About us
The Integral Yoga® Center of Richmond was founded in 1981 by Reverend Shanti Norris and Prahaladan Mandelkorn. It was a very successful program and included credit courses at Virginia Commonwealth University.
In 1993, Nora Vimala Pozzi became director of the center and in 2000 the IYC opened a location in Carytown, next to Ellwood Thompson’s Natural Market, where if offered more than 30 classes per week with a staff of more than 15 Integral Yoga Teachers. Prior to that, Nora taught IYC classes at schools, universities, hospitals, recreational facilities, corporations, and government agencies. This was the community outreach offering education to the public on the health benefits of yoga as well as its history and philosophy.
In 1999, IYC offered the first Teacher Training Program in the Richmond area. This was the beginning of a new facet of IYC, where the formation of new yoga teachers, offered for many years an opportunity to more than hundred students to deepen their understanding and practice of yoga as well as to share it with others.
In 2010 the IYC changed its name to YogaHelps, continuing to serve teaching yoga classes in the way it started -through community organizations and churches- in a more humble and simple way. It continues its efforts to advocate for yoga, supporting and being a resource for yoga teachers and students, and educate the general public about the other aspects of yoga, such as “Raja Yoga” (yoga philosophy) and “Yoga Therapy” (a new modality that is still in its basic phases of evolution.)
It also continues to educate the public on the yogic principles of peace and non-violence, the environment and health, as yoga is considered part of integrative medicine, both for preventive and therapeutic purposes.
YogaHelps, although not a part of Yogaville, still maintains a connection with it, promoting the teachings of Swami Satchidananda -its founder and spiritual leader-through classes, workshops and trainings offered by its director, Nora Vimala, in Richmond, Yogaville and other settings throughout the world.