Bhakta Das

Bhakta Das (Alan Haras) holds a B.A. in Religious Studies from Michigan State University, where he focused his studies almost exclusively in Indian Philosophy. He is a Certified Jivamukti Yoga Teacher, having completed an intensive month-long training with Sharon Gannon & David Life.  He has been extremely fortunate to have spent the last few years apprenticing with Janaki, as well as spending time in India with Shyamdas, delving into the study of bhakti yoga and Vedanta.  He is also the founder of Vedanta Shala, an organization dedicated to sharing ancient yogic wisdom with modern yoga communities.

Kathy Shagena

Shri Ganga (Kathy Shagena) has been a devoted practitioner of yoga since the early days of Jivamukti Yoga Detroit.  She has spent the last 3 years absorbing the philosophy of the Hatha Yoga Prasdipika and Yoga Sutras, while deepening her love and understanding of the Sanskrit language.  She has been extremely fortunate to receive yoga teacher training and close mentorship from Janaki, the director of Hamsa Yoga.  She has also been blessed to receive mantra initiation from Baba Bhagavan Das.  Shri Ganga's classes are like the holy river Ganga Herself; powerful, graceful, and purifying.

Barbara Wolf

Barbara Wolf, PhD. has been studying and learning from spiritual disciplines, including yoga, for the past 37 years. She is a Clinical Health Psychologist and is the Director of Behavioral Medicine Education at McLaren Regional Medical Center. An associate professor in the departments of Family Medicine and Psychiatry in the Colleges of Human and Osteopathic Medicine at Michigan State University, she teaches medical students and family medicine resident physicians as well as post doctoral clinical health psychology fellows. She has always been interested in the interplay between health, illness and the mindbody. She is currently the principal investigators of two studies, one utilizing yoga and meditation for chronic pain and diabetic patients, and the other , a study of medical students undergoing a ‘mindful medicine’ curriculum. In addition to teaching at Hamsa, she will be teaching yoga for staff at McLaren Regional Medical Center in their newly developed Wellness Center.

Denise Michalak

Denise Michalak
Kripalu Yoga is the art of living with heart and compassion (Sanskrit definition of Kripalu) for self and others, truely a practice of balance and harmony.  Named in honor of Swami Kripalu, a compassionate Yoga Master, Saint in India , known for his compassion and intense spiritual practice.  A certified Kripalu teacher since 2004, Denise approaches class with these qualities in mind. Come and explore the gifts of breath and movement taking the gift of Yoga with you, extending compassion and joy to others.  

Mimi Kuykendall

Mimi Kuykendall was introduced to Jivamukti Yoga several years ago after a number of life-altering events strengthened her life-long search for a truer meaning for life. The holy teachings and practices of Jivamukti Yoga resonated deeply within her and she discovered the path to the place of peace, joy and harmony with others. In May 2007, Mimi graduated from the 300 hour Jivamukti Yoga Teacher Training program after spending a month of intensive study and practice under the spiritual guidance of Shri Sharon Gannon and Shri David Life. Mimi's aspiration is to spread these Holy Teachings and Practices of Jivamukti Yoga to others and provide them with the tools needed to recognize the Divine Spirit within themselves and discover their own path to peace, joy, and contentment.