Yoga as Social Justice: Introducing Anusha Wijeyakumar

“The wallpaper of your mind becomes the landscape of your life,” writes Anusha Wijeyakumar in the opening chapter of her new book Meditation with Intention: Quick & Easy Ways to Create Lasting Peace. With clear purpose and straightforward language, Meditation with Intention offers tangible ways to revolutionize your mind and the world around you, too. The book presents a wealth of insight, stories, and exercises to support curious meditation practitioners.

Anusha— who will be in conversation with Richard Miller during the iRest Sangha Sessions on February 23— has steadily built a realm of expertise that conveys vision, authenticity, and a high priority on community. 

As a wellness consultant for Hoag Hospital in Newport Beach, California, Anusha has helped create one of the first meditation programs used in clinical research, primarily working with breast cancer patients and pregnant people. With over 15 years of senior management experience, including with Fortune 500 corporations, she is also a certified life coach and yoga teacher. 

Anusha, who is the daughter of Sri Lankan Tamil Hindu immigrants, cofounded Womxn of Color + Wellness to help decolonize wellness and make yoga more equitable, accessible, and inclusive. Her insight on the cultural appropriation of yoga has recently helped lead a relevant conversation about yoga and white supremacy in the West.  As she wrote in this 2020 article, “Yoga, is, in fact, social justice, and incredibly relevant to these times. Holding a crystal and chanting OM is not enough and never has been.”

Here, read an excerpt from her book entitled “Meditation in the West”* > [link to come]

iRest Institute is honored to welcome Anusha Wijeyakumar in conversation with founder Richard Miller at the iRest Sangha Session on February 23. Sign up for the free event here.

Find the book and learn more about Anusha’s work >

* This excerpt appears courtesy of Anusha Wijeyakumar  and Llewellyn Worldwide.