Yoga
“Keely is infectious, intuitive, and informed. Her skills as a leader and her desire to serve the world make her the most sought after teacher of healing arts.”
Keely Rakushin Garfield has a strong background in many styles of yoga including Vinyasa , Power, Yin, Restorative, and Therapeutic yoga. A spirit of philosophical inquiry and compassionate concern are at the heart of her teaching. Keely is a E-RYT 500, YACEP Yoga Instructor and experienced YTT educator with over 20 years of teaching experience. She is a Board Certified Chaplain, Senior Urban Zen Integrative Therapist and Faculty for the UZIT Program, Reiki Master, and Meditation teacher lay-ordained in the Soto Zen Buddhist tradition, and studies with her teacher Roshi Enkyo O’Hara at The Village Zendo.
Keely is also an acclaimed choreographer and dancer, artistic director of her company Keely Garfield Dance, a Guggenheim Fellow, holds a MFA in Choreography from UWM, and is a Professor of Dance at The New School. Her knowledge of movement, somatic practices, yoga, yoga therapy, meditation, pranayama, aromatherapy, reiki and contemplative care, continues to shape Keely’s path of service in many areas. She leads many wellness initiatives working with dancers, doctors, people dealing with chronic or acute illness or injury, and others wanting to cultivate yoga for self-care, stress relief and build resilience. Keely offers Trauma-Informed Yoga workshops, conducts yoga trainings and adventure yoga retreats, regularly offers Reiki trainings, and has been UZIT clinical coordinator for initiatives in Haiti and in New York. Keely has taught for MIT’s Breathe Hackathon, and at Gaiam Wellness Studio, Yogamaya, Yoga Shanti, Yogaworks, Equinox, Five Pillars, Bhakti Barn, Area Yoga, EvenFlow, East, Harbour Fitness, Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Gibney Dance Center, and in many other settings .
Keely is currently the Director of Spiritual Care and a Palliative Care Chaplain in a hospital setting where she also offers yoga and other healing modalities for staff under the banner of ZENtervension. Along with colleague Joanne Silver, Keely created an online Restorative Yoga Training that is available through YogaRenew.
Keely maintains a private wellness practice in New York City. She is available for consultation, and for private, group, and community engagement.
“To study with a master makes possible the joy to be found in stretching one’s capacity to let go. Keely Rakushin, who has devoted her life to mastery of her instrument, knows the body inside and out and how to honor its aliveness. She transmits this knowledge through her choice of poses, positions, sounds and chants in an authoritative, warm and funny way. You come away feeling a foot taller and somehow bigger hearted. ”
Workshops
"Kosha" portraits by Yogamaya Graduates
Urban Zen Integrative Therapy
Trauma Informed Yoga Basics
Kavacham! Constructive Boundaries
Wellness for Dancers
Fundamentals of Self-Care
The Prajna of Yoga: Embodied Wisdom, Enlightened Way
Elemental Breath
Essential Oils & Health
The Subtle Body: Vital Winds/Vayus/Koshas
Meditation - How To Sit And What To Think About
Reiki Trainings
Testimonials
"It is such a joy to work with Keely – she teaches skillfully, creatively, and in a healing manner." - Roshi Pat Enkyo O'Hara, Abbot, The Village Zendo
"Keely's workshops and classes are nourishing, healing, and deeply relaxing. They are an oasis that restores the spirit, body and mind. I have had the great fortune of practicing yoga with Keely for eight years. She continues to be the inspiration for my own spiritual journey. Because of Keely, I am now a certified yoga teacher and a Reiki practitioner. I would highly recommend Keely to anyone who seeks a wise, soulful, grounded teacher." - Bridgette McGovern, Consultant
"Keely is clearly a skilled, versatile yoga instructor, with the gift of intuitively teaching participants of different experience levels who come to the mat with different intentions for practice. She truly encourages her students to trust, which results in connection. I loved the retreat - thank you!" - Anne F Caterino, Therapist
"Studying with Keely changed my yoga practice completely. By the end of my first class with Keely, I knew that I had found something amazing. Her classes always have a wonderful balance of the physical and spiritual with a good dose of humor. She has tremendous and rare talent for making adjustments to fit the student's ability and pace, so that every student feels a sense of comfort that enables them to practice to the best of their ability. I found my own practice improving after each session, and my self confidence increased both on the mat and outside. After a difficult week at work, I often found myself leaving Keely's class feeling completely changed for the better." - Alex Walsh, Yogi
"I had a fantastic first yoga retreat experience with you. You helped make the experience magical and clearly made sure to attend to everyone's different needs. I laughed and cried and look forward to joining the group next year!" - Tina Pisani, Social Worker
