Get to know your Yoga Instructors

 

The City of Longmont Yoga Instructors have over 100 years of combined experience. They bring their passion and love to every class in order to grow the Yoga community within our city!

 

 

Urszula Bunting is a registered yoga teacher, Board Certified Health and Wellness Coach, and author of Finding Your Yoga: Essential Healthy Lifestyle with Yoga and Ayurveda. Yoga is Urszula’s “go to” tool to bring balance and harmony into her life and the lives of the people around her. As a teacher and as a practitioner, she incorporates principals of yoga philosophy, variety of postures, breathing awareness, and the wisdom of Ayurveda ( 5,000 year old healing system and a way of life originating from India). She inspires people to take charge of their health and transform life challenges into opportunities to grow.

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Gwyn Cody has been teaching yoga for 25 years. She holds three teaching certificates and is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. Some of Gwyn’s latest course work has focused on yoga for bone health with Ellen Saltonstall, co-author of the book Yoga for Osteoporosis.  Gwyn finds classical yoga poses grounded in alignment and awareness to be the most beneficial. Her teaching is clear, systematic and artfully sequenced, guiding students’ bodies safely into deeper experiences. Gwyn offers students individualized adjustments and modification as needed. Besides teaching, Gwyn remains an enthusiastic student of yoga, studying on her own and with advanced teachers.

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Katharine Kaufman teaches yoga, meditation, poetry and contemplative movement arts in Boulder County and at Shambhala Mountain Center and is an adjunct professor at Naropa University. She studied in India and taught for many years at the Yoga Workshop and Studio Be in Boulder. She holds MFA degrees in Choreography/ Performance and Writing/Poetics. Katharine is ordained in the Soto Zen lineage.

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Diana Shellenberger has practiced yoga for over 20 years, and has been teaching since 2011. While the postures and movements in yoga are excellent in themselves, Diana’s teaching focuses on how yoga is a metaphor for the development of strength and resilience in all areas of life. Diana loves to assist students in discovering that growth and change is a lifelong and positive process.

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Shar found yoga at age 16 and less than one year later, she began teaching. Since then, she has taught yoga throughout the United States, South America, Europe, and Asia. In 1980, Shar was certified through the first yoga teacher training in Colorado. She owned Boulder Yoga Institute and The Yoga Center of Longmont where she served as vice-president for six years and president for four years. Shar studied with teachers throughout India, Nepal, and Tibet. The remote swamis and advanced yogis who shared their knowledge gave her a profound passion for, and knowledge of yoga. A strong dedication to help humanity brought Shar to the Luck Now Hospital in Uttar Pradesh, India, where she studied yoga therapy. There, she adapted the traditional yogic systems, which were developed by and for men, to the unique needs of women. In addition to practicing Yoga for 51 years and teaching for 50, Shar has worked with clients through yoga therapy, pulse reading, and kinesiology for the past 25 years. She continues to offer hatha yoga, yoga therapy, structural yoga, prenatal and postnatal yoga in addition to asana and anatomy classes and seminars throughout the United States.

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Josine has been studying yoga since 1998 and received her 200  hour certification in 1999. She began studying with Richard Freeman and Mary Taylor at The Yoga Workshop and completed her training in 2001. She studied under Aadil Palkhivala in the lyengar tradition from 2002-2006, completing hr 3 Beginning TT. She went on to open her own studio in 2001 in downtown Longmont where she taught multiple classes a week for 9 years. She teachers with humor and care using breath and alignment principles to guide the student in their practice

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Jessica is a 200hr E-RYT, Prenatal Registered Yoga Teacher, and a Birth & Postpartum Doula as well as a Yoga Teacher Trainer. She began practicing yoga in 2004 during her career as a dancer and started teaching yoga in 2016 after earning her certification through an immersive yoga teacher training in Bali. She is currently studying for her 500hr certification with YogaKoh. Jessica is inspired by the rich spirituality and healing capabilities that yoga offers both body and soul. Her yoga classes focus on alignment designed to both open and strengthen the body. It is through specifically designed sequences and alignment principles that students are guided into poses that will support any student looking to advance their practice and push through inner blockages and obstacles. Jessica believes that yoga is for anyone looking for improved health and a more potent life experience and is excited to guide her students along that journey.

