Exploring the wisdom, lineage, and teachings behind the practice we know today. Today I was chatting with a fellow teacher at the studio. She mentioned she was doing a 300-hour yoga teacher training and was curious about my journey, since I lived in India for three years studying what in the West is often called “philosophy.” More accurately, it is one of the darśanas (visions or means of seeing reality), but that’s a conversation for another day. I studied Advaita Vedānta, the non-dual teaching that unfolds the knowledge found in the Vedānta, literally “the end of the Vedas.” The Vedas are the foundational body of knowledge of the Vedic tradition, from which disciplines such as Ayurveda, Yoga, Jyotiṣa (Vedic astrology), and many others emerge. This tradition is also the foundation of what we today broadly call Hinduism—they are not separate traditions. Traditionally, there are four Vedas: the Ṛg Veda, Yajur Veda, Sāma Veda, and Atharva Veda. These were preserved for countless generations through an extraordinary oral tradition before being compiled by the sage Veda Vyāsa. While it is impossible to date them with certainty, they are among the oldest surviving bodies of knowledge in the world. The Vedas are traditionally divided into two broad sections. The first is Karma Kāṇḍa, which deals with ritual, action, values, dharma, and living a harmonious life. The second is Jñāna Kāṇḍa, also known as Vedānta, which is dedicated to self-knowledge and the discovery of our true nature. These teachings have always been passed down through a living lineage of teacher and student (guru-śiṣya paramparā), and remarkably, that tradition is still alive today. I had the privilege of studying within that lineage in India. I like to imagine the Vedic tradition as a tree. The Vedas are the roots and the trunk. From them grow the major branches, such as Ayurveda and Jyotiṣa. Yoga is another of these great branches, deeply connected to the same source. Although each branch has its own methodology, they all arise from the same vision of life.

Open your body, deepen your breath, and create space for a sense of openness and ease. This full-body yoga flow focuses on releasing tension through the shoulders, chest, spine, and hips while building strength, mobility, and awareness. As the body opens, the breath naturally becomes fuller, inviting a greater feeling of presence and connection. Rather than forcing flexibility, we'll move with steadiness and curiosity, allowing each posture to create space from within. This practice is perfect when you've been sitting for long periods, feeling physically tight, or simply looking to reconnect with yourself through mindful movement. Come as you are, breathe deeply, and enjoy this opportunity to cultivate openness in both body and mind. ✨ Open the body. Soften the breath. Meet the present moment with an open heart.

Go and check our classroom for some divine feminine wisdom from the Vedic Tradition.

Svādhyāya (स्वाध्याय) is one of the Niyamas in the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali and is traditionally understood as self-study. In yoga, self-study is more than self-analysis. It is the practice of observing our thoughts, habits, reactions, and patterns with honesty and awareness. It also includes the study of sacred teachings that help us better understand ourselves and our place in the world. On the mat, Svādhyāya is cultivated by noticing how we respond to challenge, ease, success, and limitation. Off the mat, it becomes a lifelong inquiry into who we are beneath our roles, preferences, and conditioning. This practice invites us to move with curiosity rather than judgment, using yoga as a mirror for greater self-understanding. Through self-study, awareness deepens. Through awareness, transformation becomes possible. ✨ Part of our Yoga Philosophy Series exploring the Yamas and Niyamas of Classical Yoga.