certified instructors
Johnna Smith (E-RYT 500) is a Level 1 Certified ParaYoga® Instructor
Johnna Smith teaches locally in Charlotte, NC and internationally, connecting people to the powerful and sweet teachings of Yoga and Ayurveda. “Our divine birthright is Joy.” She roots this ancient message within her workshops, master classes, retreats and co-lead advanced yoga studies.
Years of panic attacks and an inner searching for something led Johnna to the yoga mat. Beginning in 1995, with Ashtanga Yoga practices, she found more joy and less fear.
In 2001 Johnna realized that in this lifetime she wanted to wake up to her true purpose: sharing yoga, . Which requires a teacher. She began her lifelong studies of Para Yoga with Tantra Vidya Guru YogaRupa Rod Stryker and is a Level 1 Certified ParaYoga® Instructor . Devoted to yoga’s deeper teachings she, in 2004, began regularly traveling to Mysore, India studying with Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and later Sri R. Sharath Jois. In 2016 Sri Sharath blessed her with Authorization Level 2. She is also a Certified Baptiste Teacher®. Johnna’s sister passion is Ayurveda, and is a certified Ayurveda Health Coach through both California College of Ayurveda and Shakti School.
Johnna wishes to share the teachings of yoga in a way that inspires people to develop a passionate love for the practice and life. She incorporates yoga practices, philosophy, devotional songs and daily lifestyle practices, so that the deeper aspects of the yoga tradition can connect us and bring us closer together.
Her mission is to awaken the world to the yogic teachings, to awaken each dormant heart, and inspire. “Connect to that untapped source deep within, find your fire and follow your heart. Be led to a life of joy and fulfillment.”
She humbly bows to her teachers: Sri YogaRupa, Baron Baptiste, Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Sri R. Sharath Jois and Katie Silcox. “I feel so blessed to have these teachings in this lifetime, Thank you.”
Hilary Bifulco Kossack (RYT 500) Hilary Bifulco Kossack began her yoga journey in 2001 after taking her first Bikram yoga class. The challenge and structure of the practice was monumental in the healing process of the loss of her mother. In 2003, she attended the nine week teacher training with Bikram and Rajhasree Choudhury in Los Angeles, Ca. The training, which was 500 hours sealed her dedication to asana and pranayama.She has been sharing her love of yoga in the classroom ever since. In November 2006, Hilary was fortunate to experience her first continued education with Shiva Rea. The freedom and fluidity of movement within intelligent vinyasa krama was a whole fantastic new world. Hilary continued to seek out Shiva Rea’s workshops and eventually completed her vinyasa teacher training hours. Shortly after Hilary began to teach at Yoga Flex, a universal inspired studio. Here, she had the opportunity to train with Andrey Lappa. At this time she was also mentored by Shari and her top teachers taking her sequencing to a whole new level. More recently Hilary has reconnected with the Ghosh lineage with two outstanding teachers and yoga historians, Ida Jo and Scott Lamps. Hilary did a year mentorship with Ghosh yoga to cultivate a deeper home practice with more emphasis on pranayama and meditation. She continues to self study as often as her life allows. Hilary has also had the privilege of learning from David Swenson, Desiree Rambaugh, Greg Nardi and Kino MacGregor. Hilary has co-lead teacher training at Enlighten Yoga for two years and loves to see her students grow, blossom and evolve in their personal yoga studies.
Shari Goldstein (E-RYT 500) worked as a New York corporate lawyer, prior to which she worked in the fitness industry for many years. In 2002, she expanded her yoga practice to yoga studies. Shari completed her RYT-200 at Enlighten Yoga, and in 2010, she became the owner of Enlighten Yoga, where she studied for a few years with Andrey Lappa (becoming Level II certified in Universal Yoga).
Shari’s focus has been on yoga philosophy, anatomy, alignment, sequencing and mindfulness practices, with a special emphasis on working with athletes.
Yoga Philosophy: Greg Nardi (Ashtanga Yoga Worldwide), Doug Keller, Yoga Philosophy with Jeffrey Long, Traditional Yoga Studies (Georg Feuerstein);
Anatomy: Tom Myers (Laboratory for Anatomical Enlightenment ~ Cadaver Dissection) and Structure and Function, Leslie Kaminoff (Complete Yoga Anatomy Training), Tiffany Cruikshank, David Keil among others.
Alignment: Cora Wen and Desiree Rumbaugh.
Sequencing: Andrey Lappa, Rocky Heron
Meditation/Mindfulness: Mindfulness Mastermind training, Yale University (Happiness) Blue Mountain Center of Meditation, Embodied Philosophy, Himalayan Institute, Yoga International, Llama Phunstock, Yale University
Additional studies/workshops: Kino Macgregor, Peter Sterios, Sage Rountree, Eric Paskel
Shari teaches an inventive style of Vinyasa yoga with a greater sense of physical and energetic anatomy and alignment.
Shari has also worked with many athletes during most of her teaching career and has developed a specialty training in Yoga for Athletic Recovery. She works with all ages and sports, including a number of college and professional football players, high school baseball players, college lacrosse players, triathletes, college and professional basketball players, pole vaulters, jockeys, and swimmers, to name a few. Shari offers a Yoga for Athletic Recovery Teacher Training to teach other yoga teachers ways to safely and effectively teach to this population of practitioners.