About Us

About Carol

Reverend Carol Ann Oveross, RYT,
              Integrative Yoga Therapist & Artist

Carol as an artist has been immersed in art making since early
childhood. However, her interest in studying Integrative Yoga
Therapy as well as acquiring her Reverendship with Universal
Ministries has created a passion in her to instruct other's to
find peace, harmony and balance in their lives. From her
training in Yoga she states that: "As an instructor of the
practice of movement education and mindful meditation in yoga I
am better able to serve my students and the community with the
practice of techniques that are specifically intended to affect
the human energy field physically, emotionally and spiritually,
thus helping to create a whole self-realized human being."

Carol's education in healing modalities from ancient yogic
philosophies relavent to the Asana & Pranayama practices to the
"Science of Life" techniques known as Ayruveda, plus being
immersed in art making since early on, she has methodically
pursued figurative art as her main form of expression using her
students as her models. Her spiritual path is one of a more
contemplative and essential approach. A deep appreciation for
classical figure drawing influences her dedication to the study of
anatomy as well as how light and shadows are experienced on the
human body. This, paired with her interest in line drawing with
her Cross-Hatch Rendering techniques in Pen and Ink
compositions, lends itself to intuitive, creative and heart-
centered artworks that many of her art-collectors have enjoyed
owning. She finds that she has been dedicated to...."help create
more balance and harmony in the lives I touch in my
various specialized art and yoga classes and various workshops.

_______________________________________
Carol's thoughts to ponder:

      My Life - My Yogic-Lifestyle

"Because I have had a personal yoga practice for almost 40-
years, as well as teaching Yoga classes since 2006, I can’t
imagine living my life without embracing yoga as a life-style,
living it!

Now, my yoga practice takes me deeper into that awakening to
the light of my own true nature by learning to honor the self-
realization of my Authentic Self more and more each day!”

As I look back at my early interest in Yoga, I can see that Yoga
was what actually… “saved my life,”....literally! And, now, I
hear this same saying from many of my students too!!!   I began
taking yoga classes in the early 80’s when I was in my thirties
and while searching for more spirituality in my life!

At that time, I was married with two young children, and felt I
needed something more to ....help to "keep my life in balance!"
My husband’s heavy workload offered me more time to myself to
explore such thoughts.

While visiting a bookstore one Saturday, at the Theosophical
Research Society in Los Angeles, California, I found a book
entitled “Patanjali's Yoga Sutra’s” that caught my eye for some
reason. (Well, maybe it was just the word “Yoga”) Who knows?
But, I believe Spirit caused me to take notice!   A clerk in their
bookstore told me that… ”As a matter of fact, we conduct yoga
classes here every Tuesdays & Saturdays in the Theosophical
Research Society's Library, in the Museum Room. And, there is
a class going on at this very moment!”

As I peeked inside what I saw... made me chuckle! A young
women standing up in front of a class on a yoga mat wearing
draped over her head, was two long ribbons with a line of very
colorful plastic kitchen funnels hanging from the top of her head
down her torso to her belly front to back. She was sharing with
her class a simple explanation of what the ancient Eastern
Indian philosophy of the "Chakra System" visually looked like.
As I learned later, our bodies have invisable energy vortexes.
And, that these energy swirls of those primary colors
represented the seven (7) vortexes or different areas in our
body… it's the energy from our spine, or what she called our
Kundalini expanding outward as in the shape of a funnel. I was
tickled to see it and, at that time, it did not make any sense to
me at all. It wasn't until after I began doing more
reading about Yoga and it’s philosophy and benefits that I
realized there was a lot more to yoga than I thought!

So, I considered going to a class... I talked a few of my co-
workers from my job at The Fashion Institute of Design &
Merchandising (FIDM) in Los Angeles, California to come with me
after work that next Tuesday in support of me in my very first
yoga class. From then on, I was totally hooked! Since then, I
have been studying more & more about India’s ancient Vedic
wisdom & philosophy that the wise sages taught. I learned that
yoga is not just for our physical well-being, but Yoga also helps
us connect to the Spiritual aspects of our being!

This new concept, of me "practicing" yoga on a regular basis,
had not only helped me become more knowledgeable about how
spirit works in my life but, had kept me calmer with my
demanding multi-tasking 25-year career working and traveling
for FIDM!

I felt myself more relaxed after my very busy days both while
traveling for work and at home.   As I began to see more and
more yoga studios opening up all over the downtown L.A. area
that pleased me....that other’s were availing themselves of this
wonderful remedy for our busy & stress-filled lives.

