Yoga & Mindfulness

Yoga is an applied science of the body and mind with the goal of Self-Realization. It is designed to bring human beings to their highest levels of physical health, mental clarity and spiritual consciousness. There are nine main approaches or forms to yoga: Hatha, Raja, Kriya, Jnana, Japa, Yantra, Laya, Kundalini, and Bhakti Yoga. 

At Breathe & Burn, we focus on classical Hatha-Raja Yoga for a complete practice, with touches of other influences.  As described by Sri Dharma Mittra:

Hatha Yoga (Forceful Yoga) is the path to union through bodily mastery and is used mainly for physical development. Asana (postures) and pranayama (breath control) are the essence of this approach, as is a firm foundation in yama (ethical principles such as non-violence) and niyama (observances such as self-discipline).

Raja Yoga (Royal Union) represents the inward quest and is the yoga of mental mastery. It relies on the intellect and use of discrimination to distinguish between the Real Self and anything other than the Self. Meditation and concentration practices are at the core of this form of yoga but its foundations are yama and niyama.

The primary styles of Yoga taught at Breathe & Burn are Dharma Yoga, Integral Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga and Tao Porchon Yoga. These are based on the training and experience of Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy.

Dharma Yoga is a modern interpretation of classical Eight-limbed or Hatha-Raja Yoga, deeply rooted in ethical precepts that includes elements of flowing Vinyasa, inversions and held poses that will help you to discover concentration, meditation, abiding contentedness and deep healing relaxation. Dharma Yoga was created by Sri Dharma Mittra in 1975. The physical posture practice (Asana) tones and invigorates the body and mind, leading to enhanced flexibility, strength, balance and concentration. Breathing exercises (pranayama) and meditative techniques regulate the heartbeat, de-stress the nervous system and calm the mind. Guided deep healing relaxation or Yoga Nidra relieves stress, slows down the thoughts, calms the mind and recharges one’s physical body. It is a complete practice that will lead to radiant health, a peaceful life and, eventually self-realization. Go to the Dharma Center website.

The practices of Integral Yoga are based in six branches of classical Yoga (Hatha, Raja, Japa, Karma, Bhakti, and Jnana) and are taught using an integrative—or “integral”—approach to address all aspects of the individual. The distinctive teachings blend the physical discipline of Yoga, the spiritual philosophy of India, and interfaith ideals. Every Integral Yoga class includes all aspects of a complete practice: chanting, centering, a sequence of poses to revitalize the physical body, deep relaxation, breathing practices, and meditation. These practices can help you cultivate an easeful body, a peaceful mind, and a useful life. The goal of Integral Yoga, and the birthright of every individual, is to realize the true self, to recognize the unity within all the diversity, and to contribute to a peaceful world. The Integral Yoga organization was founded in New York City in 1966 by Sri Swami Satchidananda in the New York City apartment of artist Peter Max, who invited the guru to America. The system was synthesized by Sri Swamiji from his spiritual roots in the nondual Tamil Saiva Yoga Siddhar tradition (~300 BCE – 500 CE), classical Yoga (dating back to the Vedic period and later), and the teachings of his Guru, Sri Swami Sivananda Saraswati (1887 – 1963). 

Vinyasa is a style of yoga characterized by stringing postures together seamlessly using breath. It dates back thousands of years and is now often called "flow yoga." According to Srivatsa Ramaswami, the Sanskrit word Vinyasa comes from a prefix vi, which means "variation," and a suffix, nyasa, which means "within prescribed parameters." He emphasizes that we are not “throwing our bodies around” but are bringing consciousness to each movement in each moment.

Teresa Kay-Aba Kennedy studied Vinyasa Krama Yoga with Srivatsa Ramaswami, who is the longest standing student of the legendary Shri T. Krishnamacharya, outside of Krishnamacharya's immediate family.  He studied with him for over 30 years and has written four books on yoga including The Complete Book of Vinyasa Yoga.

