Nichol Chase

Alameda, California, United States | Yoga Teacher, Mindfulness Teacher, Musician, Performer

Nichol Chase is a teacher, musician, and yogi for whom singing and movement is integral to life.

Nichol’s yoga practice is informed by a vast and eclectic set of influences that blend invigorating flow with precise and insightful instruction and extensive study with a variety of innovative teachers. She is a faculty member and teacher trainer for The MazéMethod, where she has worked for several years, and is currently on the faculty for a teacher training partnership between Yoga International and the Mazé Method.

Nichol’s artistic experience includes more than a decade of Royal Academy ballet training and specialization as an operatic Coloratura Soprano, earning the Bachelor of Music degree with a major in Vocal Performance from the University of the Pacific Conservatory of Music. Nichol’s study of yoga piqued an interest in Kirtan and Indian Classical music resulting in the addition of the harmonium to her repertoire for accompaniment to traditional chants in Sanskrit. She studies Northern Indian Classical Music, Mantra, and Kirtan with Sheela Bringi, and leads Kirtan and Sound Journey experiences.

Area of Inquiry: Our bodies are instruments. Bodies are the means by which we engage with the world and all that surrounds us. Our bodies give us the ability to take powerful action: to make meaning of the mundane; to think deeply and to ask important questions; to create beauty and meaning; to care for others and the planet. The aim of this project is to explore music, movement and mindfulness for the purpose of living life with meaning and impact. This will include inquiry into how different sound can connect us to the vibrational nature of the universe. We will experience how movement can liberate the resonance within the body and how meditation, reflection and connection to what matters most brings about inner harmony. The underlying framework of this entire inquiry is that sound is woven into the fabric of the universe and we are instruments of its expression. Through this project I will research findings on the power of sound from the perspective of eastern philosophy, different musical traditions, String Theory and Quantum Physics. Throughout the process I will seek answers to these questions: How can we use music, movement and mindfulness to help us to become more integrated, healthy and compassionate beings? How can internal resonance help us integrate with all human beings, all life, the world and the universe? What does oneness sound like and feel like? What does unity sound like and feel like? How can we align with the unifying power of vibration through the exploration of the instrument we are born with – our bodies?