BOSTON–On the recent episode of Chai with Manju, Ishan Shivanand spoke about his journey as a young monk, the traditions he grew up with, and the simple lessons he believes can help people live with clarity and purpose.
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To watch the full interview, please click here, or on the image below.
Ishan is an Acharya, a yogic scholar, and a mental-health researcher. He comes from a family of yogis that stretches back twenty-one generations. His father, Avdhoot Shivanand, guided him through years of early training in Indian monasteries, where Ishan learned breathwork, traditional martial practices, herbal sciences, and deep meditation. Much of this knowledge was traditionally passed down only within select lineages.
On Chai with Manju, Ishan explained that he chose to bring these teachings into public life rather than keep them closed. His aim, he said, is to make ancient practices simple enough for anyone to use in daily life. This intention later shaped Yoga of Immortals (YOI), a set of structured meditation and breathwork programs that he has taught around the world. According to him, these practices help people manage anxiety, depression, insomnia, burnout, and trauma by combining traditional techniques with modern research.
Ishan’s work now reaches students, corporate teams, veterans, healthcare workers and athletes. Organizations such as Google Research, Amazon, Mayo Clinic, MD Anderson Cancer Center and others have used his methods for stress reduction and performance support. His programs emphasize slow breathing, body awareness, and emotional steadiness.
During the interview, Ishan said his lessons come down to a few basic ideas: spending time with one’s breath, paying attention to how the mind reacts, and learning to pause before responding to stress. He said these practices help people create space for healthier choices and build a sense of inner strength.
Though he has received numerous recognitions—including a White House roundtable invitation, a Global Civility Icon Award, and honors from the U.S. Congress—he described his work simply: helping people become more grounded and more aware.
Ishan sees himself as a link in a long chain of teachers. His goal is not to add complexity but to preserve practical tools that anyone can use. On Chai with Manju, he shared that his father’s guidance continues to shape his approach: keep the practices sincere, keep them useful, and offer them to support everyday life.
