Yoga on Kauai

Yoga has become such a part of mainstream Western society that it seems wherever you go in the world, yoga is on offer :  Hatha and all the myriad of different styles of yoga that have followed on.    Kauai is no different and over the years there are so many people who during the process of booking accommodation have mentioned  “I’m here for a yoga retreat” or “I’m a Yoga teacher”.     So I felt I just needed to do a post about Yoga on Kauai.

There are so many options, it’s amazing considering the size of the island and population.   Every town (and they are small towns really aren’t they?) has a Yoga Studio!   With a population of less than 70,000 people on the island, there are at least 13 studios.. that’s more than the towns on Kauai and this is not a comprehensive list!

I first started doing Hatha Yoga in the 70s and still practice, though now I do Yogalign. (which receives a special mention further down).    A personal comment:   Yoga was originally – and still is – when practiced the way it was intended as a spiritual practice that uses certain gentle poses to help the mind, emotional and spiritual bodies align in a balanced way.    That may be a simplistic way of putting it, but it’s pretty accurate.

As practiced in the West, particularly the US, Yoga has become a “cool” and fashionable thing to do for health, which is great, but there has often been more focus on what you are wearing and how difficult a pose you can do rather than a deeper understanding of the spiritual practice.   There’s nothing wrong with that of course; doing poses which contribute to your overall health and strength is a wonderful idea, but some practices (I feel personally) have gone a bit far in terms of encouraging difficult poses that can even harm the body.

In any case, let’s focus on Yoga on Kauai that is available when you visit.

North Shore

Yoga Hanalei

Yoga Hanalei, along with Yogalign, is the longest established studio on the North Shore.

For years they were located in Hanalei upstairs from the Harvest Market, but they have now moved to Moloa’a (still North Shore)   Directly from their site:

Yoga Hanalei has changed its name to Kaua’i Yoga and location to Kaua’i Yoga Shala in Moloa’a on the North Shore of Kaua’i in the natural setting of director Bhavani Maki’s organic permaculture family farm. Enjoy Yogasana and philosophy workshops, immersions and Yoga Alliance Teacher Trainings. Grounded in the classical tradition of Krishnamacharya with an emphasis on Yoga as the science and art of self-care and personal growth from a fresh, non-dogmatic perspective . Bhavani Maki draws from breath based approaches utilizing her studies in Iyengar Yoga, Astanga Vinyasa, Patanjali’s Astanga Yoga, structural integration, Pranayama, meditation, Yogik philosophy and psychology. She appreciates Yoga as an opportunity to cultivate an integrated and coherent lifestyle that is grounded in practical techniques to grow in mind, body and heart

Princeville Hot Yoga

Not surprisingly given the name, Princeville Hot Yoga features Bikram yoga.    The studio is in the Princeville Shopping Center and has classes regularly.   It’s amazing how Bikram has taken off in the past 10 years and certainly on Kauai there seem to be more Bikram studios than any other.

Metamorphose Yoga Kilauea

Metamophose Yoga This studio, like Princeville Hot Yoga is relatively new to Kauai, open only a couple of years.   They offer a variety of styles with different teachers.   The Studio is in the Stone buildings in Kilauea.   The owners of the studio also own Trilogy Coffee and Hunter Gatherer next door.

Pineapple Yoga

Pineapple Yoga  is the more well known studio offering Ashtanga based on Sri Pattabi’s lineage.   Of course, there has been some discussion with respect to Pattabi’s motivations but many people follow this style of Ashtanga.   Eagle is the founder here and has been teaching for 15 years in Kilauea.

East Side

Bikram Yoga Kauai

Bikram Yoga Kauai is the oldest Bikram Yoga studio on Kauai located in Kapa’a.      They tell prospective students to “be prepared to work hard and sweat”… that’s what happens at Bikram!

