Allison’s yogic and vedic journey began after a back injury as a performer in the off-broadway show De La Guarda. Unable to move around at a young age, she took to the philosophy of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras for comfort and perspective. Recovery took several years, and allowed for her eventual asana practice to be rooted in and emphasized by India’s wisdom systems.
A student since 2001, and a graduate of The Body Therapy Institute, Allison completed well over 1000 hours of formalized yoga teacher trainings (Sivananda, Jivamukti, Krishnamacharya) before opening Heart of Yoga School in Carrboro, NC in 2010 which is also the year she met her primary mentor K. Sridhar and began studying with him. She has a BFA in Music Theater from East Carolina University, and has spent countless hours practicing, studying, and apprenticing many Vedic subjects most recently with her emphasis on Vedic Astrology with Steven Highburger and classical Indian music with K. Sridhar.
Allison designed an 800 hour Yoga Teacher Training program dedicated to the foundational texts of yoga which offered textual study, introduction to the language of Sanskrit, harmonium instruction, chanting, and the development of a daily prescriptive sadhana. Allison led 19 different teacher training groups before retiring her program.
As an event organizer, she focused on bringing people together at Heart of Yoga School to enjoy her favorite teachers and artists; K. Sridhar, Dr. Robert Svoboda, Sharon Gannon, Edwin Bryant, Prem Sadasivananda, and more. She led a weekly kirtan for five years, and also organized a week long Classical Indian Music Festival. Check out her three kirtan albums here on Spotify. Her original music can be found here.
Allison chose a mostly nomadic lifestyle back in 2016, and has travelled nationally and internationally as a solo woman and with groups. She's led cultural tours and retreats in India and Bali, which has allowed her students to experience first hand how ancient Vedic philosophies and practices can be infused into our daily life. In recent years she's presented with the Telluride Yoga Festival, Grand Valley Yoga Fest, and the Stroud Sacred Music Festival in UK. In 2023 she presented her research on how the ragas of Indian music can be used as Jyotișical remedies at the Vaidyagrama Healing Sounds Retreat in South India. Originally from NC, Allison has recently moved to Asheville and is enjoying being in the mountains and hiking and handstands on her days off.
Allison offers a variety of Vedic teachings on Teachable which allows for the cultivation of community, healing, and mentorship.
Allison's 2024 curriculum is:
Visit Heart of Yoga School on Teachable here where you'll find evergreen courses on subjects like Patanjali's Yoga Sutras, Indian Music, Mythology, and more. If Allison is currently available for private sessions you can find out more about that here.
You're a spiritual practitioner and you know the benefits of a daily practice. At the very least, you feel ready to learn more about yourself and the patterns or karmic package you are working with this life . You're ready to be inspired and you're generally interested in health and well being for yourself and others.
You're ready to do the work of developing and/or refining your daily practices and routines by way of Vedic Wisdoms and curbing self destructive behaviors and thought patterns. You want greater access to compassion for yourself and others.
Your voice needs refining and you're looking for support and community as you discover new ways to express your authentic self. You want support and guidance as you release tension that holds you back or to unravel knots that keep you popping off.
You're unsure how to approach a difficult situation and/or conversation? You're ready to identify the blocks to your authentic expression and you want the support of mentorship.
If you are working with an aggressive streak that sometimes plays out in the teacher /student or student / student dynamic, Alison is not the right fit for your progress and self development.
Jyotishical Counseling is rarely a quick fix. Sudden aha moments are common. However sometimes what is revealed is a pattern that runs very deep and will take consistent repatterning of behavior and mindset over a long period of time to create the enduring change you seek.
You are refining your voice! Wonderful. Ahimsa (non harming) will need to be the main ingredient in your Satya (truth) or we will not be a good fit.