Welcome to Our Community

FOUNDER, YOGA THERAPIST & TEACHER, CO-FOUNDER THE VRIDDHI FOUNDATION

Francesca is the founder of Breathe Ojai. She was initiated into the Himalayan Yoga Lineage (Sri Vidya, Swami Rama) in 2010. Swami Rama encourages students to “not leap ahead... tread the path systematically. Practice faithfully and let your life unfold in its own time," and teaches that experiential meditation and self-inquiry are keys to understanding life.

As an undergraduate at Carlow University in Pittsburgh, PA, she learned about and aligned her life around the teachings of the Irish Catholic Sisters of Mercy: they emphasize service to others and inclusion as some of the highest aspirations in life.

She holds a Masters Degree in Yoga Studies from Loyola Marymount University and is a clinical Yoga Therapist (C-IAYT, 1,000 hours) in addition to a 200 and 300 hour certificate. Her graduate studies include reading and writing Sanskrit and the historical, cultural, religious, and sociological dimensions of Yoga alongside in depth anatomy, physiology applied in a therapeutic setting.

TEACHER, GOLD YOGA SCHOOL TRAINER

Melissa Arellano (she/her) grew up in Ventura, California and recently completed her 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training at Breathe Ojai with Gold Yoga School. After experiencing several health challenges that started in her early 20s, Melissa tried her first Vinyasa Yoga class in 2012. She consistently returned to the practice in awe of the positive effects it had on her. Since then, her practice has expanded to include meditation with a hint of Tibetan Buddhist philosophy, deep relaxation and restorative postures, and the healing arts. Her quiet pull toward restoring the physical body through asana has allowed her to calmly connect to that which can’t be seen but can be sensed, where Yoga patiently waits to work its true magic and spark transformation. She considers Yoga to be her greatest teacher, on and off the mat. Melissa is currently diving into a 50 hour Yoga Philosophy course through the LMU Yoga Studies Program. She is excited to begin her teaching journey and welcomes everyone who is intrigued by stillness. Practitioners in her class will be greeted with calm, non-judgemental guidance, and friendly invitations to make the practice their own.

BREATHWORK TEACHER

Rachael Barkley, M.A., N.C., has worked in the fields of psychology, fitness, wellness, nutrition, and the performing arts. Over the years she has come to learn, through research and personal experience, that trauma is at the root of so much that ails us, both physically and emotionally. Breathwork and energy work have been incredible tools in Rachael’s own personal healing journey, and it brings her such joy to be able to share these life-changing practice with others. She is currently working towards her PhD in Integral Transpersonal Psychology.

TEACHER

As a lifelong dancer, yoga was a fun transition for Paige to make. She began her yogic journey after discovering a passion for Ayurveda at the age of seventeen. Using ayurvedic practices and treating food as medicine, Paige began to heal her body and her mind, it wasn't until she began practicing yoga that she had the time and space to begin to heal her spirit and relationship with greater consciousness.  On her path to becoming a somatic healer Paige studied yoga in Bali where she earned her 200hr RYT teacher training certificate; it was there where she found a love for fiery Hatha classes and flowy Vinyasas. She loves to incorporate fluidity and connection to breath in her practice and allows the asana sequences to unfold like choreography.  Paige makes a point to create space for devotional practices in her classes so please feel welcome to bring a totem or talisman to place at the top of your mat for your class.

TEACHER

Kipp was drawn to yoga practice as a child by television and movie scenes depicting people practicing. He developed a personal practice by imitating what he saw and occasionally he would meet someone who would give some guidance but he did not attend a formal class until he was 25 years old. In 1996 he travelled to Hawaii and stayed mostly on the Big Island where he connected deeply with nature, took his first yoga class, attended Kirtan and made friends with many spiritually centered people. After six months of soul searching in Hawaii Kipp returned to California full of Aloha spirit and began studying environmental science. His yoga practice was mostly casual and occasional until 2019 when he attended a yoga festival (Bhakti Fest) and attended workshops on Ayurveda, meditation, breath-work, mantras and yoga philosophy. Since then Kipp has been diving ever deeper into yoga and Ayurveda practice. Kipp finds inspiration by connecting with nature and community. He works full time as an environmental consultant mostly helping to minimize impacts from large scale energy and transportation construction and maintenance projects. Kipp loves bicycling and sailing around California’s coast and islands.

TEACHER, SOUND BATH PRACTITIONER

My name is Ruby Fox and I am a yoga teacher from Ventura, California where I live with my husband and our 2 young boys. I have been teaching yoga and guiding meditation for over 2 years. Sound has always been something that was therapeutic to me. Since I was a child, music was always in the background, wind chimes were everywhere and the sound of water soothed my soul. As I got older and started to really learn more about sound therapy and what sound waves do to our entire being, I knew this was something I needed to share with people. I now provide sound baths with crystal sound bowls which can be an incredibly powerful experience. I believe we all have beautiful white light within us. I’m here to help you find that light so that you can shine it into the universe and onto those around you.

TEACHER

Tanner grew up in Ojai and moved to Montana in 2016 to attend college. Washing dishes as a side job quickly turned into a passion for cooking and he spent the better part of his 20s working in the culinary world. In need of a change, he returned to Ojai at the end of 2023 he studied yoga at Breathe Ojai to bring balance to a physically demanding lifestyle. Throughout 2024 he completed his 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training: training physically and mentally to gradually develop skills in Yoga Asana and meditation, and studied topics like Ayurveda, anatomy, and yoga philosophy. Realizing there is so much more to offer than pure physical relief, including emotional regulation, improved mental health, better sleep, relief from stress, and a template for a sustainable lifestyle, he looks to combine a passion for Ayurveda, background in cooking, and a yogis discipline to facilitate lifestyle changes for people of all walks of life.

TEACHER, THE VRIDDHI FOUNDATION BOARD MEMBER

Born and raised in Ventura County, Whitney’s yoga journey began in 2016, when the stress of her job in social work made her frequently sick, anxious, and disconnected from her body. Although she was not athletic or flexible by any stretch of the imagination, she committed to a daily yoga practice and soon saw incredible changes in her physical and mental health. Once she experienced the magic of yoga, she knew that it was her calling to share its healing powers with others. Whitney obtained her 200hr yoga teacher certification in 2018 and has been teaching, and loving it, ever since. She is passionate about empowering people, regardless of background or athletic ability, to realize their true strength. In 2021 she completed a Yoga for Trauma Training through the Center for Yoga and Trauma Recovery in Oakland. Through life’s ups and downs, yoga has always been a life raft keeping her afloat. She is thrilled to bring Trauma-Informed Yoga principles into her teaching style, intentionally creating sequences that restore the nervous system to a healthy equilibrium. In her class, individual choice is highly emphasized and she strongly believes that we are all our own greatest teachers.

TEACHER

Nina has been practicing and studying yoga for over a decade. After immersing herself in many aspects of the yoga practice (philosophy, alignment, sequencing, history, and Yoga Nidra), Nina is now sharing an integrated and meditative approach to yoga, specializing in restorative practices.