Jan Estep

Originally from West Virginia, Jan is an artist, writer, yoga practitioner and teacher, and community songleader whose path has long been shaped by creativity, inquiry, and healing. She first turned toward the dharma as a way to balance the highly conceptual nature of her work as a university professor, reconnect with the body, and support healing from past trauma. More recently, after two decades in academia, she stepped away from her university role to devote herself more fully to spiritual practice.

Drawn to nature and expansive landscapes, Jan relocated from Minneapolis, Minnesota to Cortez, Colorado with her husband and three dogs. Since joining Vallecitos in 2022, she has found deep nourishment in the grounding presence of this land, as well as in helping others access the dharma and the retreat experience with greater ease and openness.