Yoga, Yoga Nidra, and Meditation with Oliver Jane

Oliver/Olivia Jane (they/them) is a queer and nonbinary Yoga Therapist who offers Yoga classes and private yoga therapy sessions in person and online. They are accredited by the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT). Oliver’s specialty is helping students use their Yoga practice to bring about their most optimal expression of wellness. Oliver has completed a number of trainings in Yoga, Yoga Therapy, and Yoga Nidra; this includes specialized training to create personalized practices that assist individuals in managing, treating, and reducing the symptoms of various pathologies. Oliver primarily trains with teachers from the Yoga tradition of Krishnamacharya as taught by his son T.K.V. Desikachar.

Oliver has been practicing Yoga for about 20 years. They completed their first 200hr Yoga Teacher Training course in 2018 at Breathe Yoga + Wellness in Toronto, ON with the intention of developing a deeper relationship with their yoga practice. During that time Oliver began to struggle with Major Depression, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, Chronic Pain associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis, and Obsessive Compulsive Disorder: issues that had previously been under control. Oliver turned to Yoga Therapy to address their symptoms and began to work one-on-one with Felicia Pavlovic at Yoga Therapy Toronto.

While working one-on-one with a Yoga Therapist, Oliver became acquainted with the lineage of Tirumalai Krishnamacharya as passed down by his son T.K.V Desikachar. Oliver’s Yoga practice shifted away from attending standard functional-movement/vinyasa-based flow classes, to a home practice that includes specialized Yoga practices tailored to Oliver’s body, mind, constitution, and goals. These practices include asana, pranayama, mantra, Yoga Nidra, and meditation. Over time Oliver has seen the positive impact these practices have had on their mental and physical health. As a result, Oliver enrolled in Yoga Therapy Toronto’s training programs, completing a 300hr YTT at Yoga Therapy Toronto in May 2019. Oliver is also a graduate of Yoga Therapy Toronto’s Yoga Therapist training program. They have additional training in Restorative Yoga in the style of Judith Hanson Lasater (with Leslie Cranston at Yoga Grove and with Andrea Peloso through Octopus Garden Holistic Yoga Center) and Yoga Nidra (through the Yoga Nidra Network and Taryn Diamond).

In addition to teaching Yoga, Oliver can be found studying social work and nonprofits at the University of Pennsylvania’s School of Social Policy and Practice. They sometimes make theatre in collaboration with others, when they have spare time. www.goathowl.com

Logo By Kim Jorgensen Photos by Adam Deunk