Barbara Schauer, Founder, Lead Teacher ERYT500 Anahata Yoga, 50+Yoga See the Anahata practice on YouTube here.
Barbara lived with anxiety and depression since childhood. Sometimes it eased back - sometimes months and years were lost. In 2001 Barbara walked into her first Anahata yoga class and met her teacher Ana Costa. Barbara had always had a wonder and respect for yoga and had practiced here and there and on her own. She lived in her mind rather than her body but she had an inborn ground of spiritual life that had already led her to India and into art as her life’s work. Read more...
From the first Savasana, she knew she had found something she hadn’t know to ask for. Anahata was a completely different way of approaching life and it supported everything Barbara loved about spirit, heart, beauty, kindness, order, and what she would call ever present holiness - and it started with the body and breath.
Anahata Yoga focuses on the heart - expanding, deepening, brightening the heart while honoring the body and clearing the mind. During one of the early classes, though, Barbara felt a dark wave of depression beginning to build. The thought of living through it all again was like drowning. In the gentle forward bend at the beginning of the practice, she could hear Ana’s reassuring voice describing stress melting away, the breath relaxing the back and head, and anxiety being removed. It seemed impossible, but following Ana’s instructions as carefully as she could manage, Barbara felt the depression slide off like a load of heavy mud. She almost laughed out loud in class. When she slowly stood up from the pose and took a breath, all she could think was, ”I want this for everyone.”
It was the turning point in her life and she dove in and studied with Ana Costa to become a yoga teacher.
When she arrived in Weaverville in the summer of 2009 to open a yoga studio for the town, the students who appeared at the door had a special request of yoga. They wanted a practice that could help them age well and fully enjoy life by being confident in their bodies, emotions, and spirits. That became a unique focus of her teaching.
Then students confided that the weight their bodies had accumulated was uncomfortable and strange to them and they didn’t know how to regain a more appropriate weight. Exploring several ways, Barbara began the 10 Week Weight Loss Workshops at the studio. Using the structure of a yoga practice to steady the emotions and give the needed inner support for change, the program eliminates at the student’s pace - quickly or gradually - highly refined processed foods and gives guidance in choosing, cooking, and enjoying simple real food. It is a way made to last a lifetime and to treat our bodies and ourselves with self-care and gratitude as the gifts they are. And it works.
She lives with her husband, Jay, in Weaverville. Jay is the creator of the powerful website building engine HotWax. Without his patience and support Weaverville Yoga would never have happened and certainly would not be here five years later. You know how the Oscar winners always have a big long list of thank yous and make sure the person closest to them is on that list even when the orchestra plays the impatient music? That is Jay to Barbara. If you love Weaverville Yoga, a quiet thanks to Jay is in order.
They have three children. Annika is the founder and factotum of Beeswax, a website building community for women, now serving Etsy. Kipper is a well-known and loved DJ and late night host throughout Asheville. Tim is a fine arts student in Montreal.
Barbara has made it her life’s work to bring health, happiness, kindness, and love to others through the teaching of Anahata Yoga.
She still paints - mostly small and mostly gouache. She still goes to India when her heart calls and she often takes retreats at Meher Spiritual Center.
One more story. Why Weaverville Yoga? Barbara was living and teaching yoga in Asheville, quite happy. A friend kept insisting on going to a place called Weaverville where a bakery served lunch. To placate her friend, she went. She looked around the town as she walked to the bakery and she wondered,”Where is their yoga studio? This is such an interesting small town - artistic, light hearted, charming, and current. Where is the yoga studio?”
Class description:
Anahata Yoga is a classic asana (pose series) practice with centering, standing poses, seated poses, and supine poses. The breath, calm steady nostril breathing, underlies the movements and holds throughout and trains the mind to be steady, the body to have sufficient energy, and the whole person to feel present for the length of the practice. The benefits are mental, emotional, physical, and spiritual.
