5 Fantastic Places to Practice Yoga

Goa Sunset

1. Rolf and Marci Naujokat, Anjuna, Goa, India. Rolf teaches Mysore Ashtanga and pranayama breathing exercises in the tradition of his teacher, Pattabhi Jois. Marci adds a different twist to the Ashtanga series, and is a godsend for yogis with injuries. The azure Goan coast, which lies on the Arabian Sea, offers beach lovers a chance to sun, surf and parasail. Goa is India’s least Indian locale.

Ubud, Bali

2. Denise’s Power Yoga Class, Yoga Barn Annex (above Kafe, Jalan Hanuman), Ubud, Bali, Indonesia. This class is, simply, a blast. Denise combines Ashtanga with Kundalini. She’ll have you backbending, headstanding, balancing and laughing, while taking in snippets of yogic wisdom. Ubud, Bali’s spiritual and cultural epicenter, is less than an hour’s drive to Bali’s famous beaches.

3. Ashtanga Yoga Center, Carlsbad, California. Like Rolf Najuokat, Ashtanga Yoga Center’s founder, Tim Miller, began practicing with Pattabhi Jois as part of the first group of westerners to do so. Ashtanga Yoga Center offers traditional Mysore Ashtanga as well as a variety of led classes. Conveniently located in beautiful Southern California, the center is one of the top places to practice Ashtanga in the US.

4. Nicole Scavo-Powell, Prana Yoga, Scranton, Pennsylvania. Nicole is one of the most passionate Ashtanga yogis I’ve met. She travels all over the country to study with Pattabhi Jois’ most senior certified instructors. She teaches led Primary and improvisation classes. Scranton, located about two hours west of New York City and two hours north of Philadelphia, is a former coal mining town experiencing a resurgence.

Mysore Palace

5. K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute, Mysore, India. The mother ship for Ashtanga yogis. Thousands of westerners flock here yearly to practice with Guruji’s daughter, Saraswathi, and grandson, Sharath. Mysore, located in the South Indian state, Karnataka, is a splendid city featuring temples, palaces, universities, gardens and amazing shopping.