Meet Our Instructors

Samantha Smigelski - RYT200

Studio Owner, Yoga Teacher

After years of competitive sports, Samantha begrudgingly came to yoga in 2010 at the behest of a friend. She had assumed yoga was only for hippies and that it wouldn't be a good fit for her. She was so wrong! After one class, she was hooked! The single class gave Sam slight relief from her chronic back pain, the people were kind and welcoming, and her muscles were feeling the workout! She's been practicing in different capacities at various studios ever since, finding her home at Spirit Rising after moving to Brighton. Yoga has become a tool that's allowed her to grow and maintain a healthy lifestyle without the anxiety, stress, and pressure of competitive sports. She's passionate about sharing yoga with her community in hopes of showing others that yoga can be for everyone, so long as you're open to giving it a try.

Samantha is available for private yoga and group yoga sessions.

Lisa Shumway - E-RYT500

E-RYT 500 Kripalu Yoga Teacher, RYT 500 Kripalu Ayurveda Yoga Teacher, 200 hr. certification in Ayurveda, 500 hrs. of Ayurveda Health Coach Training. Certified Hypnotherapist,  Reiki Master/Teacher

Lisa is a 500 hr. registered yoga teacher certified through the Kripalu School of Yoga & Ayurveda in Lenox Massachusetts and will be certified as an Ayurveda Health Counselor in May 2022. To date, Lisa has over 900 hrs. of training. Through the practice of yoga, ayurveda and meditation, Lisa has developed a passionate belief in our abilit.ies to take control of our own health. Healing our minds and bodies with the benefits of these holistic practices. Lisa's classes include pranayama (breathe work), meditation and using the teachings of Ayurveda to offer classes to bring us in balance with nature. You will often be guided into the subtler layers of your being, that which is flowing beneath it all - Life Force pulsing inside. Working in the energy layer helps you connect to your vitality and radiance. In addition to her Yoga certification, Lisa is a Certified Meditation Teacher, Certified Hypnotherapist and Reiki Master & Teacher and is the lead teacher for our 200 hr. Yoga Teacher Training. Lisa has studied with Shiva Rae, Yoganand Michael Carroll, Larissa Hall Carlson, Dr. John Douillard, Dr. Rosy Mann, Dr. Claudia Welch, Dr. Scott Blossom, Sudha Carolyn Lundeen, Stephen Cope, Noah Maze and Rocky Herron as well as Energy Medicine with Donna Eden. 

Lisa left her executive career in 2012 to commit herself full time as a teacher and student of yoga.

Lisa has taught over 3500 studio classes as well as multiple teacher trainings, workshops and corporate events/yoga. 

Lisa is available for private Reiki, Hypnotherapy and Ayervedic Consultations.

Kim Haas - 200HR-ERYT

 Yoga Teacher, Reiki Master

Kim Haas, 200-ERYT, has well over 1000 hours of teaching experience, and is also a Reiki Master. After tip-toeing around the edges of yoga for almost twenty years, Kim fully committed to a yoga practice in the Fall of 2012 which quickly led to the Spirit Rising Yoga Immersion program. It resulted in her teacher certification, just in time to help fill her looming empty nest. Kim enjoys offering unique classes and workshops that sometimes combine yoga with meditation, writing and even Reiki. As a writer, she discovered so many connections between the practices of yoga and writing that she designed a class that combines both, creating space for her students to dive deep into their practice and their lives. She firmly believes in the power of yoga to transform on levels well beyond the physical. Living her yoga both on and off the mat is a daily practice that helps her to create a life of depth filled with clarity, grace and ease and her intention is to offer that same opportunity to her students.

Kim is available for private group yoga and private Reiki.

Samantha Lieberman - RYT200

Yoga Teacher

I began practicing yoga in 1998 never expecting where my journey on my mat would take me.  With much prompting from my yoga instructors I began a series of teacher trainings with Yoga Fit and then followed up with a 200 hour training with Yoga Medics.  Yoga Medics is a medical model approach to yoga with emphasis on alignment and therapeutic needs.  The program not only enlightened my teaching but brought a deeper dimension to my own physical  practice.  I love the process of creating and offering safe yet challenging yoga sequencing .  I enjoy sharing my love of yoga with all levels of students and am deeply honored to pass this gift of yoga to others.  Always remembering that we are all "practicing" this gift of yoga and having gratitude for what ever unwraps on your mat each day.