Taylor Hunt is an internationally recognized Ashtanga yoga teacher, author, and advocate for addiction recovery. Based in Columbus, Ohio, he owns and operates Ashtanga Yoga Columbus while leading workshops and training sessions around the world. His journey into yoga wasn’t conventional—it began as a desperate search for healing after years of addiction. Now, with 19 years of sobriety, Taylor is dedicated to sharing the practice that helped him rebuild his life. He is the founder of the Trini Foundation, a non-profit that brings yoga to those in recovery, and the author of A Way From Darkness, a memoir detailing his battle with addiction and the transformative power of Ashtanga yoga. Taylor regularly travels to Mysore, India, to study under his teacher, Sharath Jois, and remains committed to preserving the traditional lineage of Ashtanga while making it accessible to modern practitioners.
How did you first discover yoga, and what made you commit to it?
I didn’t find yoga in a peaceful way. I wasn’t looking for mindfulness, strength, or flexibility. I was at rock bottom, newly sober, and struggling to keep my life together. Someone suggested yoga, and honestly, I was skeptical. I thought it was just stretching, but I was desperate enough to try anything.
The first class was brutal. I was stiff, out of shape, and had no idea what I was doing. But something about the practice kept me coming back. It gave me a structure that I had lost in my addiction. The discipline of showing up every day, moving, breathing, and focusing on something outside of my own mind—it was exactly what I needed. It wasn’t just exercise; it was survival.
What is it about Ashtanga yoga that resonates with you so deeply?
Ashtanga is a structured, disciplined practice, and that’s exactly why it works for me. It’s a set sequence, done the same way every day, which eliminates distractions and excuses. You don’t get to pick and choose the easy parts. You show up, do the work, and face whatever comes up.
For someone in recovery, that kind of predictability and accountability is huge. Addiction is chaos. It’s a constant search for control in a completely uncontrollable life. Ashtanga gave me something stable. It taught me patience, persistence, and trust in a process bigger than myself.
You’ve been sober for 19 years. How has yoga helped you maintain that?
Sobriety is a daily practice, just like yoga. If you stop putting in the work, everything falls apart. Yoga helps me stay present, regulate my emotions, and deal with stress in a healthy way.
There’s also something powerful about the way Ashtanga forces you to sit with discomfort. In addiction, the instinct is to escape—to numb out, distract yourself, or run from your emotions. But in yoga, you have to stay with the feeling. You learn that discomfort isn’t something to fear. It passes. And that realization is life-changing, especially for someone in recovery.
What led you to start the Trini Foundation?
I started Trini because I knew yoga could help others in recovery, just like it helped me. When I got sober, I didn’t have a lot of options for healthy coping mechanisms. I was lucky to find yoga, but not everyone has access to it. That’s what I wanted to change.
At Trini, we provide scholarships for people in treatment or early recovery to attend yoga classes. We also work with treatment centers to integrate yoga into their programs. The idea is to give people a tool that can support them long-term. Recovery isn’t just about quitting drugs or alcohol—it’s about rebuilding a life that you don’t want to escape from.
What challenges do people in recovery face when starting a yoga practice?
One of the biggest challenges is self-doubt. A lot of people in recovery feel broken. They don’t think they belong in a yoga studio or that they’re capable of sticking with a practice. There’s also the physical side—many people are coming from years of neglecting their health, and yoga can feel intimidating.
That’s why community is so important. At Trini, we make sure people feel supported, no matter where they’re starting from. Yoga isn’t about being perfect. It’s about showing up. If you can do that, the practice will meet you where you are.
You travel to Mysore, India, every year to study with Sharath Jois. Why is that important to you?
Mysore is where Ashtanga comes from. It’s the source, and returning there keeps me connected to the tradition. Studying with Sharath is humbling—he sees everything, and he doesn’t let you take shortcuts.
In the West, there’s a tendency to modify yoga to make it more comfortable or convenient. But Ashtanga isn’t about comfort. It’s about transformation. It’s important for me to learn and teach the practice as it was meant to be taught, not as a watered-down version.
You also own Ashtanga Yoga Columbus and Ashtanga Yoga Savannah. What do you hope students take away from practicing with you?
I hope they leave with a sense of resilience. Yoga isn’t about fancy poses or looking a certain way. It’s about the ability to show up for yourself, even when it’s hard. I want my students to know that they’re capable of more than they think.
I also want them to feel part of a community. Yoga is a personal practice, but it’s not something you have to do alone. There’s something powerful about sharing space, energy, and struggle with others. That’s why I built these communities—so people can support each other on their journey.
You also run a t-shirt company called One Percent Theory. What’s the meaning behind the name?
The idea is simple: just improve by one percent every day. Too often, people think change has to be massive or immediate. But real, lasting growth happens in small, consistent steps. You don’t have to be perfect. You just have to be a little better than yesterday.
It’s a philosophy that applies to everything—yoga, recovery, business, relationships. If you commit to steady progress, over time, you’ll look back and see just how far you’ve come.
What advice would you give to someone struggling with addiction?
First, know that it’s possible to change. It doesn’t matter how far down you’ve gone—there’s always a way back. I never thought I’d be where I am today, but I took it one day at a time. That’s all you have to do.
Second, find something that gives you structure. Whether it’s yoga, a recovery program, or something else, you need a routine that keeps you grounded. Sobriety isn’t just about quitting. It’s about rebuilding. And to do that, you need stability.
Lastly, don’t do it alone. Community is everything. Whether it’s friends, family, or people in recovery, surround yourself with those who support your growth. You’re not meant to fight this battle alone.
What’s next for you?
I’ll keep doing what I do—teaching, traveling, and supporting the Trini Foundation. There’s always more work to be done, more people to reach. I’ve seen firsthand how yoga can change lives, and I don’t plan on stopping anytime soon.
The practice gave me a second chance, and I want to give that back to as many people as possible.