As I continued to work at FIDM, more responsibilities were
imposed upon me, which seemed to necessitate more & more yoga
classes to help me remain focused inward. However, I continued
attending yoga classes after work and into the weekends ..
totaling to 3 - 4 classes per week.   Then, after 25 years my
career ended, and then the "real estate boom" happened around
2005, I found myself questioning whether or not to continue
working, or take an early retirement.... (which now I refer to
as my "Re-Firement" into more of the Yogic Lifestyle!)   I was
re-thinking my life's goals after the divorce and my current
available financial stability to start over somewhere else.

I made the decision to leave that busy lifestyle behind and seek
out space for myself to enjoy this new found freedom. And,
those magnificient "Red Rocks" of Sedona, Arizona were calling
me for many years after many, much-needed “R & R" vacations
during the holidays past. So, I left California.

Once arrived, I got settled into a wonderful new lifestyle, living
in my new dream-home on a large lot in Cottonwood, Ariziona,
I found myself wondering what to do with this old ingrained busy
“work-aholic mentality” that I still had...as I thought that I
had to be “DO-ing” something all the time! So, I proceeded to
look for yoga classes to fill my days. Then, I found one listed
in the local newspaper, which read, “Flow Yoga with Elena.” I
dropped in, met her and took a few months-worth of classes to
realize this was not enough for me.   I found that I wanted to
actually "TEACH" this wonderful remedy of yoga...that had
helped me so much in maintaining my sanity without having a
nervous breakdown from the stress level I was under all those
years prior to retiring.   And, with all those busy career days
behind me now, I wanted to help others who may need this
remedy as well.

I took the Yoga Teacher Training course in "Integrative Yoga
Therapy" from Joseph and Lillian LaPage in Mt. Madonna,
California. Also traveling to Brazil to their Enchanted Mountain
Yoga Retreat Center in Garopabo, Santa Catarina, Southern
Brazil, and then to Samasati, a Yoga Retreat Center in Costa
Rica, as well as other various Symposiums and workshops lead by
leading yoga masters like Rama Joyti Vernon.. and many experts
in body dynamics to gain more knowledge.

Since I received my certification to teach yoga that first year,
that’s exactly what I did…to the point of exhaustion! I kept
adding more and more new venues where I could teach seventeen
plus different places, with a variety of 23
different yoga classes per week…….and I even accepted every
substitute teaching requests, to the point that my life still
experienced that stressful “adrenal burnout” or “overloaded
feeling" similar to what I had in L.A.!

So, I realized I was creating more work for myself and needed
to look at what I was re-creating in my new "Re-Firement
lifestyle" in Arizona?

So, a few years after moving to Arizona, I made a decision to
take advantage of my new living arrangements which had a large
empty room in which I could facilitate a yoga class in for my
friends and only once per week in my home/Yoga Studio. This
made a lot of sense to me. Since I had created the perfect
Retreat Center called "Bright Feather Lodge" for myself to
experience a more quiet yogic lifestyle. I decided to use my
home as my private yoga studio too, with enough space on the
grounds for my students to avail themselves for more quiet
meditative time in the outdoor Labyrinth and to stroll the fruit
orchard in the front yard, complete with the Native American
tipi, medicine wheel and fire pit circle for ceremony out back! I
began a Yogic Lifestyle with a more holistic approach to every
aspect of my life, spiritually, mentally and physically.

Now I was actively "taking my yoga off the mat and into my
life." I give more attention to my personal daily morning ritual
of.... stretching with a yoga asana practice including the
"Tibetan Five Rites," with my partner, Dr. Ditoh Rohrig,
Wellness Practitioner and Herbalist, and we do some
strengthening with weights, concluding with quiet meditation. I
also include dowsing, which helps me to "Create My Day"...with
positive thoughts, emotions and diet for my most benevolent
outcome.

I feel that I have been very blessed to have this opportunity in
my later years to continue to keep active and enjoy my
retirement by being truly "Re-Fired" to do what I love!!!   It is
such a pleasure to share my passion and knowledge of yoga in my
sacred space whether in my Arizona Home/Yoga Studio or in
Mexico!

As now, since Covid's lockdown beginning April 2020, I have
been using my computer to do an online yoga class via Zoom
weekly at 11 AM (MST/AZ)
1-hour weekly morning "Chair/Mat 'Multi-Level' Gentle Yoga
class" program from my studios in either Arizona or Mexico on a
regular basis, and loving it.

