A Lifetime of
Experience
Helping humanity discover
it's inner source.
Photo credit: @bymaddieturnbull & Prana House
Meet the Founder
For more than 30 years, Kamini Desai, PhD, has pioneered a unique approach to personal transformation by integrating the ancient wisdom of yoga with modern psychology. Internationally recognized as a leading authority in Yoga Nidra, yoga therapy, and yogic psychology, she is dedicated to helping individuals cultivate resilience, self-awareness, and lasting well-being.
I have to tell you-
I am completely blown away...this has seriously changed my life.
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-Shonda, Student
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Kamini is internationally recognized for making ancient yogic wisdom practical and accessible through evidence-informed approaches to Yoga Nidra, yoga therapy, and transformational education.
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Trained at the Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Kamini holds degrees in Anthropology and Psychology from Smith College and La Salle University. She has served as Education Director of the Amrit Yoga Institute, Director of Wellness at Yarrow, an executive retreat center, and faculty member of the Foxhollow Leadership Center.
Kamini is the co-founder and curriculum developer of I AM Yoga Nidra®, one of the five major schools of Yoga Nidra worldwide. She is also the founder of I AM Yoga Therapy® and former director of the 800-hour IAYT-accredited I AM Yoga Therapy program. Today, she serves as Director of I AM Education, offering advanced trainings and studies in Yoga Nidra, yoga therapy, yogic philosophy, and personal development.
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She is the creator of the I AM Yoga Nidra® and I AM Being® apps and author of the acclaimed book Yoga Nidra: The Art of Transformational Sleep, as well as Life Lessons, Love Lessons.
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Kamini is the daughter of Yogi Amrit Desai, founder of the Kripalu Center and Amrit Institute, and one of the pioneering yoga masters who helped introduce yoga to the Western world.
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Recognized for her expertise in the inner sciences of yoga, relaxation, and conscious living, Kamini has taught and lectured at leading institutions including Smith College, Ramapo College, Esalen Institute, Omega Institute, Kripalu Center for Yoga & Health, Southwest Institute of Healing Arts, HonorHealth Cancer Center, Morarji Desai National Institute of Yoga (India), S-VYASA University (India), The College of Psychic Studies (London), and the Institute of Integrative Psychiatry. Her guided Yoga Nidra practices have also been utilized within government organizations and correctional facilities.
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​Kamini's experiential trainings and lectures have been welcomed internationally throughout India, England, Holland, Belgium, Denmark, France, Austria, Portugal, Germany, Turkey, Iceland, Italy, Jamaica, The Bahamas, Greece, Mexico, and across the United States and Canada.
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In addition to her work supporting individual transformation and empowerment, Kamini has consulted with organizations including Bahamas Princess Resorts, Kellogg's, KEDS, Sony, KPN Telecom, Mars Confectionery, the United States Department of Defense, and the Internal Revenue Service of the Netherlands.
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You explained the Eastern philosophy of the Tao and Yoga with more clarity than in any book I’ve ever read.
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-David, Engineer
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​​Kamini previously served on the Editorial Board of the Light on Ayurveda Journal in association with the University of Massachusetts Dartmouth. In 2012, she was awarded the title of Yogeshwari (a woman of yogic mastery) in recognition of her exceptional ability to illuminate ancient wisdom in ways that address modern human challenges. In 2025, she was elected as a member of the World Yoga Congress.
Her work has been featured on the covers of Yoga Magazine, Natural Awakenings, Cosmopolitan, and Fit and Healthy Magazine, and she has published numerous articles throughout the United States and Europe.
Kamini conducts certification programs in Yoga Nidra, Yoga Therapy, Yogic Philosophy, and advanced teaching methodologies.
She holds certifications as an IAYT-Certified Yoga Therapist (800-hour), E-RYT 500, and YACEP. Additional certifications include Phoenix Rising Yoga Therapy, Contact Partner Yoga, Massage Therapy, Danskinetics, and Holistic Health Education.
Kamini speaks English, Dutch, and French.