After lunch, they crossed the street to visit a friend on Florida Avenue who had a landscape design business. Barbara’s eyes were drawn to a door with a black canvas awning. ”That would be the place for a yoga studio for the town,” Barbara thought. It was a kitchen cabinet carpenter’s shop.
Three years later, when the old yoga center on Broadway in Asheville closed, Barbara gathered the teachers who wanted to go on and formed Weaverville Yoga to open in the summer of 2009. All they needed was a place. An agent called and said she had found a spot. Of course it was the small room with the black canvas awning over the door. Our first yoga studio in Weaverville.
We later moved into the old post office at 7 Florida Avenue. Our beloved studio still has the feeling of being given by grace with its beautiful space and light and the sincere, gifted teachers who have come together here to share yoga (and now ballet and Pilates). It is special. It’s home to us.
Yoga in a small town. Neighbors meeting neighbors in a friendly place. Yoga with kindness. Namaste! We welcome you.
Emma Gasinski
Balance, Vinyasa Yin
Emma Gasinski is a physical therapist, yoga instructor, and mindfulness teacher based in Asheville, NC. As a physical therapist and a yogini, Emma integrates principles of Western anatomy, physiology, and movement science with the teachings of Hatha yoga and Ayurveda to facilitate healing and holistic wellness for the mind, body, and soul. Read more...
Emma’s journey into health and wellness began in high school when she was introduced to yoga in a gym class. She then became obsessed with the human body and the mindful connection of movement and breath illuminating our ability to be present both on and off the mat. Yoga has been a deep personal practice for Emma for the past 12 years and she regards Yoga as her “first love” on many occasions. Emma became a 200-Hr Yoga Alliance Registered Yoga Teacher in 2014 and has since taught all variations of yoga including vinyasa flow, restorative, chair yoga, hot yoga, and even laughing yoga.
Emma then received her Doctorate in Physical Therapy in 2020. She is currently practicing as an outpatient orthopedic Physical Therapist here in Asheville, NC. Her Physical Therapy training becomes evident in her teaching and as a bonus students learn more about their anatomy.
Her teaching style: With a teaching style that is relaxed and supportive, Emma merges her knowledge of anatomy, physiology and biomechanics with specific yoga poses, creating an effective atmosphere for change and healing. It is Emma’s belief that the ability to slow down and stay present is an important aspect of healing, and that yoga encourages a mindful state that can heal people emotionally and spiritually, as well as physically.
When not on her mat, you can find Emma at the local CrossFit Box, backpacking through the woods, playing with the pigs at the local farm animal sanctuary, or experimenting with plant-based meals in the kitchen
Erin Gahan Clark Midday Yoga Renewal
Erin Gahan Clark is grateful to be on this planet and engaged in the great work of waking up! Using all the senses through the practices of asana, pranayama, meditation, yoga nidra, altar making, chanting, prayer, ritual and ceremony, Erin strives to facilitate a safe space for individuals to move inward.
She has been studying and practicing asana (yoga postures), meditation, pranayama (breath work) and devotional practices (altar making, chanting, singing & ritual) since 2000. She has been teaching others since 2007. Erin pulls from a variety of sources, traditions and inspirations to build a safe container encouraging self-exploration, connection and cultivation of body, breath, emotional and thinking-mind awareness. Read more...
Erin received her 200-hour yoga teacher training certification in the Vinyasa style of yoga from Dhyana Yoga in Philadelphia and went on to complete her 300-hour advance yoga teacher training certification through Jivan Yoga Teacher Training in the Sivananda and Anusarainspired styles of yoga at Baltimore Yoga Village. In 2018, she learned the art of guiding yoga nidra practices with the Amrit Institute. She is currently studying Druidry with the Order of Bards, Ovates and Druids. Learn more about Erin: sacredsurrendering.com.
Midday Yoga Renewal
Gently meet yourself where you are in this practice of slow moving asana (posture) including slow flow, restorative and grounding postures.
Our posture practice will be interwoven with meditation, pranayama (breath awareness) and rest/yoga nidra.
No experience necessary. All levels welcomed. Come move, breathe and renew!
