Devanadi School of Yoga & Wellness

The Devanadi Yoga Training & Intensives provide top quality instruction of traditional Classical and Tantric Hatha Yoga, Ayurveda, Therapeutic essential(s), Ayurveda and more, and to create an abundant community that supports personal growth, health and well-being through universal mind-body-spirit practices. These trainings and intensives teach a synthesis of yoga styles with an emphasis on asana, bandha, mudra, pranayama, and meditation, as well as a rich study of yoga philosophy, history and lineage. The director and guest teachers have studied in the traditions of Tantric Hatha Yoga, Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Iyengar, Ayurveda, Restorative, Reiki, etc., as well as a variety of meditation styles.

Our Mission

Devanadi is a school of yoga, tantra and wellness studies that unites a community of holistic, life-loving and bright souls. We empower people with authentic and time-tested tools and teachings to help reach their highest potential. These offerings provide support to study, train/get certified and help bring light and goodness to all corners of the world, at home and beyond.

Why Study a Tradition?

Here at Devanadi, we are strong believers in the wisdom, faith, and support that connecting with a living tradition brings to us. Parampara is a word often used to describe the thread of teachings that are transmitted from “one to another” when the dharma, or wisdom, is passed on with integrity.

We encourage you to ask questions and learn more. Keep in mind that our approach is to empower the individual’s highest potential, as opposed to belonging to a community that feels “cult-y” and limiting. We believe that the support gained through svadyaya (self study, self awareness), dharma (the teachings, right action), and sangha (community), help us shed the unwanted parts of ourselves. In turn, we become more like our True Selves; thus, the brighter, stronger and more uplifted all of society becomes.

Devanadi means “sacred rivers.” Studying from a variety of like-minded traditions is what inspires us to merge into that great stream of consciousness that aligns our hearts and minds with the Universal One, and Universal Goodness.

Philosophy

Yoga means union. Through the performance of postures or “asanas”, breath work or “pranayama” and meditation, one’s body, mind and spirit is restored to proper alignment. Yoga is a unique practice that differs from other forms of exercise because we connect the movement of the body and fluctuations of the mind to the rhythm of our breath. Connecting the mind, body, and breath helps us to direct our attention inward. Through this process of inward attention, we learn to recognize our habitual patterns without labeling, judging, or forcing change. We become more aware of our experiences from moment to moment. This cultivation of awareness is what makes yoga a practice, rather than a task or goal to be completed.

Tanya, and the teachers of this program, intends to provide an expansive space for all styles of yoga. As the first GREEN yoga studio in Minnesota certified with Green Yoga Association, we are committed to eco-friendly and sustainable business practices, as well as raising environmental awareness.

We encourage each student to embark on their own spiritual journey. It is our goal that our teachers will be passionate about helping their students achieve personal growth and provide classes making these ancient holistic arts available to all.

History

The Devanadi Yoga Teacher Training & Intensive was founded in 2008 by Tanya Boigenzahn, who has taught yoga since 1996 and practiced since 1993. However, Tanya has led teacher training workshops and programs via other schools since 2001. The curriculum has been designed primarily for individuals desiring to teach yoga and earn certification, but also for those wanting to deepen their personal yoga, meditation and spiritual practice. In fact, about half of our students take our trainings more as an intensive study. We tend to attract seekers looking for tools, resources and tradition to help live a fuller, healthier life. Texts such as the Yoga Sutra, Wheels of Life, and The Heart of Yoga are featured in the 235 hour training, and the Hatha Yoga Pradipika, Bhagavad Gita and Yoga & Ayurveda are featured in our 340 hour training.

The school is a Registered School with Yoga Alliance (RYS 500). Upon completion of our initial 235-hour program students will receive a Certificate of Completion and can apply for registration with Yoga Alliance as a Registered Yoga Teacher at the 200-hour level (RYT 200). Students may also further their study with our 340-hour program (RYS 300), and may apply for registration with Yoga Alliance as well under the 500 hour level (RYT 500).

What does "Devanadi" mean?

Deva is often translated as “god" or "sacred" but it is more correctly understood as a free and shining being - as well as a being in whose presence you become shining and free. Deva is derived from the verbal root div, which connotes brightly shining, and expansive light as well as a certain mood of playfulness. Nadi means "river," "channel," "nerves," or "pathways." In the body, the ancients described a system of nadis that conduct pranic energy or life force. For yogis, three main nadis are the most important:

1) ida - the left channel corresponding to lunar energy, intuition, cooling, nourishing, yin;

2) pingala- the right channel corresponding to solar energy, physical, active, yang;

3) sushumna - the center channel that when awakened leads to meditation and enlightenment. Thus, we translate “Devanadi” as “Sacred Rivers.”

Tanya, our program director, chose “Devanadi” as our name to help thread together all the mystical traditions that she's been studying over the years - the Sacred Rivers of Yoga, Thai Yoga Bodywork, Meditation, Ayurveda and Reiki therapy, which all use the understanding of the nadis. Her son is also named River, so the name was an "a-ha!" moment when it came to her. We hope that your experience here is a blend of all the Sacred Rivers in your life, too.

Our Approach to Yoga at Devanadi

Our mission at Devanadi is to help students understand and see benefit from the two approaches to yoga listed below. Some workshops may focus more on one particular tradition, depending on the needs of the students in the class. For example, sometimes we need more discipline in our lives (i.e. think the New Year and starting resolutions). In this case, we might teach a set sequence with a particular energetic effect to help us become more organized in our thoughts and intentions. Other times we just need to break out of our current "funk" and move our energy. In this case, we might teach a particular breath technique throughout the class to help reshape our prana, thereby helping our minds find more balance. Regardless of what is taught at our studio, all of our teachers commit to teaching safe, supported, nurturing classes that speak to all students regardless of their background, yoga experience, injuries or limitations.

Hatha is part of the Tantric path of yoga. Some of the meanings of the word tantra are to stretch beyond all limitations, to shine brightly, to thrive. Tantra sees the world as a manifestation of the most divine holistic healing, or feminine energy, otherwise known as Shakti. In essence, Tantric-style practices help students move past obstacles to help us see that we're all a part of the same river of life. The word Hatha refers to balancing the energies of the "sun" ("ha," heating, active, linear, yang) and "moon" ("tha," cooling, intuitive, holistic healing, yin) within all of us. Specific pranayama (breath work), kriyas (cleansing practices like fire breathing or kapalabhati), visualization of the chakras (energy centers), vinyasa krama (wise progression or sequencing), and meditation are a part of this path. Hatha yoga primarily works with balancing our vital energy, or prana, during practice to help us connect all parts of ourselves and the world together into harmony and balance. This process is called "samyoga."

Classical Yoga is the yoga of Patanjali, author of the Yoga Sutra. It's most commonly referred to as the "Ashtanga" or "eight-limbed" path. Styles that come of out this tradition include Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga, Iyengar yoga, and most vinyasa-style or power yoga practices that we see in many gyms today. Classes often have a variety of Sun Salutations, flowing postures, elements that help to build heat, and many standing poses. Classical yoga primarily works with disciplining the mind, or chitta, during practice to help us separate ourselves from that, which isn't yogic in our lives. This process is called "viyoga."

We look forward to helping YOU deepen your study of what you love - to share, to delight, to nurture and to grow. Namaste.