:: The Chicago Yoga Center :: Since 1984 :: Hatha, Iyengar, Ashtanga & Yin Yoga

Chicago Yoga Center Faculty

Suddha Weixler

began studying yoga in 1978 on his first visit to India. He was certified in 1984 and is the Director of the Chicago Yoga Center. A direct disciple of Swami Narayanananda he was educated in classical Yoga by the N•U• Yoga Teachers Association in Denmark, and initiated into Raja Yoga and Meditation by Swamiji. Over the past 30 years he has been exposed to a variety of Hatha techniques from Vinyasa Krama to Yin Yoga, Anusara and Ashtanga in India with K. Pattabhi Jois. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He also holds workshops, retreats and an annual Yoga Teachers Training Course.
Suddha Weixler

Heidi Ellison Childress

is a native Chicagoan. From a musical family, she danced professionally for the San Francisco Ballet and Basel Ballet, Switzerland. Returning to Chicago, she briefly taught aerobics while becoming buyer and manager of Giorgio Armani.
She became a once a week student of yoga in 1996, increasingly interested by 2000. At first, a physical form for her, with attention and commitment, she has found yoga to be a many layered system of self exploration. A source of great inspiration and energy as well as solace, it continually supports all aspects of her life, helping to bring it into balance.

Heidi practices primarily under the guidance of Suddha Weixler, has taken many workshops and teacher trainings, considering the most influential to be those of Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers and Erich Schiffmann. She has taught privately as well as at Chicago Yoga Center since 2003. She assisted Paul Grilley at the 2009 Midwest Yoga Conference.

Above all, Heidi thanks her husband Marvin for bringing her to her first class, for his constant support and for the often spirited discussions they share on the subject.

Leah Finch

began studying yoga in 1995 as an undergrad in Rhode Island. Moving to Chicago for graduate school in 1997, she met and began to study with Suddha Weixler in 1998, opening her yoga experience to include a broader Hatha approach mixed with Ashtanga. Finishing her MFA in 2000 and leaving school for the first time in her life, she found new discipline and structure by re-dedicating herself to her yoga practice. The emotional, mental, and physical concentration, strength, and flexibility gained through yoga help her achieve her goals as an educator, art critic, and writer.

Patricia Hyland

My students experience and growth is my sole focus. I believe and encourage the study of our strengths and weaknesses carefully with joy. Through self-practice, great teachers, and motherhood my teaching and adjusting techniquies have matured. My understanding of the benefit of yoga is clear. Yoga is the ultimate healer without a doubt in my heart. My teaching began in college 20 years ago. I have completed teacher trainings with Suddha Weixler, Chicago Yoga Center and Advanced Forrest Training with Anna Forrest and Johnathan Bowry. I have a private labour assisting and lactation consulting practice since 1991. I am the honored mother of Elias (15), Henry (11), and Isaak Altenberg (7).

Mary Klonowski

began practicing yoga with Suddha Weixler at Chicago Yoga Center in 1985. She completed the NU teacher training in 1995 and has since taught Astanga and other styles and therapeutic forms of yoga at various studios throughout Chicago. She is continually developing her teaching skills through educational seminars, workshops and training programs. Mary organized the first annual New Year's Day 2001 yoga benefit to support the yoga program at Gilda's Club, Chicago.

Jackie Penner Lourdes

began studying yoga in 1995. In 2000 she completed yoga teacher training from The Chicago Yoga Center under the direction of Suddha Weixler. Since then she has trained and studied with a number of Ashtanga yoga teachers, such as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Manju Jois, David Swenson and more. She also includes in her practice vinyasa yoga teachings from various workshops she has completed, such as Shiva Rea and Duncan Wong.
Jackie is currently teaching at the Fitness Formula Club as well as The Chicago Yoga Center and is a certified yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance. In addition, she has completed training in Thai Yoga Therapy under direction of Paul Weitz.

Jim York

began practicing yoga in 1997. Long hours at work resulted in a stiff body and a tense mind. During the first few years of practicing, Jim struggled with the asanas and “letting go”. Savasana (deep relaxation) and post yoga mental calm kept him coming back to yoga.

