At the Yoga Well Institute, we hold Yoga to be the process of each and every person becoming more authentically themselves.
Authentic expression makes celebrating diversity and standing for inclusivity essential.
Black Lives Matter
We stand with Black Lives Matter as a movement, and strive to create an inclusive and supportive environment for students. While our institute is currently predominantly white, we have teachers and students of all colors and orientations.
Inclusion Matters
We aim to curate environments (both educational and professional) that are safe and comfortable for LGBTQIA+ individuals to express themselves authentically. People of all gender expressions and sexualities work and study at the Yoga Well Institute.
We are committed to ensuring this life-changing work is available to all. If finances are the only thing preventing you from enrolling, we invite you to complete our Tuition Waiver Request and we’ll do our best to work with you. We are especially committed to supporting BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, Veterans, First Responders and other under-represented communities.
Cultural Roots Matter
We work hard to honor the people that are the source of these teachings: the Indian teachers with whom we studied (www.kym.org), the lineage of their teachers extending back thousands of years, and Indian culture as a whole. It is only because of our teacher’s love and diligence in passing down Yoga, that we are able to attempt to study it today.
Safe Spaces Matter
In order to ensure that all members of our community are held and safe, we have several mechanisms.
The first is we encourage everyone (including the Executive Director and Teachers) to work with a Yoga Mentor on a regular basis. In general, the Yoga Mentor guides the student’s personal practice. This usually includes helping the student to navigate whatever life circumstances arise for the student at that time. This personal connection provides a link into a vast network of support and accountability for our community. We are happy to make introductions to Yoga Mentors, if you’re interested in this you can find out more and schedule a mentor matching meeting here.
Additionally, for many years we have had a Student Liaison who is available to meet with anyone in our community for free anytime. Their role is to help any student or teacher, and the community itself, to navigate any conflict, tension or miscommunication that arises. You can find more information here.
Taking Responsibility Matters
As a white man offering teachings created in India, by Brown people from another culture, Chase Bossart is conscious of how his positions as teacher and Executive Director of the Institute intersect with the power dynamics of cultural appropriation and cultural hegemony as well as his own white privilege and fragility. He surely has yet unacknowledged blind spots, and this is a conversation that he is neither ignorant of, nor hides from.