Marion Lea McConnell

Marion (Mugs) McConnell was first introduced to yoga in 1973. Her passion for this ancient practice led her to study under the late Swami Vishnudevananda where she graduated from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre as a Yoga Acharya in 1978. Later, in 1979 she became a live-in disciple of the late Dr. Hari Dickman, who was a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda and Paramhansa Yogananda. Mugs also trained extensively as a Teacher of Mantra with the late Namadeva Acharya in healthy and therapeutic benefits of mantra, and Freedom Yoga with Erich Schiffmann. Currently she studies with Dr. Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani in the Rishiculture lineage of Dr. Swami Gitananda Giri. “Mugs”, as most people know her, is a founder of the South Okanagan Yoga Academy (SOYA) with her husband Robert. She served as the Canadian Representative for the International Yoga Teachers’ Association (IYTA) from 1982-2016. She co-created SOYA’s Teacher Training Program (RYS200/300) in 1995 which is based on IYTA and Yoga Alliance standards. She is a Registered Teacher with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT500), and a member of the Yoga Alliance Board of Directors and Standards Committee. “Mugs” has presented workshops and trainings worldwide. She has been teaching yoga for 45 years and training yoga teachers for 28 years. In 2012 she received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for representing yoga in Canada and abroad for over 40 years. In 2013 she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the International Yoga Teachers Association of Australia for outstanding dedication and contribution of service. Her passion is combining mudras and mantras with asana. If you would like to know more about Mugs, please go to https://www.lettersfromtheyogamasters.com/ and for authentic, classical teacher training, go to www.soyayoga.com Marion (Mugs) McConnell: Certified Yoga Siromani (Yoga Teacher), Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, 1978 Certified Yoga Acharya (Yoga Master), Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, 1978 Full Teaching Member International Yoga Teachers Association, IYTA Australia, 1978 Student/Disciple of Yogiraj Dr. Hari Dickman, in San Rafael, CA 1979 Canadian Representative for International Yoga Teachers’ Association, 1982-2016 Teacher Trainer for the South Okanagan Yoga Academy since 1995 Founder of SOYA, Registered Yoga School, RYS200/300, 1995 Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, E-RYT500, Yoga Alliance, 2002 Student of Mantra Yoga with Namadeva Acharya, 2007 - 2010 Student of Erich Schiffmann, 2006 -2015 Student of Dr Ananda Balayogi Bhavanani, 2016 and ongoing Registered Senior Yoga Teacher for YogaBC, 2008 Senior Teacher with Yoga Association of Alberta, 2012 and ongoing Served on Yoga Alliance Task Force for Distance Learning, 2009-2010 and currently serving Serves on Yoga Alliance Standards Committee, 2012 and currently serving Serves on Yoga Alliance Board of Directors, 2015 and currently serving Ongoing workshops under leadership with Sri Dharma Mittra, Rod Stryker, Ganga White, Tracey Rich, Mark Stephens, Erich Schiffmann, Satyabhama Ashley-Farrand, and Martin Kirk.