New Day Yoga

Dayna Gelinas founded New Day Yoga in 2003 and New Day Yoga School in 2006.  She is one of the first to pioneer yoga from a Christian perspective in the USA.  She teaches weekly classes, a yearly 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course, a two-year 500-hour Yoga Teacher Training Course, workshops, and leads annual retreats.  In the words of her students:

"Dayna is very organized and professional as well as warm-hearted and fun.” “I was immediately struck by her commitment to the teaching of yoga and her love for the Lord.”  “She is a fantastic teacher and I can really feel the difference when I have worked with her energy, grace, and talent." 

Below is a list of the work Dayna has been involved with since discovering yoga from a Christian perspective was the path for her.

Accomplishments:

2003 to Present  Founder and Director of one of the first Christian yoga studios in the USA, New Day Yoga: Yoga from a Christian Perspective.

2006 to Present  Established the 250-Hour Yoga Teacher Training program at New Day Yoga. Registered with Yoga Alliance, RYS 200. 

2007 to Present  Administrated the Oak Ridge Retreats, an international gathering of Christian yoga teachers, with Thomas Ryan, author of Prayer of Heart and Body.

2005  Produced Yoga Basics, a 73-minute CD for beginning to continuing students.

2011 to Present  Established the 500-Hour Yoga Teacher Training program at New Day Yoga. Registered with Yoga Alliance, RYS 500.

Featured in Articles:

2005   “Yoga Teacher Takes Christian Approach” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

2004   “Faith and Fitness” – Marietta Daily Journal

2003   “Yoga with a Christian Bent” – The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

Education and Certifications:

E-RYT 500 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 500-hours)

     2009 Certificate by Etowah Valley Yoga for 160 hours of Advanced Yoga Teacher Training

     2008 Certificate by Shambhava School of Yoga for 150 hours of Advanced Yoga Teacher Training

E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher 200-Hours)

     2002 Certificate by Atlanta Yoga Fellowship for 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training

1984  Certificate by American Fitness Center Aerobic Certification

1981  B.S. Secondary Ed., Major in English, Minor in Psych., Jacksonville State University, Jacksonville, AL

Continued Training with Traditional Yoga:

2012  On-going study of Anusara Principles with Gina Minyard

2011  Anusara Yoga with Gina Minyard – 50+ Hours

2010  Pelvic Stability in Yoga with Lillah Schwartz – 10 hrs

2007  Weekend Yoga Intensive with Tias Little – 18 hrs

2006  Iyengar Yoga with Othene Munson – 9 hrs

2005  Viniyoga in Assisi with Mirka Kraftsow – 40 hrs

2004  Anusara Yoga with Doug Keller – 11 hrs

2004  The Language of Touch:  Hands-On Practicum for Teachers – 11 hrs

2002  Yoga for Vital Living with Shiva Rae – 12 hrs

2002  Yoga Journal Southeast Conference, Tias Little and Paul Grilley – 6 hrs

Continued Training with Yoga from a Christian Perspective:

2012  Oak Ridge VI Retreat. Garrison, NY. Thomas Ryan and others– 6 days

2010  Oak Ridge V Retreat.  Garrison, NY. Thomas Ryan and others – 6 days

2008  Oak Ridge IV Retreat.  Oak Ridge, NJ. Thomas Ryan and others – 6 days

2005  Oak Ridge III Retreat.  Oak Ridge, NJ. Thomas Ryan and others – 6 days

2004  Monastery of the Holy Spirit Yoga Retreat.  Conyers, GA.  Scott Hodgman – 3 days

2003  Oak Ridge II Retreat.  Oak Ridge, NJ.  Thomas Ryan and others – 6 days 

2002  Prayer of Heart and Body Retreat.  Niagara Falls, Ontario. Thomas Ryan– 6 days

Yoga Teaching Experience:

 2003 to Present  Established and continues to instruct students weekly at her New Day Yoga Studio and other locations in the NW Atlanta area, including classes in Yoga Basics, Yoga Level II, Gentle Yoga, and Restorative Yoga. 

2006 to Present  Established, wrote, edited and compiled the curriculum for the 200-Hour New Day Yoga Teacher Training Program (a Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance). The course runs for ten weekends from February to November each year.   As of November, 2012, New Day Yoga's Teacher Training Program is one of only three Christian 200-Hour Teacher Training programs in the USA, and has graduated thirty-nine students from seven different states.

2007 to Present  Established, wrote, edited and compiled the curriculum for the 12-Hour Christian Yoga Teacher Certification Course which is offered January of each year.   As of January, 2012, fifty-five students from fifteen different states have completed the course.

2011 to Present  Established the 500-Hour New Day Yoga Teacher Training Program (a registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance). The program runs for six weeks over a two year period. As of November, 2011, New Day Yoga’s 500-Hour Teacher Training Program is the only Christian 500-Hour Teacher Training program registered with Yoga Alliance in the USA. At present seven yoginis are enrolled from five different states.

2005 to 2008  Co-led the Basics of Yoga for Christians Weekend Retreat(s) at the Monastery of the Holy Spirit in Conyers, GA.

2002 to 2003  Taught weekly classes at Marietta Center for Yoga and Well-Being.

