ABOUT YASMIN

My name is Yasmin Fudakowska-Gow. I am yoga teacher of more than 20 years and an accredited naturopathic doctor (ND) specializing in ayurvedic medicine. I am also a mom, writer, speaker, world traveller and brand ambassador for several incredible companies, including Arbonne International.

Montreal born & raised, I speak English and French (often simultaneously) and a little Polish (my mother is Polish). Over the last two decades, I’ve had the honour of teaching yoga around the world and training a huge spectrum of people: professional athletes, celebrities, CEOs as well as toddlers, teens and people in wheelchairs.

What I am known for

Breaking a Guinness World Record

In 2010, I completed 108 Days of 108 Sun Salutations and became the first woman to break the Guinness World Record for the longest yoga marathon lasting 32 hours. It was the greatest, deepest practice of my life and forever changed me. The initiative also made headlines worldwide and raised more than $15,000 for charity.

Acclaimed Yoga Videos

My background in journalism and video production was an advantage in producing mt yoga videos, guided audio practices and books. Originally released as DVDs and retailed across North America, my yoga videos are still popular with beginners and experienced yogis. They now have a new life in digital format, and some are available on YouTube.

High Quality Yoga Teacher Training Programs

I began offering yoga teacher training (YTT) in 2007 as a way to pay forward the wisdom I acquired from my teachers and my own experiences teaching yoga since age 18. Most graduates are teaching yoga part time or full time and some own yoga studios. My YTTs adhere to Yoga Alliance standards and also include live teaching opportunities, Ayurveda and business skills.

Innovative Yoga Workshops

I live to offer rich and profound experiences that empower my students. Yoga O’Noir is a blindfolded yoga practice I created to help people let go of the need to conform to a certain esthetic and feel free in their yoga. I also teach Ayurveda Selfcare Workshops and lead an annual Morning Yoga by the Lake urban retreat with a picnic breakfast!

Community Involvement

Cultivating community and being impactful is deeply important to me. I am an activist at heart and strive to make our world a better, safer, more inclusive place for all. I was a speaker on a cross Canada Climate Change tour with environmentalist David Suzuki in 2008 and raised over $15,000 for charity during my Guinness World Record marathon. My annual Into the Light yoga fundraiser supports Dans la Rue, an organization that supports homeless youth in Montreal.

Studio Loft108

Loft108 is a beautiful 2000 square foot studio on St Paul Street in the heart of Old Montreal. I love to travel but it’s here that I create, write, innovate and teach. Loft108 is also my ayurvedic clinic where I offer consultations and workshops. When it’s not being used for any of the above, we host other teachers, conferences, social gatherings, even weddings, including my own!

Recognitions…

Guinness World Records™ Record Holder (Longest Yoga Marathon : 32 hours)

Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 Accreditation

Naturopathic Doctor specializing in Ayurvedic] medicine, accredited with la Commission des practiciens en médecine douce du Québec

Producer of five acclaimed yoga dvds

Member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists

Founder & owner of yoga studio, Om West Holistic Centre (2007-2012)

Founder, director & owner of yoga studio, Loft108

My Family

My mom, Marta Fudakowska is a yoga teacher too and also passionate about art, culture and activism. My father Gordon Gow is an athlete and avid reader. Both my parents worked as physical education teachers, so my brother Stefan and I grew up pretty active. I discovered yoga at age 14 as a way of coping with a soccer injury. I began teaching kids yoga when I was 18 because I love kids and loved yoga, so the studio owner where I practiced thought it would be a natural fit for me and she was so right.

Fast forward, I feel greatly privileged to have made a living teaching yoga and Ayurveda for all these years. I am a mom of two kiddos, Koji, who is in elementary school and Mika, a busy toddler.

Being a mother has definitely enriched my teaching and naturopathy practice. My intuition is stronger, I am more grounded and more inspired and creative than ever. I feel like I am boiling over with experience and a deeper, calmer insight into the practice. It’s a pleasure for me to teach and share from this place because I know the information and wisdom that was passed down to me benefits others as much or more as it has benefitted me and my family.

Thank you for your interest in my journey. Looking forward to sharing a practice with you soon.
Blessings,

“Finding ways for all things to fit together perfectly, without being too particular about what ‘perfect’ or ‘together’ means, is an act of careful balance”