Initiation

Brianna Patten, former resident of a spiritual retreat center in Central Virginia called Yogaville, unpacks the community's toxic inner workings. She reflects on her secret mantra initiation ceremony and her complicated relationship with the ashram. In a revealing interview, Karla Helbert, a trauma therapist and former Integral Yoga leader, provides valuable insight as someone who was a member of the organization for decades. Both women stress the need for transparency, support systems for survivors, and the importance of practicing Ahimsa (non-violence) in yoga communities. Karla's book Yoga for Grief and Loss: https://a.co/d/00tMyCLP Karla's book The Chakras in Grief and Trauma: https://a.co/d/01xBm5q6