Instructors

Island Yoga Vista has an experienced, talented and passionate staff who have been practicing and living Yoga and Ayurveda for many many years.  Browse their profiles below.  We look forward to seeing you in the studio!

-Island Yoga Vista

Sandra Sagarmurti Shotton

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Sandra is the founder and director of Island Yoga Vista, she teaches the weekly classes, offers individual private sessions and is the organizer and lead Instructor for all of the teacher trainings.

Sandra’s lifelong practice and study of Yoga led her to many teacher trainings and eventually to her Guru Swami Niranjananda Saraswati of the Bihar School of Yoga, India, where she was given her spiritual name Sagarmurti.  She graduated as a Certified Yoga Therapist from Integrative Yoga Therapy in 1997, worked for 23 years as a Yoga Therapist and now runs an Affiliate School of their 200hr Therapeutic Yoga Teacher Training. She is registered with the International Association of Yoga Therapists as a Certified Yoga Therapist under their new standards.

 Years of study in Ayurveda and Vastu Shastra give her the knowledge and credentials to offer guidance to others.  She continues her studies regularily in India to deepen her own understanding and keep her love for teaching fresh and relevant. The 550hr YTT Ayurveda Yoga Wellness Consultant Certification was born seven years ago as an inspired offering which has grown to be a solid training attracting exceptional instructors and students under her guidance.  She lives in a beautiful seaside town, close to her two grown children and a handful of cherished friends.

Her Guest House and Yoga Studio lookout over the ocean offering a tranquil oasis for her students and guests.  

E-RYT500   C-IAYT

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Acharya Tattagata Thommas Michaud

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Thommas teaches the Philosophy component in the IYT 200hr, 350, and 450 hour PAYTA  teacher trainings at Island Yoga Vista.

Thommas Michaud has been teaching Classes, Workshops and Seminars for many years in both French and English.

– Thommas studied from 1974 to 1980 Yoga and Meditation with Sri Shivom Tirth of the Devatma Shakti Society and with Yogeshwaranand Saraswati of Yoga Niketan Trust, from Rishikesh, India.

– Certified in Yoga from Ananda Yoga Center, Nepal, in the Bihar style of Yoga.

-Thommas Michaud studied for many years Tai Chi and Chi Kung with Grand Master Ta Tchen Tchoung from Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

– Certified from the Tai Chi Chuan Association of Canada.

– Certified in Shiatsu Therapy from the Yoga and Shiatsu School of Dusseldorf, Germany.

E-RYT500

Fiji McAlpine

Fiji has been teaching in the IYT Yoga Teacher Trainings since 2017 after attending two of our Modules for her 300hr Certification, she offers her expertise to us in the Asana portion of the programs.

Fiji is one of the founding yoga teachers featured on DoYogaWithMe, her global reach allows her to offer guidance to thousands of students. She is a strong, compassionate and inspiring teacher assisting in leading our students in asanas and teaching methodologies. Fiji’s main teacher for many years has been Peter Levine of Levity Yoga.

E RYT500

Donna Williams

Donna offers to our Teacher Training Programs her passion for Somatic Yoga as well as her patience and mature guidance.

Donna is a recent Graduate of our programs and has been a Yoga Instructor for over 12 years on Mayne Island and in Victoria BC.   As well as being an Ayurveda Yoga Wellness Consultant she is a certified Somatic Yoga teacher and offers her love for Somatics to the RYT350hr program.

RYT 550hr

Dr. Rajesh Kotecha

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Vaidya Rajesh Kotecha has been a guest speaker at Island Yoga Vista as well as a friend for many years. He offers his valuable time, experience  and guidance to the Spa Specialist program.  He and his team of Ayurveda MDs are part of the teaching faculty in the 450hr India Apprenticeship.

(born 18 July 1963) is an Indian Ayurveda physician who received a Padma Shri Award for Medicine in 2015. He is the former Vice Chancellor of Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar and currently Special Secretary, Ministry of AYUSH, Government of India. He founded the Chakrapani Ayurveda Clinic & Research Center in Jaipur, India in 1998. He is a member of the Advisory Panel to the CCIM, Department of AYUSH.

Rajesh Kotecha completed his Bachelor of Ayurveda Medicine & Surgery (BAMS) from Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar in 1985 and Doctor of Ayurveda Medicine (M.D. Ayurveda) from Gujarat Ayurveda University, Jamnagar in 1991. He is the author of the book Concept of Atattvabhinivesha In Ayurveda which discusses minor psychiatric disorders in Ayurveda parameters. He received the Global Ayurveda Physician Award in 2007.

Steven Cox

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Steven Has been involved in the IYV trainings since 2012 when we started at the Salt Spring Centre of Yoga, he continues to offer his knowledge and experience in the  Ayurveda in Practice and Yoga Psychology Modules in the 550hr program.

Steven is a successful businessman in Victoria BC as well as being among the first Ayurvedic Practitioners on Vancouver Island.
He studied in India, and has had a steady clientele for over 20 years.  He has an MA in Faith Healing and has published a book called
The Simple Method which is part of our required reading list for our Level Two Training

Steven has generously offered guidance and counselling to most of our Apprentices and we are very grateful for his insight and experience.