PRANA Yoga + Wellbeing

11/11/2025

We’re now in week four of our 10-week Yama Niyama Series, focusing on the practice of Brahmacharya, or non-excess.

This week, we examine where in our lives we have the tendency to spend our resources frivolously or mindlessly.

Disclaimer: like all the other practices, the meaning of Brahmacharya is much more complex than non-excess. And a deeper dive into this Yama is certainly worthwhile. For our purposes, we’re keeping our focus on the aspect of non-excess.

Remember—the five practices of the first limb of Yoga (Yama) are about restraint, and Brahmacharya is all about restraint, but not in a way that’s limiting. Instead, try to think of this practice as one of mindful expenditure and direction of energy. Brahmacharya is ultimately about discernment.

Because we can be creatures of habit, yoga teaches us to look at our thoughts, our actions, and our words with more questioning. When we apply mindfulness, we’re using the teachings of yoga to make better decisions in our lives and with the benefit of others in mind, too.

So this week, try to slow down and watch where programming might come in... when you might be tempted toward a Pleasure/Repeat or Displeasure/Avoid pattern, and see if you can pause, take a few deep breaths, and see what you’re really after. If you decide to go forward, at least you’re doing so with more conscientiousness than having made the choice from sheer habit.

11/05/2025

We’re now in week three of our 10-week Yama Niyama Series, focusing on the practice of Asteya, or non-stealing. But Asteya is so much more than not taking what isn’t ours.

This week, we look at the root cause of what makes us seek what isn’t ours to have, what makes us perceive a lack in our lives, what inclines us toward the mindset of scarcity.

And here’s where we can make our way to the mat for practice. Yoga teaches us to be attentive to where we’re giving our attention. Each time we can redirect our attention back to the breath, back to the body, back to the present moment, we train ourselves to be more discerning about where we give our attention.

When we take this disciplining-of-the-mind toward the work of Asteya, we notice when our thoughts direct toward scarcity and then consciously choose to redirect those thoughts to seeing the abundance that is already present in our lives. This is the work of gratitude. By shifting our attention toward appreciation for what we already have, we make ourselves present for gratitude, for marveling at the beautiful aspects of the world rather than focusing on what we lack.

This is the work of Asteya: cultivating gratitude by being present in our lives.

11/04/2025

Join Twila for yin yoga to support the Veterans Yoga Project on Saturday, 11/8 from 11:00 - 12:00pm. Donate what you can!

Yin offers practitioners a chance to slow down and be present with the breath and the body. Thus, it is a perfect complement to the more active classes on the schedule. Yin focuses on stretching the connective tissues (ligaments, tendons, and fascia) to create greater range of motion in the joints and spine. Yin poses are almost entirely passive and can be well supported with the use of props when appropriate. Because connective tissues require more time to lengthen than muscles do, most of the poses are held for several minutes to allow the pose to pe*****te.

10/29/2025

We’re in Week Two of our 10-week Yama Niyama series, where each week leading to the year’s end, we study and practice one of the ten ethical principles of yoga.

For nine years, we’ve done this work together, reading along week by week in Deborah Adele’s book, The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice.

For this week, we focus on on Satya, or truthfulness.

Satya is more than just non-lying. Satya is about living authentically, as the true expression of ourselves. Think about the greeting “Namaste.” We say this to honor the light that is within each of us.

This light is the truth of who we are. Yet, our ego constantly tempts us to believe otherwise, as when we get caught up in personality and identity. We also might get caught up in pressures from the world around us, tempting us to suppress parts of ourselves to make others more comfortable.

So this week, as we make our way to the mat, see if there’s room to devote some extra time to stillness, to recognizing that spark within, and to allowing it to express fully. Then, see there’s room to extend that recognition of the spark as you interact with others, attempting to see their truth, their light.

Satya isn’t an easy practice; it requires great courage to live authentically, from that truth of light. This week’s invitation is to use our time on the mat to go inward, to explore the inner landscape, that we might attune to the truth of who we are.

10/28/2025

Have you visited our new studio on Redwood Road yet? Our first week was so sweet — we loved celebrating with our community and welcoming so many new faces into the space!

If you haven’t had a chance to practice yet, check out our daily schedule in the Highlights or visit pranayogawellbeing.com to sign up for a class.

We can’t wait to see you here !

10/23/2025

This week begins our 10-week Yama Niyama series, where each week leading to the year’s end, we study and practice one of the ten ethical principles of yoga.

For nine years, we’ve done this work together, reading along week by week in Deborah Adele’s book, The Yamas & Niyamas: Exploring Yoga’s Ethical Practice.

While it might be tempting to think that the book won’t have anything new to reveal after all these years of reading it, we’ve found that quite the opposite is true— because yoga invites us to grow and learn all the time, each year, we enter the 10 weeks with a new perspective, a new area of growth to develop, a new challenge in character-refinement.

If this is the first time you’re doing the series with us, please consider ordering your book from Books on B in Hayward, where Renee generously gives discounts to PRANA students. We welcome you to read along with us!

For this week, we focus on on Ahimsa, or non-harming (think about loving kindness and consideration for all living beings... and yes, it’s all living beings).

As you make your way to the mat this week, consider where there might be limitations around your ability to give and receive love, where outdated programming might exist from old patterns you developed while trying to survive, where difficult people in your life might pose extra challenge while also being your greatest teachers.

Ahimsa isn’t an easy practice; it requires great courage. We invite you to use your time on your mat to lean into some discomfort, whether that’s from heat, from exploring a challenging pose, from maintaining pranayama for the entire practice, or from keeping your mind focused. By building resilience, we increase our ability to withstand some of the discomfort that arises from being vulnerable to open our hearts to love, to Ahimsa.

10/19/2025

HELLO REDWOOD ROAD!!! Heartfelt farewell Castro Valley Blvd 🥹✨

Come visit us this week in the new studio location !!

09/22/2025

THANK YOU all who stopped by for a sneak peek this weekend! We had so much fun introducing you to the new space and getting to share in the excitement with you.

Until we officially move in — classes are still being held at our current location: 3160 Castro Valley Blvd

Stay tuned for the official open date of our new location!

09/22/2025