Amanda Wood, RYT 500
I have always been a helper. It started with helping my Dad on our family dairy farm; there I learned the value of hard work and the importance of passion for your trade. I went on to receive a master’s degree in Clinical Psychology, using my helping skills as a counselor. I came to yoga to supplement my active lifestyle, having no idea how this would shift my life’s path. As my body became more flexible, I noticed feeling less anxious and more able to disconnect from the chatter in my busy mind. Yoga was, and continues to be, what grounds me.
I was honored to complete my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, Restorative Yoga & Yoga Nidra Teacher Training at Soul Tree Yoga in Lafayette, CO. In February 2022, I completed my advanced teacher training with an emphasis in yoga therapy at The Soul of Yoga in Encinitas, CA. I have also completed more than 100 hours of training related to yoga for mental health & mood management, as well as the effect of yoga on the nervous system and the brain.
Teaching and sharing yoga has been one of the biggest gifts of my life. Each time I step into the role of the teacher, I do so with a full and grateful heart. I love being a part of people’s transformation, watching them move with more freedom, less stress, and an overall deeper connection to and appreciation for themselves. You can learn more and connect with me through my website www.redbudyogaokc.com
Holly Bray, RYT 500
Holly is a seasoned expert in her field, seamlessly blending her background as an Integrated Positional Therapist with a creative, educational, and engaging style of yoga. Her approach focuses on releasing tension and building strength in a safe and mindful manner. By combining her osteopathic techniques with asana and pranayama practices, she aims to soothe the nervous system, release trigger points, and create a more balanced structure.
Holly's expertise is highlighted by her extensive training, which includes Yoga Movement Screening, Anatomy, Ayurveda, Marma Point Therapy, and Prenatal Yoga. She completed her 500-hour level certification in 2023.
Karli Altenbern, E-RYT 200
Karli’s relationship with yoga has been one of radical healing on a mental and physical level. Since receiving her 200 Hour Teacher Training from Molly Warner at Soul Ascension School of Yoga in January 2018, it has been her mission to share the awesome healing powers of yoga, mindfulness and meditation. Karli holds secure and inviting space for individuals at every junction along their journey. With training in Vinyasa, Hatha, Yin and Kundalini, Karli offers a methodical, balanced, and intentional experience which students can integrate on and off the mat. In class, you can expect fun vinyasa flows, yin elements, and an emphasis on meditation and pranayama. Karli aims to build sequences accessible to all practitioners, focusing on awareness of sensations in the body. We need more love in this world, and cultivating that begins with a healthy relationship to our own mind, body, and soul.
Karli is currently pursuing a Master's in Counseling from Northwestern University. When not on the yoga mat, she enjoys cooking, reading, and exploring the great outdoors with her husband Ford and their dog Winston.
Deanna Reed, RYT 200
Seven years ago my journey with yoga began at a time when I really needed it the most. Instead of taking the traditional route, I gave yoga a chance after hearing positive praises from friends and family. My life was changed by a gifted instructor who helped me love the journey of healing. Now, I find purpose in guiding students through their own practice.
Teaching and seeing them unlock new and beautiful discoveries about themselves every day. That's beautiful and I am honored to be able to hold space and create space for that magic to happen. It was uncomfortable, challenging, and one of the best decisions I could have ever done for myself.
I earned my 200-hour teacher training in 2019 while living in Los Angeles. In spring 2021,I earned my 500 hour training, and I will continue to pursue more education.
I enjoy teaching vinyasa, yin, meditation and sound baths classes. I put emphasis on breathing as it is the best tool for mind/body awareness and connection. The flows are simple, yet aligned and powerful. Breath is a beautiful and fluid action to focus and hone in on so I value and instill in all the classes I partake in. I also put a lot of emphasis and spend time in each of the classes I guide focusing on the mind. We will learn different meditation practices in every class and I will close each practice with a sound healing experience. You will leave each class feeling grounded, strong, peaceful, and empowered.
I look forward to flowing and connecting with you soon!
Brad Heinrichs, RYT 200
After spending more than half his adult life on the road playing music, Brad began a search for a slower pace. More time at home, however, only led to more time inside his head. In the late 90's he attended his first yoga class. But, it would take another 20 years before he found a consistent practice and the connection to himself, for which he had been searching. After more than four years of a steady, life-changing practice, Brad decided to deepen his knowledge and completed the RYT 200 hour training.