Yoga Class Descriptions

 

Alignment – Gateway to the Heart of Yoga

Monday 12:30pm

Gravity, poor posture, stress can pull us physically and emotionally off center and into discomfort.  Yoga is a powerful antidote.  This class offers clear instruction in alignment aimed at the health of the spine and joints and at bringing you confidence in practicing yoga.  Each class will have a specific focus; the warm-ups and sequencing will be chosen to open and prepare the body to safely receive the benefits of yoga.  You will get personalized attention and encouragement as you work your way towards greater strength, more flexibility, and better balance physically and mentally.  Beginning and continuing students welcome.  Questions?  Call Gwyn 970-669-1574.  Register for Alignment Based Yoga

Resilient Hatha Yoga

Tuesday 9:15am

This class is for people seeking personal fitness as an exercise in slowing down and fine tuning. Before working dominant muscles, like the large muscles of the trunk and legs, you’ll focus on awakening and strengthening the smaller, underused muscles to balance overall movement. You’ll experience how the breath’s movement supports your body’s movement and helps you experience deeper relaxation and improved overall health. Taught by Diana Shellenberger. Register for Hatha Yoga

Gentle Yoga

Friday 9:30am

In this all-level Gentle Vinyasa yoga, we practice at a moderate pace and use various props and modifications for comfort and individual growth. An excellent option for everyone looking to improve balance, posture, and flexibility. Please bring a yoga mat and props you need. Daily registration available. Taught by Urszula Bunting.  Register for Gentle Yoga

Yoga Therapy

Thursday 9am

Explore yoga using principles of breath, sensation and observation. Foundational posture “Asana” allowing body, mind into peace and harmony with the perspective of promoting flexibility and mindfulness. Pranayama and meditation are also integrated. Daily registration available. Taught by Shar Lee. Register for Yoga Therapy

Sunday Morning Yoga

Sunday 9:30am

You are invited to join us in person Sunday mornings for Yoga with Katharine Kaufman. From the first morning you’ll sense a difference in your flexibility, strength, integration, and sense of ease. Allow your nervous system to relax. You’ll practice gentle lying, sitting and standing sequences following your breath. Sunday morning Yoga offers an intimate experience and bigger perspective by honing awareness, connecting body & mind. Consistent practice can help heal pain, especially due to over-use and stress.  Feel free, healthy, whole, and good.. Daily registration available. Taught by Katharine Kaufman. Register for Sunday Morning Yoga

Yoga for Flexibility 

Tuesdays 6:00pm

Yoga class that practices deep stretching and flow movement. We practice slow sun salutations and standing poses. Alignment and balancing poses help to keep the student strong. We incorporate stretching and holding poses for each class. The teacher uses two methods of yoga practice; Lyengar and Astanga flow.  Daily Registration available.  These help warm up the whole body and build back strength. Most people can adapt this class to their personal needs. Taught by Josine Michels. Register for Yoga for Flexibility

Restorative Yoga

One Friday of the month 6pm
Experience deep relaxation necessary for healing, grounding, and creating balance & harmony. We use a variety of props, Tibetan bowls, candlelight, and essential oils. Bring a yoga mat, towel, and two blankets. Taught by Urszula Bunting. Register for Restorative Yoga

Prenatal Yoga 

Mondays 5pm

This yoga class is designed for all stages of pregnancy. Enjoy a uniquely tailored yoga class to strengthen, stretch, and nourish the pregnant body. The movement in this class is created to support the rapidly changing pregnant body, as well soothe and alleviate the common discomforts of pregnancy. Learn labor coping skills through the practice of yoga as you explore different postures and exercises to empower and prepare you for birth. Please feel free to reach out to Jessica with any questions. Register for Prenatal Yoga

Baby and Me Yoga

Wednesdays 11:15am

This 60 minute class is for mamas/caregivers and babies who are not yet “mobile”. We will focus mainly on postpartum recovery, however, the movement and exercise benefits all, even those who may not have given birth. There will be a focus at the end of each class for baby movement and massage, as well as a sweet savasana for all. Please feel free to reach out to Jessica with any questions. Register for Baby and Me Yoga

Toddler and Me Yoga

Wednesdays 10am

This 60 minute class is for mamas/caregivers and little ones who are mobile and want to explore the world with their bodies. Movement will be a blend between postpartum focused recovery and strengthening as well as playful fluid movement beneficial for all ages and stages of life. The purpose of this class is to give caregivers of older babies and toddlers a chance to get some yoga in while allowing kiddo(s) to join OR roll around/explore the space/play with others. If you’re wondering “is it going to work for us/will my kiddo(s) just run around wild/do we belong…” The answer is YES! JUST COME! We make it work for all and ALL are welcome. No one is too young, old, loud, shy, tired, etc. to join. Please feel free to reach out to Jessica with any questions. Register for Toddler and Me Yoga

Specialty Yoga Retreats

Dates and times vary
Join our contracted yoga instructors for specialty yoga retreats. Register for Yoga Retreats