirtan, her spiritual and mindfulness  practice began. In the fall of 2015 Richelle moved to Alaska and while there had the opportunity to continue to study Thai massage, kids yoga, aerial arts and acro yoga. 

    2018 is when Richelle moved to the magical area of Spokane, WA. Submersing herself deep in the healing journey of self love, mindfulness and wholehearted wellness. In the time that she’s been back in the lower 48 Richelle has  been blessed to study Reiki energy healing, study / teach Acro Yoga with her partner Mosha, continue to practice, teach and even perform her love for the aerial arts, and dive deeper into Yin and Power Yoga completing her most recent 200hr with the Spokane Yoga Shala with Ara Lyman and Rhea Slichter in June 2020. 

    Richelle is an intentional body mover, her friends and practitioners often call her a ‘good stretcher person’  and her offerings are intuitive and heart centered, often bringing the intention of presence and stillness. Richelle looks forward to seeing you and celebrating your uniqueness as we learn to walk this path together. 

  • Rose began her journey with yoga 7 years ago, seeking a way to strengthen her body and create new flexibility and health within. She quickly fell in love with the sacredness she discovered on the mat, as well as the peace she was able to carry and apply throughout the rest of her life. Along with yoga, Rose is passionate about rock climbing, hiking, and spending time outside. She loves the connection she is able to find between yoga and nature, the ability to live in a more organic and healthful way. "Yoga changed my life from the very first practice. It taught me to love myself more fully, to recognize my inner strength, to overcome my doubts, and to learn patience through the process. When I began to study yoga, one of the things I found to be the most beautiful are the ethics and principles that yoga teaches. The Yamas and Niyamas, how we are taught to treat ourselves and others, are guidelines that I have always inherently believed, and wished to develop further. Kindness and love is the essence of life, and I truly hope to share and receive this light through my yoga journey. If there is one thing I wish to share with others, it is the joy that yoga has brought to me!"Rose completed her 200 hr RYT focused on vinyasa Flow in June of 2016, and she has been sharing this love for yoga, health, and happiness since then.

  • Jacque has an extensive background in leading group classes in our community. Her certifications include ACE, NASM, and 200hr YTT.  Jacque was first introduced to Ashtanga Yoga in 2007 and was hooked on the powerful connection of breath and spirit. After experimenting with many different forms of yoga, she found her home with Anusara vinyasa flow.  Jacque experienced an internal grace that manifested into beautiful source of pure joy. She discovered that flowing through asanas builds strength and power, encourages energetic lengthening and alignment, and develops intentional presence in the moment.  Yoga is an integration of the celebration of the heart and balanced energetic action within the poses. The rhythm of movement and vibration of breath creates a harmony of the most beautiful music that feeds the soul and brightens the internal glow. 

    Jacque believes that the best gift you give yourself is stepping on your mat and taking time to be intentional with your heart; honoring your practice by meeting yourself exactly where you are at; and with  gratitude and grace letting whatever needs to unfold, reveal and soften.  Yoga is an opportunity to be kind to yourself, which in turn radiates outward to others.  It is a celebration of the beautiful person you are and the inner goodness of your heart and soul.

    Jacque and her husband, Mike (married for 25 years) have 2 amazing sons.  Passionate about teaching and learning, Jacque is also mathematics professor at Spokane Community College.

  • Angeleah was first introduced to yoga in 2012 and instantly fell in love with the practice. She found yoga not only an amazing workout, but also a way of allowing her to be her true authentic self on and off the mat. As her practice grew, she found that her life was improving immensely, body, mind and soul. This is what drew her to teach yoga. She hopes that sharing her practice with others will also help them on their journey, whether to expand their body and mind or to heal their heart and soul.

    She completed her 200 RYT in 2014 with Alison Rubin at Harmony Yoga and has continued her education with multiple workshops and Yoga Alliance-backed certifications including Creating Sacred Spaces. Her love for yoga continues to grow and she’s eager for more knowledge in this ancient practice.

    Angeleah’s classes are a beautiful blend of sweatiness and softness. Her vinyasa classes embody the meaning of flow with creative sequences that will keep you on your toes. Every class is designed to take you deeper into your body, moving you into the present moment with self love and care with every breath. Classes will also include deep hip openers, gentle adjustments and essential oils to drop you even further into the moment. All levels are more than welcome.

