Prairie Yoga

Prairie Yoga The Midwest's premier yoga instructor institute providing teacher trainings and certifications. Slowing Down
We do not teach fast-paced yoga!

Prairie Yoga is the Midwest's premier yoga institute for yoga teacher training certification, continuing education workshops and studio classes. We have been called the “Yale of Yoga,” and the "Harvard of Yoga Teacher Training”— the destination for dedicated students of yoga. Our students come from as near as Naperville and other Chicago suburbs* and as far as Central Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, Iowa, and Michigan. What Draws Students to Prairie Yoga?
• Our highly respected 250 Hour Foundation and 300 Hour Advanced Yoga Teacher Training Certification Programs, taught by our senior faculty, prepare yoga instructors and serious yoga students in the modern application of traditional yoga.
• Our workshops, taught by leading international yoga experts, provide in-depth yoga immersions as well as the latest in yoga research and techniques.
• Our studio classes, which allow you to experience the full range and authentic practice of yoga. We Are Known For:
• Producing the Midwest’s very best and most sought after yoga instructors, skilled in adapting the practice of yoga to all body types.
• Our passionate and skilled teaching staff are considered some of the most highly-trained and experienced faculty in the Chicago area.
• Offering multi-style yoga with a strong emphasis on aligning the body, breath and mind – Align Your Self®
• Teaching all 8 limbs of yoga, not just the physical postures (asana).
• Welcoming and supporting students of all abilities, whether novice or experienced.
• Our state-of-the-art yoga center, loaded with yoga props and wall rope system.
• Our small class sizes that allow for individualized attention. A Modern Practice Built on a Traditional Foundation
We are committed to helping students understand and practice yoga in its most authentic forms. We offer a contemporary approach deeply rooted in the ancient wisdom of traditional yoga. Our multi-style teaching integrates techniques from: alignment-based yoga (Iyengar), vinyasa flow (Astanga), restorative yoga, Ayurveda and yoga therapy. We use props as a teaching tool, and provide intelligent sequencing to safely guide you to deep levels of awareness. Students are often amazed at what they can safely experience in class and how good they feel afterwards. What to Expect from our Training, Workshops and Classes
• To learn from senior teachers who have been trained in well-respected methods of yoga, anatomy and yoga philosophy.
• To be challenged and guided to deep levels of awareness.
• To practice in a safe, supportive environment. • To be provided with clear and individualized instruction.
• To explore all 8 limbs of yoga • To discover the transformative power of a comprehensive yoga practice.
• And if you are studying to become a yoga teacher, to develop strong teaching skills, deep wisdom and be well equipt to share your knowledge with others. Yoga for Everyone
• We believe that yoga is for everyone– the young and the old, the stiff and the flexible, the novice and the experienced. We engage you at an appropriate level, whether it is making pose yoga more accessible or taking the pose your practice to the next level. Our highly skilled faculty adapts the yoga practice to your individual needs, whether you are:
• A dedicated yoga student looking to become a certified yoga teacher.
• An experienced yoga practitioner seeking to take your practice to the next level.
• A yoga instructor looking to expand your teaching skills.
• A beginning student looking to improve your overall health.
• An athlete who wants to improve your game.
• A new student dealing with a chronic illness or injury. Align Your Self®
Our yoga instruction classes emphasizes moving with mindfulness. When you align your body, breath and mind, yoga has tremendous power to heal and transform. Moving fast only reinforces bad habits. If you want to transform yourself into a healthy, vibrant being, you need to slow down, pay attention, align your self® and establish new and healthy habits. By challenging your own body and moving with intelligence, you generate the inner heat that creates long-term change and optimal health. The 8 Limbs of Classical Yoga
Yama: social ethics to live in harmony with others
Niyama: personal ethics to live a balanced life
Asana: postures to build strength and flexibility so energy can flow freely
Pranayama: breath control to cleanse and strengthen the nervous system and increase your vital energy
Pratyahara: internalizing the senses to reduce external stimulation
Dharana: developing concentration and focus
Dhyana: sustaining one’s focus to enter into meditation
Samadhi: uniting with your Higher Self

Prairie Yoga
4701 Auvergne Avenue, Suite 203
Lisle , IL 60532
(630) 968-3216
prairieyoga@comcast.net

🐢🧘‍♀️🌅
02/24/2026

🐢🧘‍♀️🌅

In backbends, you want the curve of the spine to be smooth and consistent. For most of us, we tend to be stiff in the th...
02/17/2026

In backbends, you want the curve of the spine to be smooth and consistent. For most of us, we tend to be stiff in the thoracic spine and more mobile in the lumbar. Therefore, work on deepening the extension in the upper back and reducing the extension in the lower back.

