about mitchel

Mitchel Bleier is the epitome of a modern yoga master. Young and dynamic, his unique, flowing style of yoga is his own, the expression of twenty years of education, self-healing, and discovery that began when he was just 18. His is a fresh voice, adapting a practice that began thousands of years ago and redefining it for today’s lifestyle. Internationally recognized, his workshops have drawn such discerning students as producer Russell Simmons, NBA superstar Grant Hill and rock star Sting, who is well known for his involvement in yoga.

“When the body feels better, the mind clears, emotions are uplifted and we become more eager to participate in all that life offers.”

Mitchel is the face of Yo-Fi, a new social network on the Web where people interested in yoga and fitness can learn, grow and share their experiences with others. Mitchel will be an active participant offering insights through his blog and communicating with members via email. Yo-Fi provides instruction, resources, information and a calendar of events around the world. Just as the word yoga means "to unify," Yo-Fi offers a place to become involved in a growing global community.

In his new series of DVDs, Mitchel teaches students how to understand and transform their bodies, to breathe with awareness, to become more relaxed and self-assured. He designed programs so that viewers will feel that he is right there with them, encouraging and guiding them along. Choose a level that’s right for you from beginner to more advanced. Target an area of concern. Feel the benefit of positive changes that affect your whole body, outlook and mood.

Mitchel offers instruction in a clear and simple way. He is gifted at discerning the needs of individual students, kind and compassionate as he corrects a posture or provides a word of encouragement. He has worked with people of all ages and walks of life from children to seniors. His expertise encompasses a vast array of subjects from fitness and posture to nutrition, natural remedies, hormonal phases, stress reduction, emotional balance, weight reduction, strength building and streamlining the body to perform at its optimum. He is adept at working with body issues from back fat to joint pain.

Athletes are adding yoga to their workouts to improve their performance. Corporate executives use yoga to reduce stress and improve mental clarity. Pregnant women do yoga to promote wellness for themselves and their babies. Seniors practice yoga to rid themselves of pain.

“Yoga can start at any age and any form. It joins everything together to give you the best of who you are,” said Mitchel. “It does not discriminate based on ability or disability and can be adapted for almost everyone. It’s inspirational to see paraplegics doing yoga - and I have. It’s about finding the best body for you.”

Mitchel knows first-hand about the powerful healing benefits of yoga. During his freshman year at college, Mitchel became ill and left school to recuperate at his parents’ home in Detroit. When he discovered that there was no remedy or course of treatment available from the medical community, he embarked on a path of self-discovery to restore his strength.

He became passionate and knowledgeable about the human body, nutrition, herbs and their applications, natural healing and alternative modalities. He joined his sister in a class at a local yoga studio and found the key to self-fulfillment in a life that continually teaches him that the more he gives, the more he grows.

His body quickly responded to the therapeutic benefits of Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga and Power Yoga. Pain evaporated and flexibility increased. He immersed himself in Vipassana meditation and experienced new mental clarity. Within a year, he began teaching yoga. After his very first class, he was told that he had ‘raised the bar for all teachers to come.”

“Yoga gave me a feeling of security and a sense of belonging. I could express my strength on a yoga mat and take it to other parts of my life.”

With insatiable curiosity, he delved into the study of Buddhist and Hindu scriptures, learning Sanskrit and exploring Eastern cultures and religions, philosophy, mythology, iconography and more. He challenged himself to master the many forms and techniques of yoga, accomplishing almost every hatha yoga posture known. He is continually learning, growing and sharing, deepening his relationships and becoming more capable.

Mitchel remained in Detroit for a few years, expanding the awareness and practice of yoga. Since then, he has traveled extensively, teaching and studying with many of the world’s finest practitioners and scholars in the United States and India. He is known as a teacher’s teacher and has taught at the Yoga Journal, Mid-West, and Southeast conferences as well as annual teacher trainings nationally and internationally in the United States, Central America, Europe, and Canada.

Mitchel lives in Norwalk, Connecticut with Tracy, the love of his life. They share their lives together with their newborn son Beck, Tracy’s two boys, the family dog, and at her yoga studio, Saraswati’s Yoga Joint.