Through the years, Jim has realized many gifts from a consistent yoga practice. As a teacher, Jim is grateful to be able to help others tune in, de-stress and revitalize through fun and challenging asana sequences.

His classes incorporate elements of Vinyasa, hatha and yin yoga with an emphasis on breathing and maintaining awareness, even in challenging poses. His aim is that you will leave class feeling open, calm and energized.

Jim completed Level 1 and 2 Teacher Training with Suddha Weixler as well as intensive workshops with Richard Freeman, Paul Grilley & Sarah Powers. Jim’s continued passion for yoga took him to India in 2010 to study with Acharya Venkatesh, a backbending and pranayama teacher.

Cathie Bond

began studying yoga in 1996, mostly under the guidance of Suddha Weixler at the Chicago Yoga Center. She has completed teacher training courses with Suddha Weixler and Srivatsa Ramaswami and has taken workshops with Ana Forrest and Manju Pattabhi Jois. Most of her yoga training has focused on a Vinyasa style and Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga has always been very healing and inspiring for her and she always looks forward to learning more and passing on this knowledge.

Cindy Lee

has over 20 years experience in studying, teaching and performing ballet and modern dance. She has performed with Indianapolis Ballet Theater, Salt Creek Ballet, and Joel Hall Dancers. Cindy is on faculty at Joel Hall Dance Center and Ballet D'Enfant where she shares her passion for dance with students of all ages. In 2004, Cindy completed her certification at the 500-hour level for Pilates teacher training at FromtheCenter Pilates Studio. She brings an extensive knowledge of movement and body mechanics to her teaching which allows her students to achieve a wide variety of goals ranging from therapeutic recovery and improved daily functioning to acheiving higher levels of fitness and performance. Cindy is currently teaching Pilates at Soulistic Studio and Spa. Cindy discovered (and fell in love with) yoga at Chicago Yoga Center 3 years ago. She studies with Suddha Weixler and is currently completing the yoga teacher training course with him. Cindy is honored and excited to be teaching at Chicago Yoga Center.

Rachel Gonzales

Rachel began her yoga journey in 2001 during a tough time in her life. What she discovered was the power of yoga and it's promise of strength, well-being, and balance, could help her remain grounded and focused.

She completed the first portion of Chicago Yoga Center's teacher training in 2005, and began teaching classes at a private health club in Chicago. After a couple of years under her belt, she left her home town to pursue a year long rock climbing road trip around North America, learning different yoga styles from various studios along the way. Upon to her return to the Chicago area, participated in she then completed Chicago Yoga Center's 200-hour teacher training.

Rachel is grateful to all her yoga teachers for sharing the gift of yoga with her, especially Suddha Wexler, Annie Carpenter, Paul Grilley, Lani Granum, & Bill Shapleigh.

Whether you're a beginner wanting a relaxing, restorative experience, or a serious practitioner with a desire for an intense yoga practice, you will discover Rachel's classes are filled with her loving spirit, sense of humor, and an enthusiasm that will leave you feeling invigorated and energized.

Anna Wilson

grew up in California, watching her mother practice yoga at home on the living room floor. Anna began her own practice in 1991 in a small apartment in Vermont and took her first yoga class when she moved to Chicago in 1996. She discovered the Chicago Yoga Center in 2004 and has completed yoga teacher certification training with Suddha Weixler, as well as teacher trainings with Manju Jois, Srivatsa Ramswami and Paul Grilley.

In addition to teaching at the Chicago Yoga Center, Anna also teaches an adaptive class for adults with limited mobility at a residential facility in Evanston and is committed to making yoga more available to underserved communities in Chicago. An editor at a small local history publishing company by day, Anna is happy to leave her desk for the experience of curiosity and creativity she finds in her yoga practice. Anna seeks to bring this pleasure in exploration to her students through a diversity of styles of practice, from the rigors of Ashtanga to the quiet exertion of Yin.

Heather Lomason

has been practicing yoga for over ten years. She recently completed her 200 hr teacher training under Suddha Weixler at Chicago Yoga Center. She has taken workshops with Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers, Manju Jois, Paulie Zink and Srivatsa Ramaswami. Her personal practice and yoga interests encompass a wide variety of styles and approaches. She also practices Vipasana Meditation in the syle of S.N.Goenka and is the Assistant Team Leader and Body Care Buyer for the Nutrition department at Whole Foods Market, Lakeview.

