Teacher Profiles

COLIN PATTERSON
Yoga teacher/Owner
In 1996 while living in Portland I received the calling to start practicing Yoga. I was really searching for an activity using my body that would energetically ground me and spiritually enrich my life. My first teacher Diane Wilson was an amazing yogi, she had been teaching for over 25 years and practicing since she was a teenager. I practiced heavily during the year I lived in Portland, her presence and teaching’s resonated deeply and made me a firm believer in the art. After years of practicing many different styles I was asked to start teaching classes at crystal Mtn. in the mornings before skiing. I also taught in a community center during the off season down in Enumclaw. In 2003 I moved to the big Island were I started practicing astanga yoga with one of Guru G’s former students and teaching a class at the local yoga studio. A year later I moved to Kauai were I continued to teach and practice ashtanga. In the fall of 2005 I moved back to Seattle to take Samadhi’s teacher training.

I was drawn to Samadhi because of its dedication to all the aspects of yoga and because Kathleen was one of the most amazing teacher’s I had ever met. This year I have had the pleasure of studying with Shiva Rea, Katerina Wen, and Andrea Lappa. These new influences have greatly enhanced my knowledge and teaching of yoga. I am very open about the flow of my classes depending on the people in the room and the energy of the day. I generally like to incorporate pranayama, meditation and sometimes mantra into the flow of the class. I really like a flowing type class that challenges the students while keeping them in touch with the subtleties of the poses. I have been truly blessed to have amazing teachers and look forward to giving back to my fellow yogi/teacher/students.

namaste

AMBER TANDE
Amber has over 12 years of experience and practice with yoga. She is also a certified Reiki Master, has a Bachelor of Science Degree in Holistic Health Psychology from Bastyr University and a Master’s Degree in Integrative Studies in Psychology with a focus on Holistic Health and Wellness Planning from Antioch University. She continues collaborating with others involved in the healing arts to bring students and patients a comprehensive understanding of their own healing potential. Amber also stays active in searching for natural and proactive ways to bring about healing (for example, conducted research and analyzed “The effects of Yoga on Incarcerated Youth,” A. Tande (1999), conducts yoga and meditation workshops addressing specific needs and interests, such as stress, anxiety, depression, detoxification, chakra balancing etc.

JAIMIE MORGAN
Jaimie has been a dedicated practitioner of Bikram method yoga since being introduced to it in San Francisco in 2000. After nearly five years of dedicated practice, she became certified both as a teacher and in CPR at Bikram's Yoga College of India in Los Angeles in the summer of 2004. She enjoys spending her time by sharing her love of Bikram yoga and all of its benefits (physical, mental and emotional) with her students. She is a powerful, funny and encouraging teacher, who hopes to inspire her students to work their hardest and reach their highest potential in each and every class.

CRAIG
I discovered the blessed path of yoga in 1997 while living in New York City, pursuing opportunitties as an artist/actor/musician . I immediately fell in love with the daily practice of Bryon Kest's Power Yoga video series, shared with my 3 roommates. I grew up doing gymnastics & was a competetive diver in high school & while studying photography @ the University of Cincinnati. The physicalness of being in your body is what i connected with first, & the ever unfolding spiritual & energetic aspects continue to bloom & blossom in my awareness. More & more yoga becomes a reflection of life & something so much greater than simply physical practice, & I see the asana as the vehicle for which it was intended. I believe I was led to teach, & have followed that path as it unravels before me. I began exploring Kundalini Yoga in NYC, thanks to the generous offerings of Ravi Singh to attend a free intro course. He helped me to see much deeper into the majic & wonder of yoga, & I began to know a sense of self confidence/peace/excitement/power I had never thought available.

The events of Sept 11th led me to Seattle, where I quickly became immersed in the booming Vinyasa & Bikram scene- full of amazing instructors. Thanks to alot of encouragement I began to see the wonderful possibility before me as a teacher. I found a great program called Yogafit, & completed 2 levels towards their teacher certification program. This really helped me tie alot of what I was already doing together, as well as showed me how to modify asana to shape a practice that can be safe & available to anyone.

I have also grown immensely from practicing with Ana Forrest, who inspired a deep rooted change in me as a being/yogi/instructor. Her keen intuitive sense of self power & healing is what speaks most to me, & she put into greater perspective, the inner energetic movements of yoga.

After that, I did a workshop with Doug Swenson. Ironically, I learned more Yang/masculine strong Vinyasa from Ana, & Doug showed me a way to use soft/Yin Vinyasa to blend & balance a strong practice. I am currently considering the Samadhi teacher training program here in Seattle to enrich my knowledge of those that have shown the way for us. I think what I love most about yoga is the fact that I see no end to the opportunitties to learn & therefore to grow as a practioner & teacher.

As an instructor I try to feel & intuit the group/individuals I am guiding through practice, & provide them the flow that best suits their needs. I believe in the bennefits of Vinyasa & always incorporate it into classes , whether it be mild or strong Vinyasa flow, or the Hot (Bikram) series. I use Vinyasa to build energy & keep breath full focussed & steady, often stopping the flow & turning focus inward; to heighten awareness of internal happennings so that the energy may be conciously directed. The amazing ability for us majical creatures to heal ourselves is one of the many powers I feel compelled to remind people of.

KT
With ten years teaching experience kt brings to the studio a calm healing energy infused with functional knowledge and compassionate awareness. Roots in dance and Chinese martial arts influence her focuses in class of energetic awareness of the body, mental alignment and clarity of breath. As a student of yoga for several years kt weaves elements of philosophy, nutrition, anatomy and mythology into informational and fun classes that work with the needs of individual students - from gentle restorative stretches to powerful vinyasa flows, the focus is on individual needs, safety and well-being. kt continues to study, recently on pilgrimage in the Himalaya, and enjoys sharing the treasures of yoga with her students.  

DAWN
Dawn has been a yoga instructor for over 15 years, and has been featured in Yoga International magazine. In addition to her emphasis in balancing the physical with the spiritual essence of the practice, she brings her background of dance and cultural studies into her teaching.

Her asana classes are very dynamic- charged with creative instruction, uplifting music, and yogic philosophy. She designs her classes for students who would like to expand their knowledge of Yoga and utilize its foundations to deepen their own inner experience.

Dawn has studied with some of the top yoga teachers in the United States, including Sharon Gannon and David Life at Jivamukti Yoga, Rama Berch, Mark Whitwell, Doug Swenson, Ana Forest, Jo Leffingwell, Dharma Mittra and Shiva Rea.

She began to study yoga in 1991 when she moved to NYC to attend college at The New School University. While pursuing her degree in Writing, Arts and Literature, Dawn embarked on an unexpected psycho-spiritual journey when she was introduced to her first Yoga Teachers, (Sharon Gannon and David Life) at Jivamukti Yoga, and practiced with them for five years.

Over the last decade, Dawn has taught at many facilities in Seattle and was founder and director of Jai Ma Yoga Studio from 2000-2004.

Dawn believes that Yoga is a remedy for universal suffering which offers a means to discovering true peace and freedom. Her interest in teaching is sparked by a desire to share these ancient truths with others and inspire positive social change.

In addition to group classes, Dawn is also available for private instruction, children's classes and teacher training. Teaching at all levels, her instruction focuses not only on keeping the body healthy and flexible, but on meditation and opening the mind to long-term relaxation and well-being.