Phaedra O'Connell

The seed of healing herself that rooted there inspired her to earn her B.S. in Environmental Studies at Slippery Rock University in 1992, where the planetary healing concept of Gaia was revealed. Since then she has dedicated herself to the study and teaching of yoga and meditation. Phaedra learned from many yoga masters and influential teachers in the West–Shiva Rea Global Yogini, Marie Joseph Dudsic born at the foot of the Andes in France, and the India born yoga master T.K.V. Desikachar. She was a young initiate into Kriya Yoga (Hariharinanda lineage) and Transcendental Meditation (Maharishi lineage), and is a Usui Reiki Master. Phaedra has 20 years experience as a yoga instructor. She instructed yoga and meditation classes at Clemson University for 6 years, rising to the position of senior instructor. She led trauma informed yoga at many Sunset Retreats for Project Odyssey; which is an outreach program within the Wounded Warrior Project. She now leads yoga classes, Paddleboard yoga, workshops and events at The Cliffs Club Services LLC. She is also on the Faculty at Foothills Dance Conservatory. Phaedra earned her 200 RYT certification in 2013. In 2020 she completed a Bhakti yoga training in Varanasi, India with Shiva Rea which sparked the firekeeper inside to complete the 300 hour Teacher Training at Samudra Global School of Living Yoga. Her devotion to Self-Realization stems from a deep 3 year study of the Teachings of Paramahansa Yogananda through SRF. Phaedra also studies sanskrit, Vinyāsa and Bhakti yoga with Michael Johnson of Clearlight Yoga. Other gifts include a magical Sound Healing training rooted in Celtic Shamanism with Anne Malone from the U.K. Her studies and teaching continue to blossom. She draws from these skills in her classes, blending her extraordinary expertise with a quiet patience and concern for each student. These qualities have sustained her passion and practice of Yoga as she has helped countless people on their journey toward healing.