TEACHERS

EMMA KORKOLA

CYA-RYT500, YA-RYT500, MASSAGE THERAPIST (D'ARCY LANE INSTITUTE), BA (QUEENS UNIVERSITY) YOGA MALA FOUNDER, DIRECTOR, ENTHUSIASTIC TEACHER

I am inspired each day by my children, who love me as I am. They inspire me to be the best version of myself. In yoga I find such freedom and happiness. Practicing yoga to me feels like a prayer, a celebration, a gift. The discipline and commitment required gives me such peace, as it demands me to surrender to the shape and structure it creates in my life. I love teaching as it is holding up a mirror to reflectback the beauty existing within each person. I love the changing light in student's eyes as they begin to witness their own strength and grace. It is an honor to be part of the journey. Yoga Mala is for me, a healing place. It is my safe place. I receive great comfort and inspiration from the teachers and students who make up this beautiful constellation. I am thankful for it every day

AIMEE PASCUA

Yoga gives me an opportunity to connect to my mind and body. I love that it challenges me to evolve and explore physically, mentally and spiritually.
There is something transformational that happens when I step on to my yoga mat. For a moment, everything becomes silent. All of the day’s distractions come to a halt and my yoga practice becomes my own sacred space to let go, reflect, and reconnect. Even in a room full of other practitioners, it amazes me that I can find place of stillness through a moving meditation. This is because the Yoga Mala community helps cultivate this experience. There is an energy and thirst to learn and grow within this community - and you can feel it throughout the studio.
I am so fortunate to have instructors and peers that continuously inspire and encourage me to move further into my yoga practice. I am so grateful to have the opportunity to teach and share this experience with others.

ANDREA DOROSH

Yoga has shaped who I am today. What began as stretching has become my life and work. We all want in life to be happy, healthy, to have purpose. Yoga is a catalyst to self-discovery and inner-transformation and brings me closer to these things every day. I love sharing my passion for yoga with others. Teaching is an extension of practise and it is how I show gratitude and give back to the community that inspires me and enriches me every day. I know now that yoga is more than just stretching, it is a journey that reaches back through time and continues to change lives and impact the world today. Yoga is inspiring, and inspiration is contagious!
Andrea has been a student at Yoga Mala since 2008. She completed her 200hr Sattva Yoga Teacher Training with Rameen Peyrow in 2012 and has been happily teaching at Yoga Mala ever since! Andrea is also a registered Thai Massage Therapist with the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada.

ARBELY RUBALCAVA

I am inspired by meaningful things, finding purpose and transformation. Yoga gives me those things. While practicing yoga, I love the physical and mental challenge that it brings, and that I need to surrender to find freedom and peace of mind. The way yoga has transformed the way I interact with myself, and others, is something that I will forever be grateful for. I love teaching yoga because it allows me to share my passion with others; others who have a keen disposition and are so eager to learn. I love witnessing the growth of students, and encouraging them to keep trying. Yoga Mala was my first yoga community since moving from Montreal in 2009, and now it is like my second family! I have learned tremendously from Emma and the teachers, and being surrounded by not only like-minded individuals, but also kind hearted, refreshing people is a wonderful and rare gift that I have found here at Yoga Mala.

JENNIFER OLAFSON

P.ENG, MBA, PMP, RYT200

My parents inspire me as they provide unconditional love and support. Nature is another inspiration as it is resilient and adaptable; it is truly non judging and non biased. Yoga has the ability to challenge me in both physical and mental ways but also provides for my self-defined need for structure in what can be a chaotic life. It can lift me up as well as temper my ego and remind me that sometimes it is ok to just let go and be present. I love to share the practice with students as they cultivate their own practice and journey. My ultimate goal is being present for that "ah ha" moment that inevitably happens.
Yoga Mala provides me with a sense of community that holds no judgments while providing me with space to cultivate my practice. I practice with individuals whom I feel that I know intimately yet may never communicate with outside of the studio. I feel both blessed and humbled by this relationship.

JOHANNA BUNDON

I am inspired by movement and by people coming together in movement. That includes dance and yoga and also people gathering to move their mind stuff and ideas. I have grown to love the way steady yoga practice inspires a sense of focus in my life and enlivens my choices with a sense of direction. Teaching reminds me how to be in relationship with a diverse array of humans. I love gathering all this diverse energy in a common direction of learning. Yoga Mala is a place that has offered me deep healing and lovingly nourished my impulse to grow. I feel grateful to Emma and my family at Yoga Mala. Yoga Mala just totally uplifts the quality of my heart!

