LMU's Master of Arts in Yoga Studies

Alumni Spotlight: Andre Haralyi ’16 Q: What is something you learned about in the MA in Yoga Studies program that surprised you, or changed your Yoga direction? "I ended up being exposed to a variety of new ideas at LMU which helped to open my mind and expand my personal understanding of Yoga and its applications. This inspired me to pursue the Yoga Therapy Rx certification at the same time as the Masters. I became certified as a Yoga Therapist and earned my Masters in Yoga a...t once! The university environment, the regular events outside of class, and the easy access of different sources of information helped to enhance my experience and contributed to my personal development. The teachers encouraged me to explore new traditions and dig deep and research the topics that I was most interested in."

We hope you'll join us for our next Wednesday Evening Lecture, which is right around the corner! RSVP for this free, virtual event.

Alumni Spotlight: Bonnie Knight, M.A. ’15 "After years of teaching yoga, this was the program that I was ultimately searching for. It made sense to me that the course work of the Master program was what I needed to become fully immersed in the knowledge of Yoga. The program also allowed me to deepen my knowledge of Yoga so that I am able to share this knowledge with others through Yoga Teacher Training programs.

Faculty Spotlight: Lori Rubenstein Fazzio, Clinical Professor of Yoga and Health Professor Lori Rubenstein Fazzio, DPT, PT, MAppSc, C-IAYT earned her Doctorate in Physical Therapy from Massachusetts General Hospital Institute of Health Professions, her Master of Applied Science from the University of South Australia and her Bachelor of Science from Boston University. She is a Certified Yoga Therapist through the International Association of Yoga Therapists and is a frequent s...peaker at professional conferences. Her research interests focus on the subtle body in pain management and the intersection and application of the philosophical science of yoga with the clinical science of modern medicine for improving eudaemonic well-being. She pioneered the first yoga therapy internship at the Simms Mann Venice Family Clinic in Los Angeles where interns from LMU gain mentored experience and provide individualized yoga therapy within an integrative medicine clinic for patients suffering from chronic pain. Her mission is to expand this model into other healthcare and educational settings. See more

Q. Any advice for future MA in Yoga Studies students? Take advantage of every resource available to you while being a student. Embrace the knowledge of your professors, the luxury of having this time to learn and grow in many ways, find a yoga teacher in LA you love and take at least 1 class a week, and carve out time in your week to spend in nature. Life balance was key for my success in this program. Read more about M.A. Yoga Studies grad Danielle Tatik in our #AlumniSpotlight: https://bellarmine.lmu.edu//studentexperi/danielletatik17/

Q. What was your favorite course, and what was it like? My favorite course was Health Science and Yoga because I'm a through and through anatomy nerd. Learning the subtle bodies and human anatomy challenged my understanding of how to use the physical body. Moreover, it taught me how to speak to this in a public class setting that forces the practitioner to think about it in unique, sometimes transformative ways. In this course, we explored our own energetic make-ups as well, ...identifying our dominant doshas, gunas, behavioral patterns, and how we could design a practice that supports a healthy balance. I also greatly enjoyed our study of Sanskrit and the various approaches we took to learn it through grammar and translation. It was challenging because I hadn't taken a foreign language course since I was in high school, but it was particularly rewarding to find that my brain could still make sense of something so different from my own language. It became almost a mathematical equation to solve and required a lot of attention, focus, and sweaty palms to get through. All this said, it ultimately brought our cohort even closer together as friends. We spent endless hours together on homework and practice outside of class, which brought laughs, tears, and in the end, high fives. Read more about M.A. Yoga Studies grad Jozi Tatham '18 in our #AlumniSpotlight: https://bellarmine.lmu.edu//studentexperience/jozitatham18/

A holiday note from Program Director, Dr. Christopher Key Chapple: The alone run the risk of feeling ever-more alone during the holidays, and empty-nester couples might need to forego seeing their extended family members. What can be done to manage this time of uncertainty? How can Yoga help?... First, early mornings walks can help lift the mood. Second, progressive four-part breathing can provide stabilization: slow inhale and hold, slow exhale and hold, for up to ten repetitions. Third, visualization and memory-engagement are excellent ways to restore a sense of belonging. Revisiting times of togetherness might bring tears...tears of appreciation and gratitude. The Yoga skill of sensory imaginative engagement can be quite healing. Walking, breathing, and the cultivation of happy memories: a holiday recipe, perhaps even better than strudel and pie!

