Pranava Yoga Center |

Charlotte Matsumura is co-founder of Pranava Yoga Center in Colorado Springs, CO. She has been a student of yoga since taking her first yoga class in New York City in 2001. The practice of yoga and asana have been constants in her life ever since. Practicing yoga was something she continually felt drawn to after stepping onto that mat for that very first class.

It was at Jivamukti Yoga Center in NYC, where Charlotte first experienced sadhana (spiritual practice). She spent the next five years practicing yoga in NYC, primarily at Jivamukti. It was through her experiences in yoga class that she first began gaining a deeper understanding of the human body.

She later completed her certification in Vinyasa yoga, becoming a 200 hour RYT; she is also a Yoga Alliance certified instructor. Furthering her training, Charlotte has also received certification in prenatal yoga instruction.

During her time in New York, Charlotte also began studying at the Swedish Institute, earning her A.O.S. degree in massage therapy. Her deepened knowledge of anatomy has given her an even greater understanding of how the human body works. While she is trained in various massage modalities, including Swedish, Shiatsu, perinatal, and sports massage techniques, it is Shiatsu that she has most resonated with. Charlotte is a licensed massage therapist in the states of New York and Colorado.

As a yoga teacher, Charlotte strives to inspire her fellow yogis to live a more balanced and peaceful existence. She is a compassionate and sincere teacher. You will find her classes challenging and her presence warm. Charlotte’s classes are shaped from her years of practicing at Jivamukti while living in New York, and from all her teachers past and present.

Charlotte would like to thank all those who have inspired her and continue to inspire her along the way, most importantly, her students and also her husband, Mike.

Mike Matsumura - In March of 2002, Mike walked into a yoga center in the Lower Eastside of Manhattan wanting to get into an exercise class. That yoga center was Jivamukti Yoga Center. He didn't know exactly what he was getting himself into but he thought it would be a great place for light stretching and a workout. What the class had for him was nothing he had ever experienced in his life. At first, everyone just sat there and the yoga instructor started preaching some stuff that he didn't understand at all, and then the class started chanting the word "Om." He was confused and initially, he didn't like it at all. He didn't know anything about yoga, meditation, chanting, or spirituality. At first, he was turned off by this chanting and mediation stuff. He felt it was not his thing but kept doing it anyway. He tried to keep an open mind and then he started to understand it little by little. "If you allow yourself, you can learn anything and everything from anyone and everyone." That was the beginning of his Yogic Path. In 2004, Mike met his guru (teacher), Sri Dharma Mittra, with whom he studied in NYC at Dharma Yoga Center. Mike eventually became a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 hour advanced certified teacher in Dharma Yoga Level 1-3 and also became initiated as one of Sri Dharma Mittra's disciples right before he left NYC for Colorado Springs to be with his wife. Sri Dharma Mittra gave Mike the Sanskrit name "Sadhu Om," which means the righteous and holy. Mike is constantly continuing on his yogic journey, keeping his teachers and their teachings with him along the way. Mike currently teaches at Samadhi Center for Yoga and Pranava Yoga Center.
Since residing in Colorado, Mike has been very involved with the Colorado yoga community. He was one of the guest teachers for the events Spark The Fire in Denver and Yoga Rocks the Park in 2009. He also participated in Yoga Rocks Mountain Fest ’09 at Lyons, Colorado. He will present Yoga Rocks the Mountains 2010 in Snowmass, Colorado on July 16-18th and Yoga Rocks the Park 2010 as well. Mike “Sadhu Om” Matsumura is the Co-Founder of Pranava Yoga Center in Colorado Springs. Mike enjoys helping everyone to find their own teacher inside their heart. Mike is also the ambassador for Manduka Yoga Mat.

Gloria Jones, B.A., E-RYT

Gloria is a dynamic, compassionate teacher with a gentle spirit. Her rich background of experience in behavioral health, education, and rehabilitative services has given her a strong platform from which to teach yoga. Gloria has worked with special needs children, seniors, folks with terminal illness, clients with biomechanical issues and injuries, and most recently with active duty service members suffering from PTSD and/or related symptoms.

