Tina Pashumati James carries the name Pashumati, meaning protector of the animals, and her Cree name, Daybreak Woman, reflects the way she moves through the world. Given through her relationship with Indigenous Elders and community, these names speak to her commitment to ceremony, service, and living in right relationship with the land.
Yoga is not simply something Tina teaches; it is how she lives. For more than 30 years, she has guided students into the physical, devotional, and spiritual dimensions of the practice. She is an authorized Senior Ashtanga teacher through Manju Jois (European Academy of Ashtanga Yoga) and an advanced Jivamukti teacher with over 15 years of experience. Yet her story reaches far beyond titles.
A former mountaineer, marathoner, competitive equestrian rider, and eight-year member of the Whistler ski patrol, Tina has always lived close to the wild. She also spent years working with Bear Smart in Whistler to protect bears and educate local communities, and throughout her life she has rescued animals. A long-term vegan and plant-based advocate, she is deeply rooted in Ahimsa — non-harming — and speaks openly about the connection between yoga, environmental stewardship, and the protection of sentient beings.
Tina owned and led Loka Yoga for 20 years, helping build strong community in both England and Canada. Her teachings are infused with Bhakti devotion and Indigenous ceremony. She continues to work closely with her Elders in sweat lodge and vision quests, and serves as a 4th-year Sundancer and pipe carrier for her family and community.
She works with people navigating cancer, depression, anxiety, PTSD, addiction recovery, spinal injuries, and mental health challenges — drawing on lived experience as a cancer survivor herself. Her offerings weave together meditation, mantra, pranayama, advanced asana, shamanic drumming, Vedic chanting, and sound healing, always grounded in respect for the Earth.