Welcome!
Soul of Yoga is a home for those who seek a more spiritual Yoga experience. Our classes and trainings offer a heart-opening, consciousness expanding encounter. If you have a yearning to deepen your inner knowing, elevate your wellness, discover your purpose and meet like-minded individuals, the Soul of Yoga is calling you home.
We are deeply committed to preserving and passing on the authentic, and profound wisdom across many ancient yoga teachings and lineages. We share the best of the physical yoga practices, science, medicine, history, and philosophy, with no shortage of sacred and magical mysticism.
Through our partnerships with the world’s most knowledgeable teachers we empower students to become vessels for these timeless teachings, and to share the beauty of these practices with authenticity and integrity. As a growing collective we are making the world a kinder, more compassionate place.
Our Mission
- To share the profound experience of yoga practice through classes, workshops and professional trainings,
- To kindle your unique passion, wisdom and gifts,
- To empower you to share your gifts with the world in your own beautiful way.
Authenticity, Lineage & Philosophy
It is said there are many paths, but one goal. Soul of Yoga holds welcome space for a wide array of teachings, philosophy and lineages. Each teacher you’ll experience at Soul of yoga has extensive experience in their field, but we adhere to no one single belief system or dogma. It is our intention to provide multiple authentic perspectives, so you can find your own resonate path and deepest truth.
The Right Practice for You
All of our offerings are guided by the most experienced and well-trained teachers in the world today. From the very physically challenging, to the most subtle, from the deeply spiritual, to scientifically ensured, we meet you where you are and offer you a path forward on your yogic journey. Whether you want to drench yourself in sweat, in spirit, or scientific study you’ll find a way to participate with passion at Soul of Yoga.
Spiritual and Scientific
Soul of Yoga is the place where Harvard meets Hogwarts!
In recent years the therapeutic effectiveness of complimentary treatments such as yoga, breathwork, meditation, sound healing and energy healing has gained attention from the scientific community. These interventions have been proven to have measurable effects on our mind and emotional states as well as on a physiological level. As such Soul of Yoga’s faculty includes Western experts speaking to modern understanding, including geneticists, neuroscientists, psychologists, researchers, cardiac and oncology experts, and behavioral specialists.
For all that modern science has come to understand about yogic science, there still remains teaching that is shrouded in mystery. At Soul of Yoga, we invite you to delve into these ancient mysteries and philosophies by studying with experienced teachers who are mystics, philosophers, authors and healers as they unveil the deep wisdom of subtle anatomy, Ayurveda, Sound Healing, Reiki and the ancient texts.
We have the highest respect for both science and spirit and the Soul of Yoga shines in the convergence point.
World Renowned Faculty and Master Teachers
Whether teaching asana, science or mysticism, Soul of Yoga’s faculty are renowned throughout the yoga community for their depth of knowledge and unwavering commitment to preserving the authentic lineage of yoga. Each has decades of experience, and in many cases have “wrote the book” on their area of presentation. The breadth and depth of the experience and perspective shared by our faculty is unparalleled. This combined wisdom is a seeker’s dream come true!
Studying with master-level faculty is enlightening and inspiring, and also fosters graduates that are skilled practitioners, and true ambassadors for the authentic lineage and mystical depths of the yogic teachings
Leslie Kaminoff is a Yoga educator inspired by the tradition of T.K.V. Desikachar. He is an internationally recognized specialist with 36 years of experience in the fields of Yoga, breath anatomy, and bodywork. He has led workshops for many of the leading Yoga associations, schools, and training programs in America. Leslie is the founder of the Yoga blog, “e-Sutra,” and “The Breathing Project,” a New York City Yoga studio dedicated to the teaching of individualized, breath-centered Yoga. Leslie teaches The Breathing Project’s unique yearlong course in Yoga anatomy, and is the co-author with Amy Matthews of the bestselling book, “Yoga Anatomy” published by Human Kinetics.
Teacher in: 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Indu Arora, Ayurveda and Yoga Therapist considers herself a student for lifetime. She is the author of Mudra: The Sacred Secret, Yoga, Ancient Heritage, Tomorrow’s Vision (known as The little Red Book on Yoga) and SOMA – 100 Heritage Recipes for Self-Care.
