Ruth Abelmann, RYT, graduated in 2002 from the Integrative Yoga Therapy program at the Prana Studio for Yoga and Health with Hannelore Moebius in Durham, NH. She is currently participating in the YogaLife Institute's 500 hour Classical Yoga teacher training program. Ruth feels lucky to have found yoga in her 30's and loves introducing and sharing the gift of yoga on the mat and off the mat with others. She has taught in many different settings finding that her passion for the physical, philosophical spiritual and psychological aspects of yoga blend well with her professional work in Student Affairs at UNH. Ruth is energized by the forever evolving journey of living and teaching yoga, exploring and integrating yoga with life, students, family, community and friends.
Deborah Sisson, RYT, received her teacher training with the Yoga Life Institute. She has participated in a wide range of practice styles from traditions which reflect her love of dance, literature, and philosophy. In her classes she tries to nourish the authentic body that resides in the physical body. Deborah loves sharing the many gifts of yoga including postures, breathing, balance, strength, concentration, and meditation. She finds inspiration in nature and all its elements, beings, and miracles. Come, she says, let's practice together.
Haley Marie Walker's relationship with yoga began at a very young age and has strengthened over the last decade. Her introduction began with Bikram and over the years her desire to be challenged more mentally and emotionally lead her to practice and teach Vinyasa classes in Florida and Michigan. As an adventuring spirit, she has traveled to and lived in several different regions of the United States and the world. However, while change has been a frequent theme of her teens and early-20s, dedication to the practice and philosophy of yoga has been a constant. In September 2011, Haley moved to New Hampshire to enroll in the YogaLife Institute's Teacher Training Program. Having had the opportunity to deeply engage in a variety of yoga traditions, Haley offers a diverse knowledge base both physically and philosophically. With each class, she seeks to offer yoga as a grounding reprieve to people of all ages and abilities, giving an experience filled with peace, grace and strength.
Pilar Prime, CHHC, RYT 200, trained in Classical Yoga at the Portsmouth, NH branch of the YogaLife Institute, born of the Yoga Institute in Mumbai, India. She is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, affiliated with Columbia University, where she was certified as a Holistic Health Counselor. Pilar lives with her husband and daughter in Strafford, where they raise chickens, grow vegetables, and enjoy the country life. She teaches yoga, counsels in holistic nutrition, writes and gives workshops in and around the Seacoast area. Pilar is board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).
Jennifer Wilhelm, RYT is certified with the Yoga Alliance and received her training in Classical Yoga, through the Yoga Life Institute. Yoga has given Jennifer a new lens through which to view life. Though she has always enjoyed the physical practice of Yoga, she never realized the emotional and intellectual benefits it offers until she began studying Yogic philosophy. As an environmental sustainability professional, she appreciates the simplicity and moderation that Yogic philosophy encourages. Jennifer believes that by living a simple, more balanced life, we are able to increase our own contentment, while decreasing our impact on the natural world. Jennifer brings this perspective of contentment through simplicity to her classes.
Allison Parks Dugas, RYT500, is certified with the Yoga Alliance and is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute of NH's 200-hour and 500-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training programs. She began her yoga practice in 1999 studying Ashtanga and vinyasa-style yoga. She was drawn to the benefits of a physical practice; connecting the mind and body through the breath, becoming more present, reducing stress, and learning how to truly relax along with gaining strength and flexibility. When she discovered the YogaLife Institute's Teacher Training program, she was able to expand her understanding to include the mental, spiritual and philosophical elements as well as a gentler form. She believes yoga has been a gift in her life and she enjoys sharing it with others. When she is off her mat, she tries to bring the benefits of her practice and mindfulness into her day-to-day life.
Heidi Maddock, RYT, completed her Classical Yoga Teacher Training from the YogaLife Institute NH under the loving guidance of Julie Rost. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. Heidi now teaches at Yoga by Donation in Portsmouth and privately in her hometown of New Castle, NH. “Yoga has offered me so much, I call it my meeting of choice, and it is an honor to share it with others.” Grateful to lessons learned, and still learning from fellow teachers, Julie, Lily Sibley from Ocean Spirit Yoga, Bob Vaccaro and Abby Gaul, she encourages anyone to try yoga and perhaps you too can live it and bring it into your daily life.
Senior Instructor: Sally Sugatt, RYT, started practicing postures in 1978, pregnant with her first child, and is grateful to many teachers for their wisdom. In 2006 she was ready to learn more and Julie Rost appeared! Sally finished the Classical Yoga Teacher Training Program with Julie at the 500 hour level in 2009. She began teaching at Blue Moon in 2007. As a child and family therapist, Sally is particularly interested in how the ancient practices of yoga--all eight limbs--inform our relationships: with ourselves and with others. At the Blue Moon Sally has found a committed and supportive yoga community.
