About the Author

Susanna Barkataki is a yoga diversity and unity educator and the founder of Ignite Yoga and Wellness Institute. Her identity as a refugee to the U.S. fleeing violence as a mixed Indian and British Desi, fuels her passion for bridging cultural connections with yoga. She believes in a world where yoga and mindfulness support us in dissolving the illusion of separation to create unity and interconnection. This is unity that doesn't erase difference, but invites connection with the broken or shameful parts of ourselves, with those we think of as other, and harmonizes relationships with culture, land, earth and all life. Her work explores how we can decolonize, reclaim and honor our yoga practice for healing personally and socially. Susanna has an Honors degree in Philosophy from UC Berkeley, a Masters in Education from Cambridge College, is an E-RYT 500 hour Master Teacher, a 500-Hour Certified Ayurvedic practitioner and a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists (C-IAYT). She created the ground-breaking Honor {Don't Appropriate} Yoga Summit with more than 12,000 participants. She is the Creator of Embrace Yoga's Roots online course, is a diversity, accessibility, inclusivity, and equity (DAIE) yoga unity educator and runs 200 and 500 Hour Yoga Teacher Training programs in person and online. An inspiring educator who makes yogic wisdom easy to apply in everyday life, Susanna consults, speaks, teaches and runs trainings on yoga philosophy, culture, history, yoga leadership, social justice and cultural change, curriculum, diversity and inclusion with colleges, schools, businesses and non-profit organizations. She is honored to call Shankarji, Thich Nhat Hanh, Satish Kumar, Vandana Shiva and her own family her root teachers along with other masters who she studied with in India and the United States in the Hatha Yoga tradition. Learn more: susannabarkataki.com Programs: ignitebewell.com Sonali Fiske (she/her) is a Sri Lankan-American leadership consultant and mentor to Black Indigenous, Women-identifying leaders of color, a TEDx Speaker, talk show host, and founder of Pick Your Platform & Raise Your Voice. Her work is to bring racial parity to leadership and influence in our culture. Her recent online masterclass on "Dismantling White Dominance in Women's Entrepreneurship" went viral, and centered the stories and lived experiences of womxn of color who are countering the current narrative in leadership and social justice. On her radio talk show, Revolutionary Voices," her jam is confronting uneasy topics like colonization, tokenism, white supremacy and cultural appropriation, and more - to help reimagine the narrative and dismantle the systems of oppression people of color live and work in every day. Sonali is also currently a council member of the International Council of Interfaith & Indigenous Women. In her creative-flow time, she performs spoken word, leads local & international Indigenous storytelling workshops and loves to travel the world. Sonali lives in Orange County, California with her teenaged son.

Reviews

"Embrace Yoga's Roots is a crucial addition to every yoga practitioner's bookshelf." - Jessamyn Stanley, Author of Every Body Yoga, Founder of The Underbelly Yoga"For those who long to practice or teach yoga from a place of awareness and intention, this book offers a set of much deeper and necessary tools. A must have for any teacher or practitioner of yoga wishing to honor its lineage." - Kathryn Budig, Founder Aim True"Everyone must read Embrace Yoga's Roots! With history, research, practices and tools, Susanna Barkataki has given us a practical guidebook to help deepen our understanding of yoga's rich history so as to preserve the integrity of its future growth. I highly recommend this book." - Seane Corn, Co-founder, Off The Mat, Into The World, Author, Revolution of the Soul"Susanna Barkataki elevates our understanding of yoga. It is beyond time to wake up and shift the paradigm that is pervading yoga today and honor the teachings with integrity, taking responsibility for how we practice and teach." - Tracee Stanley, Author, Yoga Nidra and Meditation teacher"Susanna Barkataki provides a much needed framework... Each chapter ends with reflection points that function like a workbook to guide the reader through the necessary introspection it takes to deconstruct the harmful colonial paradigm. I absolutely recommend this book to all sincere students and teachers as a necessary step on the path of awakening." - Kino MacGregor, Bestselling Author, The Yogi Assignment"Susanna Barkataki's new book Embrace Yoga's Roots should become a curricular text in all yoga teacher training programs. We have an opportunity to change the tide and Susanna Barataki is uniquely qualified to act as our guide." - Donna Farhi, Bestselling author of Yoga, Mind, Body and Spirit: A Return to Wholeness"Susanna Barkataki's words are vital medicine for yoga today... Her sincerity and intentionality invite us to choose connection over separation, honor the roots of the practice and bring it to life. Study, absorb and share this with your community--watch the lines of communication open and expand." - Elena Brower, New York Times bestselling author of Practice You and Art of Attention "As a Black woman Yoga Teacher I find the work of Susanna Barkataki's book essential to understand how we share yoga with the world. Susanna chooses empathy and connection. Required reading for anyone who teaches yoga, works as a healer or is interested in equity and equality on the mat." - Dianne Bondy, Bestselling author, Yoga for Everyone"Susanna's book is a game-changer... If you want to disrupt the way you understand and participate in yoga (and yoga "industry" in the West), you must read this book (especially, if you, like me, are a white yoga teacher working in an American wellness industry that often completely leaves out south Asian voices). This is essential reading for any teacher or practitioner who is in inquiry with their responsibility to honor the roots of this culture and practice." - Amber Karnes, Founder, Body Positive Yoga"Embracing the roots of the yoga practice and making sure we are inclusive of all is our responsibility as yoga teachers, and I can't think of anyone more suited to lead the way than Susanna. Her wisdom and grace shines so brightly through these pages! This book should be required reading in yoga teacher trainings across the world." - Rachel Brathen, New York Times bestselling Author, Yoga Girl