Kathy Reardon Yoga Nidra
Kristikka Kundalini Yoga
Kristikka’s yoga journey began in 1996 when she discovered the transformative power of Kundalini Yoga. From the first moment, she was captivated by the sound current, and each class felt like a deep opening and healing experience. Drawn to the profound effects it had on her own life, Kristikka began teaching in 2002, sharing this powerful practice with others.
Over the years, she has participated in numerous White Tantra events, where practitioners hold poses for 31 or 62 minutes, a practice that deepens her understanding and appreciation for the strength and stillness that Kundalini Yoga cultivates. Read more...
Kristikka believes Kundalini Yoga is a powerful tool for awareness, helping us illuminate the inner workings of our minds and hearts, so we can live more aligned with our true selves. Every class she leads begins and ends with mantras which creates a sacred container for the class. Kundalini incorporates dynamic kriyas with a focused intention, meditation, and deep relaxation. Her classes offer a transformative experience for all who come.
For Kristikka, it’s an honor to guide others on their journey of self-discovery, healing, and expansion through the practice of Kundalini Yoga.
Lisa Hart Strong, Steady Hatha
Lisa first discovered yoga in the early 90’s when a friend came back from the Kripalu Yoga Center with a radiant glow and looking 5 inches taller. She decided she had to experience this for herself! She began taking Kripalu yoga classes every week and fell in love. She went to Kripalu in ‘97 and completed her first 200 hour teacher training. That same year, Lisa traveled to India where she studied Iyengar yoga and sat for her first 10 day silent meditation course. Yoga and meditation continue to be central to Lisa’s spiritual and healing journey and her interest expanded to Kundalini Yoga. She loves the music and breathwork that Kundalini Yoga offers and she completed her teacher training with 3HO in 2011.
She leads her students in mindful, loving awareness of their breath and the experience of the present moment through subtle sensations in their body and energy movement. She incorporates breathwork and chanting in her classes and guides her students to experience their wholeness and connection to the divine. Read more...
Strong, Steady Hatha
Lisa Ruiz Yoga Nidra
Lisa’s Yoga journey to her current passion of exploring and teaching Yoga Nidra has spanned many years and has involved many different forms and styles of Yoga. Much of her early practice centered on the more physical aspects of Yoga which eventually evolved into the discovery of Anusara Yoga. In 2010, she received her 200-hour certification in Anusara from Seattle Yoga Arts. As she became increasingly motivated to include the principles of Yoga into her chiropractic practice, she pursued additional Yoga and Anatomy trainings.
After completing Robin Rothenberg’s Essential Low Back Teacher Training, she began teaching the course to her chiropractic patients. This helped to inspire the creation of “Yogapractiks”: an approach to physical and spiritual well-being which integrates chiropractic adjustments, sensory stimulation feedback, and Yoga Asana. This quickly became the most exciting and creative part of her practice. As her attention turned to the deeper and more transformative aspects of Yoga, Lisa’s interest in Yoga Nidra was rekindled. As she continued to practice, she began to experience it’s magic and power. She recently completed her 100-hour training in Yoga Nidra with Michele Lowe.
Yoga Nidra is beneficial and accessible to all levels of practitioners. It is a form of guided meditation with visualization with the practitioner lying comfortably in Savasana. The literal translation is “Yogic sleep”, sometimes referred to as “enlightened sleep”. It is a state of conscious deep relaxation with awareness. The practice quiets the mind, calms the heart and provides a space for deep rest and tranquility. It is in this sacred space that we may experience profound insights regarding the wisdom of the body, mind, heart and consciousness itself. Suitable for all levels.
Meg Moore Ashtanga Primary Series, Vinyasa Flow, Ashtanga Mysore
Meg began practicing yoga regularly in 2012 at local studios in Washington D.C. After years of practice, in 2017, she completed her first 200-hour yoga certification in Integrated Vinyasa through the Colorado School of Yoga. After focusing primarily on vinyasa yoga, Meg felt a pull towards the Ashtanga lineage of yoga as a way to nurture more of her own inner guidance and create more discipline in her personal practice and ultimately, in her life. Read more...