His classes can be challenging, but also gentle and still. Through the use of breath and movement he finds a way for us to be present in the moment and lighten the weight of the world. Typically, Brad combines slower paced, mindful movement and builds up to more challenging strength and balance poses. Then, slowing back down, refocusing on the breath and finding moments of stillness and peace.
Hannah Thomas, 200 RYT
Hannah Thomas started practicing yoga about 7 years ago at the age of 16. Her mom introduced her to the world of yoga by attending classes at fitness gyms and small studios around the OKC area. She found her yoga home at This Land Yoga Studio in 2017 and completed her 200 hour yoga teacher training in December 2023. Hannah danced from the age of 3 until age 18, focusing on ballet and modern, so she enjoys intertwining her love of dance with her love of yoga, especially through flow and restore and vinyasa style classes. Hannah received her bachelor's degree in psychology from the University of North Texas and now works in the early education field at Sunbeam Family Services. Hannah is a shy, kind, and soft-spoken individual who enjoys spending time with family, friends and her boyfriend, watching good TV shows and movies, skincare, and napping. She is excited to begin her yoga teaching journey and hopes you will join her for good vibes, good music, and good company.
Melissa Hobson is a Neonatal Intensive Care RN, a Sound Healer and an Usui-Tibetan Reiki Master. She is a deeply devoted student of the Universe, dedicating her time and energy to truly understanding vibrational healing techniques, and how frequency heals the body, mind and soul.
Melissa has been doing individual healing sessions, workshops and group sound events in Oklahoma since 2013. Her deepest desire is to create a peaceful and loving space where people can strengthen their own intuition, realize their creative power and connect more authentically with themselves + the world around them.
Melissa has recently completed training both in Clinical Hypnotherapy and Past lLife Regression Healing Hypnosis. She is beyond excited to be offering these healing modalities very soon!
To book an appointment, you can visit her website: www.heyitsmelissa.love
Shana Solis, RYT 200
Shana Solis began her yoga journey over 20 years ago, and has come to see her mat as a “sanctuary for one”. In 2021, she became a Registered Yoga Teacher (RYT- 200) with Yoga Alliance, training under Shannon Stephens and Holly Bray at This Land Yoga in Oklahoma City.
She is passionate about practicing yoga and sharing its benefits with others. She credits her yoga journey with her own physical and emotional healing and growth. Thus, she is committed to being a trauma-informed, diversity-sensitive teacher that guides others to reestablish mind-body connection and healing.
Off the mat, she loves a good book, a good meal, a good conversation & a good vacation.
Shawn Meyers, RYT 200
A figurative sculptor and metalsmith, Shawn began practicing yoga in 2000 as relief from the rigorous demands of the sculpture studio. In 2020 Shawn completed her 200-hour Yoga Alliance Certification at This Land Yoga. She has trained in immersive programs with Iyengar certified teacher Gail Ackerman and attended a variety of workshops and trainings throughout the years.
A down to earth teacher and nurturer at heart, Shawn enjoys meeting her students wherever they are and accompanying them on a lifelong journey where movement and breath bring mindful focus, healing, strength, and spirit. She believes yoga is truly for every-body: all ages, all abilities and especially those on the margins. With this in mind she has a special interest in bringing yoga to the Recovery community and the Oklahoma Prison population.
Gildas Lemonnier, 500 RYT
In love with movement since I can remember, I am a French yoga practitioner and teacher and a professional dancer, now living in the United States. As a dancer, I trained in Paris, France and New York City at the Martha Graham Dance School, where I discovered Vinyasa Yoga in 2014. Practicing regularly became essential for my well-being, complementing and sustaining my dance pursuits. Dancing allowed me to express myself fully, manipulating space and time for the thrills of performing on stage, while Yoga enabled me to step away from performance and return to the practice of listening, slowing down and understanding my body. Every class became a meditation in movement, bringing more awareness to my own needs on a physical, emotional and spiritual level.
In 2020 I felt the strong desire to share this beautiful practice to help others benefit from its gifts and completed a 200H YTT with Trimurti Yoga, registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance. In the summer of 2023 I completed a 300H YTT and a 50H YTT (Assist and Thai Massage) both Yoga Alliance certified with Mathieu Boldron.
