Karen Piccone -- Owner
Her first yoga class in 1999 was like reuniting with an old friend. She realized at that moment something bigger had been silently guiding her on a deliberate road map to this point. She was entering a new realm from student to teacher. Karen's compassion and uncanny intuitive ability with her students comes from first hand experience with chronic pain and injury due to her many years as a competetive and professional figure skater and dancer.
Her life experience reads like an adventure novel right up to part where in 2003 the universe took Karen to her knees in a severe car accident that served as crash course in spirituality. Karen's testimony is that teaching and practicing yoga is a sacred communion between the divine herself and her students. It's nature draws out the highest good in all of us, and keeps our hearts close together as one.
She is in deep gratitude for all of her mentors and students who have helped co-create this vision with her and who are helping her live the dream! Through her years of traveling Karen has had the incredible opportunity to practice many styles of yoga with a variety of gifted mentors such as Baron Baptiste, Jimmy Barkan, Lisa Black, Besty Downing, Amy Ippoliti, Seane Corn & Ana Forrest.
Yoga Training Credentials: 2004 certified through Jimmy Barkan's 200 hr Hot Yoga teacher training program. Completed Lisa Black's Teacher Training Intensive 2006 and TAPS Intermediate/Advanced (Teacher Assisting Program) 2006. Completed Baron Baptiste's 200 hour level 1, 2008 & Level 2, 2009 and Baron's Taps program (teacher assisting program) 2009.
Susan Churchill
Susan discovered yoga while on a personal journey toward better health. Within a very short time she realized that how she viewed life, moved her body and coped with all areas of her life would change through the yoga path. As a physical therapist for more than 25 years, Susan thought she understood the body well, but yoga has unlocked a journey that has brought a new perspective to managing injury, stress, physical strength, and flexibility. Yoga truly is for everyone and the Baptiste Vinyasa style yoga meets every student at every level at the beginning of their journey, wherever that may be. With a specialty in Women’s Health physical therapy and many years of work with survivors of trauma, she is particularly drawn to the tremendous healing that can take place through the journey of yoga. Susan lectures nationally about Women’s Health issues and brings a strong medical knowledge base to the practice, while embracing all aspects of yoga well beyond the amazing physical benefits. Yoga transforms you in every way.
Alicia MaHaney
Alicia Mahaney discovered Yoga more than 10 years ago as the ideal "meditation in motion" that soothes our minds and builds a strong body. She's practiced across a range of styles--including Iyengar, Ashtanga, Hatha, and Bikram--and finds that Power Vinyasa offers people a rigorous practice that brings together simplicity, grace, and most important, FUN. As a busy writer who juggles clients and deadlines, she understands how challenging (and important) it is to find a release valve that calms, strengthens, and heals. Alicia recently completed the intensive apprenticeship program at Beyond Limits Yoga and is excited to attend Baron Baptiste's teacher training this winter.
Sarah Ogmundson -- Guest Instructor
Sarah has been a student of Baptiste power yoga for three
years and has just embarked on an adventure of teaching. She recently began teaching at Beyond Limits Yoga in Bellingham, after intensive study with Karen Piccone, owner. After completing the Baptiste teacher training program at Shakti Vinyasa Yoga in Seattle, Sarah's eyes were opened to an underlying desire to teach this powerful practice of life energy and light. Beginning in the fall of 2009, Sarah will also continue to pursue her other passion- music, as she starts study toward a Master's degree in Flute Performance at the University of Oregon. With much excitement and joy, she plans to complete a Level One training with master teacher Baron Baptiste very soon. She extends many thanks to all past and present students that she has had the honor of learning from and creating with.
