Instructors Yoga on Center

Lorie Lower, Owner
Lorie has been practicing yoga since the early 2000s. Drawn to it by the opening of a studio in a small town in South Carolina, she was intrigued in the beginning and hooked by the time she and her family relocated to Richmond, Virginia. Deciding to dig deeper into the practice, she became a certified 200 RYT through Om On Studio in 2013. Lorie recently completed her 500 hour training with Jason Crandall.

In her practice, she reminds others of being present in the moment, offers creative and playful sequences, provides deep and thoughtful cues and encourages all her students to “just try it!” Lorie establishes the foundations then offers a safe journey to the peak poses.

Lorie discovered passion in the union of yoga and teaching. As with yoga, if it feels right and you can breathe easily, it was meant to be. The little and big life lessons learned on her mat have been a guiding force for a happier, fulfilled and busy life.

Thanks to all the teachers who have encouraged Lorie through this passion, her parents who always are available to listen, her daughters who provide a younger view and mostly her husband who never stops believing in her!

Laura Eugley
Laura’s passion for Pilates started as a hobby when she was in high school taking classes with her mom, and evolved into a comforting ritual that has guided her into her twenties. She found her love for teaching fitness classes in college which led her to an interest in yoga as well.

She is currently working to complete her 200-hr Yoga Teacher Training after achieving an ACE certification for pilates.

Taylor Hudson
Taylor Hudson began her Yoga journey in her early 20’s. Needing something to quiet her overly active and anxious mind, she quickly fell in love with the practice and its healing qualities. She recently completed her certification at Humble Haven in Shockoe Bottom and is eager to share just how life altering the practice can be.

“Yoga is so much more than most people assume. It’s not about how flexible you are, how long you can hold yourself upside down or how well you can balance. Yoga is a personal journey and only you know how far you’ve come and where it is that you’re headed. But, Yoga isn’t a quick fix. It makes its way in to your heart and soul over time and will forever change you for the better. If you’re consistent and dedicated to your practice, you might just find that yoga gives you a whole new perspective on life. That’s certainly what it has done for me.”

In her practices, Taylor likes to incorporate some of the old techniques as well as putting a bit of originality in to it. Her goal is to leave you eager to hop back on your mat as soon as you step off.

Malikah Karim
Malikah has been teaching yoga for over nine years. She teaches an alignment based flow that is perfectly accessible to beginners and experienced practitioners alike. As a biologist, and certified health coach with myoskeletal alignment training, Malikah approaches her practice in a holistic manner, mixing in other movement and stress management techniques into her classes. She is a mom of two little boys, a new-ish resident of Caroline County, loves good ginger tea, gardening, and paddle boarding on the sound in OBX.

Malikah grew up in a community and time when people rarely talked about mental wellness or any kind of self-care. Her first yoga experience was a last resort extra curricular credit she needed in college. It was a complete surprise to her that yoga was so healing mentally and physically. That experience led to more self examination that helped her realize she had anxiety, and it could managed well. Her yoga teacher watched her develop, and persistently encouraged her to become an instructor to share her practice with her community. Passing on the gift of self discovery, and teaching accessible self-care thru yoga, and wellness coaching brings Malikah incredible joy.

Becky McDaniel
Becky McDaniel has been teaching yoga since 2003 in studios, schools, and churches throughout Virginia. A former studio owner (Body Balance Studio, Williamsburg and In Balance Yoga, Blacksburg), she has trained and certified yoga teachers and particularly loves introducing the practice to beginners. Becky works as an Episcopal school chaplain in Richmond and incorporates contemplative practices into her work with children and teens. She also serves as a priest associate at St. James the Less Episcopal Church here in Ashland.

Wendy Phillips
In the late 1990s, after years of teaching and taking fitness classes, Wendy was introduced to her first yoga class and felt immediately at home. After practicing regularly for a few years, she became certified to teach in 2003. Wendy has taught for many years in the Hanover and Ashland communities.

Wendy’s classes bring a mindful awareness that allows us get to know our truth through our connection of body, mind and breath. The journey within ourselves becomes like a meditative dance on the mat.

Ingrid Stenbjorn
After many years of running, jogging, biking and backpacking, Ingrid felt very stiff and sore. In the late 1990s, she was introduced to the practice of yoga to battle the effects of these activities.

Yoga started as a means for Ingrid to enjoy these activities, but soon yoga became a passion itself; not only the asana practice, but the yoga tradition and spirituality. Seeing the many health and wellness benefits of practicing in herself, she decided to teach others. She began yoga teacher training through the Yoga Fit program in 2013 and became a certified 200 RYT in 2016.

Ingrid believes yoga is for everyone and should be practiced with a light heart, and often some laughter. She teaches to all levels, fosters safe and peaceful practices, and creates a welcoming environment in every class.

Whitney Wells-Corfield
More than anything Whitney sees herself as a student of yoga. When she began her yoga teacher training in 2018 she was looking to invest in a personal practice, but her love for the study of yoga was so deep she decided she wanted to join a wider yoga community and teach asana practice, as well. She has been an elementary teacher for fourteen years and lives for the joy of learning. Whitney has a deep love of reading, math, and science and is also the host of a mathematics podcast for kids, Mic Drop Maths.

With her Wednesday night asana practice she hopes to create an inclusive space where all bodies, genders, ages, and races feel welcome. It’s her desire to honor and embrace yoga’s historic roots while fostering a community that lives, feels, and acts for unity.

Rebekah Wood
Rebekah fell in love with yoga asana at 7 years old when her favorite uncle introduced her to the practice. Born and raised in Ashland, VA, Rebekah embodies the small town feel and can be found more often shoeless than not. Over the years, she has practiced in many spaces and with many teachers, learning to incorporate pranayama, meditation, and mantra into her personal practice. After many years of ignoring the call, she finally completed her 200hr Yoga Teacher Training in 2019 with Maha Vira Yoga in Richmond, VA and kept the momentum going by continuing in Maha Vira’s first 300hr Training in 2020.

Rebekah strives to always be a student and loves to share her practice with others. She still resides in Ashland where she is an interior designer and professional organizer. Join her for a practice and let’s breathe together!