Fascinated by the miracle of the human body and the strength of the human spirit, Gloria was drawn to the practice of yoga in the Fall of 1999. Inspired by the teachings of the Baptiste Power Vinyasa tradition, she received the highest level of training with renowned yoga master, Baron Baptiste. Gloria became the first teacher to introduce this transformational style of yoga to the Colorado Springs community. In addition to her training with Baron, Gloria has also received additional training with Tom Stiles in Structural Yoga Therapy and is currently seeking advanced certification in Yoga Nidra with Richard Miller, Ph.D. through the Integrative Restoration Institute.

“Teaching yoga has given me a strong sense of purpose. I’ve learned that the power of the human spirit is stronger than our deepest fears or perceived limitations.”

Jessica Pattersonhas been practicing and discovering yoga for fifteen years, during which time she has had the great privilege of exploring many methods and approaches. As her yoga practice deepened, so too did her understanding of its profound transformative power. After completing her 200-hour teacher training here in Colorado Springs, Jessica sought out more opportunities to learn and grow as a practitioner and teacher. Her dedication and commitment to nonviolence led her to the Jivamukti Yoga method, which bridges ancient teachings and modern lifestyles in a challenging, uplifting, and deeply compassionate practice. In April 2008, she completed the month-long 300-hour Jivamukti training in NY to become the only Certified Jivamukti Teacher in Colorado Springs.She also became 500-Hour Yoga Alliance RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher). Jessica believes that the ultimate purpose of yoga is to liberate every being from suffering, granting freedom and happiness to all through its emphasis on union. As Jivamukti founders Sharon Gannon and David Life remind her, we cannot "do" yoga; yoga is our natural state. What we can do are practices that show us where we are resisting that state of yoga--which is love and joy. The goal of her teaching is to help students free themselves from limiting thoughts and ideas; we are limitless and divine, and that is the sole focus of her classes. Jessica's dedication to and respect for all these practices have enabled her to infuse her teaching with deeply spiritual, physically rigorous, and truly uplifting classes that seek to liberate and bring joy to each student

Margy Gullickson received her training in 2002 at The Shambhava School of Yoga at the Eldorado Mountain Yoga Ashram in Boulder, Colorado. She has been teaching since then and enjoys sharing her love of yoga with first timers to experienced practicioners. She enjoys providing an opportunity to move the body and cleanse the mind through an invigorating practice. Her classes are designed for each person to better get to know themselves by allowing themselves a time of stillness after effort. Her current inspirations are her home practice, the red rocks and white peaks of Colorado Springs and her two sons that keep her returning to the here and now. Margy recently relocated to Colorado Springs from the Hudson Valley area of New York where she instucted yoga and meditation.

Sara Peekwas born and raised on a diary farm in Iowa. It was here that she developed the significance of cultivating body and spirit as well as nurturing her relationships with family and friends. These lifelong priorities became ingrained characteristics through working on the farm, participation in athletics and commitment to spiritual growth and development. She obtained her B.S. degree in Nursing and practice in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit of Memorial Hospital taking care of premature and sick infants for 14 years. She and her husband Larry are currently raising 3 teenagers and a 9 year old yellow Labrador. Sara and her family enjoy hiking, biking and have a passion for skiing.

A dear friend of Sara's introduced her to Bikram yoga in 2000. After completing the 60 day challenge, she was hooked. Sara believes that all yoga disciplines are fluidly inclusive of each other. In her own practice she enjoys exploring and incorporating many different yoga traditions. The quieting of the mind, awareness of the present moment and physical asana enhance all aspects of her life. Sara has earned her Vinyasa Power Yoga certification and is sharing her passion for Yoga with others. "I believe in the restorative properties to mind, body and spirit that yoga offers. This practice is a wonderful gift that I am grateful to have the opportunity to share with fellow students."

