The Sutton Yoga Center is located just outside the town of Sutton in the mountains of the Eastern Townships of Québec. It was built in 1987 as a result of Joan Matthew’s vision of a spiritual centre that would serve all seekers. The Center offers Yoga, Meditation, Qi Gong and various other disciplines in personal growth. Joan also gives spiritual counselling sessions. ( see teachers )
Joan Matthews, who received her yoga training in Kulu India, at the Kripalu Center in Massachusetts, in San Francisco and Montréal, has been teaching unity of body-mind-spirit for over 55 years. Joan’s work experience includes Special Education teacher at the Douglas Hospital, working with prisoners in the Cowansville Penitentiary and living and teaching on a Cree reserve. She is co-founder with Dr. Robert Shepherd of the Ruiter Valley Forest Farm, a live in community for people in crisis. In 1997 she co-hosted the International Yoga Teachers Conference in Wellington New Zealand. In 2000, Joan took part in a meditation retreat in the Auschwitz-Birkenau Camps in Poland under the guidance of Roshi Bernie Glassman.