Leanne Kitteridge
Yoga Teacher, Owner of Shibui Yoga, Yoga Therapeutic Specialist
Surrey, BC
About Leanne
Leanne began meditating at the age of 15 when she was introduced to Zen mediation in Japan. She dabbled on and off with the technique until university where she encountered other forms of meditation from various Buddhist lineages. In 2000, Leanne was drawn into the physical practice of yoga, starting at first in Ashtanga yoga and then moving into Iyengar and eventually Anusara Yoga. Various meditation techniques were offered along with the physical practice and though she sincerely desired a regular meditation practice, nothing seemed to really take root on a daily basis. As a teacher of yoga, she felt she had very little to offer her students in the path of meditation.
Leanne’s desire to delve deeper into her yoga philosophy studies turned her towards a well known meditation and philosophy teacher, Professor Paul Muller-Ortega Ph.D. He is recognized internationally as one of the world’s most highly respected and renowned academic scholars in the field of Indian Religion and Hindu Tantra. He is the founder of Blue Throat Yoga, which teaches the elegant Svatantra philosophy of Kashmir Shaivism, along with the practice of Neelakantha Meditation.
Leanne began formal studies with Paul shortly after her initiation into Neelakantha Meditation in 2011. Since then, she meditates daily with little effort and has found that she has moved effortlessly from being someone who meditates to a meditator. The grounding and organizing forces of her meditation practice have allowed her to ride the often chaotic wave like nature of life, with more grace and skill. She attends retreats 2-3 times a year and is part of a regular study group that meets from around the world to discuss the formal literary studies that accompany the practice of meditation and it’s supporting practices.
Leanne introduces the basics of the theory and practice of meditation into all her yoga trainings. She also teaches mediation basics in small group workshops. Meditation should not be looked at as solely a spiritual pursuit, but an accessible life skill that can be learned by anyone with the desire to do so. Leanne’s approach to mediation is it should be simple, effortless, and deeply practical.