Lisa Troisi- grew up in a small town in New Hampshire and moved to Colorado Springs from Phoenix, where she lived for fourteen years, in the Summer of 2008.

Lisa is an enthusiastic teacher with a passion for sharing the healing elements of movement with others. Her background in dance, psychotherapy and dance/movement therapy brings a holistic dimension to her teaching. She believes the practice of yoga provides a unique spiritual experience to each individual. Her teaching facilitates body awareness, freedom of expression and self-acceptance.

Lisa has always felt energized by movement and dance. In 2006, she began attending yoga classes in and became intrigued by the healing she experienced through regular practice, which continuous each day. Her yoga journey has been influenced by inspiring teachers, such as John Salisbury, Lisa Cohen, Jeff Marten and Jason Magness. She has completed training in programs in Power Yoga, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Yoga Therapy.

In addition to teaching yoga, Lisa provides counseling, dance/movement and play therapy services to children and families. She strives to be a vehicle for healing and peace to each person she works with.

Samantha Denary - After a car accident left her with a severe back injury, years of appointments with various doctors, and a daily reliance on prescription pain pills, Samantha took the off-hand suggestion of one of her doctors and decided to try yoga. Although she was skeptical at first, after only 3 months of practice she was virtually pain-free and able to stop taking her pain medications. Through this healing journey she discovered a true passion for not only the physical, but also the emotional and spiritual benefits of yoga.

Samantha completed her 200-hour teacher training with The Lahiri School of Yoga in 2009, followed by an additional certification in Prenatal Yoga at Samadhi School for Yoga. She continues to share her transformational experience with everyone she meets, in hopes that they too can find a natural way to greater health, balance, and well-being. Samantha encourages open minds and open hearts, and believes that everyone should take the opportunity to experience the life-enhancing effects of yoga!

Sam's website click here.

Kelly Benish- Over a decade ago, Kelly’s curiosity for the interactions she witnessed between herself and others led her to study and explore the realm of energy beyond the physical body. Searching for wholeness, she was introduced to energy healing through the system of Reiki in 2002.

Although Kelly grew up as a gymnast, she did not discover yoga until 2004. Most people practice asana before finding yoga’s more esoteric aspects, but Kelly was destined to discover yoga after pursuing her path in energy healing. Utilizing her body awareness skills from gymnastics, she taught herself the “Yoga Deck”. She immediately recognized yoga as another way to move energy for self healing. The combination of Reiki and yoga guided Kelly to reconnect with her physical body as an instrument for emotional, mental, and spiritual healing.

In 2007, Kelly received her second Reiki Master degree and enrolled in the Wakepoint School of Energy Healing. Kelly received her teacher training with the Lahiri School of Yoga in 2009, which further cultivated her awareness of the relationship between yoga and energy healing.

Kelly believes we each have a natural balancing system within the body that holds our personal pattern of wholeness. We can achieve balance on all levels by observing the physical body. Kelly’s personal journey of returning to wholeness inspires others to connect with themselves on a deeper level where our true essence is an infinite resource.

In her spare time, Kelly loves to rock climb. She maintains a regular personal yoga practice spanning many styles: Jivamukti, Dharma Yoga, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga. She begins her 4th year of the Wakepoint School of Energy Healing this fall.

Jerianne Heimendinger- Jerianne began her practice of yoga in 1987. She was in a dance company and drove from Boston to the Kripalu yoga center in western Massachusetts to expedite the healing of a sprained ankle. Expecting mostly rest and good food, she found Kripalu yoga. She began teaching in 1990 in a friend’s attic when neighbors in Maryland requested a class. Over the past 20 years, she has experienced many teachers and styles of yoga, including Stephen Cope, Teryl Lundquist, John Schumaker, Richard Freeman, Patricia Walden, Angela Farmer, Victor Van Kooten, Mikunda Styles, Gary Kraftsow, John Friend, Desiree Rumbaugh, Anthony Bogart, and Jamie Turner. In her classes, Jerianne draws on her many teachers but also on her experience with modern dance, massage therapy, and craniosacral therapy.

