Meet Our Team
Practitioners
Jane Cooper
Yoga Instructor
Current Class: Salted Yin Flow Yoga
Jane (Mudita) Cooper is a practitioner of Integral Yoga and completed their teacher training with the Satchidananda Ashram in Yogaville, VA in January 2021. During training and continued practice, they study the Yoga Sutras of Sri Patanjali; walking the path of the eight-limbed system towards the goal of yoga: "to restrain the modifications of the mind." Jane follows the advice of their beloved Gurudev to lead a dedicated life of service. It is with deepest gratitude that they humbly offer these teachings to people of all faiths. "Truth is one, paths are many."
Joan Sherwood
Yoga Instructor
Current Classes: Gentle Slow Flow Yoga and Heated Vinyasa Flow Yoga
I began practicing yoga in 2006 with a Hot Power Yoga class. I immediately fell in love with both the physical practice and the mindfulness that it demanded. When I left that fist class, I realized that I had not thought of anything else for 90 minutes. That is one of the many gifts of yoga! In 2009, I obtained my 200-hour certification at Yoga Source in St. Louis, and began teaching. I have taken several additional immersion studies with Tias Little and a study for cancer survivors at Balance Your Body Yoga in Houston, TX. I live in Carbondale with my husband. We have five grown children and seven grandchildren. I love teaching all styles of yoga and sharing the gifts of yoga with all ages.
Kaylee Earnheart
Yoga Instructor
Current Classes: Yoga for Every Body and Yoga Sculpt
Kaylee Earnheart (RYT- 200) started practicing yoga in 2021 to manage her mental health and the physical manifestations that come with it. She has four years of experience as a certified nursing assistant and plans to continue her education in social work. Her background and goals in service greatly influence the way she teaches. Kaylee completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training with House of Om in Bali, Indonesia, in April 2025. Since returning to Southern Illinois, she has taught chair yoga classes for veterans and people with mobility limitations. Kaylee is dedicated to making yoga accessible to everyone. She believes that yoga is an incredible way to improve your physical health, but more importantly, it changes the manner in which you meet everyday situations. “I don't practice yoga to get better at yoga, I practice to get better at life.”
Lori Fink
Qi Gong Instructor
Current Class: Qi Gong
Lori Fink is a movement educator, Qi Gong teacher, and co-founder of mmmBODY. With over 30 years of experience, she shares the mantra “Movement is Medicine” through healing and transformative practices.
Maria Johnson
Yoga Instructor
Current Classes: Chair Yoga Dance and Om Flow
Long-time musician, ethnomusicologist, and Associate Professor in the SIUC School of Music, Maria Johnson (C-IAYT, RYT-500, E-RYT-200, LFYP-1, Ph.D.) began practicing yoga in 2010. Seeking initially to help manage anxiety, she quickly discovered yoga’s power to transform, integrate mind-body-spirit, and foster compassion and community. She is passionate and playful about integrating yoga with sound/music to facilitate healing and transformation in herself and others. She completed her initial yoga teacher training at Yoga East (Cape Girardeau, MO) in 2018, the 300-hour advanced yoga teacher training at The Soul of Yoga (Encinitas, CA) in 2022, and the 800-hour yoga therapy training program at The Soul of Yoga in 2025. She is a certified yoga therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists. She also holds certifications in Vocal Yoga (Heather Lyle, 2019) and LifeForce Yoga (Rose Kress, Amy Weintraub, 2021). She has taught Yoga and Sound Healing in the university honors program at SIUC since 2020.
