More About The Magical Weekend ~ July 6th and 7th

And now for something completely different: Very Exciting News!

We've organized an event that's the very thing we'd love to attend. Both Jamine and I have yoga colleagues/brothers coming into town this July - one from the USA and one from Italy. These are yogis who balance modern life with their deep pursuit of yogic studies. Both have devoted themselves to the ongoing exploration of yogic philosophy and spirituality; the subtle and the sublime elements of the practice. Both work with sound and the more subtle aspects of a yoga practice.

We are bringing them here to share with you some of these deeper teachings, and hope you can make it out to their workshops! Guaranteed informational, experiential and laughter-filled. All are welcome, regardless of experience/knowledge in yoga. If you are already a yoga teacher these workshops are eligible as continuing education credits.

The yoga practices will be gentle, with emphasis on the breath, sound and yes, the yoga nidra relaxation. We're talking about accessing the deeper practices, after all.

Read on! I'm hoping you can make it, at least to one, ideally to both!!

JULY 6 & 7 a Special Yoga Weekend Event

Join us for a very special exploration of the essence and tradition of Yoga that you want to miss.  Experience the mystical side of Yoga and the deeper teachings of this ancient technology in a fun, interactive way.

Not your typical yoga classes

This specialty series is being led by two modern and dedicated Yogis, who are excited to share their knowledge, experiences and adventures through discussion, interaction and a multi-media presentation of sights and sounds.  Both sessions include a gentle practice with emphasis on different relaxation techniques, Yoga Nidra and sound.

Saturday, July 6th 1pm-5pm with Michael Carlucci


Michael Carlucci currently lives and works at the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, Pennsylvania where he develops and produces content for Yoga International online.  He has been studying Yoga and Tantra both inside and outside of the Himalayan Tradition for over 15 years. In his spare time he studies the ancient texts, does personal practice, plays music and tries to uplift both himself and his world.

On Saturday, Michael will lead us through an exploration of the Vayus (energies), pranas and their impact, linking into the ancient teachings of the Upanishads and sound.

Sunday, July 7th 1pm-5pm with Piero (Pranav) Casanova

Since 1994, Piero has returned to India annually to reconnect with its deeper teachings and yogic practices.  It was there that he received his Yoga Teacher certification in 2005 under the guidance of Yogirishi Vishvketu. Piero is the creator and owner of Pranav Kutir, a successful yoga studio in Bologna, Italy. He leads classes, workshops and seminars specializing in the tantric tradition of Hatha Yoga, Pranayama and Meditation.

On Sunday, Piero will lead us through an experiential journey of visual presentations and sounds, capturing the spirit of Yoga in India and sharing his experiences with the teachings of the Vedas, Temples, Kumbh Mela, and application to all the senses.

The Details:

Event is being hosted @ Rama Lotus Yoga Centre

Single workshop: $45 (plus hst) or both for $80 (plus hst) (Click on the buttons at right to register via PayPal.)

You'll need a yoga mat, comfortable clothing for gentle movement and for Yoga Nidra (relaxation).

Registration is through Kat and Jamine directly.

Q's? let me know!! Om! K

The Four Paths of Yoga

This past Monday (May 20) was the inauguration of Makata Living Yoga's unit in deeper yoga studies called The Four Paths. In this unit we will be exploring four different paths of yoga.

The Four Paths we will be taking a closer look at are:

Bhakti Yoga

Karma Yoga

Jnana Yoga

Raja Yoga

This unit is almost entirely experiential and is to be done with other people, creating a community of yogis and yoginis who are out to discover more about yoga, especially outside of a typical hatha yoga class.

The workshop is composed of 4 hours of workshop and 16 hours of exploration in the community - approximately 4 hours in each of the paths to start.

We watched a bit of Yoga Unveiled, which briefly introduced each path, and came up with some ideas of how each of those paths could be practised in Ottawa before the deadline of Tuesday, June 18 from 7-9 pm.

Some of the ideas of activities people have come up with so far include: attending a kirtan (Bhakti), volunteering at different events (Karma), attending a lecture on philosophy (Jnana), and going to a meditation centre to meditate (Raja). You don't have to be a part of the official Four Paths group to attend any of the events! But you would need to get on the email list if you were interested in joining.

There is no cost for this workshop as it's a trial run and we expect people will need to incur expenses as they go.

Current participants include students in our 200 and 500 yoga teacher training programs as well as members of the general public. Maybe you'd like join us! Send me an email in the contact info when you click on my name.

Mentorship Module for Yoga Teachers

We have put together our first mentorship module for yoga teachers. It can be taken as a part of Makata Living Yoga's 500-hour YTT program or on its own.

For years, Kat and I have been asked by yoga teachers for help on how to deal with a variety of issues including:

-how to teach specific groups (kids, teens, seniors)

-how to start up a new class where none has been offered before

-where to go for additional training

-what to charge new students

-how to get new students

-how to stay motivated after the intensity and connection of teacher training has worn off

-missing a connection with other yoga teachers

-lots and lots of other things.

This 40-hour program will be comprised of five 2-hour sessions on Tuesday afternoons from 2:30-4:30 on the following proposed dates:

May 28

June 18

July 23

August 27

September 24

In these sessions we will address a variety of topics including the ones mentioned above, as well we will also co-create with the participants to deal with the issues that are important to them.

In addition to working with a group of other yoga teachers once a month, there will be a time to talk to either Kat or myself for a half hour session either in person or by Skype as it works out in between the monthly meetings.

