Welcome to Yoga for Life!
Here at Yoga for Life, we believe yoga is more than a practice—it’s a way of living with purpose, joy, and well-being.
Since 2010, we’ve been nurturing a skilled and supportive yoga community in Portland, helping students deepen their personal journey and uncover their life’s potential.
WHAT MAKES YOGA FOR LIFE UNIQUE?
We’re a small, locally rooted studio with global vision.
Offering Yoga Alliance–registered 200-hour and 500-hour Teacher Trainings since 2011. Our graduates teach nationally & internationally.
Co-founded by a teacher raised in a yogic and spiritual family in Kolkata, India—bringing an authentic connection to yoga’s origins. (Few studios in the West are owned and guided by Indian yogis.)
The Co-founding team of Kelly Suttell and Raj Patra brings over six decades of collective personal practices and trainings, along with expertise in complementary healing practices like Functional Anatomy, Reiki, and Family Constellation Therapy.
Hosting International Yoga Retreats since 2015, creating life-changing experiences around the world.
Yoga for Life is where tradition, authenticity, and community come together—helping you immerse, grow, and thrive.
Mandala Vyanayama Classes
Sundays 9 AM | 2.5 hours duration Two yoga mats needed.
Universal Yoga classes are offered in an exclusive setting surrounded by forests and tranquility in the heart of West-Haven Sylvan neighborhood. Address provided upon registration.
Experience the profundity of Tibetan Buddhism and Tantrika Shaivism in its modern culmination of UNIVERSAL YOGA. Classes are longer than commercial yoga sessions for cultivating your deepest practice of Yoga in Annamaya (physical), Pranamaya (energetic), and Manomaya (emotional) Kosha (layers).
In a typical Mandala Yoga class, you will experience skillful weaving of Asana, Vinyasa, Pranayama, Bandha, Mudra, Yantrayana, and Mantrayana practices all to lead you to an experiencing Oneness.
Free Karunā Circle Meditation
Mondays 8 PM | 30 min. duration Distant participation on Zoom.
"Karunā" (pronounced: kuh-roo-nah) translates to "compassion" or "empathy" and is of significant importance in the path of yoga. Karunā is a universal virtue that transcends cultural and spiritual boundaries and emphasizes the importance of empathy, kindness, and altruism in building a more compassionate and harmonious world, where individuals support and care for one another in times of need. Yoga teaches that a compassionate heart, coupled with wisdom, is essential for the liberation of oneself and others from suffering.
We welcome you to attend if you would like to give or receive loving kindness for yourself, for others, or for our collective consciousness. Our FREE online Karunā Circle is on Monday evenings at 8pm PT on Zoom. All are welcome.
Deeper Yoga Education
An effective, practical, and scholarly approach to becoming a yoga instructor, teacher and, ultimately, a Yogi.
MODULE 1. 100 hours: Functional anatomy, alignment, dialog of 35 Asana, history, philosophy.
MODULE 2. 100 hours: All aspects of Vinyasa, sequencing principles, philosophy, Pranayama, Bandha, 8 Limbs.
MODULE 3. 100 hours: Asana across 5 classifications, Subtle body, 7 Kosha, Shiva Nata-1.
MODULE 4. 100 hours: Mandala cross-mat Vyanayama, Pranayama sequencing, Kriya, Shiva Nata-2.
MODULE 5. 8-day hermitage: Internal practices, Chakra Tantra, advanced Kriya, advanced Pranayama.
MODULE 6. 8-day hermitage: Advaita Vedanta practices for highly advanced practitioners.
Nepal & India Yoga Retreat and Pilgrimage
Oct 23 - Nov 9, 2026. A premium, all-inclusive journey.
A rare two-part retreat and pilgrimage, our first eight days will be in Kathmandu and Namo Buddha regions of Nepal, as we will visit some of the quintessential Hindu and Buddhist pilgrimage sites, ancient UNESCO Heritage cities, and witness the intertwining of everyday practices of Hinduism and Buddhism. We will visit some of the famously revered sites: Pashupatinath Temple, Kopan Monastery, Thrangu Tashi Yangtse Moastery, Boudhanath Stupa (one of the largest in Himalayan region), Swayambhunath Stupa, as well as ancient cities of Patan, and Bhaktapur.
On the second part of our pilgrimage we will explore various parts of Rajasthan — inhabited since 2600BC — the land of the kings, battle-scarred forts, palaces of breathtaking grandeur and whimsical charm, bold colors and its romantic sense of pride and honor. Hindu kings of valor, as well Mughal emperors have brought an overlay of rich tapestry of culture, religion and monuments. Here we visit three distinct cities: Jodhpur, Pushkar, and Jaipur for specific spiritual and historic reasons; for example, a very rare Brahma temple in Pushkar.
There is space for sixteen travelers only. Put in your deposit today!
Meet our community of sincere practitioners
“There isn’t anything like YFL out there. The instructors are truly above and beyond other yoga offerings.”
“I learned so much, and made more progress on opening my hips in this 75 minutes than I had in months of other yoga classes.”
“I recently completed my 200hr yoga teacher training at Yoga for Life, and it was an enriching experience that exceeded my expectations. This course is both challenging and time-consuming, but the depth of knowledge gained is worth it! ”
“For the past 18 years I’ve been floundering in the Portland yoga scene, looking for something that felt authentic. It wasn’t until I found the practice of Universal Yoga with YFL, which had been right under my nose all these years, that I felt I was practicing real yoga again.”
“I can confidently say that no place that has had more of a positive impact on me and the trajectory of my life than this studio. I mean that as both a person and a yoga practitioner. I would say that regardless of what your goals are, this is a studio you should strongly consider.”
“Community, rigor, intentionality. The Universal Yoga lineage brings its own feel to this studio, which I find pushes me mentally and physically. I have been a member for six years.”
“Practitioners will find in the YFL community that All are welcomed, a wide range of students from beginners curious about yoga as well as highly experienced practitioners gather to practice as the Yoga for Life community is filled with yogis practicing with authentic integrity. You will encounter kindness, support, non judgment, and encouragement to elevate each other on your yogic path furthering knowledge and practical techniques for meditation, physical Asana practice, as well as other esoteric Tantric energetic practices used to bring you to higher versions of your own being and individual goals.”
“What an amazing experience. The location itself where the training takes place is amazing, magical, such a peaceful environment. I learned so much about what yoga really is. The philosophy classes are very educational, eye-opening and take you on an inner journey/path to self-realization. The asanas are well explained and sequences thoughtfully put together, I have gained so much knowledge and depth.”