Happy November! Our program director Dr. Chris Chapple was recently featured in Acharya Shunya's (who you might recognize from #LMUYogaDay2020!) 'Shadow to Self' podcast. Listen to his intriguing interview, and subscribe to the podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com//shadow-to-self-wi/id1504111547 . . . "Chris' spiritual journey and initiation to yoga began in adolescence. His deep commitment to his Guru, his Yogic studies, and practises supported his transformation. His presence and contributions to society are a direct result of his sincerity and inner work. This episode is filled with insights - on the benefits of consistency and opening up to your inner world, having faith in the Divine, and cultivating compassion.

Q: What are your major takeaways from the Yoga Studies program? Everything is so connected. Of course, you can take a more academic, a more therapeutic, or a more social justice track just by itself. But the three of them together have really been key elements in what I’m doing now, and I’m thankful I embraced them all. I feel very blessed to have the professors and connections I’ve made. They’ve helped me to be able to mold myself and reach out to different age groups and co...mmunities and given me a really open mind and heart. Even though I’m sometimes confused about what I should be doing, I can now see that I am of so many things, and there isn’t one thing that defines me. If I only had one focus, I’d probably get bored. So, this was perfect for me, and Yoga Studies helped me learn that about myself. I’m still learning, and I’ll always be learning, but I just take it as it comes. I didn’t even know what to do for my thesis until 2 months before. But it didn’t matter, because it wasn’t going to define me anyway. Because there isn’t one thing that defines me. It’s all about your attitude, your resiliency, and open-mindedness! Read more about M.A. Yoga Studies grad Lizbeth Vázquez '19 in our #AlumniSpotlight: https://bellarmine.lmu.edu//studentexpe/lizbethvazquez19/

This is a question that is always on students’ and faculty’s minds now more than ever. We dove deep into this conversation at #LMUYogaDay2020, and will be releasing snippets on our social media channels over the next few weeks. Additionally, our current cohorts meet monthly to discuss important questions that pertain to modern applications of Yoga tradition at our virtual #ChaiNChat meet-ups. This was the question we posed when we met last Friday, and we'd like to open up this dialogue to you: what are your thoughts on the relationship between modern Yoga and social justice? Comment below!

We hope to see you there! #OneMillionYogis

Mark your calendars: our next Wednesday Night Lecture is coming up on 11/11! We're excited to welcome @yale's Mary Evelyn Tucker to discuss her film and book, 'Living Within a Universe Story.' Sign up for this FREE virtual event: https://bellarmine.lmu.edu//wednesday%20night%20lecture%2/ "We are being called to a new mode of being human in the age of the Anthropocene. We are discovering our role within a vast evolving universe that gave birth to us and that orients and gr...ounds us. We are seeking ways to nurture ourselves and the life community in an age of disruption and diminishment. Inspired by Thomas Berry, 'Journey of the Universe' narrates the epic story of the unfolding of the Universe, Earth, and humans over billions of years. Our discussion will explore this Emmy Award winning film, book, and conversation series that can inspire transformative and healing change for a flourishing future."

FREE MEDITATION TOMORROW: Join LMU Yoga Studies student Francesca Michelle Gold tomorrow evening for a Mindful Movement + Meditation event that's completely free. Register here: https://lmu.campuslabs.com/engage/event/6574529

WORKSHOP "Love, Acceptance, and Inclusion in Yoga" with Dr. with Sabrina Strings Saturday, November 21 We will explore how to create inclusive practices in yoga that overcome race, class, and gender prejudice in modern society. ... Pre-register to save your spot!

