6 Yoga Resources For A Wide Range Of Skill Levels
Whether you're just starting out in yoga or have decided to become a teacher after years of practice, it helps to have someone guiding you along the way. You can go on a months-long retreat at an ashram to really dive in, or take part in lessons via the web in the comfort of your own home. No matter what your experience level is, feel free to sample different styles and ways of thinking about yoga to see what works for you. This video was made with Ezvid Wikimaker.
7 Places to Learn More About Yoga
| Name | Description |
|---|---|
| Naked in Motion | Offers clothing-free Yoga & Pilates classes in New York, Boston and Seattle, in a welcoming, body-positive environment |
| Yoga and Body Image Coalition | Advocates for yoga as an essential tool in personal transformation from the inside out, including a critical social justice component that challenges industry leaders and media creators to expand their vision of what a yogi looks like |
| Down Under School of Yoga | Online and in-person classes for adults and kids, along with programs in hospitals and an Ayurveda School in Boston |
| The Yoga Institute | The world's oldest center for Hatha Yoga instruction, provides teacher training, camps, meditation events, and corporate workshops |
| Yasodhara Ashram | Retreat and study center in British Columbia with weekend, 10-day, or self-guided retreats, long-term Karma Yoga stays, and programs for children & families |
| Flow Yoga Center | Locally-owned community studio in Washington, D.C. working to uplift people’s lives through inspired classes and caring human connection |
An Introduction to Down Under School of Yoga
Gift Ideas for the Yogi in Your Life
- Mats
- Bags
- Mats for Hot Yoga
- Yoga Blocks
- Wheels
- Yoga Books
- DVDs
- Bolsters
- Socks
- Trapezes
- Towels
- Travel Mats
Some of What Yasodhara Ashram Has to Offer
Helpful Books About Maintaining a Healthy Body & Mind
Asanas for Core Strengthening from The Yoga Institute
In Depth
The practice of yoga has become increasingly popular, as practitioners around the world discover its benefits for mental and physical well-being. A growing number of resources, from secluded ashrams to corporate training programs, help students use this discipline for fitness, self-acceptance, and personal growth. In no particular order, here are some ways to get information and instruction about yoga.
Opening our list at #1 is Naked in Motion, which offers nude classes in yoga and Pilates, at locations in New York City, Boston, and Seattle. The program provides a judgement-free space, inviting participants to develop greater comfort with their own bodies, and welcomes people of any shape, gender, or sexual orientation.
Naked in Motion offers a partially clothed option, allowing modifications for comfort by individuals who are trans or were assigned female at birth. Its offerings include partner classes, immersive experiences such as meditative sound baths, and specialized events for people of color or queer participants. Naked in Motion shares educational materials about yoga and Pilates, as well as reflections on nudity, body positivity, and self-acceptance.
Naked in Motion offers a partially clothed option, allowing modifications for comfort by individuals who are trans or were assigned female at birth.
Up next at #3 is the Yoga and Body Image Coalition, working to create and promote forms of meditative exercise that are accessible and supportive of self-acceptance. Through media campaigns, affirming apparel, and other outreach efforts, Y.B.I.C. offers a more inclusive vision of the physical appearance of yoga practitioners, and extends encouragement to those battling with eating disorders or other personal challenges.
Y.B.I.C.'s resources include books like Yoga Rising, featuring stories from contributors who have struggled with self-love, and Yoga and Body Image, which offers perspectives on practices for personal acceptance. The group's blog delves into topics like cultivating joy, healing from grief and trauma, and releasing harmful thoughts. Y.B.I.C. also produces a podcast sharing discussions on welcoming communities and healthy self-image.
Our #4 entry is Down Under School of Yoga, a teaching community in Massachusetts that offers instruction in several disciplines of wellness exercise. Its faculty members are experienced in schools of yoga, including the disciplined rituals of Ashtanga, the breath-focused flow of Vinyasa, and the precise poses of Iyengar. Down Under also provides training and health consultations based on Ayurvedic medicine.
Its faculty members are experienced in schools of yoga, including the disciplined rituals of Ashtanga, the breath-focused flow of Vinyasa, and the precise poses of Iyengar.
Down Under extends a tailored option for yoga newcomers, as well as prenatal and postnatal programs, and classes for children and teens. Its Movement School offers instruction in non-yoga disciplines like Pilates or the Feldenkrais Method, and its Restorative School focuses on relaxation and calm awareness. Down Under also provides teacher training for those interested in becoming instructors, and an online library of audio and video lessons.
#5 on the list is The Yoga Institute, the world's oldest center for Hatha Yoga instruction. Founded by Shri Yogendraji, one of the key figures in the modern revival of the discipline, the Institute has locations from Mumbai to Costa Rica. The organization preserves a holistic approach that emphasizes spiritual development as well as physical health, and operates a museum dedicated to the tradition's long history.
The Yoga Institute provides learning options ranging from multi-day camps to open group classes, with specialized offerings such as corporate workshops and couples classes; it also teaches certification courses for prospective instructors. The Institute offers educational materials including guides to traditional postures, the Yoga and Total Health journal, and the digital newsletter YogaSattva. The organization also engages in numerous social responsibility efforts and hosts community-building festivals.
The organization also engages in numerous social responsibility efforts and hosts community-building festivals.
At #6 we have Yasodhara Ashram, a retreat and learning center in the mountains of British Columbia. Founded in 1956 by teacher and lecturer Swami Radha, and rooted in her teachings on spiritual development and the divine feminine, this institute is a venue for intensive practice of yoga and meditation. The Ashram offers guided retreats for artists and professionals, along with the option for participants to design their own experience.
Yasodhara Ashram programs include weekend retreats, multi-day intensives, and the three-month Yoga Development Course for personal transformation. The Karma Yoga program offers an opportunity for residency while exploring spiritual growth through service, and the organization offers training for those seeking to become teachers in the Yasodhara tradition. The Ashram also hosts community events in the interfaith Temple of Light.
Closing out our list at #7 is Flow Yoga Center, a Washington, DC studio teaching wellness courses in an intimate community environment. Flow offers membership options for regular students, as well as an introductory package for those new to the venue. Its wide variety of classes includes fitness boot camps, prenatal yoga, and musical sound baths, as well as foundational and advanced teacher training programs.
Its wide variety of classes includes fitness boot camps, prenatal yoga, and musical sound baths, as well as foundational and advanced teacher training programs.
Flow offers employee wellness instruction for corporate clients, from executive mindfulness coaching to large-scale yoga events, and streaming video courses enabling learning from home. The company provides learning resources such as its LOVE Letters digital newsletter, personal stories from instructors and community members, and articles discussing practical yoga techniques and spiritual philosophy.
