yoga field school

Yoga Field School is a fusion of yoga and anthropology; two schools of art, science, and life. Founded on the concepts of cultural relativity and ahimsa, it is our belief that to truly honor the sacred beliefs of non violence and the path of least harm in yoga, we must take our awareness off the mat and permeate it throughout our environment.

This is particularly true when traveling, where customs and cultural practices may differ greatly from our own. It is our goal when on an excursion, whether domestic or abroad, to honor these differences by being educated on the basic history of the region pre and post- colonization, to be aware of indigenous peoples and beliefs, to learn some basic language, and to adopt the field work principles of anthropological research by spending time with locals and within communities learning and doing works of service.

These works of service are a tribute to the land we are fortunate enough to traverse, an offer of gratitude and an embodiment of ahimsa, the yogic principle of non-violence. In addition to this anthropological perspective and work, participants will have daily yoga asana practices in addition to meditation, philosophy discussions, and other studies of the many branches and facets within yoga. Our goal is to incorporate local labor, food, and accommodation whenever possible to make sure the money invested in our excursions is being reinvested directly into the local country/ community.

An excursion with Yoga Field School will fuse the mind body connection, attention, and rejuvenation of a yoga retreat with an educational experience that will leave you with a more nuanced perspective on the culture or cultures of the region visited, as well as ways to be a more considerate and conscientious traveler in the future.