Blue Lotus Yoga & Wellness Saint Cloud, Florida
Our Promise to You
Blue Lotus Yoga & Wellness offers a sacred space of peace and tranquility, loving kindness and compassion, nurturing and non-judgement as we gain understanding toward living in harmony within ourselves, with nature, with all earthly beings, as well as with the world around us. A place to honor the mind, body and spirit connection, offering support of one another as we strive toward our personal goals for a healthier, balanced lifestyle.
Studio Owners
Debbie Smith
Certified Yoga Instructor, RYT 500, RYCT,
Reiki Master Teacher, Universal Life Church Minister
"I was first introduced to Yoga through an employee wellness program while in my mid 50's. The first few weeks I didn't know what I had gotten myself into but finally at week 3 something clicked; there was a huge shift and suddenly I was highly intrigued by all things Yoga. A few months later I was registered to become a certified instructor myself! While earning my 200 hours at a local community college on Long Island (during the pandemic!), I felt myself transforming and being drawn to courses to enhance my skills. Following that certification I went on to achieve certification for Trauma Informed Youth Yoga, Chair Yoga, Yoga Nidra, as well as my 300 Hour Certification through Yoga Farm Ithaca which integrated Kundalini, Ayurveda, Enneagram and Moon Cycles. I am currently continuing my Ayurvedic education in order to help individuals live longer, happier and healthier lives."
Carissa Woerner
Studio Manager
Media, Marketing & Events
Reiki Level 2, Universal Life Church Minister
Carissa is the brains behind the beauty at Blue Lotus Yoga & Wellness. She holds a certificate in Interior Design and has a long history of using her creative eye as a photographer and interior decorator. Carissa manages all studio operations, coordinates our special events, curates the storefront and creates magic on all of our social media accounts.
Class Instructors
Lisa Campbell
Lisa started practicing yoga twenty plus years ago for fun, flexibility and stress relief & yoga has been a part of her life ever since. After moving to Florida, she deepened her yoga practice and became a 200 hour registered yoga teacher. In February 2014, Lisa trained with Nicole and Craig Costello at New World Wellness in Kissimmee and registered with Yoga Alliance.
Lisa teaches a gentle yoga class with emphasis on the connection of mind, body and breath. She provides modifications on poses to make yoga more accessible to a variety of body types and abilities. She truly believe in honoring your body. She feels so fortunate to teach and share her passion for yoga. It is her goal for anybody who takes her class to leave the mat feeling relaxed, restored and more balanced in mind, body and soul.
Ashley Gassaway
Ashley is a 500hr trauma informed teacher who guides growth-oriented yoga classes for you to feel deeply supported and nourished along your journey. Her intention is to hold space for your process so that you may explore the depths of your being while remaining safely rooted in presence. She values creating classes that honor the roots of yoga while also inviting innovation and creativity to aid your expansion. Her passion for promoting diverse, inclusive, and uplifting spaces is mirrored in her style of teaching, so that no matter where you're at along your journey, you feel seen, accepted, and empowered.
Zheni Espana
Zheni is a certified 250hr Multi-Style Yoga and Guided Meditation trainer. She’s a lifelong athlete and a European gold medalist whose career began as a professional Rhythmic Gymnast for the National Team of Bulgaria. Her unique and intense training gave her the competitive advantage to become an excellent aerial acrobat and performer.
Zheni completed her yoga training course sponsored by Yoga Alliance in Bali, Indonesia. For the past 20 years, she traveled the world and helped many artists, gymnast, and dancers improve their flexibility, strength, balancing and performing skills.
Her passion is to teach and help her students achieve mindfulness and self-love.
Zheni completed her yoga training course sponsored by Yoga Alliance in Bali, Indonesia. For the past 20 years, she traveled the world and helped many artists, gymnast, and dancers improve their flexibility, strength, balancing and performing skills.
Her passion is to teach and help her students achieve mindfulness and self-love.
Massi Villanueva
Massiel Villanueva is an energetic instructor with a passion for connecting people with themselves through music, yoga and mediation. Her class is perfect for some beginners or advanced students. She teaches you how to meet your edge with love, compassion and strength.
Massi also creates Yuj Granola, which can be found in our storefront!
