Ashley Sky Litecky, M.S., ERYT

Registered Yoga Teacher, ERYT®200
M.S. Clinical Herbal Medicine

Ashley Sky Litecky, founder of Deep Green Wellness, blends her background as a yoga teacher/educator, healer, life coach, and herbalist into all that she does. Deep Green Wellness is a living entity that serves as a cornerstone to ground her vision to unite the fields of mindful living, herbal medicine and yoga. Through retreats and collaborative work with like-minded individuals and organizations, Deep Green Wellness is able to share it's work with local communities in the DC metro area and internationally.

Yoga

Ashley began her study of yoga and meditation in 1997 at the age of 18. In 2003 she became a Registered Yoga Teacher with Yoga Alliance and since this time, has completed over 500 hours of training and 2,000 hours of teaching experience. Her love of the human form and the inspirational qualities of yoga have drawn her to study several forms of yoga including Iyengar, Anusara, Kundalini, Jivamukti, Vinyasa, and Tantric Philosophy.

As an instructor, Ashley emphases the importance of breath and presence in her classes and offers a unique style, blended from her background in yoga, herbal medicine, and the healing arts. She is known for her intelligent fusion of spirituality, humor, and attention to alignment, to move students to a place of greater freedom and joy.

Over the past 13 years, Ashley has shared the healing and transformative power of yoga with adults and teens in yoga studios, fitness centers, schools, universities, private events, and retreats. She has designed and led programs which include: Yoga and Wellness: 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training Program, Yoga and Redefining Weight Loss, Yoga for At-Risk Teens, Yoga for Working with Victims of Crime, and a 40-Day Yoga Sadhana Challenge.  As part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), National Health and Fitness Expo in 2010, she presented a science based lecture on the the benefits of yoga and breath work.

As part of her seva (self-less service), Ashley leads several fundraisers each year to support local and international peace and relief work. In the last two years, she has raised thousands of dollars for relief work in Haiti, Japan, and for local and international non-profit organizations.

Ashley currently serves as the creative director and primary faculty for the Blue Heron Wellness Yoga School Teacher Training Program and teaches classes and workshops in the DC/MD metro area. She is grateful for the four years of experience that she gained from her work as the Yoga Director for Blue Heron Wellness where she designed and implemented their yoga programs, curriculum, and studio schedule.

Internationally, Ashley has studied and taught yoga in Australia and Costa Rica. She looks forward to leading a wellness retreat sponsored by National Geographic as a part of EcoWeek, Costa Rica in August 2011 and continuting to teach and share her love of yoga across the world.

Training

1998 - 90 hour Ananda Marga Yoga Course
2003 - 200 hours – Interdisciplinary Yoga Teacher Training w/K. Donnelly & J. Roberson
2005 - 18 hours - Radiant Child Yoga with Shakta Kaur Khalsa
            8 hours Anatomy for Yoga Teachers with Roger Cole
2006 - 200 hours – Kundalini Yoga Teacher Training with Guru Rattana and Guru Kirin
            8 hours Kundalini Yoga with Gurmukh
2007 -  M.Sc. - Clinical Herbal Medicine - 3 years - Tai Sophia Institute
2008 - 28 hours Prenatal Yoga Teacher Training - Jacci Reynolds
           12 hours Advanced Anusara Teacher Training workshop w/Desiree Rumbaugh
           15 hours Advanved Anusara Teacher Training workshop with Todd Norian
           15 hours Advanced Jivamukti Adjustments and Mythology with Alanna Kaivalya
2009 – 28 hours –Jivamukti Yoga Immersion with Sharon Gannon and David Life
           20 hours Hrdaya Yoga: Yoga of the Heart with Jonathan Evatt
2010 -  5 hours Advanced Adjustments with Alanna Kaivalya
           48 hours Kundalini Yoga and Chanting at SpiritFest with Gurmukh & Snatam Kaur  

Certifications

2003 - 200 Hr. RYT  - Yoga Alliance (Registered Yoga Teacher)
2009 - 200 Hr. ERYT - Yoga Alliance (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher, 1,500+ hrs teaching experience
2009 - Yoga Director - Yoga Alliance - Blue Heron Wellness Yoga School

Courses and Workshops Presented by Ashley Sky

Yoga Fundamentals: A Beginners 5-Week Course
Yoga and Ayurveda: Yoga for Your Type
Kundalini Yoga for Mind, Body, and Spirit Elevation
Ayurvedic Wisdom: Finding Your Yoga
Partner Yoga
Flow Fundamentals: An 8 -Week Course
Light Your Fire: Yoga for Healthy Digestion and a Vibrant Core
Connecting to the Warrior Within: Lessons from the Bhagavad Gita
Establishing the Four Pillars of Yoga: Length, Strength, Attitude and Gratitude
Yin Yoga: The Yoga of Slowing Down
The Tree of Yoga: The Eight Limbs in Practice
Twist and Shout: Yoga for Detoxification
Beautiful and Blissful: Yoga for Radiant Health
New Years Eve Yoga Jam (with live local musicians)

Ashley thanks her many teachers for inspiring her on the path of yoga.  She is grateful to especially to her teachers Cheryl Catranbone, Sharon Gannon, David Life, Guru Rattana & Kirin, Gurmukh, Alanna Kaivalya, Desire Rumbaugh, Yogaswari, and many more!

Clinical Herbal Medicine

Ashley began her study of plant medicine through her undergraduate education in Environmental Science at the University of North Carolina-Asheville. She is a graduate of the Masters of Science in Clinical Herbal Medicine program at Tai Sophia Institute. Ashley blends her knowledge of the traditional herbal medicine systems of Ayurveda and Chinese Medicine with modern pharmacology.

In her clinical practice, Ashley works in partnership with her clients uncover the 'root' cause of symptoms.  She supports this work with customized individual herbal formulas and nutritional advice to "nudge" the body back to a state of balance. Through her work, Ashley hopes to inspire a deep sense of self-love and provides a warm and welcoming environment for clients to explore health, nutrition, movement, and ultimately, happiness.

Ashley is a guest faculty member at George Washington University in D.C. and has led classes and presentations at the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and HerbDay in Washington, D.C.