Welcome to
Yoga for Life
A community of curious souls seeking a deeper connection with Yoga.
Yoga for Life is a school in
Portland, OR teaching ancient Yoga techniques to modern practitioners.
Our goal is to create a skilled and vibrant yoga community to support our students’ personal growth and development. Through 300- and 500- hour YTT, retreats and advanced classes based on Universal Yoga principles, we support our students on their journey to realize their life’s purpose and live from a place of joy and well-being.
We believe yoga is more than a practice—it’s a way of life.
The journey of yoga goes well beyond the physical body. We design our classes and curriculum to incorporate aspects of Patanjali’s 8 limb path into our practice.
Often yoga in the West is primarily focused on the physical practice, i.e., the body. At Yoga for Life we conduct our classes, retreats and trainings as academic coursework that are both demanding and rewarding on a physical, mental, intellectual and spiritual level.
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CLASSES
Check out our online Karuna Circle meditation (Mondays, 8-8:30PM) and in-person Universal Yoga classes (Sundays, 9-11:30AM).
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TRAININGS
Deeper Yoga Education
An effective, practical, and scholarly approach to becoming a yoga student, instructor, teacher and, ultimately, a Yogi.
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PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT
Join our Purposeful Living or Yoga Philosophy Lecture series to integrate yoga into your everyday life.
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RETREATS
Join us on an internal journey! Raj is hosting Internal Practices 1 Retreat June 16-24, 2026 | Location: TBA.
WHAT MAKES YOGA FOR LIFE UNIQUE?
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.
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 1:1 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.
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!