About Ashtanga Yoga Outer Banks

The Ashtanga Yoga Center in Nags Head opened September 1, 2005.  It was founded by Michelle Wade (formerly known as Dorer) and was inspired by her teacher Tim Miller and her yoga family in Encinitas, CA.  In January 2019 Michelle decided to close her space and join a local Co-op to reorganize her offerings. This was well timed due to the Pandemic in which she learned to teach on Zoom which has been a great gift. Unfortunately, the Co-op did not reopen after the shut down.  Michelle is still offering her classes at various locations both indoors and outdoors with a dual classroom option; in person or on Zoom. Now you can join her from anywhere!  She specializes in workshops, in-depth study, and private consultations along with some regular weekly and monthly classes.  You can also purchase the recordings of the classes.  Michelle believes in helping a student develop an independent practice and her job is to help guide, nourish, and support this process through time. There are many options for being on this journery with her! 

Michelle’s intention as a yoga teacher is to provide a safe and sacred space for the practice of traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.  She has learned from Tim, the practice itself done consistently and accurately, over time is the real teacher.

The practice of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga brings about deep personal and spiritual transformation, a process of growth and healing.  It is her intention that this space is warm, loving, and compassionate to encourage this process of evolution.

Michelle brings over a decade of dedicated practice and teaching experience to her classroom.  She has studied with the greatest Yogis of our Time and has been blessed to have close relationships with several Master Yoga Teachers; teachers who have defined this age of Yoga we are currently living in.

She has spent 15 years with Tim Miller, who she feels is her Yoga Father.  Tim was one of Pattabhi Jois’s original Western Yoga students and his influence has been felt worldwide. In addition to leading the Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Tribe for over 35 years strong, he was also instrumental in originating many of the Vinyasa Yoga systems that offshoot from the Mother Tradition of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga.  Tim often jokes about how he “accidentally started Vinyasa Yoga.” Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has always been a hard sell, because of the dedication it entails.  Early in his teaching career he use to go to Yoga Works in L.A. to teach “Ashtanga Improvisation.” In his classroom were born the leading Vinyasa Yoga and Power Yoga teachers; Shiva Rea, Sean Corn, Bryan Kest, and Baron Baptiste.  Tim’s close friendships with other leading yoga teachers of related Yoga Lineages include Larry Hultz, Beryl Bender Birch, and David Life.  Michelle has had the unique opportunity to listen to Tim talk in depth about the history of the movement of Yoga in our country as he was on the leading edge of it.

As her Yoga path developed she also had the blessing of having home state Yoga Pioneer David Williams come into her life in 2009.  David is the original American Hippie who discovered Pattabhi Jois in 1972.  David has become and continues to be a very close mentor to Michelle allowing her access to an incredible volume of Wisdom and giving her more direct knowledge and connection to the movement of Yoga in the United States.

She then made a connection with David Garrigues in 2011 and began hosting his annual Mysore Intensives. David Garrigues was also a direct student of Sri K. Pattabhi Jois and offers a very important component in what has made her the teacher she is today.  He is a genius when it comes to alignment and refinement. His technical understanding of asana is so important to help students maintain health and longevity in practice over time.  Her time in his classroom has also been invaluable.

These are the three biggest influences in her path, but she has studied with many more great teachers in the past 15 years including Pattabhi Jois, who she had the opportunity to meet and practice with at the tale end of his life.  She has also studied with his son Manju Jois and Grandson Sharath Rangaswamy along with several other Senior Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga Teachers at Workshops and Conferences.

Michelle honors the unique relationship traditional Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga has in the Global Yoga Community and is open to maintaining healthy relationships with Yogis and Spiritual Practitioners Worldwide.  She is interested in the global movement of Awakening that is currently happening and supports any holistic practice that facilitates this process.

Now with over a decade of practical experience and invaluable guidance from the Elders of her Lineage, Michelle is bringing a deep well of knowledge stemming from her Ancestors in which she imparts with love, respect, and compassion.

This process of maturation is not always easy, it can even be painful, but so much goodness comes from it. She has learned how to practice in a more healthy way that will continue to increase prana throughout life and support spiritual growth. She loves Ashtanga Yoga so much. After 15 years of practice, the “mileage” adds up and as we grow and our bodies change it is important that our practice adapts with our growth process. It is her intention as a teacher to help facilitate the continuation of her students’ physical practice while nourishing their spiritual and emotional growth symbiotically.

Michelle looks forward to sharing her knowledge and medicine with students that would like to improve the quality of their life.  It is the driving force of her life. She is happy doing this Divine work and encourages anyone who would like to improve the quality of their physical, emotional, and spiritual life to come and take practice. Start where you are at and watch yourself grow.

If you would like to start practicing with Michelle, feel free to call or email her to discuss how to begin!

252.202.0345 – info@ashtangayogaobx.com