Deva Gambus
Hi there! My name is Deva Gambus, and I am a Venezuelan yoga teacher and wellness enthusiast. I discovered yoga when I was struggling with a difficult time in my life and was immediately drawn to its ability to calm my mind, strengthen my body, and connect me to my inner self. I have since devoted my life to studying and practicing yoga, and I am passionate about sharing its transformative power with others.With over 8 years of experience, I bring a wealth of knowledge and a playful, supportive energy to my classes. I believe that yoga is for everyone, and I strive to create a safe and inclusive space for my students to explore their practice. I integrate elements of mindfulness, pranayama (breathing techniques), and meditation into my classes to help students cultivate a deep connection with their bodies and minds.Outside of my yoga practice, I love to spend time in nature and learn languages. I hold a 200 hours certification in Hatha Yoga and I am always seeking opportunities to continue my education and growth as a teacher.I am grateful to have the opportunity to share my love of yoga with others, and I look forward to meeting you on the mat soon!
Candida DeHoyos
Candida finds refuge in her asana and meditation practice along with yogic philosophy. She is passionate about cultivating a deep connection to one’s body and the present moment. An avid rock climber and yogi, Candida sees the physical as a vehicle to connect to our deeper emotional, mental, and spiritual states.
Her classes invite you to slow down, listen to your body’s cues, and connect to your breath. Candida enjoys teaching various populations and meeting them wherever they’re at, regardless of who is on the mat the hope is to find the space where challenging, honoring, and relaxing your body take place. From mantra to loving-kindness to mindfulness meditation Candida loves practices that invite one to more deeply cultivate the mind.
Her classes invite you to slow down, listen to your body’s cues, and connect to your breath. Candida enjoys teaching various populations and meeting them wherever they’re at, regardless of who is on the mat the hope is to find the space where challenging, honoring, and relaxing your body take place. From mantra to loving-kindness to mindfulness meditation Candida loves practices that invite one to more deeply cultivate the mind.
Lisa Porter
“Yoga is an important aspect of my life and I find immense joy in the practice, whether its vinyasa, slow flow, or yin. I love yoga for its ability to cultivate a sense of inner peace and balance amidst life's chaos. Through regular practice, I have experienced increased flexibility, strength, and overall well-being. Yoga has taught me to be more mindful and present. Completing yoga teacher training earlier this year was a dream come true. Having the privilege of sharing something I love with other people is an amazing opportunity. I look forward to creating a welcoming environment and forming meaningful connections with students and instructors I meet through this practice.In addition to yoga, I love spending time with my husband and dog, bicycling, and visiting local coffee shops, bookstores, and farmers markets. I also enjoy exploring new cuisines and I'm always up for trying something new. One of my favorite mantras that guides me both on and off the mat is "I will have inner peace and I will have joy." This simple yet powerful reminder encourages me to remain calm even during stressful situations, and to find joy in every moment. With gratitude and excitement, I look forward to sharing the transformative power of yoga with the Central Florida community and beyond.”
Tanya Davis
Holy Yoga Instructor
"I found Holy Yoga online back in 2014 about a year after the birth of my son. I was a busy mom looking for a way to get my workout and my daily devotion done all at the same time. I started doing the videos every morning from home and fell in love with all the instructors, the message, and their love for God. Brooke Boone the founder of Holy Yoga is a powerful preacher, very real, raw, honest and open about her life. She is also an extremely learned Yoga teacher and has written many world renowned yoga books. It kept me consistently in the Word and consistently working out which has been a passion of mine my whole life. I had grown up in a Baptist Church but never did I learn that God wanted a relationship with me and I could speak to Him daily through His Word and prayer. In that time I’ve found more comfort than anything in the World has ever provided. It was a game changer for me as a believer. I felt the nudge for me to get certified to be a Holy Yoga instructor and went ahead and signed up. The final week of training in Arizona with 100s of other women, 12 of which I shared a room with was a memorable moment in my life. It’s a passion for me to share my love of Holy Yoga with others. I hope to see you in class."
