About Us | Avra Yoga

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Avra Yoga

Avra Yoga Studio was inspired by one woman, who embarked on a life-changing journey through her yoga practice and decided she wanted to share it with others. Yet it owes its presence and future to the whole Avra Yoga team and to all the students who trust us to help them on their own life-changing journey.

We welcome you every day with gratitude.
Thank you!

A message from me

For those who don’t know me, my name is Maria. I grew up in Athens, studied economics, and had a successful 20-year career in marketing. As an overachiever and hard worker, I always aimed high. However, it wasn’t until I relocated to Dubai with my family that I realized none of those achievements were truly fulfilling.

I resigned from my job and found myself increasingly drawn to my yoga practice every day. As my body grew stronger and healthier, I discovered that my yoga mat had become a place of deep self-awareness and mind-body connection. The most transformative part was realizing that, off the mat, I was becoming a better person—a better friend and a better mother to my twin boys. It was at that point that I decided to enroll in a Yoga Teacher Training program, eager to share my practice and experiences with others.

As a yoga teacher, I believe that yoga is a practice for everyone, regardless of gender, body type, or age. It offers a path for growth and transformation. As a lifelong student, I am continually inspired by the profound positive impact yoga has on my life.

áv̱ra, noun, the Greek word that means aura or breeze

Avra Yoga is a warm and welcoming space for everyone seeking to practice, grow, relax, and gain the benefits of yoga. We honor the rich traditions of yoga while embracing modern practices that support overall health and balance. Our diverse range of classes caters to both advanced practitioners and absolute beginners, offering Hatha Yoga, Vinyasa Yoga, Power Yoga, Aerial Yoga, Private classes, and Pilates.

Whether you're new to yoga, or you've tried it before and didn't connect with it, we invite you to visit us. This could be your chance to give yoga a go—or a second chance—and discover a practice you'll love as much as we do.

"Yoga teaches us to cure what need not be endured and endure what cannot be cured."

- B.K.S. Iyengar

The word "yoga" means "unity" or "oneness," originating from the Sanskrit root yuj, which translates to "to unite" or "to join." At its core, yoga is a practice that seeks to create harmony between the body, mind, and spirit, fostering a deeper connection between the individual self and the universal consciousness. Beyond the physical postures, yoga offers a holistic approach to life, helping practitioners cultivate inner peace, clarity, and emotional balance.

Patanjali's Yoga Sutras lay the foundation for traditional yoga philosophy, presenting an eightfold path known as the Eight Limbs of Yoga. These limbs serve as guiding principles for a life of integrity, self-discipline, and mindfulness. They encourage respect for oneself, others, and the natural world, while also nurturing a profound connection to the spiritual dimensions of existence. Through this comprehensive approach, yoga becomes not just a practice but a way of living that enriches every aspect of life.

Yamas - Five universal, ethical and moral observances to live by (nonviolence, truthfulness, non-stealing, continence and non-covetousness)

Niyamas - Five spiritual and self-discipline observances (cleanliness, contentment, spiritual austerities, study of scriptures and surrender to God)

Asana - physical posture

Pranayama - breathing exercises to control the flow of prana (vital life force)

Pratyahara - Withdrawal of the senses

Dharana - Concentration

Dhyana - Meditation

Samadhi - Identification with pure consciousness

Each of the Eight Limbs offers a means of living with more integrity, self-discipline, respect for nature and connection with the spiritual aspects of life.

Modern yoga is most commonly associated with the physical practice of asana intended to build strength and stamina, to improve flexibility, coordination and balance, and to relax the body. However, this provides only one small aspect of yoga as a whole. Yoga provides a real tool to people to connect with their real selves, manifest harmony, show kindness, and embrace both inner and outer realities.

Yoga styles you can practice at Avra Yoga Studio

Vinyasa Yoga

Vinyasa yoga is a style of yoga that focuses on connecting the breath to your movements in a flowy practice that offers strength, flexibility, concentration, breathwork, and often some form of meditation. It is considered a more dynamic style than others that will strengthen your muscles, improve your stability and balance, while lower your stress and anxiety. Although the difficulty of a Vinyasa class depends on your strength and flexibility, we have categorized it into level 1 for beginners and students with less exposure to yoga practice, and level 2 for the advanced students.