Indu has been sharing about Yoga philosophy, Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda since 1999, and has inspired by and taught under Kriya Yoga, Himalayan Yoga, Kashmir Shivaism and Sivananda Yoga lineages. She has studied both Yoga and Ayurveda in a traditional Guru paramapara setting.
Her teaching style is rooted in empowering and inspiring students to awaken the inner Guru. Her core philosophy is, ‘Nothing has the greatest power to heal, but Self!”
Teacher in: 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Nischala Joy Devi is a master teacher and healer. For over 30 years she has been highly respected as an international advocate for her innovative way of expressing Yoga and its subtle uses for spiritual growth and complete healing. She was a monastic student of the world renowned Yogiraj Sri Swami Satchidananda and offered her expertise in developing the yoga portion of The Dean Ornish Program for Reversing Heart Disease and the Commonweal Cancer Help Program.
With her knowledge of yoga and her experience in assisting those with life-threatening diseases, she created The Healing Path of Yoga, and the “Abundant Well-Being Series” CD’s. Yoga of the Heart, a training and certification program for Yoga teachers and health professionals designed to adapt Yoga practices to the special needs of that population.
Nischala Devi is now directing her energies to bringing the feminine heart perspective back into spirituality and the scriptures in her new book, The Secret Power of Yoga, a woman’s guide to the heart and spirit of the Yoga Sutras and The Secret Power of Yoga audiobook (Nautilus Book Award Winner)
Teacher in: 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Durga Leela BA, CAS, PKS, Yoga Acharya is the founder of Yoga of Recovery. She is a Certified Yoga Teacher E-RYT 500 through the Sivananda lineage and extensively trained in Meditation and Vedanta. A Clinical Ayurvedic and Panchakarma Specialist, Durga trained both in the US and India and has served as the Director of the Ayurveda Programs at the Yoga Farm in California since 2003. She is a professional member and speaker for the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT), also a member of Yoga Alliance. Durga has worked on her own path of recovery and has been a grateful member of 12 step fellowship for over 14 years.
Teacher in: 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Monique Lonner, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT is the Director and Program Mentor of Soul of Yoga Institute Advanced Yoga Teacher Training and Yoga Therapy Training Programs. A Yoga teacher for 20 years, she studied in India, New York and California with Master teachers and spiritual sages including, most notably, the teaching faculty of the Soul of Yoga Institute Advanced Program. Monique has developed the Advanced Teacher Training and Yoga Therapy Program for Soul of Yoga, bringing together those who are considered to be the best of the best Master yoga teachers in the world today. A devoted spiritual seeker, as well as an experienced anatomy and physiology teacher she has created a comprehensive program which balances the study of Yoga Therapy technique with the insight and wisdom of Yogic and metaphysical philosophy.
Teacher in: 200 Hour, 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Richard C. Miller, PhD is a clinical psychologist, author, researcher, yogic scholar and spiritual teacher. For over 40 years, Richard Miller has devoted his life and work to integrating the nondual wisdom teachings of Yoga, Tantra, Advaita, Taoism and Buddhism with Western psychology. Among his mentors were Jean Klein, T.K.V. Desikachar and Stephen Chang.
Richard is the founding president and CEO of the Integrative Restoration Institute, co-founder of The International Association of Yoga Therapy and founding editor of the professional Journal of IAYT. He is also a founding member and past president of the Institute for Spirituality and Psychology and a senior advisor for the Baumann Foundation for the study of Awareness and its impact on well-being.
Author of Yoga Nidra: The Meditative Heart of Yoga, Richard serves as a research consultant studying the iRest Yoga Nidra protocol that he has developed (Integrative Restoration ~ iRest, a modern adaptation of the ancient nondual meditation practice of Yoga Nidra) researching its efficacy on health, healing and well-being with diverse populations including active-duty soldiers, veterans, college students, children, seniors, the homeless, the incarcerated, and people experiencing issues such as sleep disorders, PTSD, chemical dependency, chronic pain, and related disorders.