As a yoga instructor, I have had the pleasure of teaching regular classes and workshops in Paris, France for more than 3 years at studios such as Chez Simone, Munnshala and Ter’happy. In the United States, I have taught ‘Yoga for Dancers’ classes at the University of Central Oklahoma and the American College Dance Association’s Central Region Conference. The class formats that I teach are Vinyasa, Power Vinyasa, “Vinyasa & Yin” as well as Inversion/Arm Balances Workshops and Classes.
My hope is that with consistency and regular practice, people taking class can feel at peace in their bodies. My teaching emphasises moving synchronously with breath, settling into a state of somatic awareness that deepens one’s relationship to the body and its needs. I support students in a safe space that allows them to evolve at their own pace and eventually feel aligned with their goals. I believe that every person is unique and every practice is individual, and I encourage students to listen to themselves in the liminal spaces between physical restrictions and limitless possibilities.
Aubrey Gary, E-RYT 200
Aubrey began her yoga journey in February of 2014. Initially she started attending classes to help relieve stress from an unhappy job life, but quickly realized there was much more to this practice than anticipated. She fell in love with the way the breath is linked to movement. The way you learn to truly tune out; stepping outside of whatever does not serve you. She threw herself into a rigorous practice. Completing a 30 day challenge, and practicing 5 times a week. In the Fall of 2014, Aubrey obtained her 200/hr certification from Core Power Yoga in Dallas, TX. She began teaching in October of 2015 and has been teaching ever since. In 2020 she was diagnosed with Chronic Lyme Disease and began an uphill battle regaining her health. Her practice and teaching took a much gentler and nurturing approach. Focusing more on breathing, gentle movements to build strength and flexibility, as well as, taking time to learn more about her students and how she can best support each one in their healing journey. She’s extremely excited to share this wonderful, life-changing practice with her students. It’s brought her immense peace in life and has taught her how to tap into her true strength. She continues to learn each time she steps on her mat, and wants to help others experience the same. Teaching them to let go. To listen to the breath. To move and give your body what it truly needs and deserves.
Randy Aspell, RYT 200
Randy has been flowing on and off his mat for more than a decade; however, in 2018 his yoga journey developed into a dedicated practice where the assignment has been to travel without destination. For Randy, yoga is not about arriving somewhere but about experiencing the journey itself.
His yogic philosophy stems from the power of myth and the framework of the hero’s journey; which is the unending cycle of victories, disappointments, personal triumphs and pernicious failures that we all continually experience. The practice of yoga is an opportunity to venture beyond comfort zones; it is an opportunity to use the movement of the body, the power of the breath, and clarity of the mind to right wrongs, recover losses, or experience the birth of something new.
Off the mat, Randy teaches language arts in Oklahoma City. He connects his love of literature to his passion for yoga by weaving the gift of storytelling and metaphor into his practice. His classes offer a strong, yet gentle flow, laced together with compassion and stillness.
As a public school educator, he connects his love of literature to his passion for yoga by weaving the gift of storytelling and metaphor into his practice. He provides thoughtful and creative sequences aimed to develop a sense of alignment between the body, mind and spirit.
Leigh Shy, RYT 200
Prior to 2010, Leigh found herself in the random yoga class here or there for almost a decade before settling into a practice of her own. In early 2015, a very dear friend and teacher offered to introduce Leigh to Ashtanga yoga. She was instantly captivated with the practice and everything that it has to offer. Soon after, Leigh was accepted into the Ashtanga Yoga Studio’s teacher training program and completed her 200-hour Registered Yoga Teacher certification with Andrew Eppler in March of 2016. She loves the practice of moving together and sharing breath, finding it an incredibly special connection. In Leigh’s eyes, time spent on one’s mat is a time where you can truly experience self-evaluation, self-exploration, and self-realization.
David Vidato
Sifu David is a 2nd Generation Buddhist and Martial Artist from Los Angeles, California. David has studied Martial Arts for over 38 years and has been teaching 5 Animals Kung Fu, Tai Chi Chuan & Qigong Meditation in OKC since 1997. David has taught at UCO, OU, OCU and various fitness centers and Martial Arts studios in the metro area, as well as across the United States, and various international locations. Sifu David was recently invited to Denver, Colorado as a guest instructor for World Tai Chi & Qigong Day, working with some of the world's best Tai Chi Masters and Grandmasters.
