30 years ago this year, with a prayer and a small loan from my husband, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, came into existence. Starting with two classrooms and 6 students, the college has grown to 16 classrooms, in three buildings, serving nearly 600 on-campus students, and nearly as many online students across the country.
As a longtime student of A Course In Miracles, one day long ago I prayed in earnest what is known as the ‘miracle prayer’: “What would you have me do? Where would you have me go? What would you have me say, and to whom?” From that prayer came the vision of creating a place where individuals could come to discover their gifts, where education would not be a “cookie cutter” experience and where individual expression and diversity was encouraged and honored. Starting as a massage college, SWIHA is striving 30 years later by offering 16 Certificates of Excellences, 10 different diplomas, Associates in Healing Arts, and over 300 individual continuing education classes.
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
SWIHA,
KC Miller,
Massage School,
Southwest Institute of Natural Aesthetics,
Arizona,
spirit of yoga,
Tempe,
Yoga studio,
Holistic Education,
Arizona Yoga Studio,
Arizona Massage School,
Thirty Years,
ACCET,
Massage Clinic,
Thirty Year Anniversary,
Thirty and Thriving
“Before SWIHA I was an active duty military member serving in the air force. Once I became a veteran, I knew I wanted to seek deeper healing for myself and the communities I am a part of. I also wanted to facilitate and curate spaces that allowed for that healing to occur. Being a trauma-informed and intuitively lead yoga instructor/ guide allow me to do just that in every space I’ve grown into.”
Great Graduate, Khariah Clark, of SWIHA’s 200 hr Yoga Teacher Training program as well as the Intuitive Guide program, has blossomed into her new life since attending Southwest Institute of Healing Arts. Like many other students who enroll at SWIHA, Khariah was at a point in her life where she had to stop and reflect on what she wanted to do next with her life. Khariah had just dropped out of a very rigorous law program and felt defeated, not really knowing what to do next. Clark explains, “...not knowing my next move, I went into my backyard to do some yoga, I looked up to see a rainbow in the sky, it was awesome.” And one step aligning after another, Khariah found herself studying yoga and intuitive guidance at SWIHA.
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
SWIHA,
entrepreneur,
healing,
Yoga Teacher Training,
yoga,
Arizona,
business,
Tempe,
intuitve guide,
Yogi,
Yoga studio,
yoga classes,
intuitive guidance,
Energy,
Sharon Rose,
Aura,
James Patrick,
Higher Learning,
Higher Education
“I am completely devoted to sharing the wisdom of yoga with the world for the rest of my life. As soon as I graduate I am going back to India for the first time, with my baby, and we are going to continue to embody the teachings forever. This is a lifelong journey.”
After completing 500 hours of yoga teacher training in Rishikesh, India, Coco Taylor discovered SWIHA when she returned home. Coco felt deeply infatuated by the yoga programs offer at SWIHA. Coco seemingly couldn't get them out of her head for the next two years as she relocated to live in New Zealand. While living abroad, Coco found herself thinking about SWIHA every day. “One day, I finally decided to put what I was doing there on pause, and answer my soul calling to study yoga therapy at such a magical school. I left my friends, job, and all my belongings. Booked a flight back to Phoenix, and moved in with my parents so I could begin my journey at SWIHA from the bottom up!”
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
yoga therapy,
Body,
SWIHA,
Yoga Teacher Training,
Spirit,
Mind,
yoga,
Arizona,
asana,
Tempe,
Yogi,
Yoga studio,
Manifestation,
Samskaras,
Holistic Modalities,
Divine Timing,
Yoga Retreat,
Divine,
Private Yoga Classes
“Holding Space for myself means permission to feel what I need to feel, space to just be here, exactly who and how I am, and to find my way forward - gently.” - Unknown
Before coming to SWIHA, Great Graduate of the 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training program, Mario Jiannino, was swept up in the whirlwind of life. Always go, go, going, and not really breathing through life. Mario explains, “I was really reactive to everything around me. I really thought that what I was reacting to before was so important. I realized that while taking Yoga, I have the ability to slow down and analyze things before I create my reaction.” Rather than experiencing and witnessing things, Mario found himself in a place of reaction. Having known and worked with KC Miller, Founder of Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, for several years, she finally approached Mario about the Yoga Program. Mario’s reflection was, “KC is insightful - she saw something in me that I didn't see in myself. Somebody out there believed that I was capable of doing something beyond myself, and she was right. I am passionate about this specific modality because Yoga taught me to breathe. I thought I knew so many things about life, until Yoga. Then, I woke up and witnessed so much beauty that was always with me.”
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
transformational,
SWIHA,
Mindfulness,
200 Hour Yoga Training,
KC Miller,
Yoga Teacher Training,
yoga,
Arizona,
Breath,
YTT,
spirit of yoga,
Tempe,
Yoga studio,
yoga teacher,
Holding Space,
Holistic Modalities,
breathing,
Personal Development
Breath and life… when we enter this world we take our first breath, and when we leave this world, we take our last. Breathing seems like it is the most natural bodily function, as we don’t have to think about breathing, every second of every day. However, breath controls so much more in our life than we are aware of. Pranayama. In Sanskrit, Prana translates to “vital life force” and Yama translates to “gain control”. In yoga, breath is associated with Prana, and many ancient breath techniques were born which involve learning how to control your breath with different styles and lengths. When we learn more about the art of breathing, we may be able to take more control of our lives, and not just save our peace for the yoga mat.
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
SWIHA,
Yoga Teacher Training,
Breathing Techniques,
yoga,
Arizona,
Breath,
YTT,
Tempe,
Yogi,
Yoga studio,
Holistic Education,
Calm,
My Spirit of Yoga,
Bellows Breath,
Alternate Nostril Breathing,
Tranquility
“You are stronger than your challenges. And your challenges are making you stronger. Deep within is a hidden reserve of inner power. Breathe. Get quiet. You will access it. You’re far stronger than you realize - with a capacity to stretch and grow in exciting ways.” - Karen Salmansohn
Before Eve Garifo-Morelli started her healing journey at SWIHA, she was a full-time caregiver for her father. Her entire life, 24/7 was surrounding her father who had suffered from a stroke and lost his speech, the use of his right arm, and now walked with a cane and brace on his right leg. For Eve, this became a high-stress situation having to be a full-time caregiver for her father. On one side, she loved him and fervently stood up to the job of taking care of her father. On the other hand, there were days that Eve found herself not leaving her house, showering, or taking care of herself. There needed to be a change.
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
yoga therapy,
SWIHA,
Intuition,
Meditation,
Yoga Teacher Training,
yoga nidra,
Transformation,
yoga,
Arizona,
Tempe,
Yogi,
Yoga studio,
chakras,
Yoga Body Psychology,
healing pages bookstore,
My Spirit of Yoga,
Yoga Cueing,
Arizona Yoga Studio
There is a story told of a guru who was approached by many people wanting to know the secrets of manifestation. He closed his eyes, and so did those saying they were seeking wisdom. The yogi took a deep breath, as did those waiting. After what seemed to be a long time, the wise man opened his eyes and said, “If you want pears, plant pear seeds!” With that, he descended the mountain, leaving some to understand, while many only mumbled in their confusion.
The first Friday in September of 2019, over 300 people gathered to listen to Yogi Amrit Desai, one of the few remaining living yoga masters who originally brought over the authentic teachings of yoga in the early 1960’s. Nine years before his arrival, the seeds were planted!
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Topics:
Southwest Institute of Healing Arts,
spirituality,
SWIHA,
Amrit Desai,
Yoga Teacher Training,
yoga nidra,
Gifts and Graces,
Yoga Sutras,
yoga,
Arizona,
YTT,
Spiritual,
community,
Yogi,
Yoga studio,
yoga teacher,
Manifestation,
Amrit Institute,
New Years Resolution,
Amrit,
Yoga Practice,
Divine Timing
If you’ve ever found yourself suddenly moved to tears in yoga class, you’re not alone. The sensation can be a little alarming if you’re not used to crying at the gym, however, rest assured that it’s a sign of good things happening. Our bodies tend to hold onto a lot of tension that’s both physical and emotional at its root. Just like our shoulders can tighten up when we’re hunched over the keyboard day after day, our hips can tighten up from emotional stress as well. Certain yoga poses unleash the tension and suddenly make you feel something that you haven’t felt in a while.
When you’re holding a yoga pose you’re often attempting to balance as well as stay strong and support your own body weight. (Our egos fight pretty hard to avoid being the person who topples over onto their mat.) These moves are using a variety of muscles at once, require concentrated breath, and also physically stretch us in new ways.
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Topics:
yoga therapy,
healing,
Holistic Healing,
yoga,
Yoga poses,
Reduce Stress,
Emotional Release,
Tempe,
openhearted,
Alternative healing,
Namaste,
Om,
Emotions,
Yoga studio,
Stress Release,
Emotional Healing