Jerianne’s professional life has focused on preventive health. She has a PhD from Harvard in nutrition and helped develop the national program that promotes eating 5 to 13 servings of fruits and vegetables a day. Jerianne’s yoga style is gentle, with an emphasis on slowing down, finding your personal alignment, and continuously integrating mind, body, and spirit.

Guest Teachers

Marcee Gutman-Ballantyne

Marcee Gutman-Ballantyne RYT is the owner and principle instructor of Fountain of Health Yoga Studio. The studio was founded in Pueblo, CO in 1996. Marcee is a certified Anusara Yoga teacher with a wide range of knowledge of various yoga styles and more than 1.300 hours of Anusara study primarily with John Friend, founder of Anusara Yoga.

Marcee has had exceptionally difficult physical challenges to overcome which has given her one-of-a-kind insight and ability to inspire and guide students to greater heart openings and a deeper awareness of the inner body in postures. Marcee’s phenomenal success with overcoming her own physical, emotional and spiritual trials, using natural and allopathic healing, plus Anusara Yoga and humor, guide her when teaching students how to replace fear with courage, weakness with confidence and depression with joy.

Glenn Ballantyne

Glenn earned the level of Kriya Yogi when he was in his early 20’s while living in Hollywood, California. A Kriya Yogi has extensive study of the teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda, founder of Self Realization Fellowship. The program includes learning specific physical, mental and emotional workings of a human being as related to successful meditation. This information is joined with the metaphysical insights of individual karmas, unique incarnations, astral influences and various pranayama techniques.

Glenn’s meditation classes include the art of stillness and silence through active, scientific meditation techniques. Students also have a creative and insightful time with self inspection that often includes coloring images of answers to personal soul-based questions. Glenn includes crystal bowls, harmonium and chanting to support students’ meditation efforts and to create an atmosphere of love, joy and encouragement.

Glenn is a professional singer/songwriter and his work appears on all major media as Clear Channel, NBC, CBS and ABC. Music CDs in stores and on the Internet include 3 albums of spiritualized chants and Glenn’s original songs by artists as, The Brady Bunch, Jackie DeShannon, Bobby Vinton, and The Ovations.

Glenn’s most popular radio yoga songs include, Into Her Yoga Love and Yoga Unlocks the Sky for Me (Like a Silver Glove with a Golden Key)

Please Visit Marcee and Glenn at their studio in Pueblo! Fountain of Health Yoga Studio

Paul took his first yoga class in 1984. Three weeks later, Paul took his tuition and attended his first yoga teacher training at the White Lotus Center in Santa Barbara where he participated in their advanced teacher training and other programs, building decks and projects in trade. Having completed all of the White Lotus programs, Paul left and began practicing Taoist yoga, Chi Gong, Thai Chi and martial arts with an instructor near his university. Paul continued to study with various schools of yoga available around Los Angeles. Paul has traveled the country and world, especially the near and far East looking for inspired teachers and Yogis who are willing to share their passions. Paul has stayed in India several times and has come to call Rishikesh his spiritual home. Over the years Paul has joined many schools and had the opportunity to meet many of the name brand yogis of today and so many more unknown with equally inspired views. Paul is a humble student of “what it means to be human” and is grateful for the opportunity to be part of groups who enjoy exploring what that means.

Karen Taylor- Growing up in New Jersey, she and her friends decided to start a Yoga Club in high school. Although the club was short-lived, yoga remained in her heart and she revisited the practice in 2001 after running her second marathon. Living in Fairbanks, AK at the time, she knew she needed something to supplement the repetitive motion of running and “to open up those runner’s hips.” Her practice soon expanded beyond asanas to encompass the balance and light yoga can bring to life.
She moved to Colorado Springs in 2008 and she decided to become an instructor through the Lahiri School of Yoga in 2009. She holds a 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification in Hatha Yoga. She teaches from the heart and invites you to discover strength and creativity from the inside out.

