Teacher Feature: Meet Aviva Tulasi

Om. Hello. I’m Aviva Tulasi. Aviva means life and Tulasi is the holy basil translated as “incomparable one.” It is a symbol of healing and protection. I am a yoga therapist who teaches practices of yoga that support wellbeing. I teach Gentle and Restorative yoga on Saturdays and am one of the Kids Yoga teachers. I approach yoga as a means to counteract life’s stressors. We live in a fast paced world and yoga offers the opportunity to take time to be present and slow down. I am here to share Tulasi and all of its associated positivities.

I am a lifelong student of yoga. Yoga has always provided me with a sense of relief when I needed it most. My yoga practice has taught me so much about myself. I have learned how to be more confident, more in tune with my body and what it needs, and more connected to others. Yoga is an integral component of my life. It helps me to connect to unconditional contentment. I hope that I can share my love and knowledge of yoga.

The practices of yoga go beyond the mat. However, the asana (pose) that I make sure I find time for everyday is legs up the wall. I don’t even roll out a mat. I simply plop down in my doorway and swing my legs up and hang out as my stepsons get ready for bed. It gives me time to decompress from the day and improve my circulation. Occasionally, the puppy notices me doing this and sits on me which is a nice added weight to my abdomen. 

Yoga guides me through my day whether it is being a loving wife, taking care of a house with two young teeneragers and two dogs, overseeing a supplementary food program for children attending Perry Harrison School, tutoring math or holding healing space for those who practice yoga with me.

I am a white cisgender Jewish woman. I am a daughter, wife, step-mother, sister, citizen of the United States of America, and a college educated teacher. I am privileged.

Want to explore your identity and privilege? Watch this short video explaining Sylvia Duckworth's Wheel of Power. 

Om Tat Sat