Here we catch up with Shruti Shah, a yoga instructor from Mumbai, India, currently working at Costa Dulce in Nicaragua. Shruti has been a Yoga Trade community member for 3 years, is exploring the world sharing her gifts, and is in the process of writing a story for a newspaper in Mumbai. Learn more about Shruti and her life as a travelling yoga teacher… How long have you been practicing yoga? And what made you want to become a yoga teacher? Growing up in India, I was lucky to have yoga in my life at a young age. I religiously started practising at the age of 23 at a local Iyenga ..read more

We established Gaia Retreat House and retreat center 5 years ago in a small village (Küchen) at the heart of Germany, with a vision, faith, and determination to fulfill our dream. Today, Gaia Retreat House, against all odds, is a successful international Retreat Center for Yoga, Meditation, and Mindful living training, that people from all over Europe are visiting and enjoying an exceptional experience, both on spot and online. In this post, I would like to share with you some insights, that we got along the way and our personal experience of the process. (This is a personal story wr ..read more

Let’s face it – if you are traveling minimally or living out of a backpack for more than a week, then your yoga mat may not make the cut on your packing list. While a yoga mat can help ground your practice, it is not necessary to maintain a regular yoga practice or care for our bodies and minds. Luckily, yoga will always be there for us. If we take a break from our practice, we can always return to it. However, I offer some ideas on how you can maintain a consistent practice no matter where you are and whether or not you have a mat to practice on. Set a Daily Minimum What does your minimum pr ..read more

Join us at the Mammoth Yoga Festival this year! We hope you will gather with us in the mountains June 16th – 19th, 2022 in Mammoth Lakes, California. We attended this festival in 2021 and this location, community, and experience are all super special. We are excited to announce that Yoga Trade will be offering a workshop specifically for the global yoga teacher community at the event. Enjoy natural beauty, develop a deeper connection with yourself and your practice, find inspiration, connect with new friends, and make a commitment to personal + planetary wellness. June is a stunning and m ..read more

Ava Taylor is the Founder and Chief Catalyst of YAMA Talent and the GM of Bodynova North America. She is a dedicated yogi, and a tenacious + creative entrepreneur with her finger on the pulse of the rapidly expanding yoga industry. Ava is well-connected, in the ‘right place at the right time,’ and the go-to strategist for top professional yoga teachers, studios, and brands looking to increase their relevance in the yoga space. Since 2010, Ava has collaborated with an extremely high caliber of clientele, co-produced the annual Yoga Garden at The White House as well as both of the ..read more

There are have been some amazing communities birthed online over the past decade, and Earth Speak is one of them. Earth Speak is a community honoring earth-based spirituality for connection, belonging, and renewal. This community is on a mission to help intuitive earth-loving people to know that their own magic is real, and that their magic can have a positive impact on their everyday lives and the world around them. Creating and tending a community takes a lot of work and devotion. Here we catch up with the founders of Earth Speak; Natalie Ross and Shawna Cason as they share some of ..read more

I met Blakely Stein ‘jungle soul mama’ in Costa Rica many moons ago, and have been fortunate to be a witness to her growth and transformation over the years. From seeing her host community food events, to her elegant progression in surfing, to creating a successful boutique hotel business, and becoming a MOTHER, she inspires with grace and radiance. We catch up with Blakely here to share a peek into her story and to learn about her new and exciting offerings! Tell us a little about yourself and your path… My path continues to unfold in the most unexpected but profoundl ..read more

This article was first published on the Vira Bhava Yoga blog HERE.  The opportunity to practice resilience came to me, as grace often descends, through the offering of direct experience. In June, I was offered a monumental test of my own resilience.  My father was diagnosed with end stage lung cancer, and sent home to receive hospice care through the end of his days.  The journey was intense albeit quick. He was more alive than he had been in years the first month and a half after receiving the diagnosis, then began rapidly and steadily declining until he took his last breath on ..read more

What a joy to meet Rachel Dobronyi this summer at Tahoe Outdoor Yoga at Kiva Beach!  This very special human is the founder of Kāma Surface Co. Kāma designs origami-style adventure surfaces with intention. Rachel’s roots are the mountains, the sea, yoga, and mindful adventures. She has followed her heart’s calling around the world and with enthusiasm and gratitude, Kāma is the song that poured out. Create a magical space in your favorite place! Get to know more about Rachel’s vision and her gift to the world in the interview story here: Tell us a little bit about your yoga ..read more

Plants are magical, intelligent, and often good medicine. To even dabble in herbalism is to begin to deepen and nourish our relationships with plants and our community. If we slow down and observe with awareness we see abundant healing opportunities and resilient offerings growing in the ground all around us. Herbal medicines can be great teachers that guide us to become the best versions of ourselves and help us to find that balance that we’re looking for in the body, mind, and soul. Herbalism is an excellent compliment to yoga teaching or any branch of holistic wellness. Join our friends Jul ..read more