Ojas Yoga Center

Teaching History: A. Professional Accomplishments Varsha Nanavati is the head of a wellness center, Ojas Yoga Center, located near Edgewater, NJ. The center was founded in April of 2011. Within 6 months of opening, the Bergen Record recognized the quality of the school and ranked Ojas as one of the top 7 north jersey yoga studios featuring them on the front page of the Bergen Record. Soon thereafter in December of 2012, NY1 news featured the school as a part of a segment dedicated to highlighting therapeutic approaches to healing muscular skeletal disorders and fighting obesity in children. From decreasing anxiety to increasing bone density, Ojas has paved the way for Therapeutic complimentary care backed by medical tests to prove results. B. Leadership A natural leader, Varsha grew the wellness center from a one person operation with 13 classes a week to 25 classes per week adding complimentary services such as massage therapy and nutritional coaching. In the community, Whole Foods, the Cliffside Park Public Library and the Cliffside Park High School recognize Varsha for leading quality community centric programs. In an industry saturated with unqualified teachers, under the guidance of Varsha, Ojas created 2 teacher training programs registered on a national levels for 200 and 500 hour certifications. Ojas also leads ongoing workshops funneling the energies of participants into a greater internal awareness. Since opening doors in April of 2011, Ojas has faced fierce competition with over a dozen local gyms, yoga schools and wellness centers. Ojas maintains competitive edge through building quality relationships within therapeutic privates and measuring the effects through medical testing. Varsha obtained a specialty certification in Muscular Skeletal Anatomy at Zenyasa in New York City. She also is privy to a group of doctors including specialties such as Cardiology, Pulmonology and Neuropsychology. Finding the best practice between allopathic medicine and Holistic approaches to wellness has allowed Ojas to deepen the quality of programming and scientifically back the efforts. Most gyms and local yoga schools are attuned only to 2 bodily systems while Ojas leans upon Western Medicine and Ayurveda and teaches from a multi-faceted base. C. Vision Leaning on Varsha’s expertise of Digital Mediums, Ojas integrates social mediums and technology to streamline the operations and market the business. Employing software and online scheduling has significantly lowered operation costs. In addition to onsite software inclusions, Varsha intends to refer calls to an outside company that will answer calls as well as provide reporting on the nature of its clients. She also employs software for emailing the client base that provides valuable insights to cater the next offerings to the interests therein. Utilizing a matrix of yoga, web and medical technology Ojas was able to increase the revenues by 20% for 2 consecutive years. This upcoming year, she intends to focus on leading a retreat and adventure excursions. D. Community Service Ojas gives back to the community. For 2 consecutive Octobers, Varsha led a team of volunteers to participate in the making strides breast cancer walk. Collectively they raised over $3000 for the cause. She holds an annual fundraiser for under-privileged school children living in rural. She personally distributed the raised funds by buying school supplies, computers, uniforms and food for children. During Hurricane Sandy, Varsha collected funds, food and clothing from the north Jersey community and drove the items to Rockaway, NY. She contributed the needed supplies while working at the local rockaway library to help the desperate community apply for FEMA grants. Ojas also routinely offers free wellness programs for the community through Whole Foods and the Public Library.