David is also a 500RYT Graduate of the Dragon Yoga Teacher Training Program as well as a Certified Usui Reiki Master Teacher with over 40 years experience in Reiki Healing. He is very excited to bring to This Land Yoga, the multifaceted arts of Tai Chi Chuan and Qigong Meditation.
A fun fact about David: He has a deep love for Heavy Metal Music, Fairies, Unicorns, Dragons and Metaphysics.
Shelby Heintzelman, 500 RYT
Shelby is a 500hr Awakening Yoga teacher and intuitive movement coach that has been living a life of movement for 30 years. She developed a deep love for movement early in life as a competitive gymnast throughout her childhood and adolescent years. She studied health and wellness at The University of Oklahoma and has experience working in physical therapy clinics, gyms and yoga studios since 2015. Shelby has since trained and been inspired by her teachers and coaches: Carling Harps, Patrick Beach, Carlton Yeagley, Simon Park, Jon Yuen and Gywen Williams in modernist meets traditional yoga and movement systems such as: Awakening Yoga, Liquid Flow and Beginner ZenThai Shiatsu. She has been sharing the practice of yoga for almost 7 years, created 100s of online classes while living in Seattle for the last 4 years and continues to travel internationally teaching workshops and retreats.
Shelby strives to help people gain awareness within their bodies, encouraging the attention to breath to shift and facilitate a slowing of the mind whilst maintaining curiosity as they feel their way into their vessel. She teaches a variety of styles including vinyasa, mobility, and ease filled practices. Her flows are a dynamic combination of strength, mobility and balance with intentional movement woven into a mindfully creative sequence.
Her sincere goal is for people to learn how to show up for themselves and be open to explore on the path of self discovery as they navigate towards inner steadiness with compassion and gratitude. Her hope is that people leave her classes feeling inspired, challenged, fresh, and with a sense of clarity that translates into their everyday lives.
Katie Brown, RYT 200
Katie Brown is a dedicated and experienced yoga instructor specializing in yin yoga, myofascial release, yoga philosophy and mindfulness coaching. Her classes offer a nurturing environment where breath, movement, and spiritual growth are seamlessly integrated. Katie is passionate about encouraging students to follow their body's innate wisdom, guiding them to develop self-awareness and spiritual growth. She believes in yoga as a journey inward, transcending our time on the mat to enrich everyday life. Join her to experience a practice that connects you back to your highest self: breath, body, and spirit.
Indira Cannon, RYT 200
Indira walked into her first yoga class back in high school. She still remembers the guided movements, the humming of the mantras, and the excitement her body felt at each new position. She continues to be a student of life and walking the path of growth and loving kindness. Indira completed her 200- hour yoga teacher training in 2021 at This Land Yoga. She is fulfilled watching her students learn the benefits to the connection of breath, movement, and meditation.
Born in Costa Rica and relocating here at a young age. Forever thankful of her roots and her home here in Oklahoma City. Indira spends most of her free time being excited about dinner, dancing around the house with her 5-year-old, Fox, and planning their next adventures with her husband, Avery. Yoga has so many beautiful parts to it. They have provided tools for the continual changes in her life, and she looks forward to sharing that with you.
Mimi Turner, 500 RYT
Mimi was first introduced to yoga in 2005 while in college. She noticed that after class she “felt better” but wasn’t quite sure why. Eventually in 2010, she started practicing regularly. In 2018, she received her RYT200 with 405 Yoga in Oklahoma City. In January 2023, she received her RYT300 with Matt Giodarno. Mimi has been studying Inside Flow yoga since 2020 with Rebecca Rasmuseen. She is certified in Power Flow, Vinyasa, Rocket, Yin, Inside Flow & Chromatic Yoga.
Mimi believes that yoga is for every BODY. The yoga practice offers resiliency, flexibility and strength - not just with your body but your mind. Her classes focus on muscle awareness within your body and mind, all while having fun and hopefully a laugh occasionally. She specializes in muscle engagement/awakening, mindful movement, defying gravity, and hands on support.
Mimi recently received her E-RYT. She has guest taught in Washington DC. She is a co-facilitator at 405 Yoga’s Teacher Training, assists Inside Flow USA Teacher Trainings and serves on the Chromatic Yoga Board.
Off the mat, Mimi enjoys spending time with her husband (Chris), dog (Valentine aka V-Dawg) & cat (Ellie G named after Ellie Goulding). She tries to read 52 books every year & consumes an abundance of sparkling water.