Steve Koehlnerbegan practicing yoga in 1997 under the instruction of Jeanine Armstrong, at her yoga school, Gentle Strength Yoga. In 2000 he attended a yoga teacher training and became a Registered Yoga Teacher. He have since branched out and practiced and learned many styles of Hatha Yoga including Ashtanga, Bikram, and Iyengar and various extensions of those styles. Steve is particularly interested in yoga methods that involve repetition of basic principles as do the aforementioned styles. There is much to be learned by confronting one's own boredom with repetition. Steve also enjoys forays into more exotic and difficult asana, yet my ability to do so is grounded in practice of basics. He practices yoga for many reasons including physical and mental strengthening, transformative experience and meditative benefits. Mostly, He practices because he thinks yoga is fun. Steve teaches yoga in order to share these benefits with others.

“Practice, practice, practice, all is coming” - Sri K. Patabhi Jois

Joan Isbell has been practicing Ashtanga Yoga since she was struck with how complete and comprehensive it felt after taking her first class in 1993. She was extremely fortunate to learn the practice from masters of the form Richard Freeman and Tim Miller. She has also studied extensively with Annie Pace, and she is looking forward to her 4th trip to Mysore, South India, to connect with the source of Ashtanga Yoga in March. Joan is an avid student of devotional singing and chanting as well.

Santi Devi is a contemporary spiritual teacher who has dedicated her life to alleviating suffering in the world and enlightening humanity. Her awakened presence and timeless teachings are a continual source of truth and inspiration.
She can be reached at santidevi.com.

Santi teaches workshops at Pranava Yoga Center.

Rachel Nelson, A senior teacher at The Yoga Studio at the Vail Athletic Club and in the process of earning her 500 hour E-RYT certification, Rachel found yoga through her professional snowboard- ing career, and has been practicing for over 11 years. Now a full time yoga teacher, Rachel integrates the playfulness of AcroYoga, the dynamics of Baptiste Power Yoga, the alignment principals of Anusara Yoga, and the contemplative qualities from her studies with Deepak Chopra into a yoga practice that is available to everyone.

Please check her website at www.inmotionyoga.com

LISA K. DIAMOND, RN, MSN, FNP-C is a nurse practitioner who inspires people to live their best life. She gives workshops on journal writing, discovering life’s purpose, creating vision maps, and legacy building. She is a published writer of over 300 pieces ranging from newspaper columnist for the Daily Herald (metro Chicago), The Nursing Spectrum, Imprint, Revolution: The Journal of Nurse Empowerment, and The Clinical Advisor. She has been interviewed on KKLI as a journal writing expert, been a speaker on nursing issues and a guest lecturer at the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs. Mrs. Diamond has taught at Wm. Rainey Harper College and the University of Phoenix. In addition, she has co-led group therapy sessions at the Hope Group Treatment Center of Colorado and coaches people along their personal life path. Lisa Diamond is also a practitioner of yoga.

Shannon EarthTree has been teaching Kundalini Yoga and Meditation since 2002. She desires to spread these teachings to give people an accessible way to uplift themselves, making space for light by removing negativity and blocks. Through elevating one's self and increasing one's own radiance, this high vibration can spread out so others may be uplifted and benefit from these ancient practices.

In 2008 Shannon had the honor of assisting in a yoga teacher training led by Gurmukh.

Shannon also studies and practices Jyotisha (Vedic Astrology).

If you are ever in Denver, Shannon also teaches at Samadhi Center for Yoga. Please go and visit her and many wonderful instructors there!

Photo by Annie Freedom

“With the realization of one's own potential and self-confidence in one's ability, one can build a better world.” - Dalai Lama