Aspiring to Gandhi's words of "Be the change you wish to see…", Erica uses yoga as a tool to guide her students to transform their good intentions into positive choices. In support of greater success, happiness and fulfillment in life, she is committed to the practice of yoga and believes health and wellbeing are wonderful results but the actual purpose of yoga is to awaken our highest potential as human beings.
With the deepest intention of inspiring others to cultivate personal power, Erica's classes are known for being insightful and challenging. She uses the arena of yoga to challenge her students to explore their potential on the mat and take that playful curiosity into the rest of their lives to spark a sense that anything and everything is possible… An international adventuress, Erica currently resides in Vancouver, BC where she is the Studio Director of Highgate YYOGA. She also works as a freelance writer focusing on travel, health and lifestyle. Erica's experience has led her to a place where she constantly reminded that there is always more to learn.
After a six-month sojourn to India where she discovered Vipassana Meditation, Erica returned to Canada and began practicing yoga in 1998. Since then, her practice has become increasingly dedicated to exploring the eight limbs or aspects of yoga, both on and off her mat.
Her teaching of yoga is steeped with an intensive background of yogic studies in healing arts, health sciences (developmental psychology, nutrition and plant medicine), and meditation. Grounded in a supportive, non-competitive atmosphere, Erica brings a beautiful balance of intensity and grace to each of her classes providing students with a platform to move beyond perceived limitations. Cultivating a sense of alert calmness, her teachings are infused with the belief that our greatest teacher is the life we lead and the little things in it that could go unnoticed if we weren't paying attention.
Based on her experience and understanding of the Ashtanga and the Krishnamacharya lineage (KYM) Erica's classes focus on physical alignment, dynamic movement, and breath awareness. Defined as vinyasa krama — a step-by-step approach—sequencing classes in this way builds a solid foundation of mindful movement to gain physical strength and flexibility, reduce stress and quiet the mind. Together with simple pranayama and meditation, she creates a practice that is simultaneously challenging and calming leaving you energized and centered benefiting you long after you've left the room.
Erica's training has been influenced by many eclectic teachers and traditions including: Sharon Gannon and David Life (Jivamukti), Gurmukh Kaur Khalsa (Kundalini), and the Desikachar family (Viniyoga) at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in Chennai, India.
In the Ashtanga tradition Erica has studied with David Swenson, Fiona Stang, Julian Deck, Catherine Munro and Alistair Logan—all of whom illuminate the physical, mental and spiritual benefits of practicing and teaching yoga.
