Mentorship Program Continuing

If you're a yoga teacher and you'd like to connect with other yoga teachers and talk about what comes up as we get into the reality of being yoga teachers, please consider joining us for the Mentorship Program. In addition to just talking, each session has a different focus, addressing different aspects of being a yoga teacher including, marketing, assisting, balancing life with being self-employed and topics that are of special interest to yoga teachers.

The main part of the program consists of 5 2-hour sessions, once per month as a group, 5 half-hour phone calls with a mentor (me or Kat), and an on-site visit to one of your yoga classes for feedback and support. In addition, you can attend the ongoing monthly meetings that are happening the other 7 months.

Our last main group wrapped up in September and we've moved on to the guest speaker sessions. The next one coming up is back by request. Ian Fraser, a yoga teacher for over 20 years, will join us to answer your questions about leading the bandhas and other advanced practices to your students. Come and join us on Tuesday, November 19 from 2:30-4:30 in Old Ottawa South.

If you would just like to drop in and join us in this small group, the cost is $50. If you're enrolled in the Mentorship module (or would like to be in the next main session), the cost of the workshop is $25.

December's workshop will have Catriona Leger visit with us. Catriona is a long-time yoga practitioner and a current professor of Theatre at the University of Ottawa. Her experience of telling stories with movement will be tapped at our workshop.

Our next main Mentorship Module will begin again on January 21 when Kat's back from teaching yoga in India.

For more information, please get in touch with me or Kat.

Digital marketing 101 for yoga teachers

Are you a new yoga teacher?
Need to figure out web marketing?

Don’t know where to start?

Start with this workshop!

Join us for a fun and helpful discussion with Internet marketers and fellow yogic folk.

Hey, I'm David, founder of Social Digital. I'm a writer and content strategist who also just happens to be a YTT-200 certified yoga teacher.

This workshop is all about getting into "digital alignment" so you can radiate out your love of yoga and your desire to share its gifts.

The 2-hour workshop will cover:

Yogic alignment within digital strategy

• How ahimsa, satya, aparigraha and other yogic principles inform your web marketing on your website, through your social media practice, in your content creation and curation and for your SEO (search engine optimization)

Content strategy

• Knowing why, how and when to use certain kinds of content
• Establishing marketing goals and purpose

Practical steps, operating principles

• How to get started now: a roadmap

Digital alignment

• Coming full circle: The importance of online authenticity

You’ll leave with greater knowledge, less confusion and a handy booklet full of great tips, take-aways and resources.

The fine print:

Digital marketing 101 for yoga teachers

Tuesday Oct. 22, 2:30-4:30pm

Old Ottawa South

$50 - Regular

$25 - For folks registered in the Makata Living Yoga teacher training mentorship program

Workshop can be applied as CEU credits from Makata Living Yoga School towards your continuing education. Get in touch for more info! 

Register by Email

About David

David is a writer and content strategist living and working in Ottawa-Gatineau who just also happens to be a YTT-200 certified yoga teacher. He works in digital marketing and provides content services for freelancers, organizations and businesses. His professional background is steeped in communications, community organizing and outreach on social and environmental issues. His academic background is in English literature (BA), and he’s a lifelong creative writer.

Find him online at Social Digital

Living Your Yoga - Exploring Yogic Philosophy

A six-week course - Tuesday nights - 7 - 9 pm - September 10- October 15th

In this carefully designed, interactive course we will explore and deepen our understanding of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and some of the valuable themes therein.

• Gain practical familiarity with the obstacles on the path of yoga
• Learn about the 4 paths of yoga
• Gain 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

Informal group sessions held in a private home-studio space.
Old Ottawa South (Bronson and Col. By Drive)
$240 + HST, includes handbook and materials
Reserve by email or through paypal in the sidebar for this module

This course is open to everyone with an interest in learning more about yoga and its philosophy, and how to apply these yogic principles to modern life. Teachings are practical, accessible and down-to-earth.

All curious and interested folk are welcome to join us :)

We`re looking forward to hearing from you.

See you soon!!!


Kat and Jamine



*This module can also be counted towards an accredited Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (200 hour and 500 hour courses), if that`s something you`re looking to do.

Living Your Yoga - Bringing Yogic Principles to Life

A six-week course - Tuesday nights - 7 - 9 pm - November 5-December 10th

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

• the meaning of Yoga
• what is meant by Pantanjali's Eight Limbs; what is the Path of Yoga
• how we can find peace of mind through observing the five Yamas
• how we can find peace of mind through observing the five Niyamas
• how we can integrate these basic principles into everyday life.

Informal group sessions held in a private home-studio space.
Old Ottawa South (Bronson and Col. By Drive)
$240 + HST, includes handbook and materials
Reserve by email or through paypal in the sidebar for this module

This course is open to everyone with an interest in learning more about yoga and its philosophy, and how to apply these yogic principles to modern life. Teachings are practical, accessible and down-to-earth.

All curious and interested folk are welcome to join us :)

We`re looking forward to hearing from you.

See you...in November.....


Kat and Jamine



*This module can also be counted towards an accredited Yoga Teacher Training Certificate (200 hour and 500 hour courses), if that`s something you`re looking to do.

Subtle and Gross Anatomy for Yoga Teachers

The subtle and gross (ew - not really!) anatomy for yoga teachers is coming up quick. There is still space available for anyone who's already a yoga teacher or for someone who's got a strong practice and keen interest in some of the more finer details of anatomy as it pertains to yoga.