Marianne Linn
Yoga Instructor
Current Classes: Hatha Flow & Breath, Salt Yin & Chakras, Warm Hatha Flow, and Yin Yoga & Breath
Marianne Linn has been studying and practicing yoga and meditation for 3 decades. She taught in the San Francisco Bay area for 26 years and accumulated more than 14,000 hours of teaching classes, private yoga, workshops and retreats. In 2021 she moved with her husband to Carbondale, IL and here she continues teaching. Marianne has also worked for 25 years as a certified massage and bodywork therapist. She first was drawn to meditation before discovering the path of Yoga as a practical pathway to recognize our deepest intelligence. In 1992, while practicing meditation in Thailand, Marianne quickly realized that practicing yoga tremendously enhanced the quality of meditation. Since then, the practice and teaching of yoga and meditation has been fundamental to her life-long study of holistic well-being and the exploration of the nature of mindfulness. 'I practice Yoga to cultivate awareness, to bring strength, balance and ease to the body, breath and mind, to become deeply aware of my energy body and to develop a greater understanding of what matters most and to live accordingly. It brings me fulfillment and joy to see students unfolding in their practice.' 'My inspiration finds new sparks through my own practice, through every class, workshop and retreat I teach. I feel deeply grateful to share my knowledge and insights related to personal development and my studies of the human body, energy and mind.' 'The continuous study of the body, breath and mind and their relationship with each other have had a profound effect on my understanding of myself and other(s) and the world around me.
Natalia Montano
Zumba Instructor
Current Class: Zumba
Natalia Motano loves to dance. She finds absolute joy in moving her body to the beat of music and she finds dancing with people very gratifying. Her Zumba classes are filled with Latin and International rhythms such as Cumbia, Soca, Reggaeton, Bollywood dance, Salsa, Pop, Merengue and much more. Natalia taught Zumba classes and other group Fitness classes at Great Shapes gym in Carbondale, IL for 4 years until the gym’s closure in 2020. Since 2021, she has been teaching Zumba classes with the Carbondale Park District every Wednesday evening. Additionally, for the last 2 years, she has been instructing Aqua Zumba classes at Splash Park during the summer. Natalia instructs Zumba because she finds in this activity a way to spread joy, to create community and to promote fitness in a fun way.
Pat York
Sound Practitioner & Owner
Pat York is a dedicated Sound Vibrational Energy Practitioner and founder/owner of True Nature. Pat 's journey into the world of healing frequencies began with a lifetime of experience in vocal resonance and percussion. For the past three years, Pat has expanded her practice, incorporating a rich array of resonant instruments such as Himalayan and crystal bowls, gongs, chimes, and more. These instruments, each with its unique vibration, create a symphony of healing frequencies that harmonize the mind, body, and spirit. With a profound understanding of the transformative power of sound, she has been on a mission to share the therapeutic benefits with others. Pat's commitment to mastering the art of sound healing led her to study the ancient wisdom and modern techniques of sound vibrational therapy. In Pat's sound baths, you'll find a welcoming space where the soothing sounds of resonant instruments envelop each visitor in harmonic vibrations.
Renn Harkey
Sound Practitioner
My journey in sound therapy started at birth, because I’ve been involved in music and singing my whole life. When I attended a sound bath for the first time in 2021, I was immediately hooked and knew I wanted to share the experience with others. I was looking for stress relief, and the impact of that first session was profound! My over-active mind had stayed in the moment, flowing with the sound of bowls and gong. I started attending a yoga nidra class weekly, and noticed improvements to my state of mind, emotional resilience and quality of sleep. Since then, it has been one of my goals to share sound healing with other people who could enjoy its benefits as a gentle, inclusive and accessible way to support health and well-being.
Behind the Scenes Team Members
Jaxon Gross
Jaxon (they/them) tends the roots of our studio experience, quietly crafting pathways that help each guest grow in their own direction. Through website management, thoughtful membership options, personalized offerings, and behind-the-scenes creativity, they help ensure every person feels gently guided toward what fits.
A queer, neurodiverse parent, Jaxon is fueled by love, curiosity, and the magic of small things—birds in the trees, sparkly rocks in the dirt, archeological curiosities, and quiet moments of wonder with their kid in nature.
Kaelah Bryn
Nature enthusiast and nomadically inclined, Kaelah loves exploring new places, spending time outdoors, and experimenting in the kitchen. She always finds novel ways to bring balance, nourishment, and playfulness into everyday life!
Certified: Holistic Heath Coach, Shinrin Yoku Guide, Reiki Practitioner and (soon to be) Pilates Instructor.
Degree: BA of Science in Geography with a focus in Environmental Sustainability