About Oura

Oura provides a restorative healing practice, which complements traditional medical treatment and helps you find relief, comfort, and confidence. The practices will be a source of strength as you step forward on your path towards healing and wholeness.

Who is behind Oura?

Vishnu (Jorge Espinel) is passionate about helping others learn to heal themselves. As a Yoga teacher for special needs groups, he regularly sees the hugely positive difference that body-spirit healing practices makes in people’s path towards recovery and wholeness. He uses his skills as a yoga teacher (specially trained in adapting yoga for particular health conditions) to engage the body and breath as a source of strength and vitality.

As an experienced teacher of meditation and an ordained interfaith minister, he helps students comfortably access their mind and spirit in the restorative healing process.

He is currently working on his Master of Divinity with Meadville Lombard Theological School, placing a special emphasis in exploring the areas of knowledge where spirituality, science and yoga meet.

Through Oura, Vishnu helps foster a safe a supportive environment for people to find relief and comfort (and a positive attitude!) through his mindful attention to the complete individual: body mind and spirit.

Sita Leah Michelsen has experienced first-hand how Yoga helped her recover from a traumatic injury – both healing her body and keeping her sane! She became a Yoga teacher in 2006, through the Sivananda Yoga Teachers Training course, so she could teach others how to use these exercises, skills and knowledge to help them improve their health. She also works in rehabilitation, specifically with seniors in skilled nursing facilities, and she truly enjoys working with the geriatric population. She hopes to continue her education in Physical Therapy, combining traditional rehabilitation techniques with the principles of Yoga, for a more holistic healing experience for everyone she works with.

Where does the inspiration come from?

Oura has been inspired by the teachings of Swami Sivananda and Swami Vishnu-devananda as transmitted in the Sivananda Yoga Vedanta Centers worldwide.

Born in India, Swami Sivananda became a medical doctor because he wanted to alleviate the suffering of people. He later became a monk because he realized that the root of suffering was not the body, but the soul and the separation from our divine source. He dedicated his life to the expansion of spirituality through yoga and service. The teachings of master Sivananda are summarized in these six words: Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize.

Sivananda worldwide: www.sivananda.org
Sivananda Chicago: http://www.sivananda.org/chicago/