This interview was in celebration of International Women's Day!

For International Women's Day 2024 and beyond, let's #InspireInclusion. When we inspire others to understand and value women's inclusion, we forge a better world. And when women themselves are inspired to be included, there's a sense of belonging, relevance, and empowerment that also includes all communities including BIPOC and LGBTQ. The IWD 2024 #InspireInclusion campaign aims to collectively forge a more inclusive world for women and beyond. To truly include women means to openly embrace their diversity of race, age, ability, faith, body image, and how they identify.

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Nischala Joy Devi

Nischala Joy Devi

Nischala Joy Devi an international teacher and healer on The Secret Power of Yoga, Yoga Sutra's from a Women's Perspective. In The Secret Power of Yoga, Nischala Joy Devi offers a simple, elegant, and deeply personal interpretation of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras—the principles at the basis of Yoga practice. Hers is a heart-centered, intuitive, feminine perspective, and the first translation intended for women. Her interpretation beautifully captures the spirit of each sutra, and her suggested practices offer numerous ways to embrace the spirituality of Yoga throughout your day. The original edition summarized the final two padas with the intention of encouraging curiosity about further practice without overwhelming the reader. But today, there is more focus on the importance of understanding the foundation of yoga than ever. With so many making a commitment to the practice of Yoga to further their own spiritual growth and development, Devi believes now is the time to give more, and has provided additional commentary and practices, making The Secret Power of Yoga a complete scripture.

Tara Mitra

Tara has been a dedicated practitioner of yoga for over 19 years. She has been blessed to practice with some of the most dedicated Ashtanga teachers in the world.

Studying with Johnny Smith, Tim Miller (completing both his primary and intermediate series trainings), R. Sharath Jois & R. Saraswathi Jois. She has apprenticed with only certified teachers (6 years) with R. Saraswathi Jois for 4 of those years in her very busy Mysore shala where she assisted up to 200 students a month for nine months of the year. Tara has a special bond with Saraswathiji and is one of the few students authorised by her to teach. 

Tara is also a Certified Yoga Therapist in the tradition of T. Krishnamacharya & his son T.K.V. Desikachar in Chennai, India. Her interest in yoga therapy is a focus to help heal others from injury and imbalances within the body. She has helped many students learn to understand their bodies while bringing back health and stability through yoga therapy, diet and lifestyle changes. 

She has studied Pranayama with Sri O.P. Tiwari, Philosophy with Prof. Nagaraja Rao and Vedic chanting with Dr. Vigneshwar Bhat and Menaka Desikachar in the lineage of T. Krishnamacharya. 

Tara has been studying ritual, chanting and Vedic chanting for the last 7.5 years and is a long time Vipassana Meditator. Both R. Saraswathi Jois (kpjayi Authorised), Saraswathi Vasudevan & Vigneshwar Bhat have given her blessings to share the teachings as taught to her through parampara.