Senior Instructor: Lily Sibley, owner of Ocean Spirit Yoga, has been teaching yoga in Portsmouth, NH, as well as Kittery, ME, Exeter, Rye and Newburyport, since 2002. Lily has advanced certification as a Classical Yoga teacher, is a certified Reiki Master and a licensed teacher of The Lebed Method, a movement therapy program for breast cancer survivors and chronic illness. Currently, Lily is a senior teacher in the YogaLife Institute of NH yoga teacher training program, a program born of the Yoga Institute of Mumbai, India. Ocean Spirit Yoga offers regular on-going yoga classes, workshops, retreats, meditation classes, classes for rehabilitation and wellness, and private yoga classes.
While introducing her students to the physical and mental benefits of a regular yoga practice, Lily encourages her students to be comfortable with their individual levels of ability. Her students are further encouraged to "take their yoga off the mat" -- to create harmony and a sense of well being in their lives. While building strength and flexibility in their bodies, Lily's students discover the stillness and peace that lies within each of us. Using classical texts, such as the Bhagavagita, the Upanishads, the Yoga Sutras, the Tao Te Ching, as tools for discussion, students learn to live in the ups and downs of a fully integrated life. Visit Ocean Spirits website for more information, click here Ocean Spirit.
Kristan Bishop, RYT is a graduate of the NH Yoga Life 200 Hour Teacher Training. She has practiced yoga for almost 20 years and has studied with Hannelore Moebius. "I started yoga when I was working full time in a high pressure career in sales and marketing and new Mom. Yoga has helped me find peace, balance and a new level of awareness in my life." Kristan's teaching style is sincere and heartfelt. Her easy going demeanor helps students feel at ease in the class. She uses creative, descriptive cues and music to enhance the experience. "I believe that yoga is more than just a physical practice on the matt, it is a way to relax and open to possibilities" Kristan is a musician and the Mom of three active boys. (She is also a certified Reiki Practitioner.)
Nancy Beach, RYT500, has been teaching Classical yoga for over 5 years and has completed the 500 hour training level with YogaLife Institute of NH. When not teaching yoga, Nancy and her husband spend a lot of time playing with their two golden retrievers and running a video production company in Portsmouth, NH. The Bhagavad Gita says, "On this path (yoga) no effort is wasted, no gain is ever reversed; even a little of this practice will shelter you from great sorrow." Nancy brings this philosophy of her yoga practice to every class. Teaching the Classical Yoga (Hatha) style, Nancy starts the class with a short discussion allowing each student to create a personal intention that is carried through the rest of the class through every pose (asana). Each class ends with a short meditation. Every student is honored whether a beginner or an experienced yogi.
Yoga has changed my life. After my husband died Yoga opened me to all the wonderful adventures and possibilities life has to offer. My desire is to open this door for others to enter. The community here is nurturing and welcoming. I teach Yoga in N.H. and Costa Rica, my second home.
Karen Kelley, RYT, is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute's 200-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training program. She is, also, a Masters level licensed alcohol and drug counselor, as well as being a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Karen began her yoga journey after an accident left her paralyzed. The physical practice of yoga combined with the yogic approach to life greatly impacted her successful comeback. Karen is particularly interested in the ways the ancient, yet timeless, yoga philosophy is echoed in the Alcoholics Anonymous approach to recovery as laid out in the Big Book. Practicing meditation on a daily basis, Karen enjoys helping her clients use this tool as a way of dealing with life on life's terms.
Senior Instructor: Stacy Smith, RYT 500, has studied yoga since 1998 and teaches at The Yoga Center in Portland, Maine. She approaches yoga in a holistic manner, blending the insights of Classical and Iyengar yoga with Ayurvedic teachings to nurture physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. Stacy was trained as a philosopher of education and formerly taught undergraduates at a liberal arts college. She now enjoys exploring the deep philosophical and spiritual traditions of Eastern wisdom with students of all ages. She is the mother of two young boys and teaches pre-natal yoga as one avenue for sharing the many ways that yoga has supported her mothering and family relationships. Stacy is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute of NH and continues to study and instruct in its teacher training programs. To view Stacy's current yoga classes at the Yoga Center of Portland, Maine, click here.
Karen Batchelder, RYT500, is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute’s 200-hour and 500-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training programs. She is also certified in the Usui System Reiki tradition. Karen began her yoga journey in 1998 as a method to alleviate anxiety. She discovered that yoga provided not only stress relief, but a series of tools and life lessons that help with anxiety and so much more. She teaches gentle yoga at the Blue Moon in Exeter and aspires to help others who seek relief from anxiety by integrating these tools and personal discoveries into her yoga classes. She creates a welcoming and supportive environment for students to experience this beautiful practice of yoga. Karen is the graphic designer, website administrator, and marketing coordinator for the YogaLife Institute and the Blue Moon Studio.