Micaela Tolentino
My yoga journey began in 2018, it was always something I had been interested in, to engage and experience the mind-body connection. Yoga, having a wide range of benefits and an interconnectedness to life, won my heart through this deep connection to my inner world in a South Florida college gym. Throughout numerous ups and downs in life, my yoga practice has always been a means of support. Through yoga/life, we get to witness ourselves grow and change in a wholesome, loving way. Whether you are looking for mindfulness, strength, relaxation, flexibility, spirituality, or a space to practice all of those and more, yoga is an outlet for us to do so, and I am honored to be able to share that space with others. I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2023 to deepen my understanding of the practice and philosophy of yoga. I am a Psychology student at UCF, a Licensed Massage Therapist, a Reiki 1 practitioner, and forever a student of life who believes we are all incredible self-healing individuals who can create a beautiful collective in nature within and around us.
Special Event Guides
Janet Jordan
Janet is our Laughter Yoga teacher here at our studio. She has practiced yoga for over 25 years & has been certified to teach Laughter Yoga for over 10 years. Janet has taught 100's of men, women and children how to laugh for no reason. She is a St. Cloud High graduate and has lived in St. Cloud for over 40 years. If you haven't tried her class yet, you don't know what you are missing!
Sharon Janet Porto
(aka Shining Angel)
I was born and raised in the U.K. where I graduated from Plymouth University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geographical Sciences. This study of Mother Earth's features, rocks, and plants has been my passion ever since; fueling my teachings and travels. I was drawn to Hatha (sun moon) yoga at 23 years old and have practiced ever since. Soon after moving to the USA in 1998 for a work opportunity I took my first yoga teacher training course with the eminent Shakta Kaur Khalsa in Northern Virginia. I have provided affordable outdoor yoga to the community in Osceola County for many years now and also instruct at CF Fitness here in Saint Cloud, Florida.
As well as being my own personal lifestyle, yoga is also the "backbone" of my Shining Angel Healing Ministry where I focus on energy medicine, meditation for health and wellness, and metaphysical healing. I am an Ordained Minister, Certified Spiritual Healer, Reiki Master Teacher (7th in lineage from Dr. Usui), Certified Life Coach, and Psychic Medium Spiritual Advisor.
I can't wait to serve you in some way at the beautiful Blue Lotus Yoga & Wellness studios very soon.
I was born and raised in the U.K. where I graduated from Plymouth University with a Bachelor of Science degree in Geographical Sciences. This study of Mother Earth's features, rocks, and plants has been my passion ever since; fueling my teachings and travels. I was drawn to Hatha (sun moon) yoga at 23 years old and have practiced ever since. Soon after moving to the USA in 1998 for a work opportunity I took my first yoga teacher training course with the eminent Shakta Kaur Khalsa in Northern Virginia. I have provided affordable outdoor yoga to the community in Osceola County for many years now and also instruct at CF Fitness here in Saint Cloud, Florida.
As well as being my own personal lifestyle, yoga is also the "backbone" of my Shining Angel Healing Ministry where I focus on energy medicine, meditation for health and wellness, and metaphysical healing. I am an Ordained Minister, Certified Spiritual Healer, Reiki Master Teacher (7th in lineage from Dr. Usui), Certified Life Coach, and Psychic Medium Spiritual Advisor.
I can't wait to serve you in some way at the beautiful Blue Lotus Yoga & Wellness studios very soon.
Camila Pascotto
Sound Bath Guide
"Awakening Sound Journey"
Christine Ashley
Yoga Nidra Guide
“I began taking yoga at a gym in Hunters Creek back in 2004. I fell in love with the way it made me feel! I continued the classes while living life and making a home for my two children and husband. Then in 2015-2016 I wanted to learn more about the spiritual path behind yoga and enrolled in my yoga teacher certification at New World Wellness in Kissimmee. Once I completed my 200hr, I continued on to get my children’s yoga certification. I infused these teachings into my job as a teacher as well as running yoga events in Saint Cloud from 2016-2019. I am looking forward to sharing space with all of you and continuing to learn in this life’s journey.”
Cindy Buckner
Dragonfly Healing Hearts Center
Drum Circle Leader
Sound Bath Guide
Kyle Kirkconnell is a meditation, breathwork and singing bowl certified sound practitioner who has been on the spiritual path since he was just a child. He naturally gravitated towards the healing arts, music and various mindfulness practices that he now is sharing with the community!