Patricia Layton
Patricia “Pat” Layton, MA, CAS, PKT, E-RYT 500
May 1948 - August 2020
“In the early evening of August 1st, an orchestra of thunderous claps and booms announced the coming rain which swiftly cleansed and purified the earth. Just as the rains subsided, Pat departed her body and rejoined with the Divine at 7:05 pm EDT. She passed peacefully and surrounded by loving family and friends.”
Patricia P. Layton, 72 of West Mifflin, PA, passed away on Saturday, August 1, 2020. She was born May 2, 1948 and was the daughter of the late James J. and Anastasia Pucci and the beloved sister of Betty Jane (Ronald) Rubinsak, Camille Pucci and Carmella Pucci.
Pat began her spiritual journey in 1974 when she began studies under Swami Rama, the founder of the Himalayan Institute in Honesdale, PA. She remained faithful to that tradition while also receiving guidance of Swami Veda. In 2013 she took Pranavashtra vows in Rishikesh, an event that held enormous significance for her.
While living in San Francisco, Pat attended public classes at the Iyengar Yoga Institute of San Francisco. She graduated from the Advanced Studies/Teacher Training Program in 1982 and continued her involvement with the IYISF as an instructor, administrator, and public educator. As the Physiology Instructor, her unique abilities to merge the world of meditation with physiology guided the non-scientific yogis to love this subject. Pat had a keen interest in women’s issues and taught many workshops on Pregnancy and Menstruation.
Pat was an Administrative Assistant for IYISF and went on to fill the role of Executive Director of the Institute. She took her leadership role in this community seriously, and as the Executive Director she originated the idea of making the Teacher Training Program available to working people by establishing a weekend program. This was a new way of offering these trainings that were typically an in-resident education. Additionally, her new concept of a 4-week introductory series allowed new students to get established in the basics before joining ongoing classes.
Pat was also a board member of the Iyengar Yoga Institute of Northern California (IYINC) for several years.
While living in San Francisco, Pat owned and operated Yerba Buena Ayurveda, a full-service Ayurveda clinic. She also taught extensively in the Bay Area, including four years as adjunct professor at San Francisco State University; two years as adjunct as the California Institute of Integral Studies; thirteen years on the core faculty in the Iyengar Yoga Institute’s Yoga Teacher Training Program; and five years on the core faculty at the California College of Ayurveda.
In 1997, Pat was in the first class graduating from the California College of Ayurveda, receiving the Certified Ayurvedic Specialist title and also receiving her Panchakarma Technician certification. She had additional training through the Institute of Vedic Studies.
In 1998, Pat completed additional Panchakarma Certification studies in Pune, India with the International Academy of Ayurveda.
Her additional formal trainings include a B.S. in Natural Science from the University of Pittsburgh and a Masters in Integral Health Studies at the California Institute of Integral Studies, where her thesis was an epistemological study on how American students learn Ayurveda. She studied extensively with Vaidya R.K. Mishra for over 10 years, receiving her Vibrational Medicine certification in 2008.
While living in the Midwest, Pat was the Director of Ayurveda Studies Bhavana Institute for Yoga & Ayurveda in Chicago. The Bhavana Institute offered clinical consultations, Ayurveda bodywork, and Panchakarma, and also had a retail store (Bhavana Ayurveda) dedicated to Ayurveda personal care.
In 2012-2013, Pat was part of an Ayurveda Summit to develop a curriculum for the Ayurveda Esthetics program as part of the Institute of Beauty and Wellness affiliated with the Aveda Institute. She created the state-approved curriculum and went on to be the first teacher of this 1,000-hour Ayurveda Esthetics program.
Pat taught Level I (Ayurveda Health Counselor) & Level II (Certified Ayurvedic Practitioner) Ayurveda students for 12 years at Kanyakumari Ayurveda in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. With the closing of the school in 2016, Pat spent 6 months in India before retiring to her family hometown in Pennsylvania.
Known for her intellect, humor, and incredible memory, Pat unselfishly passed on a wealth of knowledge gained from her 40 years of extensive contact with high quality teachers of both Yoga and Ayurveda across the United States and in India.
May we all carry Pat in our hearts as we move through our life having been touched by her presence.
A memorial in Patricia’s honor has been established to preserve and share her teachings for future generations. Memorial contributions can be sent via check, payable to Carol Nace (c/o Patricia Layton) @ 4512 North Larkin Street, Shorewood WI 53211.
