Maya Yoga

I've taken classes with three different instructors now at Maya Yoga and I can safely say, I'm a fan!Housed in a building that was once part of Kansas City's film row, I had a good feeling as I walked over Joan Crawford's and Jean Harlow's stars on the sidewalk leading into the building. (both screen queens spent their formative years in KC... wow, I have a way of fitting that into many reviews, don't I?)The studio is on the second floor, down past the check-in desk and hallway where you'll find the bathrooms and an alkaline water system. The studio itself is lovely, with bamboo floors and all kinds of wall hangings and statues around the room with Ganesh and other Hindu deities, which automatically makes me feel happy. The room has lots of windows, which allows for natural light and they like to keep the temperature to 80 degrees. No, this is NOT hot yoga (not a fan, personally), but you will sweat. Personally, I do like having windows open, letting in fresh air and fans, but I think I'm in the minority as I haven't found any studios that have this kind of thing.Most classes are taught by Kathleen and Wade, the husband and wife team that own Maya Yoga and both are approachable, strong instructors that will push you as far as you need to be pushed, while not going too far. It's noted on the schedules which classes are more for beginning students, by the way, so take note of that if you are a beginner.Having fallen out of regular practice, I mixed it up a bit to get back into it. I've taken a combination of classes, although not those in the morning or evening (ashtanga) which are really for those who have some background in yoga. I don't love ashtanga, but I did take two intro classes with Wade and he really does a great job of easing you into this challenging practice, for many of us, would take years to be able to do a lot of the asanas to their fullest benefit. Keep in mind, yoga is a practice and it's not about who can do this or that pose or asana. It's hard for most Westerners, as most of us are looking to be "good" at it (myself not excluded). What I've always found interesting is that you can be an absolute beginner but able to do some challenging poses with ease, like from when I started yoga many years ago, I found ankle to knee pose to be a piece of cake while a good portion of seasoned practitioners struggle with this. Meanwhile, I've still yet to be able to put my hands flat the floor when doing a forward bend. Kathleen's Tuesday midday Vinyasa class is perfect and definitely challenges me (hello splits! Still can't do those, either), while keeping me in good practice for those poses that come easier (Yay, backbends!). Today we had a really fantastic sub named Gwen and I need to see if she teaches other classes, because she was a blast- really down to earth, really helpful, but again, it's not gentle yoga (which she teaches as well, to seniors. How awesome is that?!)I come from a Vinyasa and Kundalini practice and ideally my practice combines both. Maya doesn't offer Kundalini, so I'll probably be going elsewhere for that, but I am really happy that I found a yoga studio that I love for Vinyasa!

From all the yoga studios I've been to, this is hands down my favorite!I've learned so much from this yoga studio, physically and mentally. I've learned and progressed my practice much faster from this studio. The instructors are very helpful, patient, and friendly! They will personally get to know you. The people who attend give you a sense of community. It's definitely a safe space here.I love the 1.5 hour Ashtanga and Vinyasa class. The Wednesday Intro to Vinyasa night class requires registration, it fills up fast. The class is very intimate and the instructor Colette is AWESOME! She asks the class what they want to focus and improve on and will add that to the sequence. Definitely take advantage of this!The Tuesday Intro to Ashtanga class is very challenging, but also rewarding. The sequence goes by fast but each time I attend my practice improves. The instructor Lisa is friendly and helps adjust my poses. It's a great, challenging workout that by savasana, I'm knocked out!

Loved this place!!! It was a smaller class and the mentor was very engaged and motivational. It's very intimate room and has a lot of returning students which says a lot about the business. When in KCMO again, I will revisit.

Off the chain!! Was passing through KC and stopped in for the 6pm, Monday Vinyasa class. Melissa was AMAZING! Travelers, this is a beautiful studio in a cool part of town and so welcoming! Highly recommend. The class was a mix of high intermediate to advanced practitioners. So fun and so nice to be in a class that has amazing yogis and challenging instruction. Melissa will challenge your body and mind! I am so happy with my experience here. Prices are so reasonable and the space is delightful!

Let me first point out that I am not a "Gumby". With that disclaimer I will state that I was a skeptic from day 1. I am prior military and we used to poke fun at these people, one day I woke up and literally couldn't get out of bed after all the damage I had sustained to my body. I went to the Dr and as usual he was quick to want to put me on pain meds; I refused and demanded an alternative. That brings me to Yoga, I will not try and gloss it over. At the beginning it is painful as SAS tryouts. But if you give it time, the pain won't go away, but your body will adapt and you will feel 90% better than if you hadn't gone. I am not one to give positive reviews, but should you wish to put yourself out, you will feel the benefit. If you are glutting for a drill sergeant type, I recommend Melissa as an instructor.

Tucked away in downtown KC Maya Yoga is a bit off the beaten path.. My daughter and I bought a groupon to give it a try since we enjoy taking Ashtanga classes from a variety of teachers since everyone is a bit different. The studio is warm however the instructors were not (which surprised me). Maybe it's because we had a groupon and are not regulars? who knows.. We positioned ourselves in the back row since we were not familiar with their sequencing or how they ran their classes. The instructor was pretty intense for a beginner class and was a bit too serious for me. Don't get me wrong it was a challenging class and she knows her stuff but the yoga vibe of love, peace and Namaste was not abundant as at other studios.

I really wanted to love this studio. A friend told me she would drive up from KU just for Maya Yoga. The next day they offered a Groupon; I thought it must be a sign.Although I've only taken 3 classes so far, I am not excited to go back to class like I have been at other local yoga studios. The instructors are definitely talented and passionate about ashtanga, but I don't feel welcome as a new student. Thank God for Scott, the student next to me, for coaching me through some backward bridge somersault when I thought I was going to break my neck. If you are an experienced ashtanga yogi, I think you would love this studio. After my last class, the instructor announced that she requests students to attend at least 3 times a week. That is great, and all health centers would want that and should encourage attendance. However, the way Kathleen said it and elaborated on it, made it pretty clear that she doesn't want to see you at all if you can't come consistently. Maybe it was just a vibe I got, but as a frequent traveler, I don't think I will be signing up for more classes.

Ill keep it short and sweet: this is as good a Yoga studio as you will find. I've read some of the reviews here and as far as the less positive ones go, I don't understand what they expected going into it. Ashtanga is not some lazy, relaxed exercise where the teachers coddle you, it's an intense practice! I can certainly understand if you went in not knowing what to expect but simply put, it's a difficult form of yoga which requires tremendous discipline. I barely knew what yoga even was when i started last fall, but i was so inspired by the teachers there and the advanced students that i stuck with it and am now an addict ;-) Over the past 9 months I've gotten close with the owners (everybody does because they're so warm and friendly) and the community of yogis that regularly practice there. I can't stress enough how much Astanga has changed my life for the better, and I owe it all to Maya Yoga.

I've been taking classes at Maya Yoga for almost two months and in that time I've come to love it. All of the teachers that I have met have been friendly and knowledgeable. The whole place has a welcoming feel and I leave every class looking forward to the next one. It is by far my favorite yoga studio that I have been to.

This studio always feels like home and embraces more traditional yoga, yet is welcoming and open to all. I learn something about myself and my practice every time I get on my mat. I cannot say enough about Maya Yoga and its patient, experienced and kind instructors. No matter what your "level", there are classes for everyone.