CLASS DESCRIPTIONS

Whether you’re looking for a beginner yoga class, restorative yoga, or an advanced asana yoga class - we’ve got you covered. Learn more about our yoga class types below. We’d love you to join us for a class soon at our studio in Oakland, or join us online from anywhere in the world.

GENTLE FLOW

Gentle yoga classes are a great place to take it slower, and still experience the many benefits of yoga. Yoga props such as blankets, blocks, bolsters, and straps are often used for safe practice, and to allow the body to fully achieve each position comfortably. Gentle yoga uses classical hatha postures with slight variations to accommodate all levels of yoga students. Good for beginners.

ALIGNMENT FLOW

Alignment flow class is a fusion of playful flow with compassionate, intelligent alignment. This class is rooted in classical yoga, informed by modern anatomy and fosters a spirit of acceptance and connection. The practice is physically and mentally challenging, yet is made accessible by careful attention to detail and thoughtful sequencing. All levels welcome — basic knowledge of yoga poses is recommended.

HATHA YOGA

Hatha yoga focuses on posture and breathing techniques. The practice involves breath, body, and mind, and classes are usually 60 minutes to 90 minutes and include breathing, yoga poses, and meditation. Hatha yoga is about finding balance and is practiced more slowly and with more static posture holds than a Vinyasa flow class. Each class is an opportunity to reground yourself in your body, settle your brain, and be present with whatever arises. All levels welcome.

HATHA FLOW

Are you curious about alignment informed by anatomy? Do you want a deep, flowing practice with a light touch? Join for a fresh, interesting twist on the basics of breath, asana, and mindfulness. Each class is an opportunity to reground yourself in your body, settle your brain, and be present with whatever arises. All levels welcome.

MORNING VINYASA

Wake up and flow! Start your morning off with energizing yoga and deep breathing. Join us for this one hour gentle yet invigorating class, and watch your day transform. All levels welcome.

VINYASA FLOW

This dynamic class, carefully connecting breath to movement, creates an active sequence linking poses together. Vinyasa flow is designed to build heat, strength and mental focus. Each teacher creates their own unique sequence - and will teach to help all the different levels of students in the room from active and vigorous pace to a more gentle flow. Feel free to ask the front desk if you have any questions. Touch base with your teacher to let them know about your practice or what you are curious about trying. All levels welcome.

POWER VINYASA FLOW

Power Vinyasa is a strong, dynamic class set to music, actively linking poses and connecting breath to movement. The room is heated. Each teacher creates their own unique sequence - and will teach options appropriate to the different levels of students in the room. This class is active and vigorous and is most suitable to students with good familiarity of sun salutations and warrior poses. Be ready to sweat it out and leave the day behind. Not for true beginners; at least 6 months of regular yoga practice is recommended.

BHAKTI VINYASA FLOW

Susannah teaches a rigorous style of Bhakti Vinyasa yoga, which includes beautiful chants, fluid sequencing, and nuggets of Yoga Philosophy that are both profound and accessible. Expect to sweat, hone your ability to find the balance between effort and ease, connect to your deepest prayer, and come to a loving home inside yourself.

This class is heated and rigorous. 6 months of regular Vinyasa practice is highly recommended

COMPLETE YOGA with Richard Rosen

This Hatha based and Iyengar influenced class takes on a slower pace in order to achieve deep and focused stretch while still maintaining engagement of the body and mind. You will experience careful attention to structural alignment with the support of yoga props. The class will close with focused practice of pranayama and meditation. All levels welcome on Fridays - new students, please introduce yourself to the teacher. Saturday’s class not for true beginners.

SMARTFLOW YOGA

This is an Intermediate-Advanced level class. SmartFLOW® Yoga is an intelligent marriage of mindful movement with compassionate, wakeful alignment. A SmartFLOW® practice is at once physically and mentally challenging, rooted in classical yoga, yet safe and playful, tempered by modern anatomy and community connection. Preregistration for this class is encouraged. SmartFLOW classes with Annie Carpenter are designed for students with a regular yoga practice.

YOGA AND MEDITATION

All yoga is meditation, but this class will have a formal mindfulness practice after a clear physical experience. We will start the class by tuning into the breath, and then move through a series of poses, and finish with a short teaching on mindfulness and a centering meditation. Margi will also offer ideas on taking your practice “off the mat/cushion.” Although most days we will practice seated meditation, we will also explore other postures like walking, lying down, standing, all with an anchor for the mind to hold us in presence. All levels welcome.

