The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, not to worry about the future, or not to anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.
To observe without evaluating is the highest form of intelligence.
Realize deeply that the present moment is all you ever have. Make the Now the primary focus of your life.
When our actions create discord in another person, we, ourselves, in this lifetime or another, will feel that discord. Likewise, if our actions create harmony and empowerment in another, we also come to feel that harmony and empowerment. 
Make a gift of your life and lift all mankind by being kind, considerate, forgiving, and compassionate at all times, in all places, and under all conditions, with everyone as well as yourself. This is the greatest gift anyone can give. 
By bringing about a change in our outlook toward things and events, all phenomena can become sources of happiness.
Follow your bliss and don't be afraid, and doors will open where you didn't know they were going to be.
What's difficult in life is to stay centered when somebody does or says something that tempts us to close our hearts because their heart was closed. That is hard. But that is also how we grow. We go through those circumstances in order to evolve into people who can hold to our loving center no matter what the world throws us.
Truth is one and the same at all times, though it is infinite in its manifestation. But each must find it by the realization of it within himself. And he can realize it only as he seeks to e mbody it in his life, so that all he is and does becomes more and more beautiful each day. The Centre
The Centre is not a building. It's us! Nathan Vanek (Hansraj), Susan Randall (Madhurta), Chantal Sylvestre, Maureen Salkeld, Owen Tuf, Patricia Hendrick (Priyatma), Sharman Smith, Ursula Wery and the many others who come here to teach, learn, practice, grow.
Nathan Vanek, whose Sanskrit name is Hansraj, is the Centre’s founder. He is a gifted teacher and writer. In his life, he has met masters Baba Hari Das, Baba Balik Nath, Ruth Dennison, Sri Chinmoy, and Swami Muktananda among others. He studied with the venerable U.N. Goenka for many years in Igatpurri, India, where he participated in a six-month silent retreat. For the next 23 years he lived with his Guru-ji, Swami Shyam, in Kullu, India, where he was awarded an honorary Ph.D. in 1987 for Meditation, Eastern Studies and Spiritual Journalism. He may be reached at hansraj@centredelapaix.com
Susan Randall, Madhurta, the Centre manager, is an internationally certified yogi, educator and coach. She teaches group Somayog© and Transformation Meditation courses, providing Teacher Training programs in each modality. Her private practice offers one-to-one sessions in Your Yoga, Lifestyle Coaching and Quantum Touch(R) energy healing. Susan is a member of the Canadian Order of Naturopaths and Natural Therapists (ANN). Experience one of her Yoga Treat days, held regularly throughout the year, and please visit www.votrestyledevie.org madhurta@centredelapaix.com
Chantal Sylvestre, adept in English and French, brings her cultural and language fluency to her teaching. She offers classes and workshops in Laughter Yoga at the group and corporate level in Ottawa and Gatineau. She is also a certified Pilates teacher, offering courses in Gatineau. She can be reached at chantal@centredelapaix.com
Maureen Salkeld has been enthralled with the practice, philosophy and spirituality of yoga for most of her life. She has had a number of careers and passions - linguist, wife and mother, English teacher, clinical psychologist, traveller extraordinaire, gardener and yoga teacher. At the Centre de la Paix, Maureen offers Agama Yoga as well as a fascinating course in Yoga Philosophy with student participation, practice and discussions. She can be reached at maureen@centredelapaix.com
Owen Tuf has been teaching yoga, dance and creative movement in the Wakefield area for several years. Her own practice is about discovering what it means to be a good human-animal and emphasizes creativity and a strong connection with the Body Earth. owen's classes follow the unique combination of Kripalu Yoga - blending traditional postures and breathwork - with the technology of modern kinesthetics. Students not only benefit from the centering, strength and flexibility that yoga brings, but are also encouraged to deepen their relationship to the wisdom of their own bodies. owen@centredelapaix.com
Patricia Hendrick brings a strong foundation of yoga and meditation practice into her teaching, having studied Patanjali and Vedant in India for many years. Her focus is on using the training tools that are close at hand - body, breath, and mind - in simple ways, to unite with a deeper sense of ourselves and our surroundings. She is a certified Hatha Yoga instructor, and has taught awareness-based yoga classes at the Sandy Hill Community Health Centre in Ottawa. priyatma@centredelapaix.com
Sharman Smith, born and raised in Toronto, studied biology at the University of Guelph. Sharman has worked with holistic centres, organic farms and alternative health communities for most of her adult life. Her fortunes were in learning different modalities and practices that boost the health and well-being of people. She is a certified yoga teacher. As well, she has studied and worked for the environment. These became her passions in life, along with music and being taken for walks by her black labrador, Gaia. She can be reached at sharman@centredelapaix.com
Ursula Wery teaches Pilates based on the STOTT Pilates method. Ursula has worked in the Fitness and Wellness field since 1977 including 18 years as the Aerobics and then Fitness director at la Sportheque in Hull and 10 years of practicing and teaching Pilates. She founded the Yoga and Pilates centre, corps-esprit, in January 2003, developing a unique approach to wellness together with Louise Parent (a former dancer), Sylvie Leblanc (a Fitness Professional) and Lyne Charet (a Physiotheapist) in order to help the students understand and learn how their body functions. This approach is gentle and adapted to everyone’s individual needs; the result is profound. Ursula sold corps-esprit in August 2008 in order to have more time to teach and to study. In July 2008 she became a Somayog instructor, and now teaches both Pilates and Somayog regularly at corps.esprit. She can be reached at ursula@centredelapaix.com