Sometimes yoga teachers need some feedback on their actual teaching. This unit will include an on-site visit by one of us to offer comments and feedback on your real-live class to support you in your teaching.

The mentorship homework will be customized to each participant as we learn more about who you already teach and what else you'd like to focus on.

The cost for this unit is $580 plus tax. Accommodation can be made to Skype in up to 2 participants if they can't be with us in person.

Please join us for the first meeting at least and if you think you'd like to join the group of teachers, we'd love to have you. If you come but you don't think it's for you at this time, there's absolutely no obligation to continue nor will their be a charge for the session. If you do choose to continue we expect that the group will be dynamic and a small community of teachers to connect with and help you connect more with your yoga teaching.

The first session will be held in Old Ottawa South near Carleton University. Let us know if you'd like to attend and we'll make sure you have the address.


(These are recent graduates of our Be The Teacher Module in the 200 hour stream.)

Being a Yoga Teacher

If you're interested in being a yoga teacher or you're already a yoga teacher and would like further training, be in touch with Jamine or Kat. We have ongoing courses you might be able jump into depending on what you're looking for. We specialize in customized, small-group training.

Living Yoga - Upcoming Events

A new year brings us back to learning about yoga and practising together. Kat Mills has just returned from India and will be resume her schedule at Makata Living and with Makata Living Yoga.

Breathe sessions start Wednesday, January 9 in the evenings. Please contact Kat if you'd like to participate in those sessions.

Our next session on Yogic Philosophy, Living Yoga 1, begins January 15 and registration is now open. To register, use the PayPal button at the top of the page or contact one of us directly.


Makata Living Yoga Program: Living Your Yoga - Bringing Yogic Principles to Life

A six-week course - Tuesday nights - 7 - 9 pm - January 15 - February 19, 2013

In this course we will explore and deepen our understanding of the:

• Meaning of Yoga
• Pantanjali's Eight Limbs; the Path of Yoga
• Five Yamas
• Five Niyamas

and how we can integrate these principles into everyday life.

Location: Old Ottawa South (Bronson and Col. By Drive)
$240 + HST

This course is open to everyone with an interest in learning more about yoga and its philosophy.

*Course is eligible for CEUs with Yoga Alliance.
*This module also counts towards an accredited Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (200 hour and 500 hour courses)

Living Yoga Unit 2 - Yoga Sutras

The next round of Living Yoga - Yoga Sutras begins November 6 and runs for 6 weeks on Tuesday nights until December 11. The course is held from 7:00 until 9:00 pm for six wonderful evenings.

Check out what past participants had to say about a recent program we ran here.

In this course we will:

• Gain practical familiarity with the obstacles on the path of yoga
• Learn a basic knowledge of the 4 paths of yoga
• Gain a basic knowledge of the yoga sutras
• Gain some familiarity with different styles of yoga
• Gain an understanding of the history of yoga
• Have a chance to present the teachings of the yoga sutras

This course is also part of our Yoga Teacher Training Certification Program, if you're on track for certification. Please get in touch with Jamine at her email address or call 613-277-9051 if you're interested in joining us in this intimate setting, learning the traditional yogic teachings. Cost: $240 +HST

Course dates: Tuesday nights 7 - 9, November 6, 13, 20, 27, December 4 and 11

Course will be held in the Makata Living Room in Old Ottawa South, details provided upon registration.

Course will be led by Jamine this time and at least one guest teacher.

If you would prefer to pay with credit card or debit card, please use the online ordering button on the side, which will take you to PayPal, where you will need to have an account or set one up. I've been using one for years and it's worked well, so we're trying that here for those of you who would prefer to pay that way. 

Living Yoga Teacher Training Program

The Makata Living Yoga Program is being rolled out slowly...

Although Kat and I have taught numerous yoga teacher training programs over the past decade, leading our own sessions in smaller groups is new for us. I've been teaching yoga for 20 years now and Kat's not far behind. Over the years we've met lots of people who would like to deepen their studies and turn to yoga teacher training programs to do that, even though being a yoga teacher isn't what they really had in mind. To address this, we have been offering smaller workshops that can be taken alone as general interest courses by anyone.

Walking along this path, we've encountered folks who would like to take a yoga teacher training program, but for whatever reason, don't want to take a month-long training or do it on the weekends. To address this, we put together the Makata Living Yoga Teacher Training Program. The modules mentioned on this site so far are in the blue bubbles - the yoga philosophy pieces. The course we have follows the Yoga Alliance guidelines for teacher trainings and in fact, Kat and I have a "yoga school" so we are able to issue certification. We are both E-RYT 500 hour teachers, having taught thousands of hours of classes over the years.

Large group work is fun, however, in an intimate setting, we get to really know each other, and as teachers we get to work more as mentors, which is really interesting for us at this stage. To address this aspect, the Living Yoga Teacher Training Program has a 500-hour certification, with a focus on mentorship and specialization in an area that's important to the student.

So far, the response has been good.

The setting for the teaching is traditional and modest. The program is customized for each student based on the schedule and interests. Because we are running a small group, we can operate this way, which provides flexibility for both our students and for us as teachers, so we can pursue other trainings and interests along the way (for instance, Kat is leaving for India to teach a module of a 500-hour teacher training program for the World Conscious Yoga Family).

As more information rolls out, we'll let you know, or you can feel free to get in touch with us.