photo by Linda Savitz 530-477-0221

Deborah is a previous faculty member at Sierra Community College, California College of Ayurveda, and has taught at health clubs, high schools, and yoga studios in Northern California. She is a member of BEPE (Birth and Early Parenting Educators) and the Yoga Journal's Teachers Association.

A seasoned private instructor, Deborah has designed custom yoga practices for many individuals over the years doing Prenatal, postpartum, therapeutic for injury or illness recovery, and cross training for athletes. Deborah is a second-degree Reiki practitioner and is a Certified Specialized Kinesiologist. She is trained in the healing modalities of Touch for Health TM and Cellular Memory Release TM.

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below are teachers for Bodhi Baby Yoga exclusively

Deborah Jordan                            (Grass Valley, CA)
FOUNDER of BODHI BABY YOGA
Certified Prenatal/Postpartum Yoga & Meditation Instructor, Writer, and Speaker

Deborah Jordan, founder of Bodhi Baby Yoga TM, has a diverse background of training and education within the fields of yoga, communication, and healing. “I consider prenatal yoga and meditation a very tangible way to promote peace in the world by empowering women to birth babies free of trauma.”  As a seasoned adult classroom instructor and an experienced and conscientious personal yoga trainer, Deborah has found a unique and specific calling to teach, promote, and spread the word about the use of yoga & mediation for enhanced prenatal & postpartum care. This particular practice of yoga, much like her work with those recovering from illness or injury, focuses on healing the body-mind and restoring well-being to the system. The foundations of her practice are: service, support, education, and empowerment.

Deborah has developed her own unique approach to Prenatal, Postnatal, and mommy-me yoga (Yoga Play TM) from personal experience with her second pregnancy and practicing/playing yoga with her two sons, Brian (20 years) and Shawn (9 years). Deborah continues her training to stay abreast of current developments in the prenatal & therapeutic yoga communities. Deborah's practice is much more diverse than most prenatal yoga books or trainings currently available. In response to the interest that is growing for prenatal yoga in America, she is currently writing a book for pregnant students and developing her own teacher training program. Women are attracted to the practice because they know it makes for healthier, more empowering pregnancies and births.

"As a practitioner, I work from the belief that the body has an inherent wisdom, intelligence if you will, to heal and restore itself and that the practice of yoga (movement, stillness, and breath-mindfulness) supports this natural process." In relationship to pregnancy, Deborah encourages women to believe that "natural birth IS normal," and that their bodies are built for natural birth and capable of it, and that birthing naturally will empower them as women and as mothers, and give their baby the best start for health and well-being. Deborah feels that women who require medical monitoring or intervention require perhaps even more support to retain "ownership" of their body and their childbirth experience. Deborah encourages women to have high expectations of the maternity care they receive, be well-read, informed and discerning consumers within the market of birth services in America.

Deborah holds a BA in Communication Studies from California State University at Northridge. A yoga practitioner for four years, Deborah received her formal yoga teacher training in 2000 from Sarah Powers of Marin, California. Sarah's approach at the time was a blend of Ashtanga (flowing) and Iyengar yoga with a new interest in Paul Grilley's Yin yoga. Sarah had studied with the renowned Vanda Scaravelli in France, Buddhist meditation teachers in Nepal, and Erich Schiffmann, among others. Sarah introduced Deborah to Vipassana meditation.

Since her original training, Deborah has continued her education and been influenced by the following teachers: Paul Grilley (Yin), Gary Kraftsow (Viniyoga - Therapeutic), Aadil Palkhivala (Iyengar), Judith Lasaiter P.T. (Prenatal), Janice Clarfield (Prenatal Kripalu), Nicole DeAvilla-Whiting (Ananda Prenatal & Postpartum), Doug Swenson (Ashtanga), Kali Ray (TriYoga), and Shiva Rea (Viniyasa flow). She has practiced the meditation approaches of Swami Khecharanata (Kundalini Mahayoga) and Adyashanti (Direct Insight). Deborah is a certified Calm Birth TM instructor: Meditation for Pregnancy, Childbirth, and Postpartum Care. She holds two certifications in Prenatal Yoga (Kripalu & Ananda) and one certification in Postpartum Yoga (Ananda).

She founded Bodhi Baby Yoga in 2006 and launched this website so that more women might be able to access resources, reach a network of alternative care professionals, and discover the benefits of prenatal and postpartum yoga and meditation.

Deborah is available for private instruction, special interest workshops and teacher trainings in your area.

Hanna Beth Ziesel (Grass Valley, CA)

Certified Bodhi Baby Prenatal Yoga Instructor, CMT, & Birthing Doula

Hanna Beth Ziesel has dreamed of a peaceful loving environment for all beings since birth. She has cultivated talents in creating safe, sacred space in times of intensity and is equipped with a deep devotion to love, 630 hours of professional Massage training, 2nd degree Reiki, Doula Services and presently assistant teaching and training as a Prenatal Yoga Instructor with Deborah Jordan.  One of Hanna’s strengths is her ability to intuitively hold a loving, compassionate, safe space for women to transform through the process of pregnancy, birth and motherhood.

Hanna is currently on maternity leave.

Natana Diedre Spohler  (Grass Valley, CA)

Certified Bodhi Baby Prenatal Yoga Instructor, Bliss Yoga, Rosen Movement & Meditation Instructor

Yoga is a central part of Natana’s life that she loves to share with others. Natana holds a BA in Psychology, Dance & Dance Therapy. Her continued interest in body-based practices brought her to study and become certified in Rosen Movement. Natana received her Bliss Yoga and Meditation Instructor training through Mahasiddha Dharma, a school of Tibetan Buddhism. Bliss Yoga is a form of Hatha yoga that focuses on yoga’s traditional essence, finding greater
awareness. It is profoundly restorative and therapeutic yet, at the same time, strengthening and energizing without being so athletic that it is depleting.

Natana received her Bodhi Baby Prenatal Yoga training with Deborah Jordan. As she describes it, “this is a time when a woman’s body is calling her to slow down, to reexamine what is most important and to listen to what’s going on inside. It is a perfect time to learn how to use the breath, the mind, and the body to find that inner calm. Bodhi Baby Yoga provides a wonderful opportunity to prepare the body for birth and support the health of both you and your baby. I am so honored to be a part of that process!”