Dr. Melissa West - Graduation DayBIOGRAPHY

Melissa West is a yoga and pilates instructor who helps people to surrender to peace in their lives by connecting to the vital energy within their body through breath, cultivating optimal functional movement by harnessing the power of gravity and increase overall mobility by creating more suppleness in the spine. 

Melissa West specializes in teaching yoga and pilates to adults aspiring to decrease stress in their lives, rehabilitate from motor vehicle accidents and chronic back pain, and improve the overall function of their bodies from brain longevity to digestion and optimal organ function to muscular and skeletal balance. 

After discovering yoga and pilates as a way to cope with the stress of academia during her studies in a Masters of Arts in Music Criticism and a Ph.D. in Communications and Cultural Studies, Melissa now helps people find peace amidst the turmoil of their anxiety-ridden lives. 

Teaching yoga and pilates is a natural extension of the creative expression she learned first through performing music and later through the writing she did during her degrees. Her skills as a scholarly researcher combined with her experience teaching adults within the university institution adds to the pedagogical skills Melissa brings to her teaching.

Melissa is dedicated to her professional development and continues to study as a movement educator with her teachers Tama Soble at Esther Myers Yoga Studio and Margot McKinnon at Body Harmonics Pilates Studio.

Sacred Activism

It was Andrew Harvey who inspired me to extend my spiritual practice to sacred activism. Sacred Activism is a transforming force of compassion-in-action that is born of a fusion of deep spiritual knowledge, courage, love, and passion, with wise radical action in the world. The large-scale practice of Sacred Activism can become an essential force for preserving and healing the planet and its inhabitants.

Andrew Harvey asks the question, "What breaks your heart the most?" One afternoon I was sitting at my computer watching a video clip from "Earthlings" and the tears started streaming down my face followed by crying sobs. I finally had my answer. The thing that breaks my heart the most is the senseless abuse of over 10 billion factory farm animals every year. Since then I have been stepping into my role as an activist by promoting a plant-based diet and kindness towards all sentient beings, espeically the animals. 

Farm Sanctuary

Farm Sanctuary was founded in 1986 to combat the abuses of factory farming and to encourage a new awareness and understanding about "farm animals." At Farm Sanctuary, these animals are our friends, not our food.

Through the years, Farm Sanctuary has rescued thousands of animals, and educated millions of people about their plight. People are shocked to learn about the intolerable conditions that are commonplace on today's industrialized farms.

Farm Sanctuary's rescue and education work continues, as they advocate for laws and policies to prevent suffering and promote compassion. We are reaching out to legislators and businesses, and working to bring about institutional reforms.

Books that Inspired my Sacred Activism 

Favourite Vegan Cook Books