As contemplative practices enter the health care system, they are frequently distilled into methods for relaxation or resilience training. This lecture explores the historical and cultural foundations of yoga, breathwork, and meditation, situating them within broader questions of purpose, context, and application. Dr. Ivanhoe traces how the pedagogical frameworks of these disciplines have evolved—from soteriological to therapeutic—inviting a more discerning view of these lineages, one that recognizes their complexity, depth, and capacity to bring greater accuracy and humanity to the clinical encounter.

Sara Elizabeth Ivanhoe, MA, PhD, earned her doctorate in Yoga Philosophy from the Graduate Theological Union. Her dissertation, In Search of Sleep: A Comprehensive Study of Yoga Philosophy, Therapeutic Practice, and Improving Sleep in Higher Education, examines the integration of contemplative practice within university settings. Formerly part of the Stanford Living Education Department (SLED), Dr. Ivanhoe joined the Stanford community in 2024 to teach “Sleep for Peak Performance” and “Meditation.” She continues to teach for the Office for Religious and Spiritual Life, offering courses at Memorial Church, and in the Department of Athletics, Physical Education, and Recreation, where she leads “Yoga for Stress Management.” Dr. Ivanhoe is the Founding Director Emeritus of YogaUSC and previously lectured in USC’s Mind-Body Department, where she also served on faculty wellness boards. Having taught yoga since 1995 and completed three 500-hour teacher training programs, she has served as the Yoga Spokesperson for Weight Watchers: Yoga, Yoga for Dummies, and Crunch: Yoga, co-created the Just Breathe brand for Oprah Magazine, and was the yoga columnist for Health magazine. Her current work bridges traditional lineages and contemporary clinical settings, advancing the role of contemplative education and practice within modern models of health and healing.

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