Miklos Martin-Kovacs

was inspired by the beauty of yoga when he was growing up in Budapest, Hungary and his mother took him to see the performance of the touring yogi Klemendore from Sri Lanka. The desire to understand the message of great sages and gurus stayed with him during his carrier when he was a mechanic, pro athlete, broadcast journalist and business executive. At first he practiced yoga from books & cassettes, later attended Professor Bela Vigh, an anatomy professor's yoga theory class for medical students. While he lived in Budapest he learned chakra meditation from Geza M. Timcak and studied at the Sivananda Yoga Center. After moving to Chicago, he became a student of Suddha Weixler and completed his teacher's training program. He attended workshops with Paul Grilley, Richard Freeman and Swami Ramaswami. Gabriella, his wife and macrobiotic/vegan chef & instructor's proficiency in preparing beautifully balanced meals significantly enhances his spirit and his practice. He is absorbed by the increasingly humbling experience of walking the path of yoga and feels honored when he can share what he learned.

Vaishali Patel

Dmitri Peskov

Alyson Green

Out of her own 5 year personal practice of Ashtanga Yoga, Alyson was surprised to discover that not only did she want to learn more about yoga & different styles of yoga, she had a strong desire to teach. She completed Level 1 & 2 (200 hours) of her Teacher Training with Suddha Weixler of Chicago Yoga Center, studying classical Hatha Asanas, and Ashtanga Vinyasa technique of K. Pattabhi Jois, as well as an introduction to Yin Yoga with Paul Grilley.

Alyson approaches her classes with warmth and kindness, and having been a professional theatre actress and vegan for all of her adult life, feels humbled and very pleased to add Yoga Instructor to that list.

"Evolution and involution is an eternal play in Infinity. There was not time without the phenomenal universe and there will never be a time without it. The universe is with God like light with the sun. Life appears in the universe because of the universal and All-pervading Consciousness. If we take the sun as an example, its light spreads all over the world and every ray of light starting from the sun appears as a separate entity and produces a tiny image of the sun. Though these multifarious rays and images appear as separate entities, they have no separate existence apart from the sun. Likewise, is the relationship between God and this phenomenal universe. The universe can never exist without God, in fact God and God alone exists. One can realize this in the state of Nirvikalpa Samadhi."
--Swami Narayanananda, 12 April, 1968

Swami Narayanananda (1902-1988) is the author
of 36 authoritative books on Yoga and spiritual psychology.