I continue enjoying my life now...living part-time in Mexico and
Arizona. This gives me the space and time to explore my own
inner consciousness, spirituality and creativity..... while I
continue to seek out those things that bring me more joy, peace,
happiness and tranquility into my life."

In gratitude for my abundance, I remain humbly yours,
Rev. Carol (aka "Bright Feather") Oveross,
R.Y.T. 200-hr. Integrative Yoga Therapist and Artist

________________________________________________
ABOUT CAROL:

Carol has had a personal Yoga practice for almost 40-years and has taught
"Gentle Hatha Yoga" classes to all levels (Adults beginners/intermediates,
couples, Chair Yoga for the elderly and folks with limited mobility, Children, pre-
natal & post-natal) all over the Verde Valley in Arizona since 2006.

Carol received her Yoga Teacher Training in 2006 by Joseph LaPage, founder of
"Integrative Yoga Therapy" (IYT) and is a 200-hr plus credentialed Yoga
Instructor by Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher, (RYT). She has
carried Liability Insurance, certified in CPR & AED (Automated External
Defibrillation) and licensed by the City of Cottonwood. Because of her
specialized training with Healthways, Inc. certified to instruct gentle "Chair
Yoga" classes at various gyms, retirement communities, Assisted Living facilities
& studios in the Verde Valley and Sedona areas of Arizona.

Carol has a gentle, nurturing approach to teaching her yoga classes, and says
that she teaches...
"INNERCISE"...
believing it's truly 'AN INSIDE JOB'!!!...
"Yoga is more than exercise -
it is a practice of mind-body connection
through deep breathing, stretching and asanas (postures),
where ALL the systems of the body are truly revitalized!”

Along with facilitating her gentle Chair & Floor Yoga classes for the
"OsherLifelong Learning Institute" (OLLI)
at the Yavapai Colleges in Arizona for
seven years, Carol is also a talented artist and facilitates art classes.
Among them were: "Spontaneous Doodling with Pen & Ink," "Pen & Ink Cross-
Hatch Rendering Techniques," "Figure That!" and “Create your own Sketching
Journal” just to name a few.   Her artwork has been exhibited in Los Angeles,
California, as well as in Sedona, Clarkdale, Camp Verde, Cottonwood in Arizona
as well as in Mexico.

(Listing of her art exhibitions
are found on the menu page above "ArtExhibitions."

She is also listed in the
http://www.portraitpaintingsbyartist.com/free-portrait-artist-directory/ )

Her current Artwork can be viewed in her private yoga studio in the Bridgeport
area of Cottonwood, Arizona.   Previously at the monthly art exhibitions held in
The Old Town Center of the Arts in Old Town Cottonwood, Jerona Java Cafe &
Gifts with their annual "El Valle Art Exhibition," her mural work in Cottonwood,
Arizona, Puerto Penasco, Mexico and at The Healing Arts Center in Old Town
Cottonwood, Arizona, as well as on this website, click here.

__________________________________________________________

Endorsements:

YOGA....
"I Enjoyed your class yesterday. The line up of asanas was good, always think
so. Always like your tidbits of info, "Yoga of breath" was enlightening. Love
new info! As I thought it was very difficult for me to sit on the floor for very
long. Legs and whole body are very stiff and my most stiff, sore area is my
hip flexor area along the outside and in the joints. The inner thigh area pretty
good. Need to do much more work on opening my hip area. The one we do with
crossing leg over thigh works well. I should do that all day long! Wondering
what else might help with flexibility so I can sit on floor longer and not have
pain in hip flexor area. Sure need to dedicate much more time to my
flexibility. Has always been an issue for me.
I do watch your previous classes and think I need to do them about 3-5 times
per week. Once a week isn't enough for me. I'm open to extending the time,
although the hour is satisfactory.
Thanks for your dedication, enthusiasm and interest in our practices! You are
an awesome teacher! Blessings and namaste."   -- J.C., Cottonwood, AZ

"I would strongly encourage those interested in yoga to attend Carol's classes.
She readily shares her skills and knowledge of yoga. Carol is gentle, patient,
compassionate and a great instructor!"
-Teri Dowell, Yoga Student, Cashier at Fry's, Cottonwood, AZ - June 10,
2013

YOGA & ART...
"I highly recommend Carol for her skills as a Gentle Yoga Instructor. She is a
'gentle' and loving person with very high integrity. Also, as a very talented
artist and instructor she brings her gifts to others in both mediums."
        -Teal Sullivan, Innkeeper, Lights of Jerome Inn
          and Artist-Designer at Free-Spirit Ventures. Clarkdale, AZ
         April 2012
__________________________________________________
Thoughts on one of the Olli (Osher Lifelong Learning Institute) workshops I held
some years ago:
"My fun 'Spontanious Doodling' through Meditation can bring us to Creation!
Through Meditation, we may find that inner guidance to create something
beautiful in addition to reflecting, writing and art making, we also learn some
profound creative insights that may arise.