Teacher in: 200 Hour, 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Flossie Park, E-RYT 500 YACEP Always considering herself as a student of life, Flossie has dedicated her life to empowering herself and others through yoga, meditation, workshops, retreats, Sound Therapy and numerous other modalities for over 25 years. One of Flossie’s passions is to support people wherever they are on their life’s journey. With a down to earth approach, she draws from a lifetime of spiritual studies from many sources both from the eastern and western traditions. Applying the wisdom teachings to everyday living, she helps people to see their life from a higher perspective, gleaning understanding, enjoying the process and creating consciously. One of her strongest passions is supporting women, especially during pregnancy. This is a true opportunity for women to recognize their innate power learning to trust their bodies and intuition.
Teacher in: 200 Hour, 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Joe Barnett E-RYT 500
Joe has been practicing and teaching many forms of yoga for 20 years. For 10 years, he has been traveling nationally and internationally offering lectures, workshops and teacher trainings on specifically Yin Yoga and Chakra Meditation. Joe is a senior student and primary teaching assistant of Paul Grilley, a true Yoga Scientist and founder of Yin Yoga. After several years of apprenticing under Paul, Joe began roaming the globe to spread the word of his teacher’s work. “Joe Barnett has been our friend and assistant for many years. He has two qualities that make him an excellent presenter: he knows the anatomical principles and he relates to people in a sympathetic manner. His presentations are unhurried, hands on demonstrations, this is the easiest way to absorb these ideas.” ~ Paul and Suzee Grilley
Teacher in: 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training, 300 Hour Advanced
Dana Reece, Ph.D., E-RYT 500, YACEP, Director of Kundalini Studies, is a Kundalini Yoga Facilitator; Kundalini Yoga Teacher Trainer; Trauma-Sensitive Regression Practitioner in private practice; Yoga Therapist in training; and college professor.
Dr. Reece has 30 years’ teaching experience and 20 years’ experience in meditation and the practice of inner alchemical and yogic techniques designed to develop and strengthen the energetic body and enhance intuition. Yogic areas of expertise include Death and Shadow work; Conscious Communication Techniques; Strategies for Deepening Intuition; and Sankalpa (“resolve” or “resolution”): the yogic method of setting goals or aspirations. She has completed leadership training with several masters of personal development, including Peter Drucker, Charles Givens, and Anthony Robbins. In addition to having taught hundreds of college classes as a college professor and Kundalini Yoga instructor, she has led and facilitated dozens of group meditations and workshops.
Dana Reece’s experience in these modalities combines compassion, humor, and heart-centered determination to move clients and students through self-imposed fears and limitations toward clarity and confidence to achieve their highest potential.
Teacher in: 200 Hour, 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Amy Weintraub, MFA, E-RYT 500, C-IAYT, YACEP is the founder of the LifeForce Yoga Healing Institute and has been a pioneer in the field of yoga and mental health for over 20 years. She is the author of Yoga for Depression (Broadway Books) and Yoga Skills for Therapists: Effective Practices for Mood Management (W.W. Norton) and numerous articles and book chapters. Amy is involved in ongoing research on the impact of Yoga on mood. Her evidence-based Yoga protocol for managing mood is used in healthcare settings globally and is featured on a number of audio-visual products, including the LifeForce Yoga series, an award-winning library of evidence-based yoga and meditation CDs and DVDs for mood management. She maintains an archive of news and research on, www.yogafordepression.com.
Teacher in: 300 Hour Advanced and Yoga Therapy Trainings
Joe Barnett, ERYT-500 has been practicing and teaching many forms of yoga for 20 years. For 10 years, he has been traveling nationally and internationally offering lectures, workshops and teacher trainings on specifically Yin Yoga and Chakra Meditation.
Joe is a senior student and primary teaching assistant of Paul Grilley, a true Yoga Scientist and founder of Yin Yoga. After several years of apprenticing under Paul, Joe began roaming the globe to spread the word of his teacher’s work.
“Joe Barnett has been our friend and assistant for many years. He has two qualities that make him an excellent presenter: he knows the anatomical principles and he relates to people in a sympathetic manner. His presentations are unhurried, hands on demonstrations, this is the easiest way to absorb these ideas.” ~ Paul and Suzee Grille
Teacher in: 200 Hour, 300 Hour Advanced Trainings
Stacy McCarthy E-RYT 500 YACEP
An award-winning health & fitness leader, accomplished businesswomen, captivating speaker, and respected educator. For her contributions to the field of health and wellness as a seasoned mindful movement educator and integrative wellness thought leader, Stacy was honored as the 2021 IDEA World Fitness Instructor of the Year, a prestigious award recognizing superior instructional abilities and positive influence within the global health and fitness industry. Stacy’s recognized for her health and wellness coaching, yoga and mindfulness practices, positive psychology interventions, culinary whole food, plant-based medicine in the treatment of various chronic disease and conditions.