"This Urban Zen workshop is where you have to be to begin to understand simple everyday techniques that boost your health and wellness. Find distilled yoga essentials, along with aromatherapy and breath awareness, meditation and Reiki that will shift the mind/body connection towards wholeness. Keely is your quintessential guide to these healing arts. Don't miss it." - Rodney Yee, Yoga Master
"Keely Garfield led a fantastic workshop on Creating Healthy Boundaries for the social workers and non-clinical staff of The Actors Fund at The Schermerhorn. Our staff is engaged in a residential setting with a unique mix of tenants—working artists of all disciplines, as well as people living with persistent mental illness, chronic health issues and formerly homeless individuals. Because we work where our clients live, creating positive boundaries with them is essential. Because of her experience in the arts and in hospital settings, Keely was an ideal workshop leader for us. In just an hour, Keely lead us through a concrete list of steps, a simple plan that we can access whenever we need it. We were reminded of the importance of self-care, and given tools for stress relief. A major take-away for the staff was hearing, in a fresh way, that establishing healthy boundaries ultimately allows them to provide better service to their clients." - Matthew Brookshire, Manager, Arts Center & Resident Programs, The Actors Fund Arts Center
"Attending Keely's Wellness for Dancers workshop was such a gift. I am still ruminating on certain phrases she offered, scents she infused, sensations she encouraged, and a groundedness in me that has continued far past my time on the mat." - Amy Miller, Gibney Dance, Associate Artistic Director
"Keely is a gifted yoga teacher - she possesses a profound knowledge of the somatic traditions and body-work found in the practice. Her methodology and approach to her teaching seems inspired, especially to me, as a dancer, because she is preternaturally musical and her sequences align perfectly and seamlessly with that of a dancer who loves to move. She teaches an unusual, creative and at once both stimulating and peaceful restorative practice. I’d go anywhere, anytime she is holding a class!" - Rebecca Stenn, Dancer, Choreographer, Educator
"Keely's exquisite skill, humour, and kindness as a teacher are simply a joy to study with. In each class I am returned to an animal like, intuitive way of being in my body which has been nothing short of profound. Through her subtle guidance I am reconnecting to something much deeper than I can possibly understand or explain, and actually getting stronger and more flexible in the process. Much to my surprise and delight she shows its never too late to enjoy the wonder of the body, ones own body, however it is!" - Julie Myoko Terestman, Zen Teacher, Artist
"I attended Keely Garfield’s workshop, Fundamentals of Self-Care. I was drawn to this workshop because of her training and experience with the Urban Zen Integrative Therapy Program. I am also a Vinyasa yoga junkie who is trying to find balance by adding more restorative types of yoga. Keely incorporated many aspects of self-care including meditation, Reiki, restorative yoga poses, essential oils and self inquiry. Her style of teaching is interactive and supportive creating a safe environment to share with others. Our class became close quickly as we shared our experiences and feelings about self-care. She threaded the restorative poses though out the class which I enjoyed since I dislike sitting in a seat for that length of time. Throughout the class I felt completely supported and cared for. She has a very sweet, funny and joyful manner which enabled me to be wide open to receive. As a physician and a yoga teacher Keely inspired me to use these techniques in my own practice and in caring for, and teaching others." - Elizabeth Levine M.D., R.Y.T. 500
"Your workshop was incredible for me. I still talk about it...think about it. Right after, I ordered a calming essential oil that I use on myself, and my baby in the evening. I immediately noticed a difference in how easily my Sol falls asleep. I remind myself everyday to do something for me, usually it's a walk in the woods (my favorite thing to do). I loved the flow from one topic to another. I felt like everything meshed well for me; the physical (restorative yoga) connecting well with the emotional (my emotional response to the movement and your words). Thank you again for sharing your wisdom with us. Your words and spirit stayed with me. Strong back, soft front. Much Love." - Angela, Mother
"I loved your Fundamentals of Self Care workshop! I found it to be supportive, affirming, informative & validating. Your teaching style was skillful, gentle, accessible & attentive. The techniques we discussed were amazing and how touching it is to take time to focus on your own self-care and allow someone's wisdom & guidance & presence to support you. The time passed quickly, but allowed for settling in, connection to self & others and you held safe space for each of us to open to our vulnerabilities. I loved it and would take it again." - Sarah Christensen, Reiki Master
"It was a great experience to work with Keely during the Breathe Hackathon at the Media Lab! The Vishrama team learned a lot from her and we were able to shape our project in the greater context of the tradition of yoga and meditation!" - Rébecca Kleinberger, MIT Research Assistant
