INDIGENOUS Yoga Collective (IYC)

Photo by Jade Anderson @foglinephotos

What is the Indigenous Yoga Collective?

The Indigenous Yoga Collective (IYC) is a grassroots movement and intercultural community collective led by Indigenous and South Asian women. Born from the First Nations Women’s Yoga Initiative and grounded in the doctoral research of Dr. Jessica Barudin, IYC is committed to uplifting wellness through culturally rooted, trauma-informed, and decolonial practices of yoga and embodiment.

We are dedicated to supporting Indigenous people and People of Culture in reconnecting with their bodies, languages, lands, and spiritual practices. At the heart of our collective is a commitment to healing, reclamation, and resurgence—guided by ancestral teachings, embodied movement, and community care.

Vision & Values

We envision a thriving, empowered network of Indigenous-led yoga and wellness practitioners, rooted in ceremony, sovereignty, and relational accountability. Our values include:

  • Trauma-informed, land-based wellness

  • Respectful engagement with the lineage of Yoga

  • Solidarity between Indigenous and South Asian communities

  • Embodying cultural resurgence and collective healing

Team & Partnership

Led by Dr. Jessica Barudin, IYC is supported by a growing team of Indigenous and South Asian educators, Elders, and wellness practitioners. Many of our collaborators have been part of this journey since the early days—as learners, facilitators, guest faculty, or knowledge keepers who continue to guide our work with care and integrity.

In collaboration with Rooted Resiliency, founded by Vina Brown and Anna Leigh Brady, we are proud to launch our first Indigenous-led 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training in 2025/2026. This program is a multi-seasonal offering grounded in land-based learning, ancestral knowledge, and spiritual practice.

What Makes This Training Unique:

  • Rooted in a seasonal approach that follows natural cycles of rest, growth, reflection, and renewal

  • Integrates trauma-informed pedagogy with Indigenous ceremonial teachings

  • Covers foundational yoga practices—asana, meditation, breathwork, and philosophy—infused with Indigenous wisdom

  • Offers pathways for community-based resilience, language revitalization, and healing leadership

  • Facilitated by an Indigenous and South Asian faculty team committed to intergenerational and intercultural healing

We are slowly preparing for our launch of the Indigenous-led 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training. Check out the IYC Website for ways to support this work or fill out the interest form below to receive updates.

Upcoming IYC Offerings:

Stay connected for these upcoming workshops, trainings, and retreats:

  • July 11–14, 2025 – Touch the Earth Movement & Meditation Workshop, Basscoast Festival, Merritt, BC

  • July 2025 – Embodied Language Learning & the Seven Circles (Virtual), with Jessica Barudin

  • October 2–6, 2025 – Land-Based Healing Retreat, Tulum, Mexico — with Jessica Barudin, Ixchel Cuevas & Harmeet Kaur

  • November 2025 – Grounded Together Through Sadhana (Virtual), with Jessica Barudin & Harmeet Kaur

  • Fall 2025–2026 – 200-Hour Indigenous Yoga Teacher Training — in partnership with Rooted Resiliency & IYC