Welcome to Integrated Holistic Yoga and Lifestyles 

My name is Chris Brems and I am a clinical psychologist, yoga teacher, and yoga therapist (read more here). I currently direct YogaX - a special initiative in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the Stanford School of Medicine. Thank you for stopping in to acquaint yourself with my vision of an integrated holistic way of living and practicing yoga. 

My work and life has been devoted to advancing the ancient wisdoms of yoga and Buddhism, deeply informed and influenced by modern science related to psychology, interpersonal neurobiology, and neuroscience. My integrated holistic vision of yoga and wisdom-based lifestyles is a return to ancient traditions, respectfully envisioned and adapted for contemporary life and realities. The integrated holistic vision deeply honors ancient roots of yoga and Buddhism, both of which are profoundly dedicated to cultivating inner awareness, ethical living, and meaningful relationships. It integrates contemporary insights and research to create a practice and approach to life that is contemplative and modern at the same time. In this approach, yoga practice is not reduced to postures (or asana, in Sanskrit); instead, yoga practice is understood as a comprehensive, living system that engages body, physiology, emotion, cognition, and community on the mat and off the mat. It reflects the original intention of yoga as an integrated lifestyle, a path of healing and transformation, articulated in language and context that resonates with modern life and modern science.

At its heart, the integrated holistic vision recognizes the complexity of being human. It invites us to explore ourselves not as isolated individuals, but as interconnected beings shaped by context, relationships, environments, and lived experience. Practice and daily life become processes of cultivating awareness across our multiple layers of human experience – from the physical body and vital breath to attention, perception, and stories about ourselves and our lives, to relational patterns and deep communal connection and collectivism. Practices and lifestyles that are cultivated through this approach foster awareness, compassion and lovingkindness, intentionality and adaptive responsiveness, and meaningful wisdom that invites purpose and direction. Integrated holistic yoga and lifestyles are collective and inclusive by design. They accessible to anyone who can breathe, adaptable to diverse bodies and contexts, and grounded in the principle of beneficence – ‘first, do no harm’.

The integrated holistic vision weaves together the eight limbs of yoga and modern science-based insights into a cohesive lifestyle that supports personal and collective wellbeing. It invites a shift from doing yoga on the mat to living yoga in every moment of our life. In doing so, integrated holistic living cultivates resilience, clarity, connection, and the capacity to participate in life with greater awareness, compassion, and wisdom.  If you are interested in learning more about this vision for living with purpose, compassion, and understanding, I invite you to peruse this website – its blogs, links to books, and access to many free practices, including movement, breath, contemplation, and more.