A Revival Is Born

Like Sassafras trees lining a fence line, Sadie thrives at thresholds: between kettlebells and kriya meditations, and between tarot archetypes and corporate yoga classes, she bridges the mundane and the mystical. Her roots in mindful movement and focus on holistic health establish her wellness leadership beyond the crash diets and noisy fads. With humor and creativity, she addresses everyday aches and pains while guiding students toward a deeper understanding of self-care.

Sadie Chanlett-Avery started practicing yoga in-utero on a farm commune covered in sassafras trees in West Virginia. Thanks to her hippie parents, she grew up immersed in sustainability before it was even a thing. Surrounded by a gaggle of girls, she played make-believe, carried firewood, and proudly sported the ubiquitous scrapes and bruises from her many barefoot adventures around the farm.

As a chubby, awkward preteen, she dropped out of co-ed soccer and still cringes when she recalls being laughed at by the “cool boys” during a dance performance. She eventually hit the couch for limited reruns available on the 2½ TV channels available at the farm. Like a lot of teens, she struggled to find her place—both socially and in her own skin. 

After studying psychology and gender studies in college, Sadie moved to San Francisco where she joined 24 Hour Fitness and walked into her first yoga class. It immediately quenched a thirst for movement and offered a deep thawing after years of adolescent defenses. She has since earned nine fitness certifications including yoga, strength training, advanced kettlebells, and perinatal training. In 2006 she completed a Master of Arts in Holistic Health Education, placing her focus on movement in a larger context of wellbeing.

As the In-House Yogi at Clif Bar & Co., Sadie led employee wellness programs and conducted corporate yoga events across the country, sharing the company’s values of health and sustainability. Sadie has taught in Italian villas, in prisons, on countless Zoom calls, and on more paisley conference room carpets than she cares to remember.

More recently, Sadie has delved into the study of tarot. While teaching yoga strengthens her intuitive muscles, tarot expands those skills beyond the physical. Continuing along her nontraditional path that includes both movement and mysticism, Sadie has used Tarot as a trusty compass to stay centered.

She currently lives in Asheville, NC and is writing a book about sustainable wellness.