“Yoga (for me) is about allowing that bright,
shiny incredible spirit inside you, out! Allowing yourself to be BIG, to be joy,
to be free. To be love, embodied in this human shell.
At first, you only catch glimpses of this person, flashes of who it is you could
be. This spirit, what we call our ‘True Selves’ is often hidden under the layers
of life and memory. Hidden under complex quilts of trauma, pain, and fear;
beneath all the masks we wear and all the stories we tell. So, yoga, is a
beautiful and gentle process of peeling away these layers we use to protect
ourselves so we shine through.” ~Makena~
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The
Alpine Yoga Centre was created by Kelly Aikins - a ski bum with a
dream! Born and raised in Montreal, Kelly began practicing yoga
as a teenager, exploring a number of different styles in an attempt to
heal a knee injury. After
moving to Vancouver to attend the University of British Columbia, her interest in yoga
was nurtured and the benefits of a regular practice began to pervade more and more
aspects of her life. With a renewed focus on schoolwork Kelly became and
remained a dean’s list student; and with an ever-opening heart and spirit she
explored various corners of the earth as a volunteer on humanitarian aid projects.
Whilst earning a degree in Psychology and Human
Kinetics; Kelly began assisting and teaching Power Yoga and Pilates classes at
various studios in Vancouver and Whistler. After graduating from UBC, Kelly
traveled to Crete where she earned a Yoga Alliance
certification as an Ashtanga teacher. Wishing to deepen her immersion in yogic philosophy
and lifestyle Kelly continued to live and work at the Retreat for 6 months;
having the great honour of studying and teaching with some of the most renowned
Ashtanga teachers in the world. As the autumn of 2005 approached, Kelly was
once again called by the mountains and she moved to Chamonix
to spread her love of Yoga. After a year of teaching in chalets, hotels (and yes, even a bar), the
Alpine Yoga Centre officially opened in Le Majestic Dec. 2006.
Firmly established in Chamonix,
Kelly is settled yet never stagnant. Her continued thirst for knowledge and
growth most recently led her to California
where she was re-immersed in the beautiful practice of AcroYoga, and became
one of only 50 certified teachers worldwide.
Her next step was to combine two of the
greatest influences in her life – yoga and humanitarian aid work – by answering
the call of a group of African
street kids who wanted to learn more yoga. Amazed,
inspired and moved more deeply than imagined, Kelly has committed to several
projects in Africa including manifesting a real yoga school for the amazing and
worthy yogis of Kenya. Please read more about it!
2008 Update from Kelly: It's been another magical year full of laughter, joy, love and learning! Last year's phenomenal season in Chamonix was followed by a kind of spiritual retreat in the Finnish wilderness; a new exploration of the Canadian West coast - biking, surfing and camping with my wonderful big sister and mom; and then one of the most phenomenal times in my life - a couple of months living in the slums of Nairobi (Kenya) with the beautiful, talented and inspiring youths I work with there - before returning to the snowy alps. Sometimes I feel like my life is almost too good to be true and that I may explode with love and happiness!
Let Go,
Give,
LOVE,
Rejoice in everyday life
and Share
~Lama Surya Das
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A big thanks to Hotel Gustavia, Le
Vert Hotel, the Bean family, Eva at Le Salon, Erlend at Steepcam and Richard at Webbelief for all the help and support.