ABOUT
The foundational value of Beginnings Yoga is connection. This is our heart. This is our truth. We offer Yoga classes that go deeper than the physical postures, with teachings that inspire curiosity, wonder and awareness of our innermost being. We share a wide range of offerings in meditation, asana, Yoga philosophy, somatics, embodiment, as well as private life coaching from a Yoga aligned perspective.
We encourage you to honour your unique body- the one you’re in today. We do so by offering support, guidance and adaptations to ensure that your practice is safe and comfortable throughout your yoga journey. We offer this whole-heartedly with compassion, kindness and love.
Our hope is to remind you that our practice does not end within the four walls of a space, or the walls of your physical body- this is only the beginning. Our mission is for you to live from a place of connection- connection to body, to nature, to your community, to your higher purpose, to your spirit. Our mission is for you to connect to peace. Our mission is to remind you of joy. Our mission is to inspire you to live with love.
OUR TEAM
A diverse group of well-rounded yoginis, ready to begin a journey with you.
KELSEY
Yoga Instructor - 500hr E-RYT
Having been blessed with the opportunity to live in the deep, untouched wilderness of Cape Breton's forest, Kelsey lives her life in connection to the elements and nature's rhythms. She brings this passion into her classes and leans toward sharing sentimental and soulful lessons, often touching on Yoga philosophy teachings and how we can both better understand and honour this ancient wisdom from a place of embodied peace. Yoga is the path to help us arrive in this experience, this place of knowing. Yoga is the path that reminds us of who and what we truly are, and the earth that we are so intimately a part of.
Completing her first 200hr Yoga Certification in Bali, Indonesia, through Shanti Yoga Halifax, and then continuing for an additional 300hrs, she was influenced and surrounded by the loving Balinese culture and their dedication to practicing gratitude with open hearts. She brings this energy and spirit to her classes and her teachings.
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Kelsey leads thoughtful and inclusive classes, encouraging students to challenge themselves while practicing honesty, openness, attention and self-compassion. From the bottom of her heart, she thanks all of her teachers and students, past, present and future, for sharing in the gifts of Yoga and loving connection.
MOLLY
Yoga Instructor - 200hr YTT
Molly’s journey into Yoga began nearly 17 years ago. Over the years, her practice and connection to Yoga grew deeper, and in 2015 she completed her 200-hour Foundational Teacher Training under the wise instruction of Yogacharya Vineeta Sharma. The quiet peace found in moving meditation is a gift she feels compelled to share with as many willing souls as possible. Her classes combine slow, focused flow of movement and breath, fostering a deep connection to the wisdom of the body, and gently quieting the mind.
Molly has taught at music festivals, corporate conferences, in private sessions, and group workshops. Her classes are very accessible to beginner Yoga practitioners, but also offer enough challenge for the advanced.
Molly also works full time in holistic health and wellness as a Registered Massage Therapist at Island Chiropractic and Family Wellness. Helping individuals feel better in their bodies (and minds) is her true passion. On and off the mat, Molly strives to provide people the space to embrace the wisdom of their bodies and their intuition.
KAT
Yoga Instructor - 400 hr E-RYT
Kat fell in love with yoga over 10 years ago and completed her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in 2014 in Fort McMurray, Alberta. Kat shares a wide variety of styles, drawing from her high level of teaching experience. Recently becoming certified through MOGA, she has continued her education in both prenatal and postnatal yoga. Kat has also completed an additional 50 hr certification for Vinyasa Krama through Shanti Yoga Halifax.
Her classes provide a mixture of strengthening flows and restorative postures suitable for beginners or experienced yogis. In class, you will be encouraged to open the heart, find compassion, and bring the awareness inward to cultivate your own deeply personal practice.
VALERIE
Yoga Instructor - 280hr RYT
Valerie Dolhanty is a certified Yoga Instructor specializing in Hatha Yoga, with a passion for blending her teaching with chakra balancing.
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Valerie is also a Reiki Master Practitioner, a Certified Reflexologist and is certified with the Mental Health Commission of Canada as a Working Mind Facilitator. She also offers webinars specializing in mental health and well being. She is an advocate for the powerful healing potential of the human body through working with our natural life forces and energy.
VERNA
Yoga Instructor - 200 hr RYT
Verna is trained as a 200 hr Hatha Vinyasa yoga teacher through the Therapeutic Approach to Yoga studio in Halifax, Nova Scotia. She also has a Bachelor of Science in Kinesiology from the University of New Brunswick.
She has been practicing yoga since 2009 and started teaching in 2013. Verna is passionate about developing yoga classes that are accessible to everyone while still providing some challenge and flavor. Yoga has taught her how to connect with herself, become more aware of the body and bring calmness to the mind. She has learned to accept what is and be mindful of judgment. This practice has enriched her life both on and off the mat and she is thrilled to share this with her students.
JOYCE
Yoga Instructor - 500hr RYT
Joyce Lively started her yogic journey in 2013 when she was preparing for a major operation and wanted to be more physically fit so she could recover faster. The physical aspect of yoga was beneficial but she stayed with yoga for the mental and spiritual aspects.
Joyce completed her YTT 200 and Yoga in Schools 200 with Breathing Space in Halifax and followed up with certifications in Yin Yoga, Yoga for Seniors, and Mindfulness in Schools. In 2018 Joyce received her certification in Yoga Therapy(300hrs) from the Vedansha Institute of Vedic Science and Alternative Medicine in Rishikesh, India. Most recently, Joyce has received her certification in Primordial Sound Meditation and Ayurvedic Health from the Chopra Center in California and is currently taking her Coaching certification which will make her a fully endorsed Chopra teacher.
Yoga is a quest for balance. “I can’t imagine my life without yoga. I only wish I had discovered it when I was younger. It has inspired me to share my teachings with others and to continue to grow as a part of the cosmos. Everything and everyone is connected. It’s our responsibility to be the best we can be.”
Yoga is Joyce’s new career having recently retired after 33yrs as a public school teacher where she shared her passion for music and yoga with her students.