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Suddha Weixler
began studying yoga in 1978 on his first visit to India. He was certified in 1984 and is the Director of the Chicago Yoga Center. A direct disciple of Swami Narayanananda he was educated in classical Yoga by the N•U• Yoga Teachers Association in Denmark, and initiated into Raja Yoga and Meditation by Swamiji. Over the past 30 years he has been exposed to a variety of Hatha techniques from Vinyasa Krama to Yin Yoga, Anusara and Ashtanga in India with K. Pattabhi Jois. He is an Adjunct Associate Professor at the School of the Art Institute of Chicago. He also holds workshops, retreats and an annual Yoga Teachers Training Course.
Heidi Ellison Childress
is a native Chicagoan. From a musical family, she danced professionally for the San Francisco Ballet and Basel Ballet, Switzerland. Returning to Chicago, she briefly taught aerobics while becoming buyer and manager of Giorgio Armani. She became a once a week student of yoga in 1996, increasingly interested by 2000. At first, a physical form for her, with attention and commitment, she has found yoga to be a many layered system of self exploration. A source of great inspiration and energy as well as solace, it continually supports all aspects of her life, helping to bring it into balance. Heidi practices primarily under the guidance of Suddha Weixler, has taken many workshops and teacher trainings, considering the most influential to be those of Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers and Erich Schiffmann. She has taught privately as well as at Chicago Yoga Center since 2003. She assisted Paul Grilley at the 2009 Midwest Yoga Conference. Above all, Heidi thanks her husband Marvin for bringing her to her first class, for his constant support and for the often spirited discussions they share on the subject.
Leah Finch
began studying yoga in 1995 as an undergrad in Rhode Island. Moving to Chicago for graduate school in 1997, she met and began to study with Suddha Weixler in 1998, opening her yoga experience to include a broader Hatha approach mixed with Ashtanga. Finishing her MFA in 2000 and leaving school for the first time in her life, she found new discipline and structure by re-dedicating herself to her yoga practice. The emotional, mental, and physical concentration, strength, and flexibility gained through yoga help her achieve her goals as an educator, art critic, and writer.
Patricia Hyland
My students experience and growth is my sole focus. I believe and encourage the study of our strengths and weaknesses carefully with joy. Through self-practice, great teachers, and motherhood my teaching and adjusting techniquies have matured. My understanding of the benefit of yoga is clear. Yoga is the ultimate healer without a doubt in my heart. My teaching began in college 20 years ago. I have completed teacher trainings with Suddha Weixler, Chicago Yoga Center and Advanced Forrest Training with Anna Forrest and Johnathan Bowry. I have a private labour assisting and lactation consulting practice since 1991. I am the honored mother of Elias (15), Henry (11), and Isaak Altenberg (7).
Mary Klonowski
began practicing yoga with Suddha Weixler at Chicago Yoga Center in 1985. She completed the NU teacher training in 1995 and has since taught Astanga and other styles and therapeutic forms of yoga at various studios throughout Chicago. She is continually developing her teaching skills through educational seminars, workshops and training programs. Mary organized the first annual New Year's Day 2001 yoga benefit to support the yoga program at Gilda's Club, Chicago.
Jackie Penner Lourdes
began studying yoga in 1995. In 2000 she completed yoga teacher training from The Chicago Yoga Center under the direction of Suddha Weixler. Since then she has trained and studied with a number of Ashtanga yoga teachers, such as Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, Manju Jois, David Swenson and more. She also includes in her practice vinyasa yoga teachings from various workshops she has completed, such as Shiva Rea and Duncan Wong. Jackie is currently teaching at the Fitness Formula Club as well as The Chicago Yoga Center and is a certified yoga instructor with Yoga Alliance. In addition, she has completed training in Thai Yoga Therapy under direction of Paul Weitz.
Jim York
began practicing yoga in 1997. Long hours at work resulted in a stiff body and a tense mind. During the first few years of practicing, Jim struggled with the asanas and “letting go”. Savasana (deep relaxation) and post yoga mental calm kept him coming back to yoga. Through the years, Jim has realized many gifts from a consistent yoga practice. As a teacher, Jim is grateful to be able to help others tune in, de-stress and revitalize through fun and challenging asana sequences. His classes incorporate elements of Vinyasa, hatha and yin yoga with an emphasis on breathing and maintaining awareness, even in challenging poses. His aim is that you will leave class feeling open, calm and energized. Jim completed Level 1 and 2 Teacher Training with Suddha Weixler as well as intensive workshops with Richard Freeman, Paul Grilley & Sarah Powers. Jim’s continued passion for yoga took him to India in 2010 to study with Acharya Venkatesh, a backbending and pranayama teacher.
Cathie Bond
began studying yoga in 1996, mostly under the guidance of Suddha Weixler at the Chicago Yoga Center. She has completed teacher training courses with Suddha Weixler and Srivatsa Ramaswami and has taken workshops with Ana Forrest and Manju Pattabhi Jois. Most of her yoga training has focused on a Vinyasa style and Ashtanga Yoga. Yoga has always been very healing and inspiring for her and she always looks forward to learning more and passing on this knowledge.
Cindy Lee
has over 20 years experience in studying, teaching and performing ballet and modern dance. She has performed with Indianapolis Ballet Theater, Salt Creek Ballet, and Joel Hall Dancers. Cindy is on faculty at Joel Hall Dance Center and Ballet D'Enfant where she shares her passion for dance with students of all ages. In 2004, Cindy completed her certification at the 500-hour level for Pilates teacher training at FromtheCenter Pilates Studio. She brings an extensive knowledge of movement and body mechanics to her teaching which allows her students to achieve a wide variety of goals ranging from therapeutic recovery and improved daily functioning to acheiving higher levels of fitness and performance. Cindy is currently teaching Pilates at Soulistic Studio and Spa. Cindy discovered (and fell in love with) yoga at Chicago Yoga Center 3 years ago. She studies with Suddha Weixler and is currently completing the yoga teacher training course with him. Cindy is honored and excited to be teaching at Chicago Yoga Center.
Rachel Gonzales
Rachel began her yoga journey in 2001 during a tough time in her life. What she discovered was the power of yoga and it's promise of strength, well-being, and balance, could help her remain grounded and focused. She completed the first portion of Chicago Yoga Center's teacher training in 2005, and began teaching classes at a private health club in Chicago. After a couple of years under her belt, she left her home town to pursue a year long rock climbing road trip around North America, learning different yoga styles from various studios along the way. Upon to her return to the Chicago area, participated in she then completed Chicago Yoga Center's 200-hour teacher training. Rachel is grateful to all her yoga teachers for sharing the gift of yoga with her, especially Suddha Wexler, Annie Carpenter, Paul Grilley, Lani Granum, & Bill Shapleigh. Whether you're a beginner wanting a relaxing, restorative experience, or a serious practitioner with a desire for an intense yoga practice, you will discover Rachel's classes are filled with her loving spirit, sense of humor, and an enthusiasm that will leave you feeling invigorated and energized.

