Beginners are always welcome to join our classes at any time. In fact, most of our classes are geared towards beginners and intermediate students. Some of the classes are more gentle than others, and you may contact us to inquire which would be more suitable for you. Enjoy the journey...

IYENGAR YOGA with KAREN WENC

Iyengar is a style of yoga which emphasizes anatomical precision and alignment to promote both strength and flexibility. Its use of props (such as blocks and straps) helps to enable students to more readily experience the essence of poses (asanas).

Karen Wenc has been a student of Iyengar yoga since 1981, and has been teaching for over 18 years. A former competitive runner, swimmer and cross-country skier, Karen's teaching style emphasizes developing strength and flexibility to prevent sports-related injuries. A Brookline resident, Karen teaches full-time throughout the greater Boston area, and has taught at the Yogashala in Santiago, Chile among other international venues. Karen is a longtime student of Patricia Walden, who Time Magazine called one of yoga's "leading luminaries."

Karen's illuminating classes provide you in-depth, technical cues on how to fully experience the asanas, while keeping your mind present as she describes the eight limbs of yoga and decodes obscure Sanskrit terminology. Towards the end you will be busy floating off to some other time and space, at which point she brings you back with her tiny bells to close out the class. Invigorating, mindful and relaxing.

KRIPALU HATHA YOGA with JOSIE GALYON

Josie is a certified Kripalu Yoga Instructor with Brookline roots. Her attitude about teaching is simple: teach to learn. As a dedicated practitioner, Josie believes in the unfolding, transformative process that regular practice produces, and embraces all levels of experience in her classes. As students move through asanas, they are encouraged to turn inward, connect with the breath, and cultivate strength in stillness. With an attitude of safety and compassion, Josie will guide you through a series of asanas that will soothe, invigorate and center the spirit. Beginners and continuing students will benefit alike by building strength and flexibility, while increasing body awareness and relaxing the mind.

VINYASA FLOW with CARO CLARK

Vinyasa Flow integrates the true traditions of Yoga, from those that focus on the holding of poses or asanas for many minutes - breathing and achieving the meditative benefit of the pose - to those traditions that emphasize movement from one pose to another in flowing sequences. This creates a very different experience both physically and mentally, allowing the student to ease safely through poses while maintaining a deep awareness of the breath and the self. All Vinyasa classes emphasize the precision and care of Iyengar Yoga while incorporating the movement and heat-building of Ashtanga Yoga and the therapeutic focus of Viniyoga. Vinyasa Flow is performed in a peaceful, open space with no heat. Through flowing practice, heat is naturally and safely created within the body to warm, soothe, heal and strengthen from the inside-out.

Open Class on Saturday morning is aimed at students with varying levels of expertise, special needs or at various stages of life. These classes integrate an energizing vinyasa class with a deeper look at specific poses, or themes that will help you to build a stronger yoga practice. This class is great for people who want to learn about the benefits of yoga for the first time, and also for those who are looking to expand and deepen their Iyengar or Vinyasa practice.

Carolyn ( "Caro") is a long-time student of Hatha Yoga, Integrative Nutrition, Developmental Psychology and Dance, and holds an advanced Instructors certification with YogaWorks in NYC. Through Vinyasa Flow Yoga, Caro incorporates a deep physical practice into an inspirational class that highlights the benefits of awareness and the process of yoga coming into, maintaining, and moving out of a pose on the breath over the goals of simply perfecting  a pose. Classes are founded upon graceful and continual movement that generates a natural warmth and release in the body, strengthened and deepened through advanced breathing techniques and pranayama.

Caro is a graduate of Wesleyan with a major in International Affairs, a passion for children and their rights, a world traveler and fluent in French (she is half French). She is a patient and passionate teacher who loves to work with students from all backgrounds and all levels of practice. Through her early work in nonprofits and international welfare service, Caro grew a deep respect for the role of personal boundaries in daily life to acknowledge and accept our capacity in the moment allows us to develop and progress without force or harm. This idea of development through self-awareness inspires all of her classes, and serves to deepen both the challenge and healing art of all yoga practice.

PILATES or PiYo with LEAH BECKER

Pilates exercises focus on strengthening your core muscles to support the lower and upper back and develop overall strength and flexibility. Pilates promotes balance, strength, flexibility and good posture. An amazing workout which will leave you feeling stronger and taller!

Leah is a classical Stott Pilates fitness instructor with over six years of teaching experience around the Boston area. She began her Pilates training at Northeast Pilates Certification Center in 1999, became a certified mat instructor in 2000 and has been teaching steadily since then. Leah also has a certification and practice in muscular therapy from The Muscular Therapy Institute in Watertown, MA., where she focused on sports conditioning, injury rehabilitation and relaxation, and to round things out, is also a registered yoga instructor. Leah teaches a very mindful, clear and focused mat Pilates class f or those who wish to make a clear difference in their lives.

Larissa is a 500-hour level professional Kripalu yoga teacher, Yee Yoga teacher, Prenatal yoga teacher, and Reiki I&II practitioner.  Currently, she works at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Lenox, MA, the largest residential yoga center in the USA. She teaches all levels of yoga classes (Gentle, Moderate, Vigorous, Vinyasa, Meditation, Pranayama, Kids & Parents, and Yoga Teacher Training Sadhana and Workshop).  Additionally, Larissa is the Manager of Yoga Education for Kripalu’s Institute for Extraordinary Living, through which she teaches asana, meditation, pranayama, and yogic philosophy to members of the Boston Conservatory, Berkshire Opera Company, Juilliard School, and Tanglewood Music Center. 

Amelia Bissett, M.Ed, Kripalu Yoga Teacher 500.