Skip to main content

About BijaB

BijaB is the platform that amplifies Bija Bennett’s voice and work—translating her ideas, collaborations and creative vision into action. Behind the brand, Bija is the writer, strategist and human catalyst for conscious connection and change.

About Bija Bennett

Bija Bennett is an author, speaker, pioneer and strategist who connects bold ideas to real-world change. With a background spanning mind-body health, global wellness and creative production, she brings a unique voice as a performer, disruptor, lifestyle-guru and leader of life-enhancing research. The author of six books on personal transformation and growth, Bija advocates for a new wellness paradigm—grounded in human connection, guided by science and shaped by contemporary culture.

A poet, performer and educator, Bija draws on decades of experience in Yoga Therapy, storytelling, media and organizational leadership to spark new ways of thinking and being. A champion of global collaboration, she has advised Fortune 500 companies, contributed to international summits, shaped cross-sector initiatives and partnered with leading institutions to advance meaningful work.

Bija now leads an interdisciplinary practice spanning consulting, program development, speaking and media. Across all her engagements, she’s known for her ability to make complex ideas easier to grasp and more human to experience.

A Leader in Health ‍and Wellness Advocacy

Through her leadership and advocacy, Bija advances a vision of wellness that unites scientific rigor with human insight.

Founder of the Bennett Family Award for Collaboration in the Science of Wellness, presented annually at the Global Wellness Summit, Bija honors visionary researchers transforming human health through science and global collaboration.

She currently serves as:

  • Advisory Council Member, Physical Sciences Division, University of Chicago
  • Steans Music Institute Committee Member, Ravinia Festival
  • Member, Rolling Stone Culture Council; Contributor, Rolling Stone Magazine
  • Advisor and Contributor, BBC’s Living Legacy climate and wellness documentary series
  • Advisory Board Member, Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate at Roosevelt University
  • Ambassador and Chair of the Yoga Therapy Initiative, Global Wellness Institute
  • Member, University of Chicago Women’s Board.

Communicator, Creator and Collaborator

As a certified yoga therapist (C-IAYT), Bija has treated thousands of patients—including the chronically ill, professional athletes, seniors, youth and corporate leaders.

Translating her clinical insight into broader applications, she has developed pioneering wellness programs for:

  • Fortune 500 companies
  • Global hospitality brands (including through her company, YogaAway™, which provided custom programs to more than 3,000 hotels worldwide)
  • Medical institutions and spa organizations
  • Public audiences through books, keynotes, retreats and digital media

Published Works and Cultural Contributions

Bija is the author of six internationally respected books, including:

  • Emotional Yoga: How the Body Can Heal the Mind (Simon & Schuster, 2002)
  • Breathing Into Life: Recovering Wholeness through Body, Mind and Breath (HarperSanFrancisco, 1993; Balboa Press, 2017)
  • The Breathing Breakthrough: Everything You Need to Know to Sharpen Your Focus, Worry Less and Live Longer (Balboa Press, 2017)
  • Meditations for the Five Senses (eBook, 2016)
  • It Takes a Culture: Building a Wellness Strategy for the Modern, Distracted, Uber-Individualized Workforce (eBook, 2016)
  • The Yoga Therapy Renaissance: A New Wellness Modality for the 21st Century (eBook, 2023)
  • BBC and University of Chicago collaboration, Marshall Bennett Institute of Real Estate, GWI Leadership and the Bennett Family Award

Her most recent eBook, “The Yoga Therapy Renaissance,” offers a grounded, evidence-based approach to an ancient, whole-person model for longevity and health. Bija also contributes regularly to Rolling Stone, Organic Spa and AGEIST magazines, helping translate wellness research into real-world language and application.

Speaking, Performance and Global Engagement

Bija is a sought-after speaker known for her charismatic delivery—blending storytelling, practical tools and deeply human ideas. She has spoken on stages throughout North America, Europe, Asia and the Middle East.

Notable speaking and presenting partners include:

  • The Global Wellness Summit
  • International Spa Association
  • Young Presidents’ Organization
  • Transforming Age
  • The Turning Point
  • Bisnow
  • Major corporations and academic institutions worldwide

Earlier in her career, she collaborated extensively with Deepak Chopra, M.D., co-teaching seminars on wellness, spirituality and human potential across the U.S. and Europe.

Roots in Practice
‍and Inquiry

Bija holds an interdisciplinary Master’s Degree in Dance from UCLA, integrating anthropology, ethnomusicology, architecture and dance—where she received a Rockefeller Foundation Fellowship. She later traveled to India to study with renowned yoga master TKV Desikachar and dance innovator Mrinalini Sarabhai, immersing herself in the ancient traditions that inform her modern creative approach.

Her formal training includes decades of study:

  • BA, MA Dance, UCLA
  • American Viniyoga Institute, Yoga and Yoga Therapy Certification (C-IAYT)
  • Teacher, Transcendental Meditation™
  • Ayurveda and Vedic chanting certifications
  • Breath science (pranayama) and holistic self-care mastery trainings
  • AFAA Personal Training Certification

A Vanguard Voice for the Future of Wellness

As both student and teacher, Bija continues to explore how ancient healing practices and modern science can intersect to improve the way we live, lead and connect.

Through her work, she helps shape a future where well-being is central to how we build organizations and foster human flourishing—a future defined by health, purpose and connection.

Connect with Bija