Kauai Yoga On the Beach

Kauai Yoga on the Beach is another relative newcomer but hey!   Now that’s a terrific place to do Yoga.   They practice near the Lava Lava Cafe in Kapa’a and I have to say, it’s wonderful to do yoga outdoors with the warm wind and scent of the ocean …. bliss!    If you just want to practice yoga on the beach by yourself, you can check out my list of top beaches here. 

Kauai Power Yoga

Kauai Power Yoga is based in Kapa’a also.   For those who love the power of this yoga approach, this is for you.

South Shore

Kauai Hot Yoga

Kauai Hot Yoga, another new Bikram studio is based in Lihue at the top end of Kuhio Highway.

Kauai Yoga with Antonia Joy

Kauai Yoga with Antonia Joy is based in Koloa at the Koloa Landing Resort.   If you are staying in Poipu, this is the closest yoga to you.

Antonia is also the featured yoga teacher at the Hyatt in Poipu as well as at The Club at Kukuiula.    She teaches Hathat, Vinyasa, Yin and even advertises “Yoga for weddings” .

Kalaheo Yoga

Kalaheo Yoga  is based in Kalaheo between Poipu and Hanapepe.     They have a range of Yoga teachers and approaches including Vinyasa, Iyengar, Ashtanga.

The Yoga Garage

The Yoga Garage is yet another Bikram studio based in Lawai/Kalaheo in between Poipu and Hanapepe.  So for those in Poipu or the West side who like it hot, this is the place for you!

West Side

Waimea Yoga

Waimea Yoga in Waimea is a lovely studio where you can practice alignment yoga, vinyasa, pre-natal, kundalini and more.   A good regular schedule of classes .  Beautiful large studio located in the historic St. James’s Circle in Waimea.   If you are over on the South or West Sides, a great place to do Yoga on Kauai.

Yoga Martha

Yoga Martha appears to be aimed at the older generation with suggestions that doing yoga will make you feel 10 years younger.   I agree of course!  Based in Kekaha,  Yoga Martha is offered primarily by Martha.

Special Mention ~ Yogalign

 

 

Michaelle Edwards and Yogalign is thankfully becoming well known across the globe as the Yoga that is healing injuries of all kinds, including those sustained from practicing forms of Yoga that are not actually that great for your body.

I highly recommend visiting Michaelle’s site here and reading the “About me” section and “About Yogalign”.    They Mythbusters (about yoga) makes fascinating reading.

I have been doing yoga with Michaelle since I arrived on Kauai 18 years ago and so appreciate how she has developed Yogalign which I have found personally to be so effective, gentle and just wonderful.    There are tons of testimonials from Surfers like Laird Hamilton  who have had injuries to celebrities like Mariel Hemingway and Gabby Reece as well as yoga teachers, bodyworkers and just regular people the world over.

Here is an excerpt from how Michaelle began her 45 year study of Yoga with Swami Satchidananda:

My 45-year study of yoga began at age 18 under the mentorship of Swami Satchidananda at his Pomfret Center in Connecticut, his first ashram in America. Asana (posture) practice was only one of the 8 limbs of yoga I studied with this great yoga master. The experience of sitting for satsang, practicing pranayama, and early morning meditations with Satchidananda set me on my path to be a yogi. We did not dwell heavily on the asana or physical aspects of yoga at the ashram. We instead were on a quest to become centered and eventually enlightened.

Here is an article in the Huff Post written by Michaelle  provocatively called “Stop stretching your hamstrings!”

I highly recommend Yogalign.   If you are on Kauai, Michaelle still does a drop in class every Wednesday morning at the gorgeous studio on her land near Princeville.   It’s an hour and a half and you will feel like a different person!   Also, you are practicing in the most aesthetically beautiful studio on Kauai; set in the tropical grounds with green all around, breezy and calm .  Heaven.

 

 

 

My daughter had a back and rib injury that nothing would touch.   I kept telling her to try yogalign.  Finally after months she did.   It healed and she took Michaelle’s training so she could teach others.    Did I mention I highly recommend Yogalign?

 

 

 

Need some organic smoothies or snacks to rejuvenate after Yoga?   Check out Organic Kauai

Aloha!