Valerie Giles

Valerie Giles has been the co-owner of a school of yoga for 8 years. Her current school is named Elemental School of Yoga. Valerie’s personal yoga style is a blend of Anusara and Vinyasa with an added focus on restorative. She aspires to embody the philosophy that yoga’s primary purpose is for the pure joy of it! Valerie believes that yoga can be a pivotal process in the body’s natural ability to heal given the right environment. She was heavily involved in the competitive sport of triathlons and first came to yoga 15 years ago to help heal her injuries. She owes her wealth of knowledge and experience to an amazing list of internationally renowned teachers and mentors. During Val’s eight years in Vancouver she took every opportunity to study with many Master Teachers such as; Janet Stone, Shiva Rae, Rod Stryker, Sienna Sherman and Patrick Creelman. She attended regular workshops at festivals like Wanderlust, for regular workshop inspiration. Valerie strives to integrate the philosophical and spiritual aspects of yoga wisdom along with the basic fundamentals of asana and anatomy. Her teachings are inquiry based with an emphasis on personal exploration and experiential learning, during which students are encouraged to find their own authentic voice. Her personal goal of bringing yoga to “All Ages and All levels of Fitness and Ability” is reflected in a curriculum designed to teach how to design a class suitable for a wide range of abilities and experience levels. One of the most important things she wants her students to learn is how to infuse joy into their teachings along with the vital aspect of teaching from the heart.