Bio

‘Jackie is what you hope she would be leading a YTT. She surprises you in the ways that you hope actually exists. From an academic standpoint, she is knowledgeable, reliable, thought provoking, challenging and well versed. At the personal level she is so much more than that. She’s a caring, attentive, supportive, emotional, fun, friendly, approachable individual. And all of this comes packed with a big wide smile!’ (200hr Foundations Yoga Teacher Training Student 2020)

Teacher of teachers

As co-founder of SÅANA Yoga and SÅANA Farmhouse, Jackie Szabo teaches her beloved yoga community in her studio most days, and she is also a teacher of teachers. As a mentor for advanced teachers (MENTORSHIP), Jackie shares her deep knowledge of diverse yoga traditions, as well as her philosophy that the real mat-magic happens when spirit, body and community connect. She has designed, created and lead all of SÅANA Yoga’s Teacher Training programs, including : SÅANA Method Foundations 200hr, SÅANA Method Advanced 75hr, SÅANA Method Online L1 100hr and SÅANA Method Online L2 100hr (Teacher Training).

Jackie leads yoga retreats around the world several times a year (RETREATS). The experience of holding this space, outside students’ usual environment, has been a master’s course in catharsis. (“I have seen such major shifts- several people have made big life changes after attending retreats.”) She brings this skill and excitement to incite growth and self-love to every studio class.

Passionate student

Jackie is of the firm belief that growing as a teacher means forever staying a student. After completing her 500-hour teacher training, Jackie continued her growth as a teacher with Schuyler Grant and Nikki Vilella (Kula Yoga NYC), Dina T. (MTL), Annie Carpenter (LA) and Maty Ezraty (LA), among others, in the yoga lineages of Iyengar, Ashtanga, alignment-based Vinyasa and Hatha. She remains humble and curious before the awe-inspiring depth of wisdom that yoga holds, always seeking more.

Jackie’s passion for movement led her to the exploration of subtle energy through CranioSacral Therapy. An energy worker at heart, Jackie has found a balance for her scientific mind. She is certified in CranioSacral Therapy 1, CranioSacral Therapy 2  and SomatoEmotional Release with the Upledger Institute. She is naturally intuitive in this work, and creates a safe space to explore deeper levels of the body-mind-heart connection.

Integrated Entrepreneur

After co-owning Moksha Yoga Downtown Toronto for 6 of the 15 years it was open, she co-founded SÅANA Yoga, adding new studios to the movement. Jackie is thrilled to bring her unique brand down-to-earth spirituality and movement nerdiness to the growing company. Jackie has started many businesses and now mentors other entrepreneurs – she loves the creative problem solving process in the work as an entrepreneur and mentor. A creative spirit at heart, Jackie always has an idea or a project in the works. 

 Trainings