Jonny Kest
With his compassionate, yet disciplined, teaching style Jonny has extended his influential teachings throughout metro Detroit, where the yoga community continues to flourish. By way of breath Jonny brings a beautiful balance of intensity and grace to each of his therapeutic classes where he encourages the student to 'get out of their own way' and allow their own healing powers to inspire each practice - leaving them feeling lighter and stronger. Jonny and his wife Milla have enjoyed sharing the gift of yoga through Jonny Kest Center for Yoga of metro Detroit, and have developed both the Midwest Yoga Conference & the Art of Vinyasa Conference to increase the presence of yoga near and far.

HOW YOGA FOUND ME…

We invite you to read how our teachers at Center for Yoga began their journey on the path of yoga.

center for yoga teachers…

Debby Abramson
coming soon!

Justin Barnes
coming soon!

Erin Brockhaus
coming soon!

Shawn Broida
My first recollection of yoga was at five years old. As I flipped through channels looking for cartoons, I found myself on PBS watching Lilias Folan, whose yoga series mesmerized me. Over 25 years later, my wonderful husband helped yoga to find me again. I received a CFY gift certificate as a birthday gift, took my first class that same day, and it was instant love. It was like finding a missing piece of myself.

Jacquie Ciavaglia
coming soon!

Cornell Colbert
After more than 20 years of practicing Dentistry I began to notice the effects it had on my body. Poor posture and repetitive movements had taken it's toll. I was drawn to Yoga because I envisioned it as the "Good Stretch" my body needed to reverse the damage. What I found was so much more! The stretch was there for sure! Techniques to calm and strengthen the body are abundant. They are secondary, however, to the techniques to calm the mind. ~ Yoga is the cessation of the fluctuations of the mind.

Matt Curran
coming soon!

Jeff Friedland
The desire built to take my first yoga class after seeing postures in a yoga magazine and going … "no way!" Since that first class, yoga has become an everyday practice for me. Yoga completed the physical and spiritual components of my true nature, who I was always meant to be. I am currently a doctoral candidate in clinical psychology. My master's thesis was entitled, "What is the process of becoming through the practice of Ashtanga yoga." My yoga mirrors my life, I stay intense, focused, and self-aware.

Pam Goff
Yoga first found me just before I had my second child. My girlfriends and I would workout to a Reebok Cross training Fitness video in my basement. On the back end of the tape was my favorite part, the yoga. Sometimes I would just fast forward through the tape just to get to it. I loved how it made my body feel supple yet strong. After baby number 4, my yoga practice increased to get my body back in shape again, but this time I could see the changes on the inside. I was really able to see me not just Mommy, not just wife, but me.

Jason Hulshof
When yoga came into my life I certainly didn't know I was even looking for it. I grew up in South Dakota, a pretty conservative place, and people did not do yoga there 10 or 12 years ago. I sure as heck didn't either. In fact, at my high school 10-year reunion a couple years ago, the people were saying that if there was a category in our yearbook; "Least likely to Become a Yoga Teacher," I would've been the hands down winner. However, somehow, when I was around 20-years-old, I came across this little book called Richard Hittleman's 28-day Yoga Program, and found it irresistible. It was such a godsend, because my life was completely out of control, and when I actually started doing exercises in the book, it really helped me turn things around. I really don't know where I'd be right now had I not stumbled across that book. Thank goodness that I did though, because yoga has made me a better human being in every way possible, and filled my life with all sorts of wonderful, good-hearted and interesting people.

Jane James
coming soon!

Allison Kaplan
coming soon!

Gail Mondry
First a dancer and then an athlete I came to yoga as a last resort because my injuries from over-training were limiting what I could do physically. Yoga gave me a way to feel athletic and heal an injured leg at the same time. Instead of waiting with the prospect of knee surgery, I was able to be active in my recovery and, I immediately loved the way I felt during and after yoga. It made me feel like a dancer.

Raina Nemeth
Yoga found me at 8 years old. A woman named Rita used to show up at my house and my whole family would twist and turn and bend and breath together. I loved her visits! We only did family yoga for a few years and it wasn't until 25 years later that I stumbled upon this amazing practice again. My first class at the Center felt like I'd finally come home. My head was spinning but my body knew where it was going. My heart and spirit danced in each pose, I began to smile from the inside out, and it seemed that yoga had been patiently waiting for me to return for all those years. Yoga has helped me grow in unimaginable ways and to be able to turn others onto to such a powerful practice is the greatest gift of all!!!

Elizabeth Pesta
coming soon!

Nancy Powell
I come from a strong fitness background. I have been working out consistently for over 30 years from aerobics to step aerobics to running to spinning to weight training. About 10 years ago I underwent knee surgery. While recovering my workouts were limited and I needed to find something that was softer on my body. So I gravitated to yoga. Little did I know that this temporary "workout" would capture me so strongly. I was amazed at how good I felt, not only physically, but mentally and emotionally after a yoga practice. For the first time in my life I was able to let go of my perfectionism and competitive spirit. I have practiced almost daily since I started. As I continue on this yoga journey I am equally overwhelmed by the joy that teaching and sharing the gifts of yoga brings me. I feel very grateful to have found the world of yoga and plan to stay here for the rest of my life.

Lauren Richardson
coming soon!

Priyanka Shanbag
Yoga is something I grew up doing from a very young age since I was 4 years old. As I got older I studied under some wonderful teachers who taught me the mental and spiritual aspects of the practice and I continued to pursue yoga along with my other academic pursuits. I have two master's degrees in fine arts and textiles and although I had a regular job/career, I integrated yoga into my daily life and practice. The way I describe yoga is a complete mind, body and spiritual experience. It is an experiential practice that is the more you practice the more you receive the benefits. The mind becomes calm, more centered and a little less judgmental. The metaphysical heart opens up and you create an environment healthy for yourself and the people around you. I strive to integrate compassion, humor and innovative teaching methods into my classes.

Karen Small
coming soon!

Barbara Steve-Nowak
I flirted with yoga for a long time before I actually got serious about it. I can remember as a teenager picking up a book on yoga and really enjoying the way the poses felt. As a stressed-out graduate student, I meditated and practiced plow and headstands when I had trouble sleeping at night. It was as a new mom that I really committed to a regular practice. It started with classes one night a week, as a way to get my body back and take a break from the babies. I kept coming back because I could see the difference it made in my life. I was stronger and more flexible, but also more centered, patient—just happier. I spend a lot of time in my classes getting students to feel their bodies and breath because that’s what’s most benefited me in my own practice. Hopefully along the way it also becomes fun! In life and in yoga:
- Balance get better with practice.
- You learn more when you fall sometimes
- It’s okay to look silly.
- It’s okay to be silly.
- Everything gets better when you remember to breathe.

Sari Zalesin
coming soon!

Jill Zechmeister
coming soon!

center for yoga students…

We would love to hear from YOU! Please share YOUR experience with how yoga found you. Email your story to info@centerforyoga.net with the subject line of "how yoga found me - your name" and attach a digital photo if you'd like.

Jen Gordon
I have become active in the yoga community thanks to a student of Jonny's names Kim Anderson. I met Kim through my babysitting services about 3 years ago. Since then, I have been babysitting for her. Majority of the time I cared for her three girls during the time of which she went to yoga. I quickly became interested in yoga and asked Kim to take me to a class with her. My first class at the center for yoga in Birmingham was with Kim and the start of my new favorite exercise.