Upon completing a 200-hour Ashtanga Vinyasa YTT (Yoga Teacher Training) in early 2022 at One Breath of Yoga Ashram, Meg felt an even deeper connection to the practice of Ashtanga and understood it as a way to help us discover and reconnect to our truest selves. She had a strong desire to share the Ashtanga lineage with others and began teaching in Weaverville, NC. Now, after recently completing the 300-hour Ashtanga Vinyasa YTT through the same Ashram, she feels the fire of the practice fully alive inside her heart. Meg believes in the power of yoga to bring consciousness and love into every aspect of a practitioner’s life. She strives to share Ashtanga in a way that supports its accessibility for every body while maintaining the integrity of its traditional roots.
When not practicing or teaching yoga, you can find Meg learning to play the harmonium, hiking and exploring the nearby mountains and rivers, or serving delicious food at a local restaurant.
Class Descriptions
Ashtanga Mysore
Teacher-assisted, self-practice. Mysore style is a traditional way of practicing Ashtanga yoga where students learn and practice a set sequence of postures at their own rhythm and capacity, within a group setting. This style of practice encourages an individualized approach to yoga, allowing each practitioner to progress at their own pace while receiving personalized guidance and instruction from a teacher. Mysore FAQs here.Demonstration class on YouTube.
Vinyasa Flow: An energizing and grounding class that will work to synchronize movement with breath and include fluid transitions from pose to pose. The class may vary in intensity and pace, with options for both beginners and more experienced practitioners, so you can find what’s just right for you. Equal parts effort and ease, this class is designed to challenge and restore while nurturing a sense of inner calm and peace.
Ashtanga Vinyasa: A dynamic class that will surely build strength and endurance. We will move through a structured sequence of postures, beginning with traditional surya namaskar (sun salutations), to standing and seated postures, to finishing and final relaxation. With focus on pranayama (intentional breathing), the asana (pose), and a steady drishti (gazing point) this class is intended to sharpen your internal awareness and to cleanse and purify the body on all levels: physical, energetic, and spiritual. Recommended three months of yoga experience.
Nina Marie Collins Spectrum Yoga
After yoga provided an anchor on her own healing journey, Nina Marie Collins began teaching to students at a residential mental health center in Asheville, North Carolina. Inspired by their dedication and continual progress, she founded her teaching business Spectrum Yoga to honor the full spectrum of human experiences. Nina Marie aims to teach to individuals who feel out of place in typical yoga classes. Spectrum Yoga serves those just beginning their journey with yoga, particularly those who have physical or emotional limitations.
Nina Marie has been a yoga teacher since 2010, and teaches Subtle-inspired Yoga after completing both 200 and 500-hour Subtle Yoga Teacher Trainings. She is also a Certified Mental Health Peer Support Specialist, and holds a BS in Public Health Education and a Masters Degree in Public Administration.
Pashupa Goodwin teaches alignment-based yoga asana, infused with mystical and philosophical musings, a sense of humor, and love of storytelling. Pashupa’s classes feature playful and challenging sequences that are full of bends and twists. A love of yoga anatomy informs his teaching and the space he holds. His ukulele serenades in shavasana are student favorites.
(Monday) Jivamukti Spiritual Warrior is a fast paced and invigorating class, developed by Jivamukti Yoga founders Sharon Gannon and David Life. The structure is a fixed set sequence instructed in a vinyasa style. It is a fully balanced class which includes asana warm-up, chanting, setting of intention, surya namaskar, standing poses, backbends, forward bends, twists, inversions, meditation and relaxation. Since the asana sequence is always the same, a student will pick it up quite quickly after only a couple of classes. Spiritual Warrior is best for intermediate and advanced students, although beginners as well as anyone with a sense of adventure are welcome!