02/11/2026

“To attain knowledge, add things every day.
To attain wisdom, remove things every day.”
~ Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching

Five pillars for a happy life*:1. Maintaining good physical and mental health.2. Good personal and intimate relationship...
02/05/2026

Five pillars for a happy life*:

1. Maintaining good physical and mental health.
2. Good personal and intimate relationships.
3. Satisfying work and a reasonable standard of living.
4. Seeing beauty in art and nature.
5. A philosophical or religious outlook that fosters resilience.

While I absolutely loved Yoga's physical practice, it was Yoga Philosophy that hooked me. Yoga is based on the idea that we are all One, all part of the Divine - each like a drop of water in the Great Ocean of Life. Each a spark in the fire of LIfe's Eternal Wisdom. That we don't need to change who we are. Rather, we have lost our connection to who we are, and that we will find joy and contentment when we connect to and abide in our true Self.

The 8 limbs of Yoga are all practices that help us connect to our Self.

So many of us that have been practicing Yoga for decades say the same thing. That the practice of Yoga has held us through times of difficulty. It has sustained us through stormy weather.

Yoga is philosophy that builds resilience.

I am forever grateful for the gift of Yoga.
~ Lori

*According to Arthur Brooks and Carl Jung.

Carl Jung proposed five pillars of a happy life. Modern research (mostly) backs him up.

Today's Affirmation sent from our beloved Teacher Gabriel Halpern:Building BridgesWhatever I give my attention to the la...
02/03/2026

Today's Affirmation sent from our beloved Teacher Gabriel Halpern:

Building Bridges

Whatever I give
my attention to
the law of attraction
helps to be more.

Aligned with Spirit,
I easily achieve
anything I decide to do.

Relationships have
a great value to me.

So I build bridges
with all people.

I reach for thoughts
about others
that feel the best.

I go on a rampage
of appreciation about
their endearing qualities.

I am thankful
that wonderful people
are in my life.

Make time to restore yourself. We need clear and steady energy to save our Democracy.
01/30/2026

Make time to restore yourself. We need clear and steady energy to save our Democracy.

Norris Recreation Center/St. Charles Park District is looking for Yoga teachers. If interested, please contact them dire...
01/27/2026

Norris Recreation Center/St. Charles Park District is looking for Yoga teachers. If interested, please contact them directly.

Yoga is good for your heart!A lower resting heart rate is positively associated with lower mortality. A meta analysis of...
01/23/2026

Yoga is good for your heart!

A lower resting heart rate is positively associated with lower mortality. A meta analysis of 191 studies shows that practicing Yoga helps lower your resting heart rate. All forms of exercise are beneficial but yoga and endurance training were most effective.

The study doesn't get into the details of why Yoga would be so beneficial but I believe the variety of movements/shapes we practice help keep our vascular system elastic and calming pranayamas, restorative yoga and savasana down regulate our nervous system.

My resting heart rate is on the low side - whether it's many years of practicing Yoga or genetic I can't say.

Are you a long time yoga practitioner? Do you have a lower resting heart rate?

Resting heart rate (RHR) is positively related with mortality. Regular exercise causes a reduction in RHR. The aim of the systematic review was to assess whether regular exercise or sports have an impact on the RHR in healthy subjects by taking different types of sports into account. A systematic li...

Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen are two brilliant yoga teachers we used to host at Prairie Yoga back when we had a physi...
01/20/2026

Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen are two brilliant yoga teachers we used to host at Prairie Yoga back when we had a physical studio. Their teaching is deeply rooted in yoga history and many decades of practice. They have co-written a book on Savasana and are seeking funds to help them self-publish it. If you are interested in supporting this much needed book, consider donating to their kickstarter. I did!

A How-To for the Final Pose Written by Leslie Howard and Richard Rosen

Diversity is a strength in your yoga practice. Vary your practice to emphasize different types of asanas, pranayamas, me...
01/20/2026

Diversity is a strength in your yoga practice. Vary your practice to emphasize different types of asanas, pranayamas, meditations and intentions on different days of the week. Your physical and mental health will benefit.

“Diversity makes the prairie resilient.”~ Paul Gruchow
01/20/2026

“Diversity makes the prairie resilient.”
~ Paul Gruchow

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Glen Ellyn, IL
60137

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