Honoring My Roots: 7 Yoga Channels That Changed My Life
Taking a moment to thank those who inspire us.
The methods humans use to communicate have evolved over time, from marks scratched in stone to instantaneous video streaming from the other side of the globe. Although the means of conveying knowledge may have changed, two things have not: the need for a willing teacher and a receptive student and the difference such education can make in real human lives. Modern “wellness influencers” can face a lot of flack, sometimes deservedly, but many make incredible positive contributions toward helping others live better.
We started Only in Sedona Yoga in large part because of those who have inspired us. Yoga brought me (Jennifer) out of a very dark place. However, when I needed my practice the most, I didn’t even have money to buy bread, let alone join a studio. Fortunately, other creators had my back by creating free content online. Today, I want to honor their legacy by sharing seven yoga channels that changed my life. Please consider following them on YouTube.
1. Yoga With Kassandra
The Yoga With Kassandra YouTube channel has over 750 free videos and tutorials focusing on Vinyasa and Yin yoga. She offers videos in various lengths, from shorter 20 minute flows to longer 90-minute Yin sessions. Her quiet, approachable style puts you at ease and makes you feel relaxed. She also incorporates various props into some flows for those seeking the best ways to use that bolster and now has an app for dedicated aficionados.
2. Yoga With Adriene
Adrienne has an impressive following with over 12 million subscribers. She offers over 700 videos through her Find What Feels Good online program and app. She’s been recognized by the Wall Street Journal and was awarded a Steamy in Health and Wellness in 2016. Her dog, Benji, delights her YouTube audience, and hey, practicing with a pet, even virtually, may increase the healing benefits.
3. Purple Valley Ashtanga
Ashtanga was the first yoga form I studied, starting at the tender age of 16. Purple Valley offers multiple led classes, and you can take your pick from several guides to lead you through the primary series. If you’re new, working your way through their many tutorials will acquaint you with how to perform some of the trickier postures, as well as educate you in a solid background of yoga philosophy and the mental and spiritual aspects of your practice (the stuff I should have paid more attention to in my younger years).
4. Travis Eliot
Travis Eliot’s YouTube channel features a mix of power and Yin yoga classes for free. His production company, Inner Dimension TV, has even more fabulous content for those who choose to enroll, but you’ll find plenty of content gratis, too. His classes are often filmed during a live class session, which is ideal if you prefer the immersive experience of being in a group — even if from your living room. His snippets of wisdom and Zen storytelling keep your mind occupied during long, static holds.
5. Devi Daly
Devi Daly is all about Yin yoga, and her down-to-earth, approachable style makes clicking one one of her free YouTube classes feel like coming home for Thanksgiving dinner. She offers 100% online certification and a membership program with access to over 250+ videos and weekly releases. You’ll also find plenty of free content on her channel, including silent sessions for those days when you’ve had enough stimulating noise and simply need to find your Zen.
6. Ally Boothroyd
Ally states on her channel that she loves sharing the tools that helped her recover from anxiety, panic attacks, depression, and anxiety — and I, for one, am so thankful that she did because they do the same for me. Her yoga nidra meditations put you so in touch with your body, it almost becomes a heavenly, out-of-body experience. She offers online yoga teacher training. Additionally, she hosts various retreats in exotic locations like Costa Rica, and many of her free meditations feature soothing jungle sounds.
7. Kristyn Rose
Kristyn Rose is another goddess of meditations, and her yoga nidra recordings for sleep work even on my wicked insomnia, made worse by the typical autistic slumber struggles. She offers in-person retreats and various online resources, including free recordings and resources to further your research and knowledge. She believes in everyone’s inherent right to rest and pure happiness and joy in this life, a sentiment I gleefully echo.
Yoga Channels That Changed My Life
Human communication methods evolve with the times. One thing, however, hasn’t changed. Those whose lives have been touched deeply by other healers seek to pass on what they know. Honoring these teachers is a way of showing gratitude, for without them, how would knowledge of these healing modalities continue to exist throughout the ages?
Without such guides, vital wellness knowledge could quickly get lost in a world that values profit and competition above everything else. We at Only in Sedona Yoga are forever grateful for those who have inspired us, and we consider it our sacred mission to pass on what we have learned to help others. The human body and mind comes with no training manuals. However, through openly sharing knowledge of healing practices, we can collectively piece together a how-to guide. Everyone does better when they feel their mental and physical best.
On a personal level, I wanted to take a moment to honor the guides who were instrumental in comforting me in a dark place and share their work for others to enjoy. It’s my way to say thank you to the yoga channels that changed my life.
