Hey, everyone,

I’ll be taking the next month or two to focus on creating therapeutic yoga programming on my new website and online school, www.brookewestyoga.com. During this sabbatical I do not plan any public group offerings (through mid-July or August. Although it could happen, I am prioritizing private clients, building curriculum and learning new technical skills).

Yoga therapy for individual clients is potent. My private practice is flourishing because of the efficacy of yoga to calm the heart and mind. My most recent client was a Spaniard, calling from Italy. I am seeing new and returning clients, one on one, online, and confirmed vaccinated clients on a minimized basis in person. Call me for an appointment.

I will be participating in several trainings and conferences during this time, as well:

The International Association of Yoga Therapists annual Symposium on Yoga Therapy and Research happens next weekend! This is an anticipated and very inspiring event, focusing on the direct application of yoga therapeutics in clinical settings, and celebrating evidence-based research supporting yoga in mainstream medical settings. I am thrilled to attend. Presenting my own research at this conference in 2015 was a milestone for me.

I will be presenting at the Global Yoga Therapy Day conference in August. The presentation title is “From Psych Ward to Ashram.” I will share stories about my personal journey and how I believe yoga could be our society’s salvation from a spiritual, social and mental health crisis. I have seen it in my own life and remain dedicated to sharing this with others.

Spiritual Renewal Week at Ananda starts next week. I will be renewing my Kriya vows and deepening my meditation practice with my spiritual community around the globe online.

I may participate in a Level 2 anatomy course at Ananda online in July, Musculoskeletal 2. Ananda is the best schooling I have ever received. I aim to pass that quality through my own teaching.

I have been participating in the Embody Lab summits online, discourse on somatic therapies to relieve the trauma response. We are all in need of education and care at this time. Understanding the natural effects of trauma, to take blame out of the story and put compassion back on the table is central to our survival.

Our world and every inhabitant need Love, Light and to move in a direction toward hope, peace and harmony.

I am completing a six week intensive course at Ananda online on Spiritual Counseling next week. It has been uplifting and will be a joy to continue to serve my students in a counseling capacity.

I continue to manage my own mental, physical and emotional health with yoga, meditation, swimming and friendships around the world. Special shout outs to Erin Jeanne Wright in Scotland for building my new platform with me, and to all my new friends online, moving through recovery together.

It is a non-binary, anti-colonial, non-hierarchical and non-patriarchal paradigm I continue in my work, to the best of my ability. I remain humble and open to listening and learning from all generations. Black Lives Matter. Trans lives matter. Queering the landscape, honoring indigenous people and their land, not tolerating hate, bullying or homophobia, embracing the neurodivergence that makes our world so colorful and creative, promoting non-violence, reclaiming ugly and fat, supporting and participating in cooperative and ecologically friendly businesses, driving less, reducing hate-speech, making art, writing poetry, fundraising for people in need... Working hard, staying curious, praying for health on all levels, equality, liberty and justice for all.

I bought Pride dish towels at TJ Maxx in Santa Maria, CA yesterday. That would have never happened even two years ago. Love is love. Love who you can in a healthy way. Love yourself. Forgive yourself. Keep looking toward the Light at the spiritual eye, practice the yamas and niyamas, study, seclude, meditate and rest. We are moving through a portal. We have a long way to go. I am getting ready. I hope you are, too!

I will keep you updated on all of this and more.

Transcend the binary. We are One.

In Love, Light, Calmness and Joy, Brooke