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polly liontis
The quest for truth and beauty have fueled Polly’s journey from her earliest memories to the present moment. Polly’s last 15 years as a Yoga Instructor and Shiatsu Practitioner have been a deep exploration into the health and deep wisdom of the body, mind, and spirit.
Polly’s passion is expressing the loving-kindness, compassion, light, and beauty inherent in the spirit through her teaching. This is the meaning of “Shree” – luminosity, shining, and brilliant.
Polly began this journey into the wisdom of yoga when she completed the teacher training program at the Himalayan Institute led by Pandit Rajmani Tigunait at the Glenview, Illinois Ashram in 1999. Polly was initiated into the lineage of Swami Rama of the Himalayas by Pandit Rolf Sovik with her own personal mantra in 1999. Polly also studied with Sandra Anderson of the Himalayan Institute. Sandra Anderson and Rolf Sovik are authors of the book, “Yoga: Mastering the Basics”.
Polly is deeply committed to teaching all 8 limbs of Raja Yoga (also known as Ashtanga Yoga): Yamas (Restraints), Niyama (Observances), Asana (Posture), Pranayama (Control & Expansion of Energy through the Breath), Pratyahara (Sense Withdrawal), Dharana (Concentration), Dhyana (Meditation), and Samadhi (Self- Realization). These practices help us to gain control over the body and the mind for the purpose of living a mindful, conscious, joyous and purposeful existence.
Simultaneously Polly also attended the Ohashi Institute, studying under Sensai Wataru Ohashi, and became an AOBTA Certified Shiatsu Practitioner and Instructor. Shiatsu is a Japanese form of bodywork which is based on thousands of years of Chinese Medicine and works on the acupressure points and stretches for the Chinese Medicine Meridians in the body. She has been a Shiatsu Practitioner since 1999 and taught Shiatsu at the Zen Shiatsu School in Evanston since 2001. Polly then became a Licensed Massage Therapist in 2003.
Polly was a founding member of the Integrative Medicine Program for North Shore University Health System at Park Center in Glenview since 2000 and currently gives Massage Therapy and Shiatsu Sessions there. For the last 13 years Polly has seen the healing power of Yoga and Bodywork in treating very ill patients with a variety of symptoms – Oncology patients, Cardiac patients, and many patients with Auto- Immune Disorders. Polly’s journey into the healing arts grew out of a desire to develop a philosophy for living that promoted healing for herself and others, thereby contributing to the greater good.
Polly’s teachings bring the wisdom from both traditions – Yoga and Chinese Medicine into her meditation classes.
Polly’s ongoing studies include the Ashtanga Primary Series with Sharyn Galindo, Pranayama with Sri O.P.Tiwari of the Kaivalyadhama in Lonavia, India (near Mumbai), and Pranayama with Paul Dallaghan of Yoga Thailand.
Polly specifically teaches Yin Yoga Classes, Ashtanga-based Vinyasa Flow Classes, Hatha Flow Classes, Gentle Yoga Classes, Therapeutic Yoga Classes and Meditation Classes. Polly also conducts Gong Immersions (Sound Healing Workshops) with her partner, Chuck Frenkel, in which she plays ancient Himalayan Singing Bowls and chants the Sanskrit mantras.
At this juncture, Polly’s great joy is to combine her gifts as a healing artist with her gifts as a performing artist by singing the sacred Sanskrit Chants from the Yoga Tradition, while playing Tibetan Singing Bowls, Harmonium, or Piano. In this way, Polly combines sound healing with sharing the philosophy of the great Wisdom Traditions of Yoga and Chinese Medicine.
Polly is honored and thrilled to be teaching at Evolution Yoga. As we walk the path of yoga together we truly do “evolve” as human beings. Polly is also available for Shiatsu Sessions and Massage Therapy Appointments at Evolution.
Please join Polly in her yoga and meditation classes for an experience in deep personal exploration.