KATE RIVARD

Movement inspires me. The ability to move gracefully and playfully brings enjoyment to my soul. My kids move like this and I believe yoga helps us to move as we were first intended to.
There's no hiding when you're on the mat. You can't fake deep, fluent breath or a quiet mind.
The inspiration to get on the mat, for me, is getting to have a brand new experience each time. With each breath, ego slips away, the body is fueled by intention, drawing focus on what's happening right now.
The horse has inspired my teaching. They themselves are one of the most unique teachers on earth. For a horse to learn from you, as teacher, they require honest intention, consistency of character, time, trust and feel. They require a constant study and contemplation of what is being taught. This is how I want to teach yoga, this is the environment in which I can personally grow as a student and Yoga Mala is this for me. There is a current of continuous learning, the understanding that we are all teachers and we also, are all students. This place is my foundation and base, the place where my journey really started into yoga and above all else, I absolutely love being here.

LINDSAY FERGUSON

BA (HONS), LL.B

What inspired me?
Different people and ideas inspire me daily, especially my children and the Yoga Mala community. Both are a constant, daily presence inspiring me to be a compassionate, strong and confident version of myself.
I love yoga because it provides space for reflection. It is a daily opportunity to move and breath & observe myself and what motivates me, to note patterns in my body, thoughts and emotions and to try and carry that level of awareness throughout my day.
I love teaching yoga because it is an opportunity to express gratitude for the practice itself and for the Yoga Mala community. It is an opportunity to share something that is an important part of my life.
I started practicing yoga at Yoga Mala in 2005. My reasons for practicing yoga have shifted and evolved over time. YM offers a community of compassionate, dedicated yogis who serve as an invaluable support & inspiration at every step along the way.

LINH LA

B.SC (HONS), OD, RYT200

I am inspired by the pursuit of knowledge and deeper understanding. I see learning as a perpetual cycle in which one realization acts as a catalyst for another inquiry, providing a constant source of motivation. Yoga provides me with a unique avenue to explore my own limits, while also creating an escape from the chaos of the everyday. The practice invariably challenges and humbles me, serving as a reminder that there is always room for growth.
Teaching allows me the privilege of witnessing that growth in others. There is great joy in being part of a student's breakthrough – whether it is the first time they find their full expression of an asana or when they experience a personal revelation. Students unknowingly provoke so much insight, and teaching becomes the richest of learning opportunities. Yoga Mala is lead by a team of the most inspirational teachers I have ever encountered. Emma has cultivated a nurturing and supportive community that has been my sanctuary and my happy place since I first walked through the doors as a student in 2009

LIVIA WIBER

I am inspired by the amazing heart, soul, skill and passion of all the wonderful people in my life - especially at Yoga Mala. My teachers and students inspire me to set goals and meet new challenges. I love yoga because it is a practice that allows us to look deep into our innermost selves, and reflect on our lives. I love teaching because I get so much joy from sharing this practice with others, and helping students on their path of self-discovery. Seeing my students' eyes light up when they have those "aha" moments in class is the best! I've been teaching yoga for over 10 years in Toronto, and am now teaching at Yoga Mala in Regina after moving here to be with my family. I am so grateful for the continued love and support from the Yoga Mala community as I continue on this incredible yoga journey!

SHIRLEY XIE

RYT200

People are my daily inspiration. Everybody has an interesting story to tell. Everyone has a perspective that can shake up the norm. Every person has a unique body that moves differently.
Practicing yoga takes me away from busy daily routines to pause, reflect and allow things to happen at their own pace.
I love teaching because of the sparks in students’ eyes after a good practice. I learn from my students constantly. Along the way, I am becoming more compassionate toward others who are unique in their own ways.
My intention to practice yoga has evolved over the years since I first stepped into Yoga Mala in 2009. The studio is my comfort zone and safe space to be open and genuine with myself and others. It also brings me challenges and opportunities to keep growing and learning – physically, mentally and emotionally. I am very thankful to be a teacher at Yoga Mala.