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Faculty
Laura Castillo Nagi
Founder, E-RYT 200 Hr, RYT 500 Hr, Meditation Teacher, Wellness Consultant, Lifestyle & Empowerment Coach
MY JOURNEY
I have been blessed to anchor myself on a beautiful island in the Caribbean, in the U.S. Virgin Islands for over a decade. The turquoise blue, warm and welcoming Caribbean waters are healing to the spirit. Lush tropical plants and flowers can be seen in all directions. The natural beauty of the island lends itself to a slow, relaxed way of life in harmony with nature.
In addition to my wellness & coaching practice, I have practiced law for over fifteen years, specializing in high conflict family matters. I have had my own law practice for the past five years. I am a pioneer in the legal world, using my practice as a forum in which to facilitate deep healing for my clients and to empower them to know their wisdom and truth. Working within the dense legal world, also gives me numerous opportunities to put my teachings into practice and requires the practice of radical self-care. I also regularly speak and facilitate workshops with attorneys and other professionals on topics such mindfulness, emotional intelligence, and compassion.
In 2019 I created Radiant Life, School of Yoga, Meditation & Self-Inquiry. I also began the journey of becoming an affiliate school of Circle Yoga Shala and endeavored upon a new relationship with my teachers, Matthew and Holly Krepps, founders of Circle Yoga Shala. Through this partnership, I am blessed and inspired to have the opportunity to share their 20 years of experience in training teachers who are seen as some of the most authentic, competent and diverse teachers in the marketplace. In addition, graduates of Radiant Life School have the opportunity to continue their advanced studies at The Shala.
My credentials, influences and sources of inspiration…
I have a BS in Journalism and a Juris Doctorate. I am a certified mediator having been trained in transformative mediation. I have also been trained in Nonviolent Communication.
I am a student of the Raja Path of Yoga, a meditation teacher in the lineage of Paramhansa Yogananda, Level 1 Radiant Child Yoga Teacher, E-RYT 200 Hour, and RYT 500 Hour.
I completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training with Jane’s House of Well-Being, an affiliate school of Circle Yoga Shala, in 2012. I completed my Level 1 Radiant Child Yoga Teacher Training in 2013. In 2017, I completed my 500 hour yoga teacher training with Circle Yoga Shala and in 2019 I began the journey of becoming an affiliate school of The Shala.
I have created and facilitated dozens of transformational workshops and programs in mindfulness, meditation, yoga, empathy, emotional intelligence, and conscious communication. I have led transformational retreats in the Virgin Islands and internationally.
Through my own inner work and the privilege of working with private clients and students, I have pioneered methods for personal transformation that serves individuals seeking freedom, growth and expansion.
My life’s work is to create and teach tools of deep Self-Connection and Self-Inquiry so that Authentic Being may shine through.
Holly Krepps
Co-Founder & School Director Circle Yoga Shala, C-IAYT, Consultant for Olympic Athletes
Beginning
I have been a practitioner of the system of Yoga since 1992. Before my full-time endeavors as a yoga teacher, I had a very lucrative career in broadcast media and advertising for fifteen+ years. During that time, I was a Marketing Director at a successful advertising firm, and worked for CBS and NBC affiliates. In addition, on a freelance basis, I was a consultant, public speaker, and trainer for programs such as, America's Promise and Tennessee Partners in Education facilitating training and writing nationally implemented training curriculums on private and public sector collaborations.
After my career, together with Matthew, I developed a yoga studio into one of the premier studios in our state, and I now own Circle Yoga Shala.
I have over 10,000 hours invested in teaching, with more than 5000 of those hours in the training of whole Yoga Teachers. I have facilitated workshops, teacher trainings, and private one-on-one sessions in the southern and midwest regions of the country, as well as Mexico, Spain and Costa Rica. Circle Yoga Shala was my vision and ultimate expression of a creative life in service to self and others. I oversee all facets of the Shala.
I attended Father Richard Rohr's Living School, a non-dual contemplative wisdom school. Rohr is the founder of the Center for Action and Contemplation in Albuquerque, NM.
Inquiry
My understanding of Yoga as an integrative system has led me to unique opportunities such as a full-time consultant for the Czech Republic’s Olympic Women’s Beach Volleyball team and also work with a world-class tennis pro for New Zealand. My facilitation with these athletes, as well as private clients, and yoga teachers-in-training focuses on discovering patterns of habitual behavior, be it in mind, emotions, and the body that interfere with the flow state, the generative ground of creativity, vitality, and intelligent responses.
Purpose
I lead a full and content life that is a result of fearless sensitive living and radical acceptance of what is.
If a way of 'being' has culminated or been reinforced from my engagement with Yoga, it is that of surrender. Surrender to the divine, and to what is happening in each moment, maintaining a felt connection to Self which is the opposite of getting lost in mechanical action as the basis for joy and peace in the midst of this beautiful play of MA(ya).
Stela Balaban
Stela completed her 500hr studies in 2015 and her Yoga Therapy certification in 2020, both with with Circle Yoga Shala. She has been involved with the shala ever since. Stela currently co-facilitates several programs alongside Matt and Holly, including 200hr yoga teacher trainings, 500hr yoga teacher trainings and Yoga Therapy trainings. Stela is also co-editor and main contributor of the quarterly publication “Yoga in Action”.
As a teacher, Stela is passionate about offering students a world-class yoga education of the highest ethical and scientific standards, while at the same time upholding the esoteric essence and sacred nature of the teachings.
Stela holds a B.A. in International Relations from Mount Union College (2005), an M.A. in Politics from New York University (2007) and an. M.S. in Sociology from University of Amsterdam (2010). She is also a published author in peer reviewed health publications. She has lived and studied in several countries, including Romania, Italy, France, Germany and the Netherlands.
Kate Bee
Kate is a 500hr E-RYT Yoga teacher trained through Circle Yoga Shala. She is in the process of receiving her Yoga Therapy Certification through Circle Yoga Shala as well. She has been practicing Yoga for over 20 years and teaching for over 10. In 2018 she founded Cherokee Street Yoga Collective (CYC) in St. Louis Missouri. CYC is home to Give What You Can Classes and Residencies that expound on the more conventional notions of what Yoga looks like.
The most powerful way to change the state of the world is to change the state of ourselves. Kate's practice and teaching is aimed at surrendering the neurotic mind to the beating heart and in turn starting the revolution. With sensitive and honest self-inquiry an understanding of true nature is revealed and the separateness that comes from miss identification begins to dissolve. As separateness dissolves, compassion is born.
Step on the mat and offer up yourself to something higher.