2003 to Present Presented weekend/week-long workshops at churches and schools throughout the Atlanta area and in Columbia, SC: 

• Basics of Yoga for Christians, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, GA
• Pranayama Workshop, Revival Bodyworks, Marietta, GA
• Centering Prayer Workshop, Revival Bodyworks, Marietta, GA
• Restorative Yoga Workshop, New Day Yoga, Kennesaw, GA
• Yoga, Silent Prayer, and Solitude, Monastery of the Holy Spirit, Conyers, GA
• Spring Yoga Retreat at Pura Vida Health Resort, Dahlonega, GA
• Fall Yoga Retreat at Pura Vida Health Resort, Dahlonega, GA
• Living Your Yoga:  Summer Retreat at the Ignatius House, Atlanta, GA
• Yoga and Centering Prayer Workshop, Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church, Lilburn, GA 
• Yoga Workshop, Under Her Wings Conference, Candler School of Theology, Atlanta, GA
• Yoga & Centering Prayer Workshop, St. John Neumann Catholic School, Columbia, SC
• Christian Yoga Workshop, St. John Vianney Catholic Church, Lithia Springs, GA
• Reconnect and Recharge Retreat, Ignatius House, Atlanta, GA
• Fresh Start 1-Day Retreat, Mt. Zion United Methodist Church, Marietta, GA
• 1-Day Retreat, First United Methodist Church, Marietta, GA
• Relax and Renew Restorative Workshop
• Pranayama:  the Breath of Yoga Workshop
• Chanting:  the Concentration of Yoga workshop
• Centering Prayer:  the Meditation of Yoga Workshop
• Back Care Basics Workshop

Journey To Christian Yoga

Hi, I'm Dayna, and I want to share with you my experiences that led me to begin New Day Yoga.

 

     As a Christian who taught high school English, I kept two constants in my life: Jesus and physical fitness. My highly-demanding teaching career required that I keep balanced emotionally, spiritually, mentally and physically, and although attending church kept me grounded spiritually, going to a gym (after 15 years) was no longer supplying the whole-person fitness that I was seeking. I tried kick-boxing and dance until the calming, spiritual element of yoga caught my attention.  At my first official yoga class in 1998 I found the rest and quiet for my mind, as well as the stretching and strengthening for my body, that I desired. I immediately left the competitive, performance-based styles of exercise for the more accepting one of yoga.  To me, yoga echoed the truth of the words in Isaiah 30:15, "In quietness and trust is your strength."

 

     After two years of practicing yoga, I went through an extensive training program with the Atlanta Yoga Fellowship and became certified at the 200 hour level. In 2002 I became an *RYT (Registered Yoga Teacher) in the hopes that I could teach yoga from a Christian perspective. I wanted to more openly incorporate Christ-- His truth, His balance, His strength, His peace-- into the practice of yoga, and I wanted to share with other Believers three things:

1. Yoga is a discipline to fortify both physical and spiritual health.
2. By practicing yoga postures, overall health of the body, mind, and nervous system improve.  
3. By adding Biblical scripture and prayer to a yoga practice, the faith of the one who practices grows.

 

        Most importantly, I wanted to help others discover the connection between their physical and spiritual well-being. As the body, mind and spirit combine in pursuing health, the whole person benefits-- not just the body and mind-- but the spirit as well. With these goals, my weekly classes began in 2002 and by February of 2003 New Day Yoga was born.  To this day my regular students continue to be a source of inspiration for me.

 

     Following the lead of the Holy Spirit and in keeping with my new mission to teach yoga from a Christian perspective, I became an *E-RYT 200 (Experienced Registered Yoga Teacher) in 2005 and started the New Day Yoga School in 2006 with the first class of Yoga Teacher Training at the 200 hour level. The school provides a place where Christians can train to become yoga teachers without having to filter out Hindu and Buddhist influences that color most yoga teacher training programs.  This new direction of training others to teach took me back into my roots as an academic teacher and drew on my skills and experience of curriculum planning, evaluation, and individualized instruction. It allowed me the gift of passing on the wisdom of yoga and the truth of Jesus to others whom I knew would then pass it on to still others--all for the glory of God.

 

     In 2009 I completed the requirements to become an RYT 500, and in 2010 after another 500 hours of yoga classes, I became an E-RYT 500.  Now in 2011, I am very excited and satisfied to say that New Day Yoga offers a Yoga Teacher Training at the 500 hour level.  This accomplishment is more than just a goal that I have met; it is my passion.  I long to see yoga taught from a Christian perspective in every city, every town, every state, every country—every place that yoga is taught.  The original purpose for practicing yoga was to create a pathway to God.  Well, Jesus Christ has done that for all mankind for all eternity, and I want the whole world and every heart to know it.

    

     Little did I know in 1998 when I stepped into my first yoga class in a gym that I would be pioneering the path for others to not only practice, but also to teach, yoga from a Christian perspective.  But this indeed is where the Lord has led me—with the help and support of my husband, my church family, my family and my students.

    

     It's been said that once you find your niche everything seems to fall into place.  I have to agree.  I found my niche in Christ, and He's caused my life's experiences to come together, now, in union, in "yoga," with Him.