NYC based Tara Stiles is the founder of Strala Yoga, practiced all around the world. She is also an author and was dubbed “the coolest yoga instructor ever” by Vanity Fair. WHEREVER meets the legend.

I grew up in a small town in Illinois and spent a lot of my time dancing and hanging around in the woods. I like to call my folks “straight edge” hippies, so we were doing the yoga lifestyle things, but they were very common sense about it.

We didn’t buy a lot of new things, grew a lot of veggies, recycled and reused, that kind of thing. They taught me by example that everyone is important, so I grew up with a bit of a fight to stand up for those treated unfairly. I didn’t realise all this yoga lifestyle until later, of course. As a teen, my ballet teacher introduced our group to yoga, and that was the first time I had experienced a yoga class. The teacher was just sitting there in front of the room, happy for no reason. I wanted the quality he had and quickly wondered why yoga, since it’s so great, isn’t everywhere. That second feeling is the one that brought me to my passion to learn and share yoga, and move the practice away from rigidity and dogma to something that feels natural and comfortable for people. That little injustice spark is always there in me.

“Living Softly – Be moveable so you can be moved”

Strala Yoga is a community of thousands of guides around the world leading yoga and wellbeing practices in this way of softness and ease. Turns out I’m not the only one with the injustice spark. I’ve written a bunch of books about wellbeing, the next one coming is Living Softly. We offer in-person and online classes, workshops, training, and retreats. I spend each day practising with everyone on the Strala Yoga app and travel often for in-person events.

Any key turning points in your life?

When I met Deepak Chopra and he asked me to be his personal yoga teacher for him and his wife Rita. He was so generous to me and introduced me to so many people for more opportunities. He opened doors for me and was a great example of how to be generous to others you believe in.

Lessons learned?
When you have an idea, don’t waste any time, start doing it.

Change is good, natural and healthy. Things shouldn’t stay the same forever. As you progress, notice how you feel about what you are doing and make changes along the way.

Any “wellbeing” tips or hacks for today’s stressed-out life?
Slow down. Everyone is busy, and everything needs to get done but rushing in your mind only leads to panic. When things are easy, take a moment to soften and watch your breath move you so when things are hard, you have the ability to see your way through.

Any advice for anyone wanting to follow in your footsteps?
Make your goal to improve at what you aim to share. If you want to help people, there are people to help everywhere. Don’t wait for some ideal situation to ask you. Start sharing with the people in your community.

What’s the next ‘big thing’ in the wellbeing world?
Softness.

What’s next?
I’m headed to London in March for some workshops, then leading a writing and yoga retreat upstate NY in May, then an Iceland retreat in June, 200+Hour training upstate NY in September, Berlin intensive in November, and online classes with the Strala Yoga app every day. Oh, and my new book, Living Softly, is coming in 2026.

In another life, I would have been…
I wanted to be a nun in kindergarten. Maybe that would have been interesting?

Favourite /most used emoji?
The original red heart.”