YOGA + CONDITIONING

This 45 minute dynamic Conditioning Fusion class is crafted to elevate your fitness journey and enhance your overall well-being. Tailored for individuals seeking to amplify their strength and flexibility in tandem with their yoga practice or favorite sport, this class is a journey to tone muscles using a thoughtfully curated blend of resistance band exercises, yoga blocks and yoga straps. All levels welcome.

YOGA FOR HEALTHY AGING

Yoga for Healthy Aging is for all ages! This gentler, yet at times challenging, class is for students of all ages interested in improving their “healthspan” with yoga. Baxter’s creative classes are a combination of reclining, seated, and standing practices, as well as accessible breath exercises and easy-to-follow meditations. Students appreciate his clear instructions and playful sense of humor! All levels welcome.

RESTORATIVE YOGA

Enjoy the benefits of yoga in a class designed to feel like no work whatsoever. Gently open the body using props and and remain in each pose allowing the body to soften and release. Props Needed: 1-2 bolsters (pillows and couch cushions make a good substitute), 2-4 blankets, 2 blocks (thick books or shoeboxes make a good substitute). Suitable for all levels.

FLOW AND RESTORE

In Flow and Restore you'll begin the first half of class warming up with a dynamic Vinyasa flow, and enjoy a long cool down of restorative poses. In the Vinyasa half you'll move in and out of yoga poses, carefully connecting breath to movement in an active practice to build heat, strength and mental focus. In the Restore half you'll gently soften the body using props and and remain in each pose allowing the body to release. All levels welcome.

YOGA STRETCH

New to our schedule, this 45 minute Community Class (pay what you can) is the perfect mid day reset. This class is for new yogis as well as those with a regular practice who simply need to s t r e t c h, breathe and find your center. Expect seated, standing, supine and prone exercises as well as a few minutes of guided breathing and meditation. All levels. Great for true beginners.

THERAPEUTIC YOGA

Therapeutic yoga is the art of using the ancient tools of yoga to have a direct intervention on our modern aches and pains. It’s a process of meeting the yogi where they are, of empowering individuals by helping increase self-awareness and learning how to work within one’s own strengths and limitations. The goals of this practice can include reducing or eliminating symptoms that cause suffering while improving foundation and function. Therapeutic yoga is not just for the maturing or injured, it is a practice every body can benefit from by going deep in a safe and healing way. For all levels.

YOGA FOR THOSE LIVING WITH CANCER

Whether you are a long time cancer survivor or currently in treatment, this yoga class focuses on making you feel more grounded and comfortable in your changing or changed body, through the use of postures that safely stretch, strengthen, and relax the body.

The class is also open to those caring for a family member or a friend. This class is Livestream only and offered by donation - you choose your price, or use your class package.

You need to be reasonably mobile and move independently. Have all surgical incisions healed and feel that your needs can be addressed in a group setting.

Benefits of yoga for Cancer

-Decreased stress and pain, and increased well-being

-Improved quality and quantity of sleep

-Restored strength and range of motion, improved lymphatic flow

-Enhanced energy, digestion, joint health, circulation, respiration, and endocrine function

-Camaraderie with other (wonderful) yogi-thrivers.

-Soothe anxiety, increased sense of groundedness

-Be more comfortable in your body, mind, and spirit when you have been diagnosed with cancer

RESTORATIVE YOGA WITH HOT STONES

Enjoy this gentle, nurturing and deeply relaxing yoga practice using props to hold poses longer and find a deeper, more inward experience. Hot stones are then offered to release tension and to invite the mind to find a state of quiet meditation. This class is suitable for all levels.

YOGA ON THE ROPES

We might imagine that ropes are a fairly recent addition to the world of yoga props, much like folding chairs and sand bags which are 20th century innovations. But we’d be wrong. Ropes have been around since at least the 18th century. In a text titled Hatha Abhyasa Paddhati (Guide Book to Hatha Practice), there’s an entire section with 10 exercises on a single rope or trapeze suspended from a ceiling. The names run the gamut from Cockroach to Parrot to Heaven.

Each class will consist of a 30 to 35 minute instruction on using ropes for support, anchoring, stretching, etc., then a 20 to 25 minute session during which we put what we learned on the ropes into practice, and 10 to 15-minute “free time” to experiment with the ropes on your own. Space is limited to 10 rope stations, so pre-registration is recommended.

All levels welcome.