  • Jill discovered yoga in her teens in the late 90’s and it was love at first asana. Her first experience with kundalini energy was during meditation in 1999. She practiced at several studios in Skagit Valley, Bellingham, and Spokane before she found the Shala in 2017. She received her 200 hour Yoga Alliance Tantra Kundalini Flow certification from Shala Living Yoga.

    Jill’s practice is rooted in sadahna—daily practice—kriya, mantra, and meditation. She especially loves guiding students through an energetic practice before dropping into powerful meditation and healing sound. She offers classes that align with nature and the changing of the seasons, incorporate yoga sutra and philosophy, and encourage deep connection with self, all ten bodies! She is deeply grateful and honors the wisdom and traditions passed to her by her teachers, and she is open to new pathways and the evolution of kundalini yoga.

    “Yoga makes me better. It makes life more fun, more connected, and easier. My goal as a teacher is to share this technology in an inclusive, supportive community, to practice together, and to transform together.”

    Jill is a writer, mushroom hunter, ex-farmer, and mom to two radical beings.

  • Kolbie Fletcher is has completed many certifications including: CYT 200 hatha, CYT 200 Vinyasa/Power, 150 Traditional Tantra Hatha and she is currently studying Ayurveda Health Counseling

    Kolbie Fletcher is a dedicated yoga practitioner and teacher with extensive training across various yoga disciplines. Her journey began in 2012 with hot yoga, which quickly evolved into a passion for understanding the deeper aspects of yoga and life itself. After completing her initial 200-hour teacher training with her husband Travis in 2016, Kolbie realized there was more to yoga than just the physical practice.

    Driven by a desire to understand herself and those around her, she continued studying. She dove deeper into the spiritual and philosophical aspects of yoga and sought additional trainings. This led her to complete a second 200-hour training in 2017, which included a comprehensive curriculum covering power, vinyasa, restorative, yin, hands-on adjustments, advanced anatomy and self-study. Despite this, she still felt something was missing—the spiritual dimension of yoga, the connection to one’s Soul.

    Continuing her quest for knowledge and understanding, Kolbie traveled to Bali where she found the missing link she had been seeking. There, she immersed herself in the practices of meditation, pranayama, integrity and discipline, gaining a deeper understanding of the spiritual essence of yoga, the yoking, union of mind, body and soul.

    Throughout her journey, Kolbie has pursued further education in various disciplines related to yoga, including Positive Psychology, Tantra/Ashtanga, Reiki, Bhagavad Gita, Yoga Sutras and more. In 2019, she and her husband opened Rooted Yoga with the intention of sharing the diverse teachings of yoga with their community.

    For Kolbie, yoga is not just a physical practice but a way of life that brings purpose, stillness and a sense of groundedness. She remains a lifelong student, continuously seeking to deepen her understanding and share the wisdom of yoga with others, so that they too can find union within themselves and the universe.

  • Tera embarked on her yoga journey in the early 2000s, initially drawn to it as a means of caring for her body. However, she soon discovered that yoga offered far more than just physical benefits. This realization inspired her to pursue her 200-hour teacher training at Lila Studio in downtown Spokane in 2012. Since then, Tera has been dedicated to deepening her understanding and experiencing the transformative power of yoga.

    In addition to her 200-hour training, Tera has also completed her Breathing Deeply 900-hour yoga therapy certification. This therapeutic modality focuses on personalized one-on-one sessions that incorporate the 5 Koshas and the Doshas to address disharmony and suffering within the body. By utilizing practices such as asana, breath work, meditation and mantra, yoga therapy aims to restore balance and harmony to the individual. It blends Ayurveda, yogic sciences and western knowledge to create a holistic approach to healing.

    Currently, Tera shares her passion for yoga by teaching Buti® Shala Living Yoga. Buti® Yoga is a unique blend of vinyasa yoga, tribal dance, primal movement, belly dance, conditioning and abdominal toning. Through the spiral structure technique®, Buti® classes aim to release and tone the body on physical, emotional and energetic levels. By incorporating primal movement, dynamic asana and cardio-sprints, students are encouraged to break through emotional barriers and cultivate self-love, human connection and inner transformation. The term "Buti" originates from the Indian Marathi language, meaning "a hidden or secret cure."

    Tera firmly believes that the power to heal lies within each individual, and through individual healing, we contribute to the healing of the collective. Yoga, with its profound practices and lifestyle, serves as a tool to access this inner power. With deep love and gratitude, Tera concludes her message with a heartfelt Namaste. 🙏🏼

  • Bio coming soon!

  • Bio coming soon!