About Sandra

Like so many others I began my search for Truth at a very early age, and it is what has orchestrated my life experience and brought me to where I am now.

I discovered Yoga when I was 18 and I explored it in many ways. I practiced Hatha Yoga in the Iyengar method for many years, which gave me a great appreciation for detail in the postures and led me to Ashtanga Yoga, which kept me radiantly healthy in body. Meanwhile the Self Realization Fellowship fed my soul longing for more. I wanted to know what this life is really all about and how best to approach it so as not to waste my time here.

After over 20 years of practicing Yoga, (long before it became popular)  reading every text I could find and attending many workshops, I was guided to the Integrative Yoga Therapy (IYT) program which was an extremely rigorous and thorough training. I am very grateful for that decision and for Joseph LePages’ dedication and vision.  IYT continues to be the basis of my work. The Yoga Therapy perspective includes Ayurveda and I pursued further training in that area and became an Ayurvedic Yoga Therapist.

Much later, I met my guru, Swami Nirangananda Saraswati.  The depth of the work in the Bihar School of Yoga, in the lineage of Swami Sivananda Saraswati, has kept me learning. The changing times over the past few years have me focusing on painting I do continue to see individuals for private sessions. The studio May reopen in time.

I practice and study daily.  I am also a Vastu Shastra Consultant and Contemporary Artist.  I enjoy the time I spend with my family, my two wonderful children live close by.  I have a handful of friends that I cherish, and I enjoy living in a beautiful place close to the ocean.  I live a very simple healthy and quiet life.  I try to walk in nature everyday.  I am grateful for the health and perspective on life that Yoga and Ayurveda have  given me and the knowledge and peace from Vedanta.  I am grateful for all the teachers and students who have guided me along this journey.

Experience

• Professional Ayurveda Yoga Therapist
• Certified Vastu Shastra Consultant
• Certified Yoga Therapist for 23 years  C-IAYT
• Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher ERYT 500
• E RYT 500 Teacher Trainer & Mentor
• Yoga Alliance Certified Education Provider YACEP
• 23 consecutive years of teaching experience

Yoga Education

This summary represents highlights and teacher training certificates. There have been many other workshops and wonderful teachers along the way.

2019  Sanskrit: The Heart of Sound- Anandra George

2016 Island Yoga Vista IYT Therapeutic Yoga Teacher training Affiliate of Integrative Yoga Therapy & Registered with US Yoga Alliance 200hr

• 2016 Why the Body Holds the Key to the Treatment of Trauma with Ruth Buczynski PhD and Pat Ogden Phd, NICABM National Institute for Clinical Application of Behavioural Medicine
• 2014 – Canadian Yoga Alliance RYT Gold 1000hr.& Island Yoga Vista Registered at 200hr level CYS Certified Yoga School
• 2014 – Yoga and Cancer, Salt Spring Centre of Yoga with Chetna Boyd
• 2014-present – Vastu Shastra – Architectural Design Course – Level Four – The American Institute of Vastu Shastra
• 2011 – present Vedanta Study with Ramji (James Swartz)
• 2011 – Vastu Shastra Practitioners Course, Level Three – The American Institute of Vastu Shastra – Certified Vastu Shastra Consultant
• 2011 – Vastu Shastra Studies, Level Two – The American Institute of Vastu Shastra with Robin and Michael Mastro
• 2010 – Vastu Shastra Studies, Level One – The American Institute of Vastu Shastra
• 2008 Yoga Alliance Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher (E-RYT 500) at the advanced level. This designation recognizes that I have significant hours of advanced study in Yoga and thousands of hours of teaching experience. It also means that I am eligible to train Yoga Teachers at the advanced level, and that the hours you spend studying with me can be used towards your continuing education hours if you are registered with Yoga Alliance.
• 2008 – Ayurvedic Training, Chakrapani Ayurvedic Clinic and Research Center – Jaipur, India. Dr. Rajesh Kotecha & Dr. Neha Dave (including Abhyangam Massage with Marma Therapy, Shirodhara, Prakriti-Body type analysis, and Ayurvedic Cooking)
• 2007 – Personal Sadhana Training, Satyananda Yoga India , Tattwa Shuddhi and Kriya Yoga Course
• 2007 – Initiated as Jignasu Sanyasan by Swami Niranjananda Saraswati, Bihar School of Yoga, India
• 2007 – Ayurvedic Studies, Ayurvedic Institute – Albuquerque NM. Dr. Vasant Lad, Dr. Robert Svoboda
• 2006 – Satyananda Yoga, Inservice Training with Swami Vedanta Saraswati, including Yoga Nidra and Antar Mouna
• 2006 – Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher 500-hour
• 2006 – Satyananda Yoga Atma Center, YS1
• 2005 – Radiant Health Yoga Teacher Training, Joanna Cashman Wild Grace Arts, Olympia
• 2004 – Yoga Therapy Teacher Training, Kashi, Saltspring Centre of Yoga
• 2004 – Yoga of Sound Teacher Training, Bhavani, Saltspring Centre of Yoga
• 2003 – Yoga for Kids Teacher Training, Maalaa – Tree of Yoga
• 2002 – Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training, Jenine Parvati Baker
• 2002 – Sadhana Retreat Swami Muktidharma, Rikhia, India
• 2002 – Ayurveda Panchakarma Training with Jaishri Lambert, Salt Spring Centre of Yoga
• 2002 – Initiated into Mantra Diksha by Swami Niranjananda Saraswati, Bihar School of Yoga, India. Given the spiritual name Sagarmurti which means ‘vast ocean of expanded consciousness’
• 2001 – Ashtanga Yoga Teacher Training (have studied with Nancy Gilgoff, Beryl Bender Birch, Tim Miller and David Swenson)
• 1998 – Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher, 200-hour
• 1997 – Integrative Yoga Therapy Certified Yoga Therapist
• 1990s – Self Realization Fellowship Lessons Paramahansa Yogananda

Other Education

• 2007 – St. Johns Ambulance First Aid
• 2005 – Hospice Training Nanaimo
• 1980-83 – Ontario College of Art – General Studies
• 1978 – Victoria College of Art – Fine Art
• 1975 – Ryerson Polytechnical Institute – Graphic Design Management