IMG_1121
My First Album - IMG_1121 [2482]
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My First Album - IMG_1082_2 [2482]
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My First Album - IMG_1051 [2537]
IYTA certificate
My First Album - IYTA certificate [2576]

Marion Lea McConnell

4340 Macaulay Rd, Black Creek, BC, Canada

Connect with Me

Marion Lea McConnell Teaches

  • Flow Yoga
  • Spiritually-Oriented Yoga
  • Gentle Yoga
  • Specialty Yoga

Languages

ENGLISH

About Marion Lea McConnell

Author of  Letters From The Yoga Masters: Teachings Revealed through Correspondence from Paramhansa Yogananda, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Sivananda and Others published by North Atlantic Books. Marion (Mugs) McConnell was first introduced to yoga in 1973.  Her passion...

Author of Letters From The Yoga Masters: Teachings Revealed through Correspondence from Paramhansa Yogananda, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Sivananda and Others published by North Atlantic Books.

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. 

First Registered November 2002
13677 Teaching Hours
Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider

Teaching Experience

Current

Online Yoga Classes

www.soyayoga.com
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQdRLoHndFJtqXCrELBDy0A/playlists
Current

South Okanagan Yoga Academy

June 1995 - Current
4340 Macaulay Road
Black Creek, BC, Canada
Previous

Naramata Centre

September 1991 - November 2006
Naramata, BC, Canada
Previous

Penticton Community Centre

September 1978 - August 1991
Penticton, BC, Canada
First Registered November 2002
13677 Teaching Hours
Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider YACEP® Profile