Conversations with Joan Hyman

Today we’d like to introduce you to Joan Hyman.

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
grew up in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and wanted to pursue a career as a dancer. I had a lot of energy and was a rebellious teenager. My cousin, who was like an older sister to me, introduced me to yoga when I was around 18 or 19. It was Integral Yoga, and the practice was about getting still—something I wasn’t quite ready to do at that moment. But it planted a seed.

A few years later, while living in New York City and pursuing a dance career, a boyfriend suggested I go to Jivamukti in the East Village. That’s where you could say I “got hooked.” Yoga put me in touch with my body in a way nothing ever had before. The message was clear: I needed to start taking better care of myself and change my lifestyle. Slowly and steadily, I began practicing almost every day, and my life really did begin to change.

It wasn’t until a few years later, after booking a show in Las Vegas, that I began looking into teacher trainings. Someone told me about the YogaWorks Teacher Training in Santa Monica, California, with world-renowned teachers Maty Ezraty and Lisa Walford. About a year later, I moved to Santa Monica to enroll in the program, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Yoga became my life. I began practicing the Ashtanga method with Maty and committed to teaching yoga full time. I never looked back. What began as a way to connect with my body and change my lifestyle became a way of being—and teaching became my full-time career.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I don’t think the road to living a healthier, more conscious life is ever completely smooth. There are always challenges, setbacks, and moments when we are confronted with parts of ourselves we would rather avoid. But I’ve come to believe that these struggles are not separate from the journey—they are part of what makes us more present, more aware, and ultimately more capable of evolving. They invite us to look at the resistance that keeps us from living our highest potential and, little by little, begin to peel it away.

For many years, I partied and used drugs as a way to escape. I lost my mother when I was 21, and that loss created a deep grief I wasn’t ready to face. I didn’t have the tools to understand what I was feeling or how to work through it, so I found ways to numb myself instead. Looking back, I can see that I was searching for relief, connection, and a way to feel something other than the pain I was carrying.

Being introduced to yoga became a turning point in my life. It was the beginning of a different kind of relationship with myself—one that asked me to become more present, to pay attention, and to take responsibility for how I was living. As my practice deepened, I began to make changes in my lifestyle. I started surrounding myself with different people, creating healthier relationships, and making choices that supported the person I wanted to become.

Yoga didn’t magically erase my struggles, but it gave me a way to meet them. It encouraged me to do the inner work and look at areas of myself I had been afraid to face. Through years of therapy and a committed daily practice, I slowly began to heal, stay clean, and develop a lifestyle that reflected my commitment to health and wellness.

Little by little, everything began to change. The way I treated my body changed tremendously. My relationships changed. My priorities changed. And as I learned to care for myself with more compassion, I began to experience a deeper sense of self-worth. I started to understand that loving myself wasn’t about becoming someone different—it was about learning to accept, care for, and honor the person I already was.

That journey continues to this day. I still have challenges, and I still have moments when I have to look honestly at myself. But yoga has taught me that growth is not about perfection. It is about becoming more conscious, making choices that support your well-being, and having the courage to keep showing up for yourself.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been teaching yoga full time for over 25 years, and I feel incredibly fortunate that what began as a personal practice has become a lifelong vocation. For the past 15 years, I have also had the opportunity to travel and teach internationally, sharing the practice with students and teachers around the world. Through these experiences, I’ve had the privilege of building a global community that I am deeply proud of. What means the most to me is not simply the number of people I’ve taught, but the relationships, connections, and shared experiences that have grown from the practice.

During the pandemic, when so many of us were forced to move our lives online, I saw an opportunity to create something that could continue to support students beyond the traditional classroom. That was the beginning of The School of Yoga™, an ongoing educational platform dedicated to helping yoga teachers and practitioners deepen their understanding of the practice.

The School of Yoga grew out of my own desire to keep learning and to create a space where education and community would continue to evolve. My vision has always been to offer authentic, and accessible continuing education—programs that encourage teachers to refine their skills, expand their knowledge, and develop a deeper relationship with the practice.

Over the years, we have hosted teacher trainings and educational programs in Los Angeles, Vienna, Austria, and Geneva, Switzerland, and I have also had the opportunity to lead trainings in India and Nepal. Each location has brought its own unique energy, culture, and community, and I’ve loved seeing how yoga creates a common language across different countries and backgrounds.

What began during a challenging time has continued to evolve into a growing international school. I’m excited to keep building on that foundation, creating opportunities for students and teachers to learn, connect, and continue their journey with yoga. For me, education is never really finished. There is always more to discover, more to understand, and more ways to share the practice with others.

Networking and finding a mentor can have such a positive impact on one’s life and career. Any advice?
I have been mentoring inspiring teachers and practitioners for many years, and I absolutely love the intimate setting that mentorship provides. There is something very special about working with a smaller group of people who are genuinely curious, committed, and ready to take their practice and teaching to a deeper level.

Many of the students I mentor come from my own community. They may have taken a teacher training or workshop with me and, after spending time together, feel inspired to continue learning. I love that mentorship allows us to build on that foundation. It creates a space for more personal guidance, honest conversations, and the opportunity to explore questions that don’t always have time to be addressed in a larger training.

For me, mentorship is not just about teaching more information. It’s about helping teachers find their own voice, develop confidence, and understand how to bring their knowledge into the world in a way that feels authentic to them. It’s also about learning how to navigate the challenges that come with teaching, building relationships, and creating a sustainable career.

If I were to offer advice to someone who is beginning to build their own yoga business, I would say: stay true to your mission and focus on building community. It can be tempting to look around at what everyone else is doing, especially when you’re starting out, but I believe the most successful businesses are built from a clear sense of purpose. Know what you stand for, understand what you want to offer, and let that guide your decisions.

I also believe that community is at the heart of any successful yoga business. People want to feel connected, supported, and part of something meaningful. Take the time to get to know your students, nurture those relationships, and create opportunities for them to continue learning and growing with you. A strong community is not built overnight—it takes consistency, trust, and genuine care.

And finally, I would encourage teachers to be patient with the process. Building a business takes time, and there will inevitably be challenges, uncertainty, and moments when things don’t go as planned. Stay committed to your vision, keep learning, and don’t be afraid to evolve. The goal is not to create something that looks successful from the outside, but to build something that is meaningful, sustainable, and true to who you are.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://Schoolof.Yoga
• Instagram: Joanhymanschoolofyoga
• Facebook: Joan Hyman School of Yoga
• Youtube: Joan Hyman Yoga