Our Teachers & Staff

• Divya Prabha - Director, Teacher
• Jo-Anne Cusack - Teacher, Kripalu Yoga and Reiki
• Bernie Arsenault - Teacher, Basic Kripalu
• Sean Drohan - Rangdrol Yoga
• Maryse Thuot - Sivananda Yoga & Dance
• Michael Abraham

Divya Prabha

Divya Prabha, founder and director of Shining Bay is a spiritual teacher known for her caring, humour and compassion. Blessed with a powerful healing singing voice (divya.net), she has introduced the joy of Sanscrit chanting to many around the world. Following a spontaneous awakening at 28, she began intensive study of Yoga and Eastern wisdom.

In 1978, she received initiation from Swami Sri Kripalvanand and received Advanced Yoga Teacher Training at Kripalu. Upon mahasamadhi of her Guru, she lived and traveled several years with the late Swami Haridhos Giri of Madras, authority on traditional chanting and inspired bhajanist and Guru. In 1986, she met Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and assisted him in establishing the Art of Living Foundation in North America, Europe and India, training teachers, teaching seminars and performing at many major world venues including the Los Angeles and San Jose Civic Centers, World's Fair in Germany and a gathering of a million and a half in India.

In 1994, Divya and her husband, Michael Fernandes, established Shining Bay in peaceful East Dover, Nova Scotia on the ocean, near Peggy's Cove where from '94 to '99 she trained Yoga teachers. Currently, she and her colleagues, students and friends joyfully offer a variety of programs for spiritual upliftment. During the rest of the year, she writes, composes and travels to teach and perform.

Jo-Anne Cusack

Jo-Anne Cusack is a Certified Kripalu Yoga teacher and Instructor of Reiki (a Japanese form of healing energy work). She has also received training in Yoga for Seniors and Pregnant Women. During the year, she teaches Yoga full-time in Fall River, Bedford and Dartmouth, in addition to conducting workshops and presentations to schools, businesses and non-profit organizations in stress reduction and increasing physical and mental well being. Some of these are: Yoga For Depression, Yoga Immersion and most recently Creating Harmony in the Workplace, an exploration of the art of relaxed work. This is her fourth year of teaching and committed service at Shining Bay where she holds a special place. Jo-Anne brings a spirit of gentleness and dedication to everything she does.

Bernie Arsenault

Bernie is an experienced Yoga teacher with Certification in Kripalu Yoga as well as training in Purna Yoga with Divya Prabha

She is also a massage therapist skilled in the Indian Head Massage of the London Centre of Indian Champisse. Bernie also performs Thai massage having completed training at the Lotus Palm in Montreal and Thai foot massage which she studied at Wat Po, a traditional Thai Massage school in Bangkok, Thailand.

Sessions with Bernie in Indian Head Massage, Thai Massage or Thai Foot massage can be arranged at Shining Bay.

Sean Drohan (RYT Yoga Alliance)

Sean Drohan's approach to Yoga teaching is a wholistic one, incorporating both "gentle" and "high energy" Yoga in his classes. He has received his 200 hour Hatha Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training through Therapeutic Approach Yoga Studio in Halifax and continues his dedicated practice and further study while developing his own personal approach which he calls Self Liberation Yoga (Rangdrol Yoga).

Sean describes himself as "a simple forest yogin" and has been a Back Country guide in Nova Scotia for the past 15 years.

Maryse Thuot

Maryse is an artist/musician, and a certified Sivananda yoga teacher. She is a Trance Dance Ritual facilitator, a certified herbalist, a Thai massage therapist, and a Yoga Meets Dance TM facilitator. Maryse sees herself as a motivator. She likes to bring people on an inner pilgrimage that explores nature from inside-out and from outside-in. She encourages nurturance, intuition, creativity, playfulness, empowerment and a deep connection with the Earth wisdom.

Our Teachers & Staff

Michael Abraham

Michael hails from Toronto and will be our Cook in August. He is a school teacher and a wonderful example of seva (selfless service). He is also a fine photographer and a kind, affable, dedicated person who loves a good laugh.