Hello Dear Readers,

If you’ve been following Ashley Cruz Yoga, you know that we're not just about yoga; we're about journeys—journeys of the mind, body, and spirit. Today, I'm incredibly excited to introduce a new project that encapsulates this philosophy: Yoga Odyssey.

​Yoga Odyssey is a multi-tiered, comprehensive learning platform aimed at guiding you through your unique path in yoga. Whether you are a beginner looking to understand the basics, an intermediate student wishing to deepen your practice, or an advanced yogi aiming for teacher certification, Yoga Odyssey offers something for everyone.

​As a project that aims to serve you, our cherished community, your input is invaluable. The structure, topics, and extras we're planning to offer are designed to meet your needs, address your pain points, and create an enriching experience that brings transformative change to your life.

We want to know what you’re looking for in a yoga course, how you prefer to learn, and what additional topics or features you’re interested in. That’s why we’ve created a brief survey to gather your thoughts, ideas, and suggestions.

To thank you for your time, the first 50 participants will qualify for a free online yoga session with me. If you've been considering trying out my many offerings, this is a perfect opportunity!

​Your feedback will directly influence the content, structure, and special features of Yoga Odyssey. Once the survey phase is completed, we’ll move on to the development phase, and you'll be the first to know about our progress, special discounts, and pilot programs

​​We can't embark on this transformative odyssey without you. Your voice will help shape this community and the transformative journey we're all about to embark on. So, grab your metaphorical walking stick and let’s set off on this Yoga Odyssey together!
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With warmth and gratitude,
​Ashley Cruz

​I'd like to talk to you today about my life, this blog, and its future. 
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To begin, this is Isabella, my daughter, life, and most glorious love. She is one reason I disappeared from contributing to this Kriya Yoga Blog for a while. Therefore, she is where almost all of my energy, thoughts, and hopes reside... but I haven't forgotten about you.

​Do you recall the life I led before she blessed me with her presence? For a while, I was Blessed Yoga, based in Sedona, Arizona and surrounded by the loveliest yogis I have ever met. Then I left the USA on an around-the-world journey in order to fulfill my mother's bucket list and recover from loss. Consequently, this blog became full of photos from all over the world and the ways in which I processed my experiences through yoga. 

During those years abroad, I eventually transitioned into YogaWasi when I opened a yoga studio in Cusco, Peru. My writing in this blog stopped altogether as I began a new one dedicated to that business and the students who experienced that journey with me. 

Then Isabella came, and my body changed, as did my yoga practice. I began to slow down and I became more meditative, thoughtful, and patient with myself. My yoga practice and, thus, my Kriya Yoga Blog focused more on self-care, meditation, gentle yoga, and even mindful birthing. 

And for a moment, I thought that that would be it. I thought that, like my life, my yoga practice and blog would focus on parenting, childbirth, yoga for children and mums, meditation, and general overall self-care. 

However, my mind wanted more. I wanted more. I wanted to make a difference, a real difference in this world that seemed to be suffering and destroying itself. So I turned to academia. Actually, I delved into the world of academia! I began studying Comparative Literature in the MA program at King's College, and, consequently, my yoga blog became silent again. 

My mind focused instead on society and all its troubles: coloniality, imperialism, racism, capitalism, sexism, classism, all the --isms. My writing continued, only not on this platform. I wrote academic essays about injustices hidden between the cracks of world literature, black literature, queer literature, etc. And I reveled in the knowledge I had gained, this new and exciting lens with which I could now view the world and heal its sorrows. 

Now my degree program is finished, and my final grade posts today at 4:00 PM, and oh my gosh, Isabella is almost four! She can sit in lotus pose like a guru and do headstands like a gymnast, although she usually rolls over like a roly-poly. ;)
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Time has flown.