About Listening Yoga

Hi! My name is Jason Woehlke, owner and instructor of Listening Yoga. I started this yoga school because I feel a growing urgency to return to the fundamental faculty of listening. It is my aim to help others feel the importance of developing this capacity as well..

Why listening? Listening is important because the quality of alert poise it returns us to is about staying attuned to ourselves and being open to others. In contemporary society, we are choked by self-importance and a lack of care for other human beings. In coming back to listening and strengthening it, we can grow more connected to the world around us and respond in new and increasingly responsible ways.

Yoga is a journey that finds those who are searching for something more. I created Listening Yoga to honor a call–to become sensitive enough to hear what our souls are saying, to become responsible human beings, and to improve our relationships with those around us. When we listen, we become very quiet, still, and even silent, so that we may learn about why we are here and alive just now.

Listening Yoga follows the lineage of Viniyoga from the teachings of T. K. V. Desikachar, and his father, Sri T. Krishnamacharya. Viniyoga is about discovering our own unique path to wholeness, health, and spirit. The lineage honors the traditional method of teaching–individual mentorship from teacher to student. In this way, the teacher has the space necessary to truly connect with the student, listen to them, and guide them in ways that are most suitable to them.

Viniyoga mentorship works with a few specific methods: asana (physical postures and movements), pranayama (breathing techniques), meditation, Vedic chanting, svadhyaya (study of sacred scriptures), and dialogue. Yoga mentorship is about self-discovery and the relinquishing of those parts of ourselves that no longer serve us, so that we may step into our own dharma (roles/purposes) which we are alive to take part in.

Yoga means “to yoke.” Basically, this is to unify the separated parts of our being. Through a unique and personalized daily practice, the student is encouraged to develop a holistic embodiment of their being. When we are unified in our inner, spiritual lives, then we can live and act from an authentic place in ourselves, and this is reflected in how we feel about ourselves and our actions.

My own journey began in 2012 when I first started going to yoga classes. I was caught between strong emotions and deep wounds (which I continue to work through). I was coming to terms with a friend who had passed. I felt there was something more to life than the path that was presented to me–get educated, find a job, marry, raise a family. I felt for a long time that there was a greater reason for my existence that I couldn’t understand, and I began to explore spiritual ideas.

I ended up switching majors in college a few times and graduated with a B. A. in Philosophy and minor in Religious Studies in 2016 from SUNY New Paltz, where I helped lead the meditation club. I became a certified 200-hour yoga teacher in 2017. At that time, I felt as though there may be something more to yoga than the group class structure that I was used to. My teacher at the time was more authentic than most, but I still felt the need for deeper teachings.

I found my current Yoga Mentor, Dolphi Wertenbaker, a direct student of Sri Desikachar, early in 2018. I was then introduced to a new way of learning. The journey became more understood. It wasn’t simply about becoming more physically flexible. In fact, that is secondary. Instead, there opened up a journey of letting go, becoming more aware, deepening my attention, and developing a sensitivity to the vibrancy of life.

Instead of pushing myself to achieve a form as I used to do in yoga studio classes, I began to listen more deeply to my body, emotions, and mind. Breathing became more subtle. Chanting practice was new and it began to reveal hidden crevices within my inner life. Trying to force my way inward turned to letting go and relinquishing.

Now, I have completed my 300-hour teacher training course in 2025 under Chase Bossart, also a direct student of Sri Desikachar. I am continuing my studies with Chase Bossart in his Advanced Viniyoga Applications program. I write on Substack about a variety of spiritual topics, with a large focus on yoga, and include some other types of writings as well. I travel around to give workshops focused on deepening the understanding and self-knowledge of yoga practitioners.

Training/Education/Certifications:
-Level 1 Shambhala Buddhist Training, Sky Lake Lodge, 2016
-B. A. Philosophy and Religious Studies, SUNY New Paltz, 2016
-Sama Dancing Workshop (Sufi Whirling), with Rana Gorgani, 2017
-RYT 200-hour Teacher Training, Sandy Sooknanan at Dutchess Yoga, 2017
-Usui/Holy Fire Reiki First and Second Degree, with Pamela Friers, 2017
-RYT 300-hour TT, Deepen Your Yoga Program, Chase Bossart at Yoga Well, 2025 (Completing Final Certification Requirements)
-Advanced Viniyoga Applications 1: Practice and Relationships, Chase Bossart at Yoga Well, In-Progress