Offerings from the Heart of Illumined Lotus

YOGA

  • Hatha Fusion – Dara's unique synthesis of hatha yoga, Qi Gong and Taoist meditation with elements of Classical Indian dance to awaken the physical and subtle bodies, connect Heaven and Earth, and arrive home to the heart.

  • Shakti Vinyasa – An activating and prayerful practice that combines intuitive flow, biomechanical alignment, subtle body awareness, and Goddess-centered tantric teachings to connect deeply with our authentic selves.

  • Embodied Awakening: A Journey Through the Chakras is in-person monthly at Breath+Oneness studio. The next class on the Throat Chakra or Vishudda is August 26, 2025.

  • Learn more by clicking the registration button below.

  • Deepening Topics:

  • Explore your inner landscape with an integrated approach to the subtle body through a multi-tradition perspective. Gain a deeper understanding of the nadis, chakras and bandhas through classical and tantric yoga. Learn to map the Chinese Medicine meridians, work with the microcosmic orbit of Taoist alchemy, and dive into the elemental expression of the 5 Wisdom Dakinis of Buddhism. Weaving together these wisdom teachings gives us a broader comprehension as well as practical tools to access our deepest dimensions for healing and awakening.

  • This workshop invites you into a sacred shamanic practice that works with the purifying and transformative power of the fire element and auspicious animal totem, the dragon. Rooted in Taoist and ancient Chinese cosmology, this full-form Qigong follows the flow of qi in the body, awakening the meridians, and bringing vitality and balance to your energetic system. Accessible to all, and especially enriching for yoga teachers, this practice offers an embodied experience of the ancient wisdom of Chinese Medicine through the art of Qigong.

  • This customizable course offers an embodied experience of the wisdom of Chinese Medicine and Taoist cosmology specifically designed for yoga practitioners and teachers to enhance their own knowledge and teaching base. In addition to Fire Dragon Qigong, students will gain an understanding of the fundamentals of Chinese Medicine like Yin and Yang, the 5 elements and the 3 treasures through the lens of the body by learning a unique set of practices like ‘Standing Between Heaven and Earth’, ‘Shamanic Shaking’ and more.

“Dara is a truly talented teacher who has spent decades studying and cultivating expertise in a wide variety of modalities including acupuncture, temple dance, yoga, and the medicine path. She is graceful, articulate, and easy to follow. I was blessed to have Dara bring her knowledge of mudra, dance, and yoga into our Divinitree 300 hour teacher training. I would highly recommend studying with Dara if you’re a practitioner looking to deepen your practice. For other yoga schools, I would definitely suggest bringing her into your trainings or offerings to bring a nuanced, rich, and enjoyable experience for your students.”

━ Ann Averbach, founder of Divinitree Yoga School

FOR WOMEN

  • 1:1 Sacred Nourishment for Women - Are you ready to step into the nourishing embrace of healing foods and wholistic lifestyle practices? Through this sacred container you will work with Dara individually to create a personal plan that takes into account your constitution, health goals, and current life situation, and together determine the key changes to make so that you can prioritize organic, whole, minimally processed, and nutrient-dense foods that are the healthiest for you, the planet and are delicious and satisfying to eat. Whether you want to begin with designing a food-based cleanse or are ready to jump into a lifestyle transformation, Dara offers expert guidance that will provide you with the resources, practices, and ongoing support you need to succeed. It is highly recommended to book a series of sessions.

  • Change Your Diet & Transform Your Life! Upcoming Course for Women – Through this longer term container you will receive expert guidance from a licensed health care practitioner with decades of experience to cut through all the confusion out there surrounding food and nutrition. Dara offers an abundance of inspiration, resources, and the ongoing support needed to create the lasting dietary changes you are looking for within the space of sacred sisterhood. With a focus on embodiment practices, nourishing recipes, and rituals of self-love, you’ll transform your relationship with food, take an empowered role in your own health, cultivate ways of listening to your body's own wisdom, awaken your kitchen creativity, and foster a deep connection with your source of nourishment. Going well beyond a one-time cleanse, you will expand your capacity and your consciousness in a way that transforms not only what you eat, but your entire life.

ILLUMINED WELLNESS

  • WHolistic Massage Therapy - These nourishing and intuitive sessions blend gentle yet firm flowing massage with deeper more focused therapeutic techniques and Reiki healing energy to meet your personal needs and desires. Held within sacred space, honoring the whole person, and a commitment to using 100% pure and natural products, this truly healing experience is designed to leave you feeling grounded in your body, relaxed and revitalized, offering you a sacred pause for self-renewal. 60 and 90 minute sessions are available.

  • Rejuvenation Combination – In these 90 minute sessions, the Wholistic Massage is enhanced with Chinese medical modalities like cups (soft silicone), gua sha (traditional scraping), topical herbal oils and linaments, and/or acupuncture/acupressure to address any specific conditions you may have. Together, you and your practitioner will determine the right combination for you to leave feeling balanced and thoroughly rejuvenated.

  • Chinese Herbal Medicine – In-Person and Zoom Options - These personalized consultations with a licensed acupuncturist and herbalist offer you access to the highest quality herbs that stay true to traditional Chinese herbal processing practices. We use revered formula product lines like Classical Pearls by Dr. Heiner Fruehauf and Spring Wind Herbs that provide you with time tested non-pharmaceutical solutions that are specifically designed to address complex modern conditions without compromising ancient wisdom, and prescribed just for you. In addition, products from “A Tooth from the Tiger’s Mouth” by Chinese sports medicine expert Tom Bisio bring effective solutions for both internal and external healing from injury. With tailored dietary recommendations and wholistic lifestyle practices, these consultations empower you with tools to restore balance and create lasting well-being. Price of herbs not included.

“I highly recommend Dara Daniels for Bodywork Massage!  She is a true healer.  I have never left a massage and felt so relaxed and free in my body as with Dara.  She finds all the little nagging tightness and soreness that have been around for years and works them out just enough. It is never painful after; instead I just feel better.  My husband and 20 year old son have also been to her and feel the same way.  My son is an athlete and also lifts weights. He said Dara really helped his mobility, and he feels great. My husband says after a Bodywork Massage with Dara he feels refreshed and calm, but still able to be functional.  She is also a Licensed Acupuncturist, an herbal healer in the Chinese Medicine System, and a yoga practitioner.  She seems to bring all of this knowledge into her body work. I plan to get massages for my parents next.”

—Wendy Grants-Richard, School Teacher

“I feel so fortunate to have found Dara.  Her space is beautiful, clean and very relaxing.  Dara has a strong, intuitive touch that can release all the tension in your body.  I had two different significant injuries that she helped me with: cracked ribs and a separated shoulder.   I was amazed at my rate of recovery.  I owe it all to Dara.  She helped so much with the pain from my injuries and was integral in my recovery.   Not only is Dara an amazing massage therapist, she is an incredible healer.”

—Don Hays

“I've had many wonderful massages in my life but since I began to see Dara regularly for the last six months I've discovered a whole new level of benefit. I go to her because she tailors each session to my individual needs, and indulges me in my love of long, soothing strokes. My (senior) aches, pains and sore spots loosen up faster and I feel more flexible and supple. Muscle tension and pain are almost a thing of the past and I feel more calm and grounded. It is really a treat to find out that my body really can be more comfortable to live in!”

—Susan Kettmann