Biography


My Yogic Journey Story

Yogini Master Swaha Devi (Bonnie Ringer)-MeTso, is an experienced Yoga and Healing Arts Therapy Practitioner, and Meditation Instructor. She’s had a personal practice since 1986. She has lead teacher-training workshops through out the East Coast and teaches worldwide. She is known for her artistic and inspiring yoga teachings, spot-on adjustments, remarkable intuition, and accessible philosophical teachings. All her yogic accomplishments have come to her through hard work, dedication, and fierce determination (Tapas). She has transformed her practice from the mere ordinary to the extraordinary by giving her attention and intentions to the wiser, broader all knowing true Divine Self in all beings. Bonnie also has the unique natural ability to channel Guardian Angels & Spirit Guides, and often receives messages from the Other Side during her classes and many workshops. She's had this connection to the spirit and energy realm from the age of 8, when her Great Grandmother died. Bonnie can see and interpret the subtle, luminous energy field around each person, known as your Aura. She gives Spiritual Health & Healing's with touch, vibration, and readings by connecting to the Divine Energy within our true-self. Bonnie is a vegetarian and believes in compassion for all living things. As a Wife and Mother of two grown glorious children, Bonnie balanced the many demands and challenges of life, and can help you achieve complete harmony and balance as well. Bonnie welcomes the opportunity to share her wealth of yogic knowledge with you and is honored to be of service to others on this wonderful life awakening journey.

Bonnie holds certifications in NESTA, CYT, E-RYT 500, A 17 year Disciple of Master Sri Dharma Mittra & 200 Hour Registered Dharma Yoga® LOAY Teacher & 500 Hour Westchester Institute of Yoga Teacher with the late Tao Porchon-Lynch & E-RYT500 with Yoga Alliance; Bonnie was first certified back in 1996, after 10 years of dedication to the practice of Traditional Hatha/Raja Yoga, Pranayama, Yoga Nidra, and Guided Meditation. She has ten years of first hand personal experiences with teaching Yoga for Women Cancer Survivors in NYU Langone Medical Center, & (in 2009 helped raise $7,000 for Breast Cancer Awareness in a fashion show). She holds certifications in Pre-Natal Yoga, and both Mat and Ring Pilates through PowerHouse Pilates (following the strict teachings of Joseph Pilates), Sport Yoga with NESTA (National Endurance Sports Trainers Association) & SUP Boarding Yoga.   Her yoga practice took her to new heights, specifically the Roof of the world, Tibet. She's been interviewed on "In The Spirit," Radio Show on WRPI 91.5 FM for her ongoing support of the Tibetan Home of Hope Orphanage (THOH), in the town of Jian Zha in the Amdo Region of Tibet, nestled between the mountain ranges of the Himalayas. As her practice grew stronger, sweeter, and more connected to the wiser, broader, all-knowing Divine Energy in every living thing, she found herself deep in her spiritual journey up the mountains of Tibet. Bonnie first traveled to Tibet in 2009 with her daughter, then again in 2011, bearing witness to the life of the Tibetan people, temples, & stupas. Tibet is truly a sacred land dedicated to the enlightenment of all sentient beings.

Bonnie's trips to Tibet were grounded in Pure Karma yoga, and gave her the opportunity to be of selfless service to the orphans and the people of Tibet. She taught English, Math and Yoga to the children, and enjoyed the two (2) mile walks into town with the children to buy them necessities and treat them all to ice cream cones! She made friends with the orphanage's baby cow, got the amazing chance to bathe and walked him down to the glacier runoff water. One day, a older Tibetan boy came to her, whose dream was to go to University to study and become a doctor, but his family could not afford the tuition. Right then and there, Bonnie reached into her pocket, took out her wallet, and helped generously. When not mothering the children, she took charge and action to improve a number of issues in the orphanage.

She was very much at home visiting the caves of Tibetan Buddhist Monks, being part of the offerings to the Mountain Gods at 19,000 feet above sea level, and living with a Tibetan grandmother in the village (pictures in gallery). Returning to Tibet in August 2011, living every awakened hour with the children at the Tibetan Home of Hope orphanage in Jian Zha; She actively received their culture through language, religion and arts teachings and was given her Tibetan Buddhist name of "MeTso" from the people meaning "flower". Her Tibet knowledge and studies had changed her life. She had continued her Tibetan studies here in NY, under the guide of "Geshe Lobsang Dharge" as she travels down this great path of Buddhism. On December 25, 2018 she received her Refuge Spiritual name "Konchok Rabga Hlandze" Translation: Divine Beauty of Extreme Delight in the Triple Gem, given by Refuge Lord Garchen Triptrul Rinpoche from Garchen Buddhist Institute, Chino Valley, AZ

Bonnie was honored with her Darshan Blessings from His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama, and blessed four times by Dada J.P. Vaswani from Pune; she received blessings three times by Amma, Divine Mother, and by the Kuten La, a Tibetan Buddhist Monk and Medium who channels the spirit of the State Oracle of Tibet for His Holiness the Dalai Lama. She's an Angel ambassador to the Tibetan Home of Hope 501(c) charitable organization since it's conception in December 2006, consistently helping support them here in NY and in Tibet.

