Mary June Thompson, RYT-500
Mary June is a dedicated long-time practitioner who believes in the ability of yoga to rejuvenate body, mind, emotions, energy, and spirit; relieve stress, tension, and anxiety; and improve overall health and quality of life at any age. She loves teaching yoga in an accessible way that helps others understand and receive these benefits. Mary June also loves to share her vast knowledge about the positive ways yoga affects our various bodily systems and promotes radiant health, and she incorporates this into all of her classes.
Mary June has completed both 200-hour and 300-hour Advanced yoga trainings and holds multiple additional certifications in various yoga and Ayurvedic disciplines. Mary June has spent the last several years studying Ayurveda and is certified as a Wisdom Traditions Wellness Coach, which focuses on using Ayurvedic wisdom along with the disciplines of Yoga and Psychology to help clients find and maintain optimal health through simple lifestyle changes. She is also a Level II Reiki practitioner and a Certified Sound Healer.
Off the mat, she is also a chef; herbalist; holistic health and wellness expert; maker of organic health, home, and beauty products; and an avid gardener and nature enthusiast who enjoys spending time with her husband and fur babies and soaking up the sun on a beach whenever possible.
Connect with Mary June via email: maryjunethompson@hotmail.com
Jill Bartine, M.M., RYT
Jill Bartine has been a teacher for more than half of her life. As a classically trained flutist who performs with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra, her first outlet for her teaching passion was music, and yoga was a natural addition to her teaching repertoire with the completion of her training in 2011. Professional musical performance employs controlled breath, body awareness, energy, creativity, rhythmic flow, and harmony — all qualities of a successful yoga practice. Jill draws upon these elements in her classes, helping her students to feel in tune with their bodies and spirit, and those around them.
Contact Jill: flutistyogini.com
Autumn Brooks, RYT-200
Autumn is from Knoxville. She graduated from Evolve Yoga School and is trained in Hatha, Vinyasa, Power, and Yin Yoga. In her spare time, she is a crafter, cook, hiker, and dog mom.
Ron Felix, RYT, E-RYT
Ron Felix opened Knoxville’s first commercial yoga studio, the Knoxville Yoga Center in 1991. Initially, Ron taught Bikram’s (hot yoga) which he learned while living in Key West, Florida. In 1992 Ron was introduced to the Iyengar method of yoga which is known for its attention paid to precision and alignment.
After 25 years of studying and teaching the Iyengar method, participating in over 50 workshops and/or teachers’ trainings, Ron’s classes are a reflection of the love and appreciation he has for the myriad of effects yoga can have on the total “self”.
Ron is registered as an RYT and an E-RYT with Yoga Alliance at the 500 hour level and has thousands of hours teaching experience having regularly taught 15-16 classes a week.
Connect with Ron via email: ron_felix@bellsouth.net
Sarah Fraser, RYT-200
Sarah is a neurodivergent woman with a passion for mindful movement. As a young adult navigating trauma and mental health struggles, she found yoga to be pivotal in her journey of healing and finding herself. Now, she loves to share with others what a holistic approach to yoga can do for your mind, body, and spirit. Her practice is one of inclusivity, authenticity, and curiosity. She aims to create a space where all kinds of people with different abilities and backgrounds can be themselves and find peace through breath, movement, and community.
Rachel Golden, RYT-200
Rachel has been a dedicated student of yoga since 2019, including practicing in Ashtanga, Hatha, Power, Sivananda, and Vinyasa styles. In summer 2022, she completed her yoga teaching certification at the Sivananda Yoga Ranch in New York’s Catskill mountains. She values yoga’s unique ability to enrich physical, emotional, and intellectual aspects of life in interconnected ways, and found these benefits especially meaningful in navigating challenges brought by the pandemic.
Rachel looks forward to sharing her love for yoga with others as part of the Breezeway community. She is also an enthusiastic writer, educator, musician, reader, dog lover, and student of the Sanskrit language and classical yogic texts.
Connect with Rachel at luxrefulget@gmail.com
Claire Hyrka, RYT-200
Claire is a native Knoxvillian, mother of four grown children and one precious grandchild. She works as a realtor and office manager/bookkeeper for a local general contractor. She has recently rehabbed two houses, and may have found her next passion in addition to yoga!
Claire started practicing yoga during 20+ years in Memphis, but really began her yoga journey in earnest upon return to hometown in 2008.
She completed a 200-hour yoga teacher training with Cindy Dollar through The Glowing Body in May 2015 and has been teaching regularly since then at The GB as well as the Y and a Friday 6:00 am class at Provision Wellness.
Connect with Claire via email: clairehyrka@gmail.com
Karen Rodgers
Karen started on her fitness journey more than 30 years ago: Body Building, Aerobics, Tennis, Personal Training, Spin, Pilates and finally YOGA. Encouraged by her instructors, she began training and became a certified teacher in group fitness, including most of the disciplines noted above.
She has completed three 200 hour RYT sessions to date, with an emphasis in Hatha, Karma, Jnana and Bhakti Yoga. Karen is motivated to continue teaching and learning in order to help her clients live their lives with confidence and self empowerment.
Connect with Karen via email: rodgerskm@aol.com
Wayne Stagg, RYT-200
Wayne is retired from UT after 32 years in communications. He discovered Yoga through Hari Bhajan Kaur (HBK), a certified Kundalini instructor, and student of Yogi Bhajan and a founding member of his ashram in Espanola, NM.He has been teaching Yoga at the Tennessee Valley Unitarian Universalist Church for 12 years. He and his wife, Heather, enjoy music and share their home with two remarkable cats.
Connect with Wayne via email: yogaway249@gmail.com
Russell Sauls
Russell has practiced Qigong & Tai Chi for 38 years. He has taught hundreds of Knoxvillians these arts, & he is delighted to now be a part of the “Breezeway experience”. Russell’s Tai Chi classes are excellent therapies for those individuals who in high-stress life situations and are likely to enhance athletic performance in other day-to-day activities & sports. Russell is a past United States Chinese Martial Arts Council national champion for Tai Chi & Ba Gua Zhang (an sister art of Tai Chi)
Connect with Russell: whirlingstillness@gmail.com