Vanitha Swaminathan

Vanitha Swaminathan was raised in Eastern India and learned mindfulness practices from her parents. Twice a year, she returns to India to help her mother with her yoga practice. She graduated from the University of Sheffield, UK, with a master's degree in education and has taught on two different continents for over forty years. Her last teaching engagement was at Pasadena City College in California, as a tenured professor of English. She lives in California with her husband, two sons, and six grandchildren. Vanitha describes herself as follows:

“I would consider one of my strongest attributes to be my international exposure. My diverse background helps me to bring a high degree of situation based learning to the classroom environment. Born in India , I learned mindfulness in an organic manner starting at a young age, thanks to my wise and kind parents. I grew up in a home driven by simplicity and positive thinking, thanks to my father who showed his children how helping others builds inner strength, how appreciating the small things in life provides fulfillment, and how lasting happiness is an outcome of love and honesty, not worldly possessions. My mother taught me to blend tradition with modernity, embrace yoga to stay mentally and physically strong, and cook balanced vegetarian food using a clever mix of diets, spices, and long forgotten practices. This has helped me to stay calm, peaceful, and kind even in the face of severe adversity”.