About Me

Here are a few of the highlights of my Yoga studies so far. 

I have had the great blessing of studying with many exceptional teachers, several of whom are not even credited here. 

I thank them all and recognize that I would not be where I am without them. 

May you also be so blessed
on your path !  Jai!!!

1997 Internationally certified to teach Hatha Yoga by the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Bahamas.

1998 One month karma yoga at the Sivananda Ashram in Val Morin, running the Kid's Camp kitchen.

1999 Travelled to India and the Sivananda Ashram in Neyyar Dam, Kerala.

2000 Returned to India for more travel and study.  Volunteered teaching english to Tibetan refugees, studied Yoga and Pranic Healing in Dharamsala.

2000-2002 Attended the University of Alberta, lifetime member of the Golden Key International Honor Society.  Dean's List. Studied third and fourth year courses in linguistics and world religions with a focus on Yogic studies. (Yoga for credit with Indira Saroya as well as extra-curricular classes with Oda Lindner, Hinduism, Buddhism, Thanatology, Sanskrit, Literary Tibetan, Hindi, German and Linguistics including child language aquisition, second language aquisition, and linguistics and the mind.).

2006 Certificate in Advanced Raja Yoga, Samadhi Pada, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Bahamas and Yoga Studies Institute.

Certificate in The First Cornerstone of Yoga, Samadhi Pada, Yoga Studies Institute.

Certified to teach Tibetan Heart Yoga, Series One, Tong-len, Yoga Studies Institute.

2007 Certificate in Advanced Raja Yoga, Sadhana Pada, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Bahamas and Yoga Studies Institute.

Certified to teach Tibetan Heart Yoga, Series Two, Mahamudra, Yoga Studies Institute
.
2008 Certificate in Advanced Raja Yoga, Vibhuti Pada, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Bahamas and Yoga Studies Institute.

Spent nearly three months sadhana at the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas.

2009 Certificate in Advanced Raja Yoga, Kaivalya Pada, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Bahamas and Yoga Studies Institute. 

Certificate in Advanced Bhagavad Gita, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre. 

Certificate in Theta Healing, Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centres and founder of Theta Healing, Vianna Stibal. 

More than three months karma yoga service at the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas.

2010 Certificate in Advanced Raja Yoga, Samadhi Pada, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre, Bahamas.

Certificate in Advanced Bhagavad Gita, International Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre.

Three months karma yoga service at the Sivananda Ashram, Bahamas.

2011 Given personal permission by Geshe Michael Roach to teach Tibetan Heart Yoga, The Yoga of Lady Niguma.

2012 "Developing Resilience Through Yoga"  I am currently working on a yoga program for children and adolescents in challenging life situations.  Yoga is a tool for resilient living.  Through the practice of silence and conscious relaxation children recognize the connection between their bodies, minds and breath.  Simple breathing exercises and five basic postures (forward bends, backward bends, sideways bends, twists and balances) help students learn to accept and adapt with Grace.

2012 Reiki Level I (October) and Reiki Level II (November).

2014 Reiki Level I and II for Pets and People (February).

Newspaper Articles:
"...Yoga instructor, Tara Woltjen, tells the group to stand on a mat.

“Can you show me your tree pose?” she says. “Which one of you can stand the most balanced?”

Woltjen has been teaching family and children’s yoga classes at Yoga for Today, a Sherwood Park yoga studio, for five years. She said the class is run with the same basic principles as an adult yoga class, with a few modifications.

“For adults it’s more serene and less playful. Of course, a kids’ class is a lot more fast-paced,” Woltjen said. “But it’s still a very holistic experience for the kids.”... "

Click here to read the full article in the Sherwood Park News titled, "Yoga for Kids Shows Health Benefits".


"This is the first year members of the Breakfast Yogis club decided to volunteer their time to decorate a Christmas tree for the Festival of Trees, a fundraiser for the Information and Volunteer Centre for Strathcona County.
The cranes, 1,003 in all, were chosen because they are symbolic of good health and peace in Japanese culture, explained Christina Lindsay. She worked on the cranes with husband Brian Litwin; two other yoga students, Linda Simpson and Colleen Woltjen; and their instructor, Tara Woltjen. "
Click here to read the full article in the Sherwood Park News titled, "1,000 Cranes Flock to Christmas Tree"