Alumna and Yogiraj Katrina Repka brings ISHTA Yoga to her hometown

 

By Erin Mason 

It’s 9 a.m. on a rainy Tuesday in Calgary, 4 p.m. in London, England, where Katrina Repka, BA’95, MSC’01, just returned home from picking up her daughter, Delaney, three, from school.

The walk from school took a bit longer today as Delaney insisted on showing her mother many things, including a bus stop advertisement, about which she exclaimed her enthusiasm as only a three-year old can. Well into the curious stage that comes with being three, Dulaney is a young trailblazer, an ambitious explorer of her big new world. Even though this exploration can sometimes delay a busy mom’s schedule, “I try not to rush her,” says Katrina. Katrina encourages Dulaney to explore her surroundings and connect with her world in her own unique ways. It’s all part of Katrina’s quest to instill spiritual values in her daughter–the beginnings of Yogic teaching.

Katrina has been studying and teaching yoga for 15 years. She received her early training in Ashtanga yoga, but has been influenced largely by ISHTA yoga–a blend of Hatha, Tantra and Auyrveda yoga–which was created by Yogiraj Alan Finger. Katrina worked and studied closely with Finger during her time in New York and he recently conferred on her the title of Yogiraj, making Katrina only the second person in the west with this title. Katrina will be back in her native Calgary this summer to share her learnings from London at an ISHTA Yoga Teacher Training session. ISHTA yoga is currently not as popular in Calgary and she’s excited to bring its benefits to eager Calgary yogis.

“ISHTA yoga is an authentic and holistic approach to yoga,” says Katrina. “It gives you a practical experience of the mind, body and spirit.” The rise in popularity and mass marketing of yoga has often been at the expense of yoga’s spiritual benefits and fundamental teachings. ISHTA yoga brings the practice of yoga back to the holistic level by focusing on the fundamental foundations of its practice, including breathing and posture.
 
“Yoga can change your life physically, mentally and spiritually and it’s something you can practice for your entire life,” says Katrina. Although a yoga teacher isn’t what she trained for at U of C, Katrina applies what she learned at school and in her post-graduation marketing jobs to her business and her life. Afterall, it was two of her U of C professors, Ron Glasberg and David Taras, who inspired her to follow her path and be open and receptive to the possibilities for her life and career. 
 
And follow her path, she did. “When I stopped trying to find what I was supposed to be doing was when I found my path, “says Katrina. “I love what I do and feel like I’m living the life I want to live.”

To learn more about Katrina, her classes in London or her two books, visit http://www.katrinarepka.com/
 
ISHTA Yoga Teacher Training with Yogiraj Katrina Repka

Date: July 31 (weekend) – Aug. 27, 2010
Location: Yoga Passage West, Calgary
Cost for full training (200 hr Yoga Alliance approved): $3400 CDN
This 200-hour intensive immersion meets for one weekend and then Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. 5 p.m. over 4 consecutive weeks. Topics include: in-depth posture labs and asana practice, philosophy, Ayurveda, Pranayama and Meditation, injury management, Sanskirt and more.

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The Bridge Program is approximately 26.5 hours worth of lectures drawn from the 200-hour Teacher Training. It's designed for those who are 200-hour certified in a school outside of ISHTA to become eligible for the 300-hr ISHTA Teacher Training. The Bridge is offered in conjunction with the 200-hour Teacher Training program. Cost: $750
For more information on this Teacher Training or to register, please visit http://www.katrinarepka.com/