YOGIS

Cara is a spirited and experienced yoga instructor whose classes radiate a cheery, positive, and vibrant energy. Her passion for yoga began in 2003, and she has been dedicated to sharing its transformative benefits since 2008.

Cara received her RYT200 certification in Hatha Yoga from Yoga Oasis, where she trained with esteemed instructors Darren Rhodes, Sam Rice, Stephani Lindsey, and Bruce Bowditch.  Loving to learn and continuing her commitment to yoga, she then completed her E-RYT500 designation from the Yoga Alliance. In addition to her yoga qualifications, Cara is certified as an instructor of Les Mills BodyFlow and BodyJam and has completed Pilates training under Becca Franks at the Animas studio in Tucson.

With two decades of experience in education, Cara brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her practice. She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education with a minor in dance from the University of Arizona and a M.Ed. in Educational Leadership from Northern Arizona University. Currently, Cara teaches yoga at several studios throughout Tucson, where her dynamic approach and heartfelt enthusiasm promise to uplift and inspire.

I grew up in Northern California and had the great fortune of moving to Tucson in 2009. I came into yoga about 18 years ago following a knee injury due to skiing. I was told that I would require knee surgery before I turned 25 and was given a handful of physical therapy sessions and a prescription for pain medications. I expressed a desire with my physical therapist to be able to go without the pain medications and asked for any recommendations for pain management and he suggested yoga. For the first few years my practice was all about managing my pain and strengthening my joints. Slowly however, I began to develop a deep mind-body connection. It not only helped me manage my injury to the point where I no longer needed surgery, but I started to understand myself better. I learned how to tune into my breath and how that affected me both on and off the mat. Yoga is about connecting breath and movement, power and stillness. In 2018 I studied yoga under Darren Rhodes at Yoga Oasis. There I received my 200 hour certification in hatha yoga and yoga hour. I came to yoga simply to manage pain and ended up developing a deeply spiritual practice. My goal in teaching yoga is to help guide anyone within their own journey of healing, or to simply offer the joy of movement and stillness.

I discovered The Yoga Connection, a local nonprofit, in 2021 while seeking a solution for my painful frozen shoulder. Through their work-trade program, I earned my 200 hour certification in Hatha yoga. I went on to teach at Canyon Ranch where I had a full schedule and the opportunity to lead a variety of wellness and movement classes including restorative yoga, aerial, chair yoga and vinyasa. I fell in love with the fact that yoga can always meet us where we are. Teaching community classes and specializing in the development of physical and cognitive movement programs for senior citizens, my dedication to fostering accessibility and diversity within the yoga community took root. My focus is on the breath and cultivating a safe space to connect mind and body through movement. I remain a student by staying current with continuing education courses, finding new ways to celebrate movement through yoga, dance, skating, nature and now climbing. I am deeply grateful for and inspired by my students, fellow teachers and the enrichment you all bring into my life. I hope to share with you the transformative gifts that are given to me through movement and yoga.

My goal as a yoga teacher is to create an environment centered on harmony, self-awareness, and strength. I found yoga in 2017 shortly after I moved to Tucson by myself, looking for a way to move my body and build community in a new place. My practice quickly became a vital resource, helping me understand and appreciate the link between my mind and body. While there are times I don't want to hop on my mat and practice, I always come away feeling grateful I did. I hope to inspire you to feel the same through sharing practice together. I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at YogaOasis with Darren Rhodes and Sam Rice, and I'm currently working toward a certification in Yin Yoga. When I'm not on my mat, you can find me enjoying the outdoors through climbing, cycling, or backpacking.

I was born and raised in Cleveland Ohio, where I studied yoga and started my Yoga Business, Wandering Yogi.

Yoga found me in 2012, when I took my first class at the local Arboretum. Yoga brought me into my body in a way I had not yet experienced. 

I was hooked, I knew it was my path to share yoga. I received my 200HR YTT through Taproot School of Yoga in 2021, under the guidance of Friea Ramsey, Lyndsey Stropkey and Shanna Brown. I studied Hatha Yoga, Trauma Informed Yoga, Reiki and Massage Therapy. I try to incorporate traditional yogic practices in my teachings, such as pranayama, Mantra and Mudras. I enjoy hosting workshops and can't wait to connect with the Tucson community. I love sharing the gift of yoga and really seek to empower my yogis on and off the mat in life. 

Vanessa Rae Gomes is a seasoned teacher of yoga, meditation and essential oils. Teaching predominantly Hatha yoga, she guides students to align movement to breath and invites awareness to beauty in the present. She has shared this passion since 2014 in classes, retreats, workshops, and with private clients. After completing her research for her Masters degree in Environment and Community from Humboldt State University, Vanessa was called to teach. She received her 200 hour yoga teacher certification from The Yoga Connection in Tucson, AZ with Priscilla Potter, Swami Mahatarananda, and has since been certified as a Three Wisdom Traditions Wellness Coach (Yoga, Ayurveda, and Psychology), in Yoga Nidra, Prenatal Yoga, NIA-inspired Sacred Somatics and Reiki level II, currently working on Masters level.  Vanessa specializes in the art of integrating essential oils into her sessions, aligning their energetic properties for a specific physical and emotional outcome. Teaching yoga, Vanessa is living out her purpose, soothing souls and lifting hearts.

Yoga first entered my life as a way to manage anxiety, but it quickly became something much deeper. I fell in love with the powerful connection between mind, body, and spirit, and that connection continues to guide both my practice and my teaching today.

Having lived across the United States and now rooted in Tucson since 2023, I bring a diverse perspective to my classes. I completed my 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training at Yoga Pod Tucson, where I deepened my understanding of alignment, breath, and mindful movement.

In addition to yoga, I've been an active member of climbing communities across the U.S. for over 15 years. That experience strongly influences my teaching style. I have a passion for dynamic, strength-based poses like handstands and inversions, while also emphasizing foundational flows that build proprioception, stability, and body awareness.  These are key elements that not only support a strong yoga practice but also enhance performance in climbing and everyday movement.

My classes are designed to help students build strength, confidence, and connection from the ground up, whether they're brand new to yoga or looking to refine their practice.