(Wednesday) Mandala Vinyasa Flow A dynamic vinyasa practice that brings together strength-building postures, fluid transitions, and moments of reflection. Mandala is the Sanskrit word for circle. Interwoven with familiar vinyasa sequences, we will explore circles and sacred shapes on our mats, in our bodies, and even with our breathwork! Expect to be challenged both mentally and physically in this intermediate level class.
Stacey Bast Hatha Yoga
My journey to yoga started with running. In my mid-twenties I started long-distance running and to balance out my training I started taking occasional yoga classes. I didn’t become serious about the practice until 2017 when I developed an overuse injury from running. I started practicing regularly and noticed a big difference in both my physical and mental well-being. The yoga teachers I had inspired me to pursue my teacher certification and combine my love of yoga with my career in teaching. I received my 200-hour certification in 2021 from the Satya Life School of Yoga in Milwaukee WI .Read more...
Hatha Yoga, Monday 9 am
My teaching style is lighthearted and welcoming. My goal is to make yoga accessible and enjoyable for everyone. I am new to Weaverville-my husband and I just moved here after being in Milwaukee for 28 years. We picked the area because we both love being outside and try to spend as much time in nature as possible (Wisconsin winters can be very long). In my free time I run, hike, and spend time with my husband and our two dogs.
Stacey took her first yoga class in 2010 with Subtle Yoga and it changed the course of her life. Learning nervous system regulation through movement, breath, and meditation inspired her to continue to study with Kristine Weber and Subtle Yoga and she completed her RYT500 and Yoga Therapist certification, C-IAYT, in 2014. She brings the healing practices of yoga and mindfulness to clinical settings offering trauma informed tools and support in mental health and substance abuse recovery facilities. A lifelong student, she continues to study the intersection of neuroscience and yoga practices, and the system of yoga to support her personal transformation and others in their journeys. Read more...
Stacey’s classes offer tools for nervous system regulation through movement and breathwork. She studied with Subtle Yoga in the Desikachar and Viniyoga tradition of teaching yoga to help people feel better. She brings these healing practices of yoga and mindfulness to clinical settings, offering trauma informed tools and support in mental health and substance abuse recovery facilities. A lifelong student, she continues to study the intersection of neuroscience and yoga practices, and the system of yoga to support her personal transformation and others in their journeys.
Breath Centered Yoga: Tuesday 10:30 to 11:30 This all levels class builds awareness and compassion for the self linking mindful movement and breath. Dynamic movement through yoga postures with adaptations offered for optimizing well being.
50+Yoga Thursdays 12-1PM Breath centric, mindful movement to facilitate well being in mind, body and spirit. We will explore dynamic movement, and breathwork to increase focus, build strength and flexibility, improve balance, and release tension through a variety of seated, standing, and supine asanas. No tabletop (hands and knees) postures in this class. One on one sessions available with Stacey for yoga therapy to create a personalized practice to support your goals. Contact Stacey at lovingkindness419@gmail.com. She will meet you at Weaverville Yoga to assist you in that comfortable, reassuring space.
Vanessa discovered yoga through her grief journey. When sitting meditation became too emotionally painful for her to bear, she found that, through asana practice, she could move and release suffering in a powerfully kinetic and soothing way. Through yoga, she again rediscovered the deep presence she’d had on the meditation cushion, eventually empowering her to return to her meditation practice. Her explorations in Buddhism led her to Thailand, where she trained in Yoga and Trauma Awareness. Since returning to the country, she has worked primarily in mental health treatment centers and for ecumenical Buddhist retreats, teaching yoga and supporting others in their psychological healing and spiritual deepening. Read more...
Today, you can find Vanessa at work at Southern Dharma Retreat Center, in her garden, at her writing desk, or tromping through her hometown of Sylva and her current abode in Marshall.
Moderate Vinyasa Flow This class focuses on our union between spirit and senses, body and breath. Open to all levels, it offers detailed cues and gentle power flows that pull us deeper into being. By moving through a series of short, repetitive flows, yogis can fully sync with their own breath and momentum. Incorporating mantra and pranayama, this class aims to meet all physical, spiritual, and emotional needs that we bring to the mat.