Infused with humor and soul, Stacy is a storyteller with a devotion to philosophy. Her classes are physically balanced, energetically empowering, mentally focusing and spiritually up-lifting. They are designed to transform lives. Stacy’s yoga journey began almost three decades ago in the lineage of T. Krishnamacharya. She is known for intelligent sequencing that meets her students where they are in their own practice in a system that inspires beginners and experienced students alike. Her teaching is holistic and embraces periods of time both past and present, as well as the fluctuations of life, including age, seasons, and transitions. At the core of her teachings there is a celebration for the human capacity to expand, love and live more fabulously.
Teacher in: 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training
Amanda Baird has played an intricate role in encouraging others to utilize the power of Sound as an accessible healing modality. Referred to as the “Midwife of Sound Healing” education, her programs have reached thousands in the past decade. She was inspired to build a sound healing training program while working as a Critical Care/ER/Trauma Registered Nurse. In that role, she saw a great need for increased compassion, self-care and connection for her patients and fellow staff members. While working with hundreds of people in various healing settings like hospice, elementary schools, hospitals, jails, homeless shelters, and more, she witnessed how sound healing could help shift the sad to uplifted, the pained to relieved, the burnt-out to enlivened quickly, easily, and with consistent results. Amanda has worked with world renowned Sound Healers, Nurses, and Music Therapists and continues to lead the way for the future in wellness and medicine. Amanda is the co-creator and visionary for Sacred Sound of the Soul temples, located in Encinitas, Ca and Sedona, AZ and she is the Director/Founder of the Soul of Yoga Sound Institute.
Teacher in: 200 Hour Yoga Teacher Training and Sound Institute
Trusted and Respected
For over 23 years, Soul of Yoga has been dedicated to preserving and passing on the authentic lineage and profound depths of yogic wisdom. We’ve earned the reputation as one of the most respected yoga studios and prestigious Teacher Training programs.
We consistently uphold a steadfast commitment to guiding students in the direct experience and embodiment of yoga’s ancient teachings, in all its beautifully profound dimensions. This long-standing ethos of upholding yoga’s lineage and mystical core has earned the Soul of Yoga a reputation as a bastion of authentic yogic knowledge and practice.
With the world’s most renowned teachers providing the deepest teaching, you will be exposed to an instructional curriculum unlike any other, and the credential you carry from the Soul of Yoga will be one of the most respected in the world.
Community
Soul of Yoga is a vibrant community of students and teachers who have converged on the Yogic Path to explore many dimensions of yoga, and become deeply committed to preserving the sacred wisdom of the yoga traditions. Through our classes and training programs we have empowered practitioners to not only deepen their own understanding and experience of yoga, but also to become vessels for sharing these profound teachings with their local communities. By fostering this network of alumni and dedicated yogis who care so much about others, Soul of Yoga has played a pivotal role in helping students and teachers alike connect, support one another, and collectively uplift the consciousness of the world through the timeless teachings of yoga.
Academic Rigor
Soul of Yoga has three Yoga Teacher Training Programs which are approved by Yoga Alliance, a Yoga Therapy Training Program Accredited by IAYT and a WASC Accredited Masters degree program offered through partnership with the California Institute of Human Sciences. This means our programs meet the highest academic standards in our industry.
Our commitment to a world-renowned faculty, deeply meaningful experiences, authentic lineage teachings, scientific rigor, and a broad range of physical, mystical, philosophical and empirical teachings sets us apart from all other training programs. Your credential from Soul of Yoga is considered gold standard in the Yoga world.
Support
You are never alone at Soul of Yoga. Our deeply knowledgeable and supportive team of owners, program directors, assistants, mentors and teachers with guide you throughout your training program, and beyond. But rather than molding you to our ideals, it is our purpose to support you in finding your own path, embodying your truth and sharing it with the world. Our commitment to you lasts beyond your graduation date and is a key factor in preserving the integrity and authenticity of our Yoga tradition.
