Our Program offers an unrivaled level of individual attention and care; our instructors help tailor each class to a student's unique physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs, regardless of their abilities. Most of our students come to us referred by their doctors and other healthcare providers, as well as by past students. This type of instruction is handed down from the teachings of T.K.V. Desikachar, who learned from his father, T. Krishnamacharya.

How is what you teach different from other forms of yoga?

There are three main differences:

1. We adapt the exercises to individual needs and capabilities instead of having everyone do standard postures in the same way. We interview all new students and continually check with them to find out how they’re doing. Often we will modify exercises for an individual if that person needs something more challenging, or if a certain position might be harmful to that particular person. We believe that pain is a signal you’re doing something your body should not be doing.
2. We place a stronger emphasis on the breathing technique than do many types of yoga. Proper breathing can help you relax, focus your mind, and increase your energy level.
3. We do the same exercises as are taught by other yoga teachers, but we follow Desikachar in changing them in ways that make them more effective. For instance, we teach the standing forward bend with knees and elbows slightly bent, which strengthens and loosens your back more and helps avoid injury. Some other teachers do this pose with elbows and arms straight, which we feel is not as effective and even can be dangerous.

Do you teach hatha yoga?

(Sometimes when people use the phrase “hatha yoga” they mean pure exercise with no mental content). If you mean, do we teach yoga exercises, the answer is “yes,” but we also teach the traditional yoga philosophy, because we find that yoga helps people more if they have some understanding of what it is about.

Do you teach Iyengar yoga?

The short answer is no. There is some resemblance between what we teach and Iyengar yoga. But we tend to adapt what we teach to individuals more, and we do a great deal more with breathing than the Iyengar teachers do. The details are that B.K.S. Iyengar learned his yoga from T. Krishnamacharya, who was the father and teacher of our teachers’ teacher, Desikachar. (Krishnamacharya incidently married the sister of Iyengar and was Iyengar’s teacher. So Iyengar is Desikachar’s uncle).

Yoga is an ancient practice. Dating back over 3,000 years, it has evolved from an oral tradition of yoga philosophy, breathing and poses. There are many ways to approach the practice of yoga.

One person might begin with the yoga exercises and breathing to understand yoga through the experience of the body. Another might begin with meditation or by studying the Yoga Sutra. As we become aware of our breath, body, and mind, yoga can inpsire in us a deeper quest for self realization.