Hatha Yoga

Hatha Yoga is the traditional branch of yoga that concentrates on physical health and mental well-being. It uses bodily postures, breathing techniques and meditation, for the goal of a healthy body and peaceful mind.

Because of its slower pace, Hatha is a great class if you are a beginner, feel tired, haven’t practiced for a while or for older adults who need help in order to make their spine or joints more mobile. Advanced students can benefit as well by deepening their poses in order to achieve flexibility and progress in their yoga practice.

Yin Yoga

Yin Yoga is a slow-paced more meditative style of yoga, where we stay in asanas (mostly sitting or lying down) for a longer period of time.
It affects the connective tissues (areas where emotional and physical tension accumulates), developing flexibility & balancing the nervous system. Yin Yoga restores and maintains the natural mobility of the joints, spine, pelvis and legs. Unblocks the energy channels of the body, achieving the free flow of energy - prana - giving well-being and emotional relaxation.

Power Yoga

Power Yoga is the fitness-based approach to vinyasa-style yoga. It is a more dynamic version, a faster, stronger form of practice that encourages students to engage more fully in body endurance. It has a physical focus, working on stamina, strength, and muscle strength. Like vinyasa, there are no set sequences and the sense of flow is present. Beginner or advanced student join a power yoga class for a yoga workout.

Ashtanga Inspired Flow

A flow based in Ashtanga Yoga primary sequence; a set of poses practiced in the same sequence every time. This class is designed in order to bring you closer to one of the most complete and integrated vinyasa yoga practices brought to us by Pattabhi Jois.

Yin Yang Flow

Yin Yoga is a slower practice where poses are held for a longer time, working on the deep, dense (Yin) connective tissues and joints in the body. Yang yoga is the more traditional hatha based asana practice that develops muscular strength, stamina, and flexibility.
Those two styles combined in one class is the perfect balancing yoga flow.

Chair Yoga

Chair yoga is an easier form of yoga that can be done sitting on a chair or standing on the ground while using the chair for support. It is good for elderly students and for those who seek to improving their practice by working on deep twists, back bends or forward folds. Benefits of chair yoga include improved flexibility, better concentration, increased strength, mood boosting, reduced stress and joint strain.

Aerial Yoga

An Aerial Yoga class elevates the traditional practice by incorporating silk hammocks suspended from the ceiling. This innovative approach combines yoga postures with elements of aerial arts, creating a unique and dynamic experience. Participants use the hammocks to support, balance, and stretch, allowing for a broader range of movements and deeper stretches. Aerial Yoga not only enhances flexibility, strength, and alignment but also provides a sense of weightlessness and playfulness. As participants flow through poses both on the mat and in the air, they build core strength, improve body awareness, and experience a heightened connection to gravity and breath. It's a captivating blend of yoga and acrobatics that adds a whole new dimension to the practice.

Meditation

A meditation class is a serene sanctuary where students cultivate mindfulness and inner stillness. Guided by an experienced instructor, participants engage in a practice that encourages focused attention, conscious breathing, and relaxation techniques. Through gentle guidance, participants learn to observe their thoughts without judgment, allowing them to detach from daily stresses and find a sense of peace within. Meditation classes provide a space for self-discovery, stress relief, and personal growth, enabling attendees to embark on a journey of self-awareness and emotional well-being.

Yoga Nidra

A Yoga Nidra class offers a profound journey into deep relaxation and conscious awareness. Often referred to as "yogic sleep," this practice guides participants to a state between wakefulness and sleep, where the body is at rest while the mind remains alert. Led by an instructor's soothing voice, participants are guided through a systematic relaxation, allowing them to release physical, mental, and emotional tensions. As the mind slows down, a sense of calmness and clarity emerges. Yoga Nidra is not only incredibly rejuvenating but also helps alleviate stress, improve sleep, and access the subconscious mind for self-healing and personal transformation. It's an oasis of stillness that invites individuals to experience profound rest and inner exploration.