Creativity is a process of allowing. It begins with an inner spark, which you
feed, develop and actualize. Creativity must be nurtured into being. It can be
both magical and astounding. But it arises when we relax enough to invite it in.
Coaxing forth its flow, a wellspring of creative solutions bubble to the surface.
Inner wisdom helps us initiate skillful, creative action. And, by
Freeing the mind through meditation creates the ground for equanimity – that
fertile state where brilliance breaks free."

_________________________________________________________

Yoga Testimonials:

Carol Oveross is a wonderful yoga teacher who works in a highly spiritual way so that her students can
have the maximyum benefit of the asanas not just physically, but on all levels. You are guaranteed to
feel amazing after her class ....A wonderful way to start any day.
                - Carole Colburn, Yoga Student & Massage Therapist, Sedona, AZ July 2014

"It was December 2004 when my husband suddenly passed away
due to complications of a heart attack.
We had been married 41 years and
the shock of this event was too much for me to bear.
Since I have no family,
and I had to handle all of the legal matters alone.
As a result, I was a nervous wreck and
became depressed which lead me to become very ill.
My friends were concerned about my mental state.
After many lab tests, it was determined by my doctor that
I was suffering from anxiety, which was the caused my illness.

Then, one day in 2007, a friend introduced me to
Carol's Gentle Yoga which was being taught by
Carol Oveross in Camp Verde, AZ.
At first, I could not perform the postures (Asanas) on the mat on the floor,
as my blood presssure was high and I experienced dizziness,
so I began with her simple 'Chair Yoga.'
However, as time went by, I noticed I was no longer feeling depressed.
I was watching my diet, and with practice,
I became more flexible, balanced, strong in mind and body, and my blood
pressure lowered.   Even my posture improved.
I can now perform yoga Asanas on the mat on the floor,
practice meditation, and have developed a spiritual awareness,
which is an important aspect of Hatha Yoga,
that Carol includes. When my husband passed away I weighed 162 pounds,
and I now keep my weight at approximately 130 pounds.
Many of my friends compliment me on how well I look due to the change
that has come over me in just three short years of time. ..

Yoga has opened doors to many new interests for me.
I have become a new person with a positive
outlook on life, thanks to Carol's encouragement
and her gentle and knowledgeable approach to teaching.

I soon will be 80 years old and have gone back to
teaching dog obedience classes privately, and also
volunteer to teach dog obedience at Yavapai College
as a facilitator for the OLLI program
(Osher LifeLong Learning Institute)."
"Yoga saved my life!"

        - Doris McFadden, Yoga Student & Dog Obedience Trainer, Camp Verde, AZ

_____________________________________
ART Testimonials:

"Many years ago, as a child, I would spend hours on the floor with a pad and pencil drawing all sorts of
fanciful images. I was in a different world of my own.
Through the years in school and college, I enjoyed art classes. Then, as time passed, I didn't take
much time for art, as I became involved with jobs, marriage, and other activities. So, my artistic
abilities became somewhat dormant.

It is only in the past two years that I have again become involved with art, since I have more time,
now that I'm retired. I signed up for some art classes with Carol Oveross through the Osher
LifeLong Learning Program (OLLI) offered at the Verde Campus of Yavapai College in Clarkdale, AZ.
Through Carol's teaching and encouragement, I've not only learned some new techniques, but I have
re-discovered that "Other world" I was in when I was a child. I find that time flies when I am caught
up in the activity of creating art. It also is a form of meditation for me.

Carol has an innate ability to bring out the best in her students through her joy of teaching.   I have
seen her encourage students who think they can't draw very well, suddenly blossom into enthusiastic
artistic individuals. Her philosophy seems to be what everyone has the ability to be creative and they
can express themselves artistically.

Carol has a zest for life which comes through in her talent as an artist and yoga instructor, which, in
turn, encourages students to excel in her classes and to grow as individuals."

                                   - White Wolf., Art Student, Cottonwood, AZ.

Below w/partner, (Ditoh Rohrig)