Our Approach & Class Descriptions

Our Approach to Yoga

At Sellwood Yoga, we strive to create a welcoming, respectful and inclusive space for all. We believe that yoga is a personal journey and that there are many valuable traditions, styles, and practices to explore. As such, we offer a diverse range of classes, allowing individual students to find the best fit for their needs and preferences. Our teachers incorporate their individual perspectives and backgrounds into their instruction, providing a truly authentic and personalized experience for each class.

Weather permitting we offer outdoor yoga on our outside yoga deck that is directly behind our studio.  Many classes have both in studio spots as well as outdoor spots that you can reserve in advance.  Most classes are hybrid with a Live Stream feed via Zoom from the indoor practice space.  That way you can practice yoga with us from your home, office or when you travel.

Our classes draw from both traditional and contemporary yoga methods, offering a rich and varied experience. We prioritize creating a safe and supportive environment, where every student feels comfortable and empowered to explore their practice.

We offer a wide variety of classes, including yoga, pilates, and mindfulness. We also offer a range of workshops to help you deepen your practice. Whether you’re a beginner or an experienced practitioner, there’s something for everyone. Check out our class descriptions below and be sure to review our schedule to see which classes are currently being offered. For information on live stream classes, please click here.

We cater to a wide variety of students by offering different types of classes and levels. Please email us (info@sellwoodyoga.com) or call us (503-575-9982) if you have questions about which classes to try and why.

Class Descriptions

Afternoon Yoga

A class for the inquisitive student at any stage of their practice, beginners and long-time practitioners alike. Within the framework of a hatha yoga class, Afternoon Yoga classes engage the student in deep body/mind focus through guided attention, somatic (felt-sense) exploration, and various approaches to yoga poses and practice. You can expect clear verbal instruction into a gentle physical practice with various options for movement and stillness.

Functional Strength & Yoga (formerly Strong Vinyasa)

Functional Strength & Yoga is a dynamic mixed-level class that incorporates a mindful and intentional progression of poses aimed at enhancing muscular strength, endurance, flexibility, and concentration. Clear, precise and detailed guidance helps students refine their form and achieve their own optimal alignment. The classes include functional strength movements to improve overall fitness and mobility, leaