Monique, Taos, New Mexico
Photo by Brendan Curran 2009

“The daily yoga practice that Monique created for me has touched my life in almost every way imaginable. From better digestion to greater self-expression and more compassion for others, my yoga practice continues to provide amazing consequences in my everyday life. The yoga postures are gentle and relaxing, yet very powerful in their effects on my body and mind.  And the best part:  I just started doing my practice less than two months ago. I can only imagine the ways in which it will continue to permeate and enrich my life."

Shannon Morrison, Ph.D.
Albuquerque, N.M.

Monique Parker, MFA, E-RYT, is a yoga educator inspired by the Svastha yoga tradition of A.G. and Indra Mohan. She is the founder and coordinator of the Yoga Teacher Certification Program at the University of New Mexico-Taos.

Her yoga studies began in the mid 1990’s with yoga masters Sherry Han, Kofi Busia and Gary Kraftsow. She began teaching yoga in Santa Cruz, CA in 2001.

A personal student of the Mohan family since 2005, her lifestyle and teachings reflect the personalized self-care of the ancient tradition of classic yoga. She was certified as a Svastha Yoga teacher through the Mohans at Yoga State in Chicago. Svastha in Sanskrit means "the state of complete health and balance."

The Mohans were the long- time private students of the late Sri T. Krishnamacharya. They have authored several books including Yoga Therapy, Yoga for Body, Breath, and Mind, and Krishnamacharya: His Life and Teachings. Monique has traveled to Tamil Nadu, India to study Svastha Yoga and Yoga Psychology with them.

For the past decade Monique has worked with students from all over the US, synthesizing the fundamentals of asana, yoga psychology, pranayama, mantra and chant. She specializes in yoga therapy and individualized practice through breath-centric movement.

She teaches English Composition and Creative Writing at UNM-Taos, where she also created The Yoga of Writing workshops to help writers reconnect with their authentic voice and recharge one’s creative faculties.

As the oldest personal development system in the world, Monique believes yoga's power lies in its psychology. "The psychological methodologies yoga presents supersede even its unparalleled contribution to fitness. With the right individualized practice, yoga can aid the practitioner in developing concentration and discernment. While optimum health is important, ultimately the goal is in realizing a state of perpetual peace or contentedness."