Feathered Pipe’s Beginnings

The Early Days

We are immensely thankful to the early visionaries who arrived on the scene at a critical juncture in America’s yoga history and helped to shape the path of the Feathered Pipe Foundation.

Beginning as the Holistic Life Foundation in 1975 with a vision for a better future, we have consistently offered learning experiences to inspire people to discover their path. Since that time, over 10,000 people have studied with some of the greatest teachers of our time at Feathered Pipe workshops. If you are a yoga student in the US, chances are you have been affected directly or indirectly by the Feathered Pipe Foundation.

Early Visionaries

Conscious Evolution

In 1975, in association with the California Yoga Teachers Association (CYTA), we established the Yoga Journal on Janis Paulsen Silver's $500 credit card limit! Several of our founding members were at the same time founders of the CYTA.  William Staniger Golden, our founding president, was also the founding Chairman of CYTA, through which we launched the Institute for Yoga Teacher Education (IYTE). Janis Paulsen Silver was the foundation’s secretary-treasurer, and CYTA’s secretary-treasurer.  William and Janis served as Co-Directors of IYTE.  William was Founding Editor of the Yoga Journal, and Janis was Assistant Editor.  Judith Hanson Lasater was YJ Associate Editor, Ike Lasater was Business Manager, and Christopher Wentworth was YJ Photographer. All names familiar to those acquainted with the Bay Area yoga & enlightment scene of the 70s.

India Supera, who had inhereted the Feathered Pipe Ranch, originally took the role of the Holistic Life Foundation’s vice president, and later became its president changing the foundation's name to the Feathered Pipe Foundation. As well, IYTE became the Iyengar Institute which, happily, continues to operate today as The Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco.  (Special thanks go to Rama Jyoti, then the president of CYTA, who had a clear vision of how to best carry yoga into America’s future.)

Feathered Pipe Today

Brooke Medicine Eagle

What began as a vision back in 1975 by a group of free thinkers has evolved into an American institution showcasing and nurturing many of the most brilliant minds and souls in the communities of yoga, meditation and personal growth. We have been graced by the wisdom, and steadfast support and presence, of such bright stars as: Dr. Andrew Weil, the foremost authority in natural healing and wellness; Dr. Jean Shinoda Bolen, Jungian psychologist and prominent social thinker; Patricia Walden, Mary Dunn, John Schumacher and Dean Lerner, all senior teachers within the Iyengar Yoga community; Judith Hanson Lasater, Erich Schiffmann, Richard Miller, Angela Farmer, Rodney Yee, Baron Baptiste, Seane Corn and John Friend, who continue to blaze their own trails; and Brant Secunda, R.Carlos Nakai and Brooke Medicine Eagle, of Native American tradition.

Today we continue to forge the path towards tomorrow, hosting educators and who are catalying the emergence of an even more enlightened and sustainable world community. At the same time we continue with our mission to embrace and foster the rising stars, such as Kira Ryder, Chase Bossart, Christian de la Huerta, Joe Weston, Marla Apt and Carie Garret, who will shine light far into the future. Through innovative new programs, teacher trainings, and student scholarships, the Feathered Pipe Foundation intends to continue our mission to build a sustainable comminity and world in which we ALL can truly live and thrive within.

We are grateful to have shared time and experience with many 'Pipe Carriers' throughout out history and honor the prescience and wisdom of those who forged our beginnings.