Our Story

As the story goes, a seeker looking for shelter, looking for truth, found both under the shade of the Sacred Fig tree.

Hello, I'm Anton.

I created The Sacred Fig because I saw that there was something missing in the broader yoga community.

Each yoga school had their own particular lineage, and happily stayed within the bounds of that tradition. I was one of the rare ones who hopped around. For years, I studied with my Ashtanga community one day, and Qi Gong the next. I would start my morning with a HIIT class, and finish the day with alignment-based Iyengar. I shared meals with vegans and paleos, and saw the benefits of both. I incorporated pranayama into my swimming, and jump squats into my yoga. I knew that yoga was supposed to be about ‘union’, but the culture surrounding it felt more divisive than anything else.

Who was leading the way? Could there be more than one right way?

The Sacred Fig is a means to cross reference, to weave together teachings from many lineages. The result is not a culmination of its parts, but ultimately something entirely new. Sometimes these wide-ranging tools + techniques contradict each other, which I love… because it invites for meaningful dialogue, and ultimately true insight.

The yoga tradition, like all tradition, is not a static thing of the past. It evolves with us. The Sacred Fig is post-lineage. We bring together the best teachers from an incredibly wide net of lineages and modalities, to share their secret recipes for joy.

I'm not claiming to have any answers. I'm offering a set of tools that I've learned from all my teachers, that have helped me build self-awareness, understand my patterns , and improve my ability to communicate and demonstrate compassion.

 Anton Brandt

Modern Approach

We integrate the wisdom of ancient teachings with current science, psychology and technology. We view these less as divisive binaries, and more like different paths towards self-realization.

Find Confidence

In a world that consistently demands us to have more, we radically and methodically challenge the status quo. Our community is committed to be more present, joyful, confident, and connected.

Live Joy

Our community is dedicated to thriving, not merely surviving. To achieve this, we cross-pollinate, weaving in techniques like sacred medicine, neuroscience and breathwork. We create leaders who live joyful, purpose-driven lives.

Our Values

Intentionality

Everything is intentional. We strive to move and speak with intention. How we show up in one area of our life informs how we show up in all areas of our life.

Post-Lineage

The Sacred Fig is not a lineage, we're post-lineage. Rather than a strict set of rules for the way things 'should be', we opt for what works. We utilize tools and techniques from all modalities that provide results.

Play

We like to have fun! We don't take ourselves too seriously. We use humor to invite lightness in challenging situations. We remind ourselves and our community that we believe in progress, not perfection.

Breath-Based

The breath is a bridge that connects the external with the world inside us. The breath is our personal tide. We use it to come back into our bodies and back into the present moment.

Sweat

We mediate the balance between putting in the work, and taking a moment to enjoy the fruits of  our labor.

Touch

We acknowledge the potency of our community. We ask for help when we need it, and stand as a pillar for others when we feel powerful.

Our Faculty

The Sacred Fig faculty are all experts in their relative fields. From asana & functional movement teachers, to ayurvedic doctors + life coaches, the common thread that binds us is a crazy passion for what we do. This passion isn't based on some lofty belief or ideal, but rather, on actual results... on radical transformation. And whether that shift happens on the yoga mat, in a lively discussion, or after a conscious shift in recurring habits, we know there are many paths that lead towards the same goal. So we keep an open mind towards different modalities, and actively build & support our diverse community of world-class teachers.

Chloe Kernaghan

Chloe is a lover of dance + movement.

Tiago Martins

Tiago is a movement educator & the co-founder of Movement Lisboa

Rebecca Ketchum

Rebecca is an NY-based yoga teacher.

Nikki Vilella

Nikki heads up Kula Yoga Project in NYC.

Nevine Michaan

Nevine is the founder of Katonah Yoga.

Anton Brandt

Anton is the founder of The Sacred Fig.