Thank you to all who attended and contributed to #LMUYogaDay2020! We are working on getting the recordings uploaded to YouTube and will send them out when they're ready (be sure you're signed up for our newsletters to receive the links!). In the meantime, we'd love to hear from you - tell us about your experience this year by filling out this survey: https://lmu.wufoo.com/forms/sto3pw60ju5gle/

We’re in the home stretch of #lmuyogaday2020! Don’t miss our final performance by @djdrez + @martinikko at 6pm (you can still join us by signing up for free at #linkinbio!)

What’s your favorite moment from this year’s Yoga Day? @lmuyogastudies graduate @mayuribhandariofficial brought the flavor (rasa) in her Indian Dance class exploring emotions, and it was {: @lainewherritt} Share your favorite moments using hashtag #lmuyogaday2020, and don’t forget to tag us!

It’s not too late to join us for #LMUYogaDay2020! We still have some incredible speakers coming up, plus a special musical performance by @djdrez + @martinikko you don’t want to miss! #linkinbio #Repost @tainaberardi with @make_repost LMU YOGA DAY 2020 Join us TODAY for a FREE digital yoga retreat through the layers of the Self. Brought to you by @lmuyogastudies Graduate Assistants!... Lots more classes to go and...Musical Guests @martinikko & @djdrez will be performing at 6:00 PM PT. Don’t miss it! So much yassss! RSVP link in my Bio.

STARTING SOON: are you ready for Yoga Day? We can’t wait to dive into the layers of the Self with you. If you haven’t signed up yet, you can still register (it’s free!), and be sure to share your favorite part of our virtual event with us using #LMUYogaDay2020 Register here: https://bellarmine.lmu.edu/yoga/events/yogaday/

We're excited for our jam-packed day tomorrow at #LMUYogaDay2020! There will be plenty of time for rest - watch this video to see what @iampaulatapia has up her sleeve for her 'Therapeutic Yoga Flow' class. A softer and gentler approach to a classical Vinyasa practice, Therapeutic Flow Yoga brings together the wisdom of the ancient and modern Yoga traditions to support practitioners and their personal needs, capabilities, goals and intentions. The all-levels practice accesses the mat as a vehicle to facilitate healing for the individual in his/her physical, mental, emotional and spiritual body. In this class, we will explore and cultivate a mindful and supportive relationship between breath and movement to inspire self-reliance, develop inner balance, enhance wellness and connect with the teacher within.

What’s your relationship to change? If it can feel challenging, you’re not alone. We’re looking forward to diving deeper into a discussion about adapting to change with @lmuyogastudies graduate @alexandrayogi, who will be leading ‘The Art of Adapting: Buddhist Inspired Yoga and Guided Meditation for Embracing Change’ at #LMUYogaDay2020! There’s still time to register for Saturday’s all-day, free Zoom event - you don’t want to miss this year’s offering To be human is to b...e confronted with a transient world; one filled with uncertainty. Many of us search for stability, for something to lessen the turbulence, but again and again, the search remains insatiable. Health deteriorates; loved ones leave; shiny new purchases either break or become boring. Moments of beauty and blessedness are followed by a return to the chaotic and mundane. Buddhism teaches us to come to terms with the fact that all created realities must eventually dissolve, and that impermanence is, paradoxically, here to stay. The yogi knows that the world has never been predictable. They know that the phenomena they encounter, no matter how pleasurable, arise only to fade away. Instead of grasping for stability, we can learn to find comfort in the inability to know what the open horizon ahead of us contains, becoming friends with our own decaying, ephemeral, and unpredictable nature. Begin to change your perspective towards the fluctuations in life, instead seeing them as teachers. Turn challenges into an opportunity to discard your resistance to the new and uncomfortable - and explore the possibility of finding peace in unfamiliar places. See more

Don't miss Dr. Larry Payne's class exploring the safest Yoga postures and techniques to use at any age, including inversions, plus how to avoid injuries this Saturday at #LMUYogaDay2020. See the full schedule and RSVP here: https://bellarmine.lmu.edu/yoga/events/yogaday/