Tao Porchon Yoga is a style of yoga taught by Tao Porchon-Lynch.  She believed that life is "a dance of Eternal Energy." Her teaching style for asana (physical postures) is a mix of classic Hatha Yoga poses and Vinyasa Flow combined with her unique approach to harnessing life force and the Chakras (energy centers). Her focus on alignment and breath is influenced by her master teachers B.K.S. Iyengar and K. Pattabhi Jois, with metaphysical underpinnings from Dr. Roman Ostoja. In terms of meditation and philosophy, her primary influences were Swami Prabhavananda of the Vedanta Society and Maharishi Mahesh Yogi. Her exposure to Mahatma Gandhi growing up anchored her belief in Oneness, nonviolence, and activism--themes that come through in her yoga teaching. Tao's mother (who died giving birth to Tao) was from Bihar in Eastern India and Tao grew up in the French colony of Pondicherry in Southern India with her father's family. Therefore, she also incorporates elements from across the continent such as variations of Sun Salutation that are done in various parts of India and not widely practiced outside the local area. In addition, from a generation when most of the yoga masters were men, Tao brings a distinctive feminine power to her practice, teachings and presence.

As outlined in the ancient text, The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the eight limbs of yoga are:

1. Yama - ethical principles or laws of life

• ahimsa (nonviolence)
• satya (truthfulness)
• asteya (nonstealing)
• brahmacharya (chastity)
• aparigrapha (nonattachment)

2. Niyama - observances or rules for living

• saucha - simplicity
• santosha - contentment
• tapas - purification
• svadhyaya - self-study and study of scripture
• ishvarapranidhana - surrender to the Lord

3. Asana - posture

4. Pranayama - breath control

5. Pratyahara - withdrawal of the senses

6. Dharana - concentration

7. Dhyana - meditation

8. Samadhi - absorption or the settled mind

OM is "the sound of the vibrating universe" as explained by Sri Dharma Mittra. We often chant three OMs at the beginning of class to tap into universal energy and recognize our unity. Shanti means "peace" in the ancient Sanskrit language. We often chant Om Shanti at the end of class to send peace to the world.

Yes! Terri has been incorporating breath and mindfulness into her corporate training programs since 2003. In fact, her most popular corporate program over the years has been Stress or Success? It's Your Choice! which provides a research-driven framework and hands-on techniques to manage stress and build resilience. She was also one of the first to teach yoga at places like PricewaterhouseCoopers, the National Institutes of Health and the Ralph Lauren Cancer Center. In 2010, she was the first to share meditation to World Economic Forum Young Global Leaders in a session of 300 people in Tanzania, and even taught yoga to global leaders on a private section of the Great Wall of China. As former Vice President of Business Development & Operations at MTV Networks, she has real-world business experience and can tailor a program to suit your goals and resonate with your team.

Yes, when global travel resumes on a more normal basis we will get back to doing in-person events and retreats while leveraging our growing virtual platform.

We will tailor a program for your audience such as energizing breath and movement to start your conference, a yoga session, mindfulness workshop, or a combination of the above. Let us know what type of experience you want to deliver and we'll co-create it.

We are rolling out the BREATHE & BURN TEACHER TRAINING PROGRAM in 2023-2024. It will be influenced by Terri's training and teachers including Integral Yoga (Swami Satchidananda), Sri Dharma Mittra, Srivatsa Ramaswami, and Tao Porchon Lynch. If you are interested in knowing when the training launches, send us a message. 

When we operated the Ta Yoga House in Harlem, we served a diverse local community and had a beautiful mix of students who were African American, Hispanic, Caribbean, Asian, European and White American. Our team of teachers reflected that diversity. We probably had the most teachers of various colors in one studio at the time. Similarly, for our Virtual Studio, we would like to offer a welcome home for teachers of the African Diaspora and various cultures. Since the online platform has global reach, we also welcome classes in different languages and yoga styles. If you are a certified yoga teacher who wants to join us, send a message. You will benefit from our credibility, curated email list and marketing ability, and you will help us offer a full practice schedule to our audience. You can also become an Affiliate and earn money when people buy our courses through your website and marketing channels. It's a win-win! We want to support yoga teachers in creating financial abundance so they can share these transformative practices with ease.