Gayle Poapst (Gayatri) has been a yoga teacher in the Kemptville area for the past decade (she was in a teacher training I was a part of years ago!) and is using her nursing experience as well as her more recent deep exploration of the subtle aspects of anatomy through her studies in India with Vishvaji from World Conscious Yoga Family.

Gayle founded the Bodhi Tree Yoga Centre in Kemptville, outside Ottawa some years ago and now hosts regular classes as well as being eastern Ontario's home of Akhanda Yoga. In addition to all of this, she's also in her second year of yoga therapy training in the Krishnamacharya tradition, which is held in India.

We are excited that Gayle has agreed to be our subject matter expert in this area and the course will be an experiential look at how the body we can see with our physical eyes and our body we can see with our inner eye and guidance, are intricately related.

Please join us for this 20 hour course. The course also includes homework and yes, there will be a test.

Cost: $480 + HST

Course hours:

Tuesday, September 3, 1 pm - 7 pm
Thursday, September 5, 9 am - 7 pm
Tuesday, September 10, 1 pm - 5 pm

Location: Old Ottawa South

Makata Living Yoga School is recognized by the Yoga Alliance at the 200 and 500 hour levels.

Summer FUN

How fun was the Magical Yoga Weekend ! Big Thank You's to all who participated and to our special guests who shared their wonderful insights into this ancient science of Yoga. If you missed it this year, there will be more to come in the next one.

Here's an update as to what is happening this Summer with the MLY School**:

1. Yoga Teacher Mentorship Program is under swing and it's been great. We meet monthly as a group to go over particular skills and practices and each participant has a monthly personal coaching call to assist and provide support with their individual commitments and set goals. This group stays together until the end of September. Folks interested in this program will have the opportunity to join us in the next one, just let us know:)

2. Anatomy for Yoga Teachers is a 20+-hour course running in August (check the sideline for dates etc..), in Ottawa.  Led by the extremely knowledgeable Gayle(Gayatri) Poapst, this module is guaranteed to be top quality, informative, relevant and fun. With her background in medecine, therapeutics, yoga and her ongoing studies in these areas, she will be sharing and exploring hands-on, the physical and energetic systems of the body. Actually, more than that. I'll post more about this soon, and you can expect to be looking at least the following studies:

• The Systems of the body: Skeletal, Muscular, Respiratory, Circulatory, Cardiovascular, Lymphatic, Urinary, Reproductive. The Nervous Systems, Endocrine Systems, Digestive System, The Chakras, Koshas.
• Pre and Post Natal bodies
• Working with Injuries and some of the Therapeutic elements involved.

3. The Four Paths; Experiential Practice
What a fun course this has been! We started together in June, and the results so far have been inspiring. You might see folks all over the city exploring the practices of Bhakti, Karma, Jnana and Raja Yoga. Can't wait to debrief! This course ends with a wrap-up session on August 27th.


 Along with our own respective projects, Jamine and I are really enjoying the collaboration, connection and the community that is happening as a result of the various projects through the Makata Living Yoga School. The ideas and collaborations are overflowing and we're really excited about what's cooking. In the meantime, September brings with it another round of the Living Your Yoga philosophy course and for those interested in pursuing your yoga certification or ongoing training, or simply interested in learning more about this ancient tradition of Yoga, this would be a great time to hop into the stream.

See you soon!  Big ॐ 's :)

**Each of these particular courses is also a module that is part of a 500hr certification. Some of the folks already participating are doing so in their process of completing the 500hr certification. You can join in when you like.

Magical Yoga Weekend July 6 & 7 - Updated!

In addition to what's mentioned below, we wanted to update you with more information about the workshop on Sunday. Pranav will be leading us in a music and movement experiential - he calls it "Soul Therapy." Please join us for either day or both if you can make it!

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Join us for a very special exploration of the essence and tradition of Yoga.  Experience the mystical side of Yoga and the deeper teachings of this ancient technology in a fun, interactive way.  Our special guests are coming into town and are offering two unique workshops that you won’t want to miss!

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.  It’s going to be FUN. Both sessions may include a gentle practice with different relaxation techniques, Yoga Nidra and sound. 

Saturday, July 6th 1pm-5pm

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

Sunday, July 7th 1pm-5pm

Pranav will lead us through an experiential journey of the spirit of Yoga in India, rooted in the teachings of the Vedas, Temples, Kumbh Mela, and the senses.

Individual sessions $45 (plus HST) each

Both sessions $80 (save $10) (plus HST)

Event hosted at Rama Lotus Yoga Centre

To register, use the PayPal buttons on the right side in the blog or pay at the door.

Michael Carlucci (U.S.A.)

Michael 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.

Pranav Kutir

Since 1994, Pranav has returned to India annually to reconnect with its deeper teachings and yogic practices.  He is the creator and owner of Pranav Kutir, a successful yoga studio in Bologna, Italy, where he leads classes, workshops and seminars specializing in the tradition of Hatha Yoga, Tantra, Pranayama and Meditation.

Magical Yoga Weekend with Special Guests from Out of Town

Join Kat and Jamine and our very special guests, Michael Carlucci and Pranav for something really special.

We have been working closely with our dear friends and yoga brothers Michael and Pranav to create something really special for our friends and students here in Ottawa.

Please mark the dates and if you're ready to register, use the PayPal buttons on the right or let us know how else you'd like to pay. The workshops will be on Saturday, July 6 from 1 - 5 and Sunday, July 7 1 - 5. The workshops will be held at Rama Lotus, but you'll need to register for this weekend through us.

More info about the workshop will be up shortly. For people in our yoga teacher training programs, this workshop may count towards your elective hours.

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.