MEET YOUR BODY-MIND-SPIRIT GUIDES
Ceiara Cartony, Owner Namaste in Nature
After more than a decade of personal practice, she completed her 200-hour Hatha Yoga certification in 2014 at The Lotus Pond in Tampa, Florida. Her classes emphasize mindful, intentional movement and cultivating awareness of the subtle spaces within. She considers stillness and meditation essential components of every session, guiding students to gently step away from distraction and reconnect with themselves. She also weaves in elements of the Eight Limbs philosophy, honoring its importance in a well-rounded yoga practice.
Shortly after becoming certified, her passion for blending yoga with the natural world led her to begin teaching regularly in local parks. Today, guiding yoga and meditation on mountaintops and beside waterfalls feels nothing short of enchanting. Teaching outdoors offers a uniquely profound experience, and it fills her heart to share this space with others and witness the unfolding magic of nature-inspired practice.
Brandon Hudson
Brandon has lived in the Asheville area hiking, exploring the trails, teaching, and practicing yoga since 2000. She is RYT-500, RCYT, MAT in Special Education, a Certified Creative Relaxation Instructor, Yoga Therapy for Children with Special Needs. Brandon really enjoys being in nature with her red heeler Belle and her passion in life is teaching yoga to folks of all ages and abilities. Her playful, gentle style allows both children and adults to find a personal connection to their yoga practice. In addition to hiking and planning creative yoga classes, listening to music, reading, and paddle boarding are a few of Brandon’s favorite pastimes. Namaste in Nature allows her to combine her love of the outdoors and yoga.
Jacqueline Comola
Yoga has appeared at every major moment in Jacqueline’s life, offering guidance and healing—even during times when she wasn’t actively practicing. She first fell in love with yoga at 14 during after-school classes in a math classroom, where even putting the desks back afterward felt like a mindful ritual. In college, she deepened her practice through Ashtanga, and in 2018 she earned her RYT-200 in Vinyasa. Her first teaching role serendipitously brought her back to guiding teenage girls in a classroom setting. Jacqueline has also loved the outdoors since childhood and has been leading hikes and educational trips since 2010. Today, she focuses on Vinyasa and beginner-friendly classes that help students connect breath with movement. Her guidance brings a sense of whimsy and wonder, inviting students to move mindfully and connect with nature.
Jenna Goode
Jenna has been a student of yoga for many years and began to share her practice in 2016. Yoga has since become a way of life, implementing the tools of her practice, as best as she can, on and off the mat. She approaches yoga with love, playfulness, and a gentle curiosity of the mind and body connection. It is her hope that this sense of wonderment is spread to her students. Combining many different modalities of movement and years of education in yoga, psychology, coaching, and fitness, you can expect Jenna’s classes to leave you with a sense of openness, connection, and empowerment.
Kelli Hall
Kelli has an extensive background in the performing arts, having toured as a dancer with Sesame Street Live and performed aboard multiple cruise lines. In addition to her work as a yoga instructor, she is also an experienced educator and behavioral therapist. Kelli is excited to lead guided hikes that integrate yoga practices centered on mindfulness, compassion, and environmental respect. Her goal is to create a welcoming space where participants can connect with nature, deepen their practice, and leave feeling refreshed, empowered, and rejuvenated.
Anna Kate Stephenson
She believes yoga is one of the most effective tools for helping individuals feel more confident and at ease within their bodies and minds. She is a 250-hour RYT–certified instructor and has been practicing yoga for the past 10 years. In addition, she has completed specialized training in yin yoga, breathwork, and chair yoga. Her teaching style blends asanas, pranayama, and meditation within a vinyasa-based practice. She strives to inspire gratitude in each student for all they are capable of and to create a safe, peaceful, and accessible space for all.
Lisa Murphy
She is an RYT 200 yoga teacher with 30 years of experience. She was first drawn to yoga as a way to relax and restore balance while working in a demanding corporate career. Eventually, she left the corporate world to study and teach yoga throughout the Middle East, Asia, and Europe. Now based in Asheville, NC, she can often be found in her garden or hiking with her two rescue poodles when she’s not on her mat. In addition to being a registered yoga teacher, she is also a certified Life & Health Coach. Her coaching programs support individuals of all ages in aging healthfully and enjoying life more fully. She brings a balanced, light-hearted approach to her work, grounded in decades of personal experience.
Nicole Killeen
Nicole has been a student of yoga since 2006. She discovered a love for yoga and hiking while attending graduate school at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC. She graduated from Neighborhood Yoga’s 200 hour teacher training program in 2008 and Vira Bhava Yoga's 300 hour training in 2014. Nicole enjoys incorporating pranayama techniques meditation, dynamic flow and relaxation into each asana class. She draws the student's attention to the more subtle sensations in the body and breath both on and off the mat. Nicole loves to share the practice of yoga out in the world with the students she works with, her family, friends and acquaintances she meets along the way.
Rachel Holmes
Rachel has spent her life learning about and connecting with her body as a dancer, artist, teacher and healer. Being introduced to yoga in 2006, she quickly realized all people could benefit from the practice, so she began her formal training. Rachel received her 200-hour training at Sonic Yoga in NYC, completed a 6-month mentorship with Hatha teacher, Lisa Benner, 75-hour meditation, restorative and pranayama training at Yoga Maya NYC, 25-hour prenatal training at Sonic Yoga in NYC, 100-hour Kundalini training at Awakenings Yoga in Sedona, AZ. In addition to teaching yoga, Rachel is a sound healing practitioner, energy healer and oracle. She is deeply grateful for being able to work with people and support them along their journey.
Megan Porter
Megan is passionate about holding space for you to breathe, move, and flow. She knows first hand how important it is to have a space free of judgement that is both engaging and challenging. She is passionate about mental health and how your yoga practice can be a tool for mental well being. What began as a self-healing practice became a journey of self discovery and a desire to share yoga with others. "When I come to my mat l'm looking for an experience that cares for my mind, body and soul and this is the experience I hope to offer to others," says Megan. She weaves together creative yoga sequences against the backdrop of a carefully curated playlist hoping to inspire you both on and off the mat.
Tracey Lewis
She discovered yoga in her twenties and has been in love with the practice ever since. While she was initially drawn to the physical and mental balance yoga offered, it wasn’t until completing her teacher training that she fully understood its depth, power, and wisdom. She is especially inspired by the mind–body connection and how yoga guides us inward toward our true selves. Through relaxation and stillness, she believes we can hear our inner voice more clearly. She is excited to share the combined gifts of yoga and nature with her students, inviting everyone to connect more deeply with their own true nature.
All guides are certified in CPR, First Aid & AED, have completed RYT® 200 Yoga Teacher Training.