Encinitas - Sun Salutations and Downward Dogs

The little beach town of Encinitas, in southern California, has earned the reputation over the years of being the Yoga Mecca of the United States. It is one of the world's premier yoga destinations for beginners and advanced yogis alike. You would be hard-pressed to find a street corner in Encinitas that doesn't have a yoga studio.

How can so many yoga studios co-exist in such a small community? I think the answer lies in the vast difference among all of the yoga studios. There is hot yoga, power yoga, Ashtanga, iyengar, wall yoga, blacklight yoga and more...

At The Gather yoga studio many different kinds of yoga classes are offered every day, and it is filled with great local energy. On Sunday mornings, the very popular Josh Vincent teaches a two-hour yoga class, and he has achieved almost a cult status.

Soul of Yoga remains my favorite as it has a large variety of classes, and top-notch teachers. They offer spiritual lessons and much more. It is one of the most beautiful studios I have ever seen.

The Iyengar Yoga Center in Encinitas is the home for some of the most exceptional teachers of the B.K.S. Iyengar's method. Iyengar was named as one or the world's 100 most influential people by Time Magazine, due to his legendary approach to the science, philosophy and the art of yoga. Iyengar Yoga emphasizes proper alignment and experience of the movement. We are privileged to have his student, Carolyn Belko, whom he personally certified, as a a senior-level teacher here in Encinitas.

Encinitas also holds the distinction of being the American birthplace of Ashtanga Yoga, as taught and sponsored by the Indian Guruji Pattabhi Jois in the 1970's. Tim Miller, taught by Guruji Pattabhi, runs and teaches at the Ashtanga Yoga Center. He is considered the man who brought Ashtanga Yoga to the western world, and if you get a chance to take a class with Tim, consider it a true yoga pilgrimage completed.