Marion (Mugs) McConnell

Marion (Mugs) McConnell is the author of "Letters from the Yoga Masters: Teachings Revealed through Correspondence from Paramhansa Yogananda, Ramana Maharshi, Swami Sivananda and Others", published by North Atlantic Books. She is the owner of the South Okanagan Yoga Academy (SOYA) with her husband Robert. She co-created SOYA’s Teacher Training Program (RYS200/300) based on International standards. She is the Canadian Representative for the International Yoga Teachers’ Association (IYTA) since 1981, a Registered Teacher with Yoga Alliance (E-RYT500), and a member of the Yoga Alliance Standards Committee and Board of Directors.

“Mugs”, as most people know her, was first introduced to yoga in 1973. Her passion for this ancient practice led her to study under the late Swami Vishnudevananda where she graduated from the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centre as a Yoga Acharya in 1978. Later, in 1979 she became a live-in disciple of the late Dr. Hari Dickman, who was a direct disciple of Swami Sivananda and Paramahansa Yogananda. Her more recent teachers she has trained extensively with include the late Namadeva Acharya in Mantra Studies and Erich Schiffmann in Freedom Style Yoga.

Mugs has presented workshops in Canada, United States, Spain, Mexico and Australia. She has been practicing yoga for over 40 years. In 2012 she received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee medal for representing yoga in Canada and abroad. In 2013 she received a Certificate of Appreciation from the International Yoga Teachers Association for outstanding dedication and contribution of service. Her passion is combining mudras and mantras with asana.

If you would like to know more about workshops and Yoga Teacher Training with Mugs, please go to