Philip Bender (YACEP, E-RYT 500) creates yoga and meditation classes to facilitate greater joy, confidence and connection in the lives of beginners and experienced practitioners alike. With a clear style, dry humor and occasional irreverence, he shares traditional teachings in an accessible way to inspire students and connect them to the wisdom of their own bodies.

An initiate of the Himalayan tradition, Philip currently follows the embodied path of Dharma Ocean. He leads workshops and retreats as well as weekly hatha yoga and meditation classes throughout the area, including the Freer Gallery of Art and Anne Arundel Community College, where he is adjunct faculty in the yoga teacher training program through Yoga 4 Life, LLC.

What to expect in class
Philip's classes connect movement with breath to draw students out of chronic overthinking and into the inherent wisdom of their own bodies. His mindful approach of combining dynamic and static postures with focus is influenced by the Viniyoga and ParaYoga traditions as well as the somatic lineage of Dharma Ocean. Philip is inspired daily by his students and family while drawing from a BA in philosophy, experience as a performing artist, Buteyko breathing, twelve years as a dad, and long-term personal practice to impart the profound yet practical wisdom of moving inward.

Linda Feldman, E-RYT, RCYT, YACEP, teaches adults, kids, teens and families. With all of her students she emphasizes the mindfulness aspects of the practice. With adults, Linda focuses on alignment and holding poses in order to build strength, flexibility and awareness. When teaching children, Linda teaches fun, age appropriate yoga that allows kids to develop healthy and peaceful minds and bodies.

Through her yoga, Linda strives to inspire well being and fun in all of her students. She works to encourage students' respect for themselves, their capabilities and limitations, and those of others as well. Linda began her own practice in the early 1990's in Chicago and has continued to study in NYC and DC. She has been teaching in DC since 2002.

What to expect in class
In Linda's adult classes you can expect to focus on pose alignment to help avoid injury, props to help all students engage in every pose and the opportunity to tone and strengthen. Questions and comments are always encouraged, but there's little philosophy discussion in her level 1 and 1-2 classes. Each class ends with a relaxation pose so that students will leave Linda's classes rejuvenated, challenged and relaxed.