Tara Rawson - Yogini / Owner
Tara began studying meditation and hatha yoga at the young age of 14. Years later she met Didier Razon and her practice blossomed. After years of study under Didier, Tara trained and became certified through his school Two Suns Rising Yoga. This school system is primarily based on Kashmir Shaivism and the Siddha Yoga lineage. After eleven years of practicing yoga, and over four years of teaching in health, fitness, wellness centers, and yoga studios all over Jacksonville, Tara has created Adishakti Yoga in the heart of Five Points, Riverside, Jacksonville, Florida.
Tara has studied various schools and traditions of hatha yoga including Sivananda, Anusara, Vinyasa, and Ashtanga Yoga. Her Sadhana (spiritual practice) is firmly rooted in Tantra. Her disciplined practice and first hand experience allows Tara to bring authenticity and insight to her classes. She encourages her students to elevate their own awareness on a path to happiness and realization, in turn lifting global consciousness. Her classes consist of asana (yoga postures), pranayama (breathing techniques), yogic philosophy, mantra repetition, meditation, and deep relaxation.
Tara has traveled to India to immerse herself in the deeper spiritual aspects of yogic practice and the science of Ayurveda. This journey transformed her as a sadhaka, and therefor as a teacher, as she brings her experience and the true essence of ancient yogic wisdom to her students. Forever a student, as well as teacher, Tara humbly continues her yogic education in Tantra, Ayurveda, and the Ashtanga Yoga method.
Tara is an Artist, as well as Yogini and inspirational teacher. She expresses the fruits of her Sadhana through her artwork. Tara uses the blessing of creativity to allow sacred expression to unfold through her medium on to her canvas as well as in her classes. She offers her artwork as tools for Bhakti (devotion), meditation, and to share a beautiful healing influence with all beings in this universe. To view Tara’s artwork and exhibition schedule visit her website.
Jonas Trinidad
Jonas James Trinidad, born on October 15th, 1980, has traveled and lived in a variety of places,which exposed him to different cultures, subcultures, religious beliefs and lifestyles. Raised as Catholic by his father, and simultaneously exposed to Seventh Day Adventism by his ex-step mother; ritual and religion always have been a key factor in his way of viewing life.
Jonas discovered the practice of yoga at the age of 18 while doing personal inquiry into comparative religions and attending the Unitarian Universalist Church. Precluding his 200 hour teacher training with Didier Razons "Two Suns Rising" school of Hatha Yoga, he has become more spiritually and physically dedicated to the practice within the past five years.
Upon moving to St. Augustine three years ago, Jonas acquired many key influences there which presently inform his style of teaching. Most notably, making the acquaintance of Bramhacharya Arpita and the Vedanta path at the Chinmaya Govardhan mission in Elkton, FL. Attending Sunday Baghavadgita classes, monthly Kirtans and other special programs helped to demystify some of the exotic practices and wisdom of the vedic spiritual path.
Assisting and substituting for master Kripalu instructor Christopher Baxter has evolved into an informal apprenticeship for over a year now. So along with that and recently studying for a brief but powerful five days with Deva Parnell, the Kripalu tradition is deeply infused within Jona's style. Taking an eight week course called MBSR (mindfulness based stress reduction) developed by John Cabot Zinn helped acquaint Jonas with the more subtle practices of concentrartion and self inquiry.
Studying Ashtanga inspired Hatha and Vinyasa with Tara Rawson and Shri Devi Hubbard has helped Jonas become more physically disciplined and open to his practice. At a typical class with Jonas, one can find all the previously mentioned influences integrated to some degree or another. The inspiration from Vedic wisdom, the gentle Kripulu style's notion of creativity and posture flow, combined with the discipline and one pointedness of Ashtanga, all with an emphasis on mindfulness and focus, which hopefully leads the student to the unfolding of a meditation experience. Also of great interest to Jonas is making seemingly mysterious Hindu myth and mantra more accessible and universal to all life styles and world views.
Nicholas Wagner
Nick Wagner is a practicing yogi certified in the Kripalu tradition. Nick received his certification at Discovery Yoga in St. Augustine, Florida from Deva Parnell in 2004.
Nick's interests in yoga extend beyond the mat, as it is as much an inner journey as a physical one.
Nick Wagner values the subtle effects that the practice of yoga can bring to the physical and mental body, and strives to extend these effects through his teaching style providing for a relaxed and uplifting experience.