Maui Lotus Yoga Teachers

MICHELLE MYHRE
BEKKA
JESSICA ABELSON
TIM O'CONNOR
ALISON MILLER
JANKI PATEL

MICHELLE M. MYHRE
lotus eaters of the heart blog

Namaste. I'm a SF Bay Area native, who moved to the Hawaiian islands in 1996 and has been a devoted yoga practicioner ever since. Curious about Yoga, my grandmother and I signed up for a series of basic yoga classes in Northern California. She quit practicing when the teacher insisited Grandma stand on her head! After moving to O'ahu in 1996 I became a devoted practitioner, often taking 2 classes a day. Iyengar Yoga with Stephanie Palombo & Ae Ja Mobley at UC Manoa & the Silent Dance Center. My life was changing on multiple levels, but my Yoga practice gave me a solid, grounding, and healing core to work and move from. I lived to take class. Yoga put me on a positive path in life. It changed everything.

In 1998 I moved to Maui, and began a strong sitting meditation practice of Surat Shabd Yoga, the Yoga of light & sound. I began teaching Yoga in 2001, and since then have taught over 2000 Yoga classes! I've received over 1000 hours of Yoga teacher training & Yoga intensives, and am certified to teach Jivamukti, Ashtanga 1st series (Maya Yoga teacher training level 1 & 2), & Bikram Yoga. Currently I'm working toward an advanced Jivamukti Yoga certification.

My guru, the beautiful Sharon Gannon, says that when you study or practice Yoga, it is because you have been good to others in the past. It is a blessing and a priveledge. I've had the good karma to have studied with many radiant beings: Desiree Rumbaugh, Lino Miele, Kelly Morris, Ana Forrest, & Patricia Walden. I've also practiced some years with Nancy Gilgoff at the House of Yoga & Zen in Haiku, Maui. It's important to keep planting good karma seeds so we can continue to do this work!

The teachers who inspire me most right now are Rusty Wells, Shiva Rea, the Laughing Lotus Yoga studios in NY & SF, Geshe Michael Roach & Christine McNally.

That's a lot of Yoga! and my classes reflect this diversity. Each is unique. What I strive for is to be present with the needs of the students in the room, to keep the practice relevant & nourishing, and to learn and share the ancient teaching of Yoga. The wisdom in these teachings is profound, and humbling.

Every form of Yoga is beautiful, and each has something unique to share: The transformative heat and mental focus of a strong vinyasa class; The attention to detail, alignment, and form of an Iyengar or Hatha Yoga class; The deep, nourishing surrender of a Restorative/Gentle Yoga class. The endorphins and relaxation that each give! The expansion of compassion that we begin to experience for all beings through the work we do on the mat! Please join me in this beautiful Yoga journey! May all beings be happy & free!


Michelle is a 500 hour member of Yoga Alliance, a licensed massage therapist (LMT#7232), a certified Acupressurist, and has a degree in Health Science.

She is the owner & Managing Director of Maui Lotus Yoga, and the resident summer (June 1st through July 15th 2009) Yoga teacher at Playa Nicuesa Eco-Resort in Costa Rica.