Despite what you see in popular culture, yoga is not about rolling out your mat in a crowded class and spending an hour or so bending yourself into difficult shapes. While wisely chosen yoga poses (or asanas) can provide a wide range of physical, emotional, and psychological benefits, these are not the core of what yoga is. Yoga is a multifaceted practice that can help you navigate life with a greater sense of purpose, ease, and confidence. Private yoga sessions empower you to build a practice that supports your unique journey.
What is yoga, really?
The Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, written around 2,000 years ago, describe yoga as an eight-limbed system:
- Yamas provide guidance on interacting with others and the outside world. These include the concepts of truthfulness, non-harming, non-grasping, non-stealing, and wisely using our personal energy.
- Niyamas are inner observances, which help us cultivate the life we most desire. They include cleanliness (in mind, body, and action), contentment with what is, discipline to pursue what we want, self-study, and surrender. (Depending on your perspective, you can think of this as surrender to the divine, your higher self, or simply the flow of all that is.)
- Asanas are yoga poses. The Sanskrit word asana is often translated as “seat.” Originally, this simply referred to the seat one would take to engage in meditation; the complex system of poses was developed later.
- Pranayama is breathwork. Through various types of breath practice, we can bring greater awareness into the body and the present moment as well as effect changes in mood, energy levels, and blood chemistry.
- Pratyahara is withdrawal of the senses from the outside world to focus on the world within.
- Dharana is the practice of intentionally centering the mind on a single point of focus.
- Dyana is deep meditation, where focus can be effortlessly sustained.
- Samadhi is often described as enlightenment. It’s a state of pure consciousness where we experience ourselves as in flow with all that is. While this can seem like a lofty goal, anyone can experience moments of samadhi. You might find it while swimming in the ocean, reading to a child, or walking in the woods. A yoga practice develops awareness of how this state arises and understanding of how to experience it more often.
What’s the advantage of private yoga sessions?
As you can see by the description above, yoga is meant to be a deeply personal practice. Private yoga sessions are designed specifically for you. They meet you where you are and work with your unique challenges, strengths, and goals. Whether you’re a new student or a yoga class regular who wants to deepen their practice, working one on one with a knowledgeable yoga teacher can help you develop skills that will serve you throughout your life.
Your Path, Your Goals
Private sessions are ideal for students who feel anxious, distracted, or self-conscious in group settings. Without the pressure to perform or keep up, you’re free to get curious, ask questions, feel what you’re feeling, and build trust in your body and your instincts. Private sessions also give you the opportunity to learn how to build your own practice, so you don’t always have to rely on a teacher.
Yoga for All Ages & All Bodies
Yoga is not only for people who are already calm, focused, flexible, or strong. While public classes aren’t accessible to everyone, anyone can have a yoga practice. In private sessions, we begin with where you are today and explore what’s possible. A private setting gives us the space to work beyond assumptions, outside of standard class formats, and in alignment with your life.
Private yoga offers a calm, adaptable space where all students can learn in ways that respect their sensitivities and honors their strengths. For children, we use age-appropriate stories to frame movement, breath, and meditative practices, engaging the imagination to make sessions both fun and meaningful. Diane is always creating new yoga adventures, often using students’ story suggestions! Making the practice fun and engaging for young yogis is a top priority.
Private yoga practice is about reclaiming yoga as a personal tool for healing, growth, and navigating the ups and downs of real life. Whether you’re brand new to yoga or looking for a deeper, more individualized approach, we’re here to support your unique path. Let’s create a practice that supports the life you want to live.