Her yoga teachers are all "world renowned" Joan Suval was a senior disciple of Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati, who called her “Mother of the Ashram.” Since 1964, authorized by Shri Brahmananda, Joan has offered meditation and Yoga-Vedanta programs for the Yoga Society of New York, at Ananda Ashram, Westchester and in NYC. Master Sri Dharma Mittra (she is a Dharma Yoga® Registered Teacher & had attended weekly practice of Master class for over 15 years), Grand Master Tao Porchon-Lynch, Master Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, David Williams, Brother's David and Doug Swenson, Ana Forrest, Nicki Doane and Eddie Modestini, Edward Clark, Nevine Michaan, Duncan Wong.

She brings 39 years of personal practice and more than 100,000 hours of experience instructing group classes, private clients, workshops & Holistic Yoga Therapy & Healing Body Work since 1986. She began teaching yoga at the Nanuet Adult Continuing Education Centers & Fitness Yoga in health clubs in 1996. After the birth of her children in 1994; Kids Yoga, Tween & Teen Yoga. Continual Adults & Senior Yoga throughout Clarkstown Central Schools & Clarkstown Pascack Community Center & West Nyack Free  and Finkelstein Memorial Library since 2002. She has given free (Karma) Yoga classes at Germonds and Lake Nanuet pools. 

In November of 1999 Bonnie founded her beautiful hOMe yoga studio ~ Bonnie's Yoga Shala in Nanuet, NY,  later for a short time, became A 200-Hour Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance. She directed the 200 hour YA teacher training programs.  She teaches all the group classes and workshops, from the Beginner Yoga, to the Master Workshops. She is the creator of "Bonnie's Yoga Shala Shakti Namaskara Vinyasa Flow®". In the past years she has taught Ashtanga Primary Series & 2nd Series, Dharma Yoga® Shiva Namaskara Vinyasa I & II, Maya Yoga Vinyasa Level I, Vinyasa Level II,III, and Maha (Great) practices. In the summer months of 2013 she & her husband Sheperd Ringer built The Beautiful Enchanted Garden Yoga Deck.

In 2012 Bonnie becomes an Adjunct Teacher for the 200hr & 500hr Teacher Training Certification Programs at Ananda Ashram Yoga Society of NY, The Westchester Institute of Yoga® in NY and the orginal Juluka Yoga Studio in NJ.

On August 3, 2010 she became a legally ordained minister, with Universal Life Church Ministry, and had joined the faculty of presenter(s) at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health in Stockbridge, MA, then continued to present at  Integral Yoga in Buckingham, VA, and Ananda Ashram Yoga Society of NY, in Monroe, NY where she gave ongoing Master workshops titled "If Not Now, When?” for three and a half years. She shares her years of experience, wisdom, and broad teachings with new students in highly motivational and life changing weekend retreats and immersions. 

In 2013 she became an Ambassador in the Ahnu Yoga Instructor Program, an "extra" in the Yoga movie "Creative Control"; directed by Benjamin Dickinson & a Yoga Model in the summer catalog for Manuduka. In 2013 she traveled with Tao Porchon-Lynch on the France Yoga & Wine Tour, co-teaching Hatha classes. In May of 2014 and again in September of 2015, she was considered a top influencer & shared  weekend Workshops teaching Inversions & YogaBliss at the Saint Andrews Country Club, in Boca Raton, Florida. On July 2, 2016 her Sanskrit name SWAHA DEVI was revealed from Shri Brahmananda Sarasvati. Given to her from Joan Suval.  On January 2017 Bonnie Marched in Washington, DC, along 3rd ave and Independence Street, with about 1.2 million people. The Women's March was the largest mass demonstration in US history.  In April of 2017 she traveled to Berlin & co-taught with Flowing Yoga and Dharma Berlin. In October 2017 was hosted by TAFER Hotels & Resorts October Wellness Month, at Villa del Palmar Cancun Resort & Spa, in Mexico. In February 2018 she was a welcomed Presenter at Sedona Yoga Festival, Sedona AZ http://sedonayogafestival.com/ In 2018 & 2019 she returned as a special guest teacher  for October Wellness at Villa Del Palmar Cancun Resort & Spa presenting YogaBliss classes on the pier & their first ever SUP boarding Yoga at the Resort. She was thrilled to share her Yoga expertise at the 2018 & 2019 November Wellness Retreat at Garza Blanca Preserve & Hotel Mousai for the Thanksgiving Holiday session of  YogaBliss & SUP Yoga classes for Tafer Hotel & Resorts. She returned once again for  October 2020 & 2021 as a special guest "Yogini Bonnie Ringer teaches YogaBliss & SUP for us again at Villa del Palmar / Wellness is a Signature TAFER Experience.  

In April of 2021, out of hundreds of Thousand competitors Bonnie, was thrilled to place 4th in the "Quarter Finals" of the Yoga Warrior 2021 competition.  

She has been invited back, as special guest teacher, to share her expertise at all of the "TAFER Resorts" Signature Wellness Programs in 2021 & 2022. She is humbled to partake again, in their Wellness Events. October at Villa Del Palmar, Cancun & Garza Blanca, Los Cabos in 2022. Bonnie returns in JUNE for Wellness of 2023 to teach at Villa Del Palmar, Cancun & Garza Blanca Preserve & Hotel Mousai. She expanded her wellness teaching in 2023 to SEATTLE, Washington for the  September Team Building events in Olympia.  Looking forwad to continue in ITALY early Spring in 2024.

Bonnie is forever grateful for her abilities and unique gifts, and takes every opportunity to make a difference in the life of others. The motto she lives by is, "Who have you helped, and what have you learned?"