EP. 4 - AMY WHEELER
"There is literally a huge system that we can tap into and learn. And it will take many lifetimes to even get a small fraction of the system that the Indian philosophical minds have created over all of these years that basically tell us exactly how everything maps out in terms of the gunas and the doshas and the universe really …To me, it's a very beautiful system.”
- Amy Wheeler
In this grounding conversation with Amy Wheeler, professor of kinesiology and chair of the Department of Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda at Maryland University of Integrative Health, we explore the profound integration of spirituality into daily life through yoga and Ayurvedic principles. Amy shares her journey from chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia to discovering yoga therapy at the Krishnamacharya Yoga Mandiram in India, where she encountered the complete system that would transform her understanding of healing. We discuss the differences between yoga, yoga therapy, and Ayurvedic yoga therapy, exploring how the same tools can be applied in different ways for group classes versus individualized therapeutic work. Amy beautifully articulates how the gunas (qualities) and Ayurvedic principles can be seen everywhere, from Catholic cathedrals to our relationship with food, and shares how trusting life's unfolding has led her to unexpected opportunities. The conversation touches on the challenges of our current times and how we can use "stealth activism" alongside our healing practices to create positive change in the world.
Amy Wheeler, Ph.D. is the Chair of the Department of Yoga Therapy and Ayurveda at Notre Dame of Maryland University, School of Integrative Health. Amy is a leader in the fields of yoga therapy and Ayurveda. She played a key role in helping to set standards for Ayurvedic Yoga Therapists at the National Ayurvedic Medical Association (NAMA) and served as President of the Board of Directors for the International Association of Yoga Therapists (IAYT) from 2018 to 2020.
With a 25-year career as a Professor of Kinesiology at California State University, Amy has dedicated her life to advancing integrative health education. She holds a B.A. and M.A. in Health Promotion and a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, bringing a unique blend of academic expertise and practical application to her work.
Amy has trained in South India for several decades and holds certifications as a Yoga Teacher, Yoga Teacher Trainer, and Yoga Therapist. Her work continues to shape the evolving fields of yoga therapy and Ayurveda, fostering education, research, and professional standards that support both practitioners and communities.
