 | | | | Karen & David Buckner | Bikram Yoga Dallas Directors, David and Karen Buckner, grew up in such close proximity, they could have run into each other decades ago at Charlie's Hamburger Joint (where David was the cook, and Karen often a patron) in Houston, Texas. It was not until many years later, however, that Karen and David's paths finally crossed in a most unlikely place: teacher training at Bikram's Yoga College of India in Los Angeles.
Back in Dallas, David had recently given up practicing law to follow his yen for yoga. At the same time, Karen had quit a sales job in Portland and put all her belongings in storage, planning to travel the world teaching yoga after training. After realizing they grew up in the same place the very first day they met in LA, Karen remembers David asking innocently, "Would you ever move back to Texas?" "No way!" she recalls protesting vehemently.
They became close so quickly, many trainees mistakenly assumed they had come to teacher training together. During the intensive 9 weeks, David and Karen grew together in strength: physical, mental, and emotional. They also learned the value of living in the present moment. After training, Karen went back to Portland and David to Dallas, but this lesson proved invaluable as they quickly realized their life was together.
Karen decided to prove she's a Texan after all, and joined David in Dallas to run the Bikram Studio in November of 2003. After renovating the studio in December of 2003, and marrying in the Bahamas in June 2004, Karen and David remain open to the daily lessons of yoga and life. "I guess," Karen notes, "we were ready to find each other." |
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| | Instructors | All of our instructors are Bikram Certified. Why is it important to learn from a Bikram Certified Instructor? Click here to find out. |
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| | | Teel Lawler | Born and raised in Canton, Texas, I played tennis at Tyler Junior College, and studied art and psychology. After going into restaurant management for eight years, I found myself being drawn to natural healing and eventually started my own healing practice twelve years ago. I am certified in therapeutic massage, reflexology, cranial-sacral manipulation, acutonics, polarity therapy and lymphatic drainage.
My husband Monty introduced me to Bikram yoga. Impressed with how complete the workout was and how amazing I felt inside and out got me hooked from the beginning. Anticipating a two year move to San Antonio with my husband, and knowing a Bikram studio was opening in the area, I went to Los Angeles in the spring of 2002 to get certified, and have been an instructor since.
I garner tremendous satisfaction helping students feel their full potential in the postures, and find that participating as a teacher informs me as a student in the room as well. My healing practice coupled with Bikram instruction fulfill my life in myriad ways; I am truly beyond blessed. |
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| | | | Jenny Houston | Born and raised in Omaha, Nebraska, I moved to Dallas to attend SMU in 1999.
I was introduced to Bikram Yoga in 2002 by a good friend who was going to college in Arizona. She had just completed a 60-day challenge and was thrilled about how incredible she felt. Feeling her excitement, I decided I needed to try this "Bikram Yoga" out.
My first class was less than glamorous. I was completely disconnected with my body and my breath. I was laying on the floor for more than half of the class! It was certainly the most physically and mentally challenging activity I had ever done. Needless to say, I was hooked right away!
I quickly recognized the benefits of yoga in my life. I found Bikram Yoga to be a perfect balance of exercise and relaxation. A powerful combination of body and mind, Bikram Yoga helped me to be grounded and balanced physically, mentally and emotionally.
With a degree in Financial Consulting, I had been working in finance at Smith Barney since graduating from college. Through this experience, I learned that finance was no longer my passion. I was ready for a change.
After 4 years of practicing Bikram Yoga, I decided it was time to share what I had learned with others. In the spring of 2006, I went to Bikram teacher training as a challenge for myself and the opportunity for a new career teaching.
Besides yoga, my other life passions include reading, spending time with friends and family, skiing, the beach and animals. |
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| | | | Joseph Encinia | Born and raised here in Dallas, TX. I started practicing Bikram Yoga in May 2005. Bikram Yoga is one the best things I have ever done for myself. It has truly changed my life. Mentally, it has given me more peace with myself and the world around me; physically, it has taught me my body could do things I never dreamed it could do.
I haven't always been very healthy; now, in large part due to Bikram Yoga, I am in the best shape I have ever been. Diagnosed with Juvenile Rheumatoid Arthritis at a young age (which affected the majority of the left side of my body), I spent years in and out of Scottish Rite and Children's Hospital trying to rehabilitate and strengthen my joints and muscles. After a major knee surgery, I taught myself how to deal with the discomfort and move on. As a result, my physical activities were limited and I was consistently taking pain medication. Then, at the age of thirteen, quite unexpectedly, I had a heart attack. I was not the only one surprised--family and friends were caught off guard as well. The causes are unknown, but most likely hereditary; regardless, it made a tremendous impact, and I've explored many forms of exercise since to regain control of my health.
One day I decided to explore forms of exercise to regain control of my health. After a long journey, I discovered Bikram Yoga. I simply expected a physical workout. I found much more than that. I have transformed. I no longer suffer constant pain. I've lost weight and developed lean muscle mass. I can contort my body into positions I never thought possible. I have gained a peace of mind I previously never knew existed. I have transcended many limitations within myself – mentally, physically and emotionally. I am accomplishing things I once thought impossible.
I've learned to accept responsibility for making changes in my life. Bikram Yoga has taught me to look at challenges in front of me, smile and meet them head on. I have learned to focus on the tasks at hand and live in peace with myself and the world around me. To me this is the gift of yoga. The gift which I have the responsibility to share for the rest of my life.
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| | | | Michael Zaccagnino | bio coming soon |
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| | | | Farky Fuszfas | I was born in Budapest, Hungary. I attended school there and eventually graduated with a degree in engineering. In the middle of the 90' my wife and I started traveling. We spent some time in Europe, Mexico, Canada and the USA. In 1999 we moved to Dallas where my wife started taking Bikram Yoga classes and loved it. She tried to convince me to go with her, but I resisted very strongly. I have always loved sports; I played soccer, competed in canoeing and my favorite, inline skating, but yoga?! I thought it was for girls. It took her six months to convince me to take a class. I agreed to take one class, that's it! The one class turned into two, three and before I knew it, I was hooked. I felt great after each class and most importantly, with regular practice, I was able to say goodbye to my long time lower back problem. I am happy to say that I now suffer no pain in my back.
I took the teacher training in 2002 and yoga has been the center point of my life, our lives, (my wife and I took the training together) since that time.
We kept traveling and went all the way to Australia. I taught yoga in Adelaide, South Australia until the summer of 2007 when our journey brought us back to Dallas. It is a great feeling to teach in the same room where I was gasping for air in my very first Bikram Yoga class.
I am a very happy husband and father of my two boys! |
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