▁( born ▁October ▁ 1 9 4 2 ) ▁is ▁a ▁teacher ▁of ▁y oga ▁as ▁exercise ▁and ▁a ▁cre ator ▁of ▁Power ▁Y oga . ▁ ▁Life ▁ ▁B ery l ▁B ender ▁Bir ch ▁was ▁educated ▁at ▁Sy rac use ▁University , ▁where ▁she ▁read ▁English ▁and ▁Philosoph y . ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 4 ▁she ▁spent ▁six ▁months ▁studying ▁y oga ▁in ▁India ▁under ▁Mun ish ree ▁Ch it rab han u . ▁She ▁founded ▁her ▁own ▁school ▁of ▁y oga ▁in ▁Winter ▁Park , ▁Colorado ▁in ▁ 1 9 7 5 . ▁She ▁lear nt ▁As ht anga ▁Y oga ▁from ▁Norman ▁Allen , ▁one ▁of ▁K . ▁P att ab hi ▁Jo is ' s ▁first ▁western ▁students , ▁collabor ated ▁with ▁Jo is ▁on ▁his ▁tri ps ▁to ▁America . ▁In ▁ 1 9 8 1 ▁she ▁began ▁to ▁teach ▁As ht anga ▁Y oga ▁at ▁the ▁New ▁York ▁Road ▁R unn ers ▁Club ; ▁she ▁later ▁became ▁Well ness ▁Director ▁there . ▁She ▁is ▁the ▁cre ator ▁of ▁one ▁of ▁several ▁forms ▁of ▁Power ▁Y oga ; ▁she ▁stated ▁that ▁she ▁went ▁on ▁using ▁the ▁As ht anga ▁Y oga ▁as ana ▁sequence ▁in ▁the ▁new ▁brand . ▁Her ▁ 1 9 9 5 ▁book ▁of ▁the ▁same ▁name ▁became ▁a ▁best s eller . ▁▁ ▁She ▁and ▁her ▁husband , ▁the ▁runner ▁Thom ▁Bir ch ▁( 1 9 5 4 – 2 0 0 6 ), ▁c of ounded ▁New ▁York ' s ▁"