Accessibility and Inclusion
No matter what your age or physical condition you can participate in our teacher training programs. At Soul of Yoga we believe Yoga is for everyone and every body. We offer training across the spectrum from chair to gentle to power yoga, as well as practices and training for those recovering from cancer, heart disease, addiction, trauma or other physical limitations. We are committed to accessibility and inclusivity and welcome students from all walks of life and different cultures from around the world to experience the transformative power of yoga. All together we support the continued growth of yoga as a unifying force for personal and collective transformation.
Flexibility: In-Person, Live-Online, and Recorded
Soul of Yoga offers you total flexibility for how you can attend our classes and trainings. Join us in person, in our beautiful studio in sunny Encinitas, CA, live-online via Zoom, or watch at your own pace via class recordings. Our in-person and live steam options allow for complete student immersion in a supportive community and the authentic teachings of yogic wisdom. And our live stream and recorded options provide an accessible avenue to those who may otherwise be geographically or circumstantially more comfortable at home. This flexibility in program delivery offers a unique avenue for genuine and inclusive engagement with like-minded people and is a hallmark of our commitment to making yogic knowledge, transformation and community available to all who seek it.
Location
Picturesque, seaside Encinitas, California, home to Soul of Yoga, is recognized as an epicenter for the preservation and transmission of authentic yogic wisdom. Encinitas was home to Yoga luminaries like Swami Yogananda who helped establish this region as a hub for spiritual practice and teaching. Soul of Yoga’s proximity to sites like the Self-Realization Fellowship, founded by Yogananda, imbues our teacher training programs with an unparalleled proximity to lineage and reverence for the mystical heart of yoga. In Encinitas you’ll find many healthy restaurants, sun-lit beaches, world-class surf spots and a gorgeous meditation garden. The auspicious location, steeped in the legacies of one of yoga’s most revered sages, enables the Soul of Yoga to serve as a beacon for the authentic transmission of yogic knowledge and the cultivation of profound spiritual awakening.
The Soul of Yoga’s Existence is an Absolute Miracle
Tom and Trisha truly believe that because their yoga center was founded with the pure intention to honor souls, as they have been blessed by the divine. Some of the seeds they planted were: “you cannot make yourself wrong,” “and if I were you, and I am!” Tom and Trisha have always asserted that at the Soul of Yoga, everybody should feel comfortable, loved, and accepted, and not judged.
Stewards of the Soul of Yoga
In addition to countless contributions from staff and community members, on the road to fulfill the Soul of Yoga’s destiny, dear souls such as Michelle Bollo, Gary Palisch and Neil Mintz, generously offered their time and expertise.
Flossie Park, Trisha’s sister, was a huge influence in adding Sound Healing offerings to the studio, as well as carrying the 200 hour yoga teacher training program for years. Flossie is now the teacher of many regular classes at the studio, lead teacher of the gentle yoga teacher training specialty, and a shareholder helping to guide the future of the Soul of Yoga.
In 2017, after many years of being students Ryan and Catrina Stanley stepped forward to carry the torch of the Soul’s mission, investing in the Soul of Yoga and becoming co-owners. Ryan functions as the Executive Director of the Soul of Yoga as well as the Director of the 200hr Yoga Teacher Training. Catrina works to communicate and market all of Soul of Yoga’s offerings.
As members came in and suggested new programs, Tom and Trisha were open to any and all new ideas from their students. One of these offerings was brought by Monique Lonner, after she arrived from New York and found the Soul to be her spiritual home. She successfully proposed an advanced training program which eventually became The Soul Institute. The Soul of Yoga and The Soul Institute are a powerful combination that continues today. Monique became a full co-owner of the studio in 2018, and is the director of the Advanced and Yoga Therapy Training programs.
Founders Tom and Trisha have now moved to Georgia, but remain shareholders providing guidance and support from their new home. Thankfully, their talent and influence can still be felt throughout the studio’s operations.
Tom Kelly
Trisha Kelly
Monique Lonner
Flossie Park
Ryan Stanley
Ryan Stanley