My first book was released by the Himalayan Institute Press on September 25, 2007, and is now already in its second printing! The book, Downward Dogs and Warriors: Wisdom Tales for Modern Yogis reveals the relationship of Indian mythology and images to many familiar yoga poses. I wrote this book to share suggestions on combining asana with journaling as a form of contemplative practice, and to share my love for the yoga tradition with other students and teachers. Click here to order your copy using Paypal.

In addition to my new path as an author, I have completed my first year of coursework toward a PhD in Vanderbilt University's HACTOR (History And Critical Theories Of Religion) program - an interdisciplinary program in the Graduate Department of Religion.   My main focus there is (surprise!) Indian philosophy and religions, with a minor in Women's and Gender Studies.  I hope to discover more about the roles of mythology and yoga in India's struggle for national identity, as I begin my second year in August.

I earned my Master’s of Theological Studies from Harvard Divinity School in 1988, with a focus on religions of the world.  I began the study of yoga at age 14, with neurosurgeon/psychiatrist Rammurti S. Mishra, M.D. at Ananda Ashram in New York State. In 1999, I joined the Yoga Alliance and created the Yoga Education Society.  In 2000 I helped establish the Southern Institute of Yoga Studies at The Yoga Room - and, in 2006, The Yoga Room's current teacher training program, known as The Yoga School.  I am certified at the 1,000 hour level as an experienced (E-RYT) yoga instructor, and I am the first certified Relax and Renew trainer in Tennessee.  

In the past, I provided the yoga component of the pain management program at Baptist Hospital’s Mind/Body Institute, and I developed the yoga curriculum for breast cancer survivors for Baptist’s Healing through Movement project. Now that I am a fulltime student, I have scaled down to teach one restorative class and occasional  mini-workshops on pranayama, restorative yoga, and yoga philosophy, mainly through the Yoga Room.. 

My main goals are to educate the public about yoga, dispelling negative myths and promoting awareness of benefits; to support excellence in teacher education; and to share my undying enthusiasm for the richness of the yoga tradition. My primary teacher is Judith Hanson Lasater.

For more information about yoga classes, workshops, and teacher training, contact me at Zo@ZoNewell.com.  To learn more about Restorative Yoga go to the Restorative Yoga Teachers' web site.  Also, see www.judithlasater.com.

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