Anna Wilson
grew up in California, watching her mother practice yoga at home on the living room floor. Anna began her own practice in 1991 in a small apartment in Vermont and took her first yoga class when she moved to Chicago in 1996. She discovered the Chicago Yoga Center in 2004 and has completed yoga teacher certification training with Suddha Weixler, as well as teacher trainings with Manju Jois, Srivatsa Ramswami and Paul Grilley. In addition to teaching at the Chicago Yoga Center, Anna also teaches an adaptive class for adults with limited mobility at a residential facility in Evanston and is committed to making yoga more available to underserved communities in Chicago. An editor at a small local history publishing company by day, Anna is happy to leave her desk for the experience of curiosity and creativity she finds in her yoga practice. Anna seeks to bring this pleasure in exploration to her students through a diversity of styles of practice, from the rigors of Ashtanga to the quiet exertion of Yin.
Heather Lomason
has been practicing yoga for over ten years. She recently completed her 200 hr teacher training under Suddha Weixler at Chicago Yoga Center. She has taken workshops with Paul Grilley, Sarah Powers, Manju Jois, Paulie Zink and Srivatsa Ramaswami. Her personal practice and yoga interests encompass a wide variety of styles and approaches. She also practices Vipasana Meditation in the syle of S.N.Goenka and is the Assistant Team Leader and Body Care Buyer for the Nutrition department at Whole Foods Market, Lakeview.
Miklos Martin-Kovacs
was inspired by the beauty of yoga when he was growing up in Budapest, Hungary and his mother took him to see the performance of the touring yogi Klemendore from Sri Lanka. The desire to understand the message of great sages and gurus stayed with him during his carrier when he was a mechanic, pro athlete, broadcast journalist and business executive. At first he practiced yoga from books & cassettes, later attended Professor Bela Vigh, an anatomy professor's yoga theory class for medical students. While he lived in Budapest he learned chakra meditation from Geza M. Timcak and studied at the Sivananda Yoga Center. After moving to Chicago, he became a student of Suddha Weixler and completed his teacher's training program. He attended workshops with Paul Grilley, Richard Freeman and Swami Ramaswami. Gabriella, his wife and macrobiotic/vegan chef & instructor's proficiency in preparing beautifully balanced meals significantly enhances his spirit and his practice. He is absorbed by the increasingly humbling experience of walking the path of yoga and feels honored when he can share what he learned.
Vaishali Patel

Dmitri Peskov

Alyson Green
Out of her own 5 year personal practice of Ashtanga Yoga, Alyson was surprised to discover that not only did she want to learn more about yoga & different styles of yoga, she had a strong desire to teach. She completed Level 1 & 2 (200 hours) of her Teacher Training with Suddha Weixler of Chicago Yoga Center, studying classical Hatha Asanas, and Ashtanga Vinyasa technique of K. Pattabhi Jois, as well as an introduction to Yin Yoga with Paul Grilley. Alyson approaches her classes with warmth and kindness, and having been a professional theatre actress and vegan for all of her adult life, feels humbled and very pleased to add Yoga Instructor to that list.