Kristin Butler standing in the river in warrior 2 pose

There is no path to peace.
Peace is the path.
-Mahatma Gandhi

All this is full. All that is full. From fullness, fullness comes.
When fullness is taken from fullness, Fullness still remains. from the Isha Upanishad

Kristin Butler standing in a shallow river with her arms outstretched looking up at the sky

My name is Kristin Butler, founder of Side Effects Yoga.

I am a householder yogi, a teacher, retreat leader and a mother of three. My 30+ years of practice and 12 years of teaching include exploration of multiple yoga and energetic lineages, including Kundalini, Hatha, Vinyasa, Qi Gong and various meditation and breathing techniques.

My interest in esoteric practices from Tarot to Transpersonal Pychology inform my respect for the everyday mysticism of the natural world.

In my teachings and practice, and on this website, I invite you to quiet your mind and open to inner peace.

I'm glad you're here.

More About Me

Offerings

RETREATS

immersive wellness experiences

From Mexico to Mount Shasta and everywhere in between, any retreat I lead will be in a sacred and beautiful space.

My priority is finding magical places and bringing magical groups of people together to co-create peace and harmony.

EXPLORE RETREATS

CLASSES

private, customized instruction

YOGA

For every level of experience.

For inspiration.

For healing.

For all stages. & transitions of life.

EXPLORE CLASSES

Testimonials

Kari S. | Portland, OR

"I experience fewer injuries, less aches and pains and improved mental health when practicing with Kristin."

Dana S. | Portland, OR

"Kristin’s true gift is bringing together groups of people who easily connect and I was grateful to have the opportunity to meet some wonderful people."

Suzanne M. | Boston, MA

"Kristin’s retreat Heaven on Earth never fails to deliver... She is a terrific leader and I can’t recommend her retreats highly enough.

Yoga Philosophy

Yoga means many things to many people. Translated from the Sanskrit of Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras (200 BCE) , it is citta vritti nirodha- "the stilling of the fluctuations of consciousness". Yoga has often been called “union”, or “yoking” the mind to the body, the spirit to the flesh, the small self with the higher self.

To some it is a sweaty gym workout with stretching and pretzel poses, to others, esoteric breathing practices that direct prana (life source energy) into the body, to others, simply a meditative practice or selfless acts of kindness.

Kristin Butler doing a handstand next to the tree

Yoga is ALL these things, and, as such, every day there is a delightful new lesson to be learned.

Everyone is your teacher.

Everyone is your student.

For we are all embodied spirit here for a short stay on earth.

The portals leading one to yoga are many. Some discover the practice through physical movement or exercise, others through injury and rehabilitation and some, like me, through spiritual crisis.

When we practice this integrated mind/body discipline for many years, we begin to understand the subconscious patterning that can either lead us toward or away from the signature frequency we were born into.

Practicing yoga, on and off the mat, with beginner’s mind, opens our mind and heart to personal transformation.

Yoga comes from India and is often associated with the Hindu religion, yet the philosophical underpinnings described in the yoga sutras precede Hinduism and transcend any religion. The sutras are a compass and reference guide to freedom from conditioned existence. These teachings guide my personal practice and philosophy as a yogini.