Matt grew up in Hudson and is a 1974 graduate of Hudson High. Shortly after Matt moved to Madison to study at the University of Wisconsin, a friend gave him the book Be Here Now by Ram Dass. He was intrigued and began practicing Yoga and meditation on his own, following the simple instructions in the book. Matt took his first formal Yoga and meditation classes when he returned to college in the fall of 1975. He began teaching Hatha Yoga the following year, and began teaching meditation and related techniques in 1980.

Matt lived at the Himalayan Institute fpr six months in 1979, and another six months in 1982. He was a member of the Himalayan Institute Teachers Association (HITA) and completed all their coursework. In 1984, Matt was certified to teach Hatha Yoga by Yogiraj Behrmaji. Behramji was given the title "Yogiraj" ("King of Yoga") by Swami Rama of the Himalayas, who was the founder of the Himalayan Institute. Behramji had mastered Yoga in India under the guidance of B.K.S. Iyengar during the 1960s. Matt's teaching style is a blend of the gentle, meditative practice of the Himalayan Institute and the precise alignment of Iyengar style. In addition to having had close personal relationships with and being inspired by Yogiraj Behrmaji and Swami Rama, Matt is also very close to and inspired by Swami Shantanand Sarawati.

While studying Pschology at UW, Matt was appointed president of the Yoga Meditation Society of Madison, an affiliated center of the Himalayan Institute. He led the Yoga Teacher training program there, and the principals that he had learned became the foundation for the formal Yoga teacher training program at the the Spiritual Life Society. Matt moved back to Hudson in 1982 and soon began teaching along with Larry Terkel.

Matt has a BS in Psychology and MBA in Management from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. You can learn more about Matt at www.myspace.com/matthewlerner