Makaela Paynter

Makaela took classes on and off starting in 2011, but her real connection to yoga took shape in 2016, during a period of self-discovery. At first her practice was purely physical — movement for the sake of health — but it wasn’t long before she noticed how much it did for her mind, too. From then on, yoga became an integral part of her life.

That impact made her want to share it. In 2021 she completed her 200-hour training in Edmonton at a studio focused on Akhanda Yoga, a holistic approach to traditional Hatha. She loves teaching mindful Hatha and strength-building classes that may fold in pranayama (breathing) and elements of Pilates, and yin yoga has featured heavily in her own practice lately — a style she hopes to start guiding soon.

Off the mat, Makaela recently returned to university after a ten-year break to study psychology and anthropology. She finds inspiration for her teaching all over — a personal experience, a good textbook quote, sometimes just a houseplant — and shares her classes in a way that invites students to set their own intention. Her goal is simple: to have people leave feeling a little more connected to themselves than when they arrived, even if just for a moment.