As Director of the YogaLife Institute of New Hampshire, I welcome you to our website. We believe it responds to a need that Yoga students and teachers have for greater connection and community. It is also an opportunity to share Yoga's rich lineage of philosophy, science, spirit and practice which, though timeless in its presentation, often needs some interpretation for the Western student of a different era and cultural understanding.
People often talk about "aha" moments in Yoga. A light bulb goes on and we have a moment of enlightenment. A common "aha" moment for Yoga students has to do with discovering a new way of thinking about ourselves and our world. Sometimes this happens through quiet reflection, sometimes through the assistance of a teacher, and sometimes through life experience. The key is to recognize the benefits and value of all three, and to approach our learning with a balance of self-empowerment as well as a willingness and openness to receive.
The YogaLife Institute of New Hampshire offers 200 hour and 500 hour Yoga Teacher Training for the New England area (within an hours drive of Nashua, Manchester, and Concord NH, Lowell and Boston, MA, and Portland, ME). Join this growing and supportive community to deepen your understanding and practice of Yoga, as well as gain skills to transform your life and teach others.
Our curriculum includes Yoga's ancient theory, philosophy, and psychology, as well as the healing benefits of physical poses, breathing, relaxation, sensory mastery and meditation. Learn how to bring Yoga "living" to your own personal journey, relationships, work and community. Many of our students decide to teach, while many others join simply to expand their personal understanding of Yoga.
For more information about the Teacher Training 200 hour level please click here.
For more information about the Teacher Training 500 hour level please click here.
Ruth Abelmann, RYT, graduated in 2002 from the Integrative Yoga Therapy program at the Prana Studio for Yoga and Health with Hannelore Moebius in Durham, NH. She is currently participating in the YogaLife Institute's 500 hour Classical Yoga teacher training program. Ruth feels lucky to have found yoga in her 30's and loves introducing and sharing the gift of yoga on the mat and off the mat with others. She has taught in many different settings finding that her passion for the physical, philosophical spiritual and psychological aspects of yoga blend well with her professional work in Student Affairs at UNH. Ruth is energized by the forever evolving journey of living and teaching yoga, exploring and integrating yoga with life, students, family, community and friends.
Deborah Sisson, RYT, received her teacher training with the Yoga Life Institute. She has participated in a wide range of practice styles from traditions which reflect her love of dance, literature, and philosophy. In her classes she tries to nourish the authentic body that resides in the physical body. Deborah loves sharing the many gifts of yoga including postures, breathing, balance, strength, concentration, and meditation. She finds inspiration in nature and all its elements, beings, and miracles. Come, she says, let's practice together.
Haley Marie Walker's relationship with yoga began at a very young age and has strengthened over the last decade. Her introduction began with Bikram and over the years her desire to be challenged more mentally and emotionally lead her to practice and teach Vinyasa classes in Florida and Michigan. As an adventuring spirit, she has traveled to and lived in several different regions of the United States and the world. However, while change has been a frequent theme of her teens and early-20s, dedication to the practice and philosophy of yoga has been a constant. In September 2011, Haley moved to New Hampshire to enroll in the YogaLife Institute's Teacher Training Program. Having had the opportunity to deeply engage in a variety of yoga traditions, Haley offers a diverse knowledge base both physically and philosophically. With each class, she seeks to offer yoga as a grounding reprieve to people of all ages and abilities, giving an experience filled with peace, grace and strength.
Pilar Prime, CHHC, RYT 200, trained in Classical Yoga at the Portsmouth, NH branch of the YogaLife Institute, born of the Yoga Institute in Mumbai, India. She is also a graduate of the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, affiliated with Columbia University, where she was certified as a Holistic Health Counselor. Pilar lives with her husband and daughter in Strafford, where they raise chickens, grow vegetables, and enjoy the country life. She teaches yoga, counsels in holistic nutrition, writes and gives workshops in and around the Seacoast area. Pilar is board-certified by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners (AADP).
Jennifer Wilhelm, RYT is certified with the Yoga Alliance and received her training in Classical Yoga, through the Yoga Life Institute. Yoga has given Jennifer a new lens through which to view life. Though she has always enjoyed the physical practice of Yoga, she never realized the emotional and intellectual benefits it offers until she began studying Yogic philosophy. As an environmental sustainability professional, she appreciates the simplicity and moderation that Yogic philosophy encourages. Jennifer believes that by living a simple, more balanced life, we are able to increase our own contentment, while decreasing our impact on the natural world. Jennifer brings this perspective of contentment through simplicity to her classes.
Allison Parks Dugas, RYT500, is certified with the Yoga Alliance and is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute of NH's 200-hour and 500-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training programs. She began her yoga practice in 1999 studying Ashtanga and vinyasa-style yoga. She was drawn to the benefits of a physical practice; connecting the mind and body through the breath, becoming more present, reducing stress, and learning how to truly relax along with gaining strength and flexibility. When she discovered the YogaLife Institute's Teacher Training program, she was able to expand her understanding to include the mental, spiritual and philosophical elements as well as a gentler form. She believes yoga has been a gift in her life and she enjoys sharing it with others. When she is off her mat, she tries to bring the benefits of her practice and mindfulness into her day-to-day life.
Heidi Maddock, RYT, completed her Classical Yoga Teacher Training from the YogaLife Institute NH under the loving guidance of Julie Rost. She has been practicing yoga for over 20 years. Heidi now teaches at Yoga by Donation in Portsmouth and privately in her hometown of New Castle, NH. “Yoga has offered me so much, I call it my meeting of choice, and it is an honor to share it with others.” Grateful to lessons learned, and still learning from fellow teachers, Julie, Lily Sibley from Ocean Spirit Yoga, Bob Vaccaro and Abby Gaul, she encourages anyone to try yoga and perhaps you too can live it and bring it into your daily life.
Kristan Bishop, RYT is a graduate of the NH Yoga Life 200 Hour Teacher Training. She has practiced yoga for almost 20 years and has studied with Hannelore Moebius. "I started yoga when I was working full time in a high pressure career in sales and marketing and new Mom. Yoga has helped me find peace, balance and a new level of awareness in my life." Kristan's teaching style is sincere and heartfelt. Her easy going demeanor helps students feel at ease in the class. She uses creative, descriptive cues and music to enhance the experience. "I believe that yoga is more than just a physical practice on the matt, it is a way to relax and open to possibilities" Kristan is a musician and the Mom of three active boys. (She is also a certified Reiki Practitioner.)
Nancy Beach, RYT500, has been teaching Classical yoga for over 5 years and has completed the 500 hour training level with YogaLife Institute of NH. When not teaching yoga, Nancy and her husband spend a lot of time playing with their two golden retrievers and running a video production company in Portsmouth, NH. The Bhagavad Gita says, "On this path (yoga) no effort is wasted, no gain is ever reversed; even a little of this practice will shelter you from great sorrow." Nancy brings this philosophy of her yoga practice to every class. Teaching the Classical Yoga (Hatha) style, Nancy starts the class with a short discussion allowing each student to create a personal intention that is carried through the rest of the class through every pose (asana). Each class ends with a short meditation. Every student is honored whether a beginner or an experienced yogi.
Karen Kelley, RYT, is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute's 200-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training program. She is, also, a Masters level licensed alcohol and drug counselor, as well as being a licensed clinical mental health counselor. Karen began her yoga journey after an accident left her paralyzed. The physical practice of yoga combined with the yogic approach to life greatly impacted her successful comeback. Karen is particularly interested in the ways the ancient, yet timeless, yoga philosophy is echoed in the Alcoholics Anonymous approach to recovery as laid out in the Big Book. Practicing meditation on a daily basis, Karen enjoys helping her clients use this tool as a way of dealing with life on life's terms.
Senior Instructor: Stacy Smith, RYT 500, has studied yoga since 1998 and teaches at The Yoga Center in Portland, Maine. She approaches yoga in a holistic manner, blending the insights of Classical and Iyengar yoga with Ayurvedic teachings to nurture physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. Stacy was trained as a philosopher of education and formerly taught undergraduates at a liberal arts college. She now enjoys exploring the deep philosophical and spiritual traditions of Eastern wisdom with students of all ages. She is the mother of two young boys and teaches pre-natal yoga as one avenue for sharing the many ways that yoga has supported her mothering and family relationships. Stacy is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute of NH and continues to study and instruct in its teacher training programs. To view Stacy's current yoga classes at the Yoga Center of Portland, Maine, 
Karen Batchelder, RYT500, is a graduate of the YogaLife Institute’s 200-hour and 500-hour Classical Yoga Teacher Training programs. She is also certified in the Usui System Reiki tradition. Karen began her yoga journey in 1998 as a method to alleviate anxiety. She discovered that yoga provided not only stress relief, but a series of tools and life lessons that help with anxiety and so much more. She teaches gentle yoga at the Blue Moon in Exeter and aspires to help others who seek relief from anxiety by integrating these tools and personal discoveries into her yoga classes. She creates a welcoming and supportive environment for students to experience this beautiful practice of yoga. Karen is the graphic designer, website administrator, and marketing coordinator for the YogaLife Institute and the Blue Moon Studio.
