A smiling woman with wavy black hair, tattoos on her arms, wearing a sleeveless top, seated indoors with a blurred background of books and picture frames.

SITA CHIA

Sita is the founder of Mysore Breathing Room. Her deep passion for yoga has kept her at the forefront as the lead teacher since the shala’s inception.

Sita’s yoga foundation is rooted in Jnana Yoga (the Yoga of Knowledge and Philosophy) and Bhakti Yoga (the Yoga of Devotion). Her late father, a Buddhist monk and

Pali-Sanskrit scholar, was her first teacher. After converting to Islam while living in the Middle East, he introduced her to Arabic and the study of the Quran.

At 19, Sita encountered Yoga Asana for the first time at a small Hatha yoga school—The Krishna Association in Thailand. This sparked a lifelong journey of exploration across the physical, spiritual, and mental dimensions of yoga. Her academic background in sociology and anthropology, combined with her work as a photojournalist, enabled her to travel extensively. She has spent significant time in India, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, North and South America, Germany, and Japan—engaging in photography while studying Yoga and Ayurveda under various schools and renowned teachers.

Sita is a certified Ayurvedic alternative medicine practitioner and a Sivananda-certified Hatha yoga teacher. She has led workshops and retreats in Kutir (an ashram in northern India), Singapore, Bali, and Thailand. She holds a senior intermediate level 2 Iyengar certification under Geeta Iyengar and Rajiv Chanchani, and completed a 500-hour teacher training with YogaWorks in San Francisco. After years of practising Hatha and Iyengar yoga, she found her calling in the Ashtanga yoga method, beginning with her first teacher, Chuck Miller. Since then, she has practised under many esteemed Ashtanga teachers.

Yoga transformed Sita’s life, helping her recover from illness and addiction. She credits the practice with purifying her mind and body and feels deeply grateful to be both a student and teacher. She has completed the Ashtanga Primary and Intermediate series under Sri R. Sharath Jois, and continues her advanced studies at KPJAYI (K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute) in Mysore, India, with Jois’ blessing.

Sita is also well-versed in Iyengar, Yin, Restorative, Pranayama, Kriya, Yoga Therapy, Prenatal, and Hot Yoga. She has studied Reiki (Master level) and crystal healing, holds a diploma in wellness and nutrition (covering both plant-based and non-plant-based diets), and is a certified neuromuscular therapist.

In her free time, Sita enjoys spending time with her cats, street photography, painting, detox practices (Kriyas), Bible study, and cooking and baking—don’t miss her gluten-free muffins and kombucha in the shala’s fridge! While she values asana as a powerful mind-body tool, she believes the true essence of yoga lies in applying all its facets to daily life. Her dream and firm intention for the future is to engage in humanitarian work for those in need.

Woman in white clothing performing a yoga pose in a handstand split position against a plain white background.
A woman practicing yoga in a backbend pose on a light-colored floor against a plain white wall, wearing a white tank top and beige leggings.
Woman performing a yoga pose with one leg extended upward while balancing on her hands in a bright, minimal space.
Woman performing a yoga pose, standing on one leg, holding her other leg behind her with her hand, wearing a white tank top and beige pants, against a plain white background.
A woman practicing yoga in a headstand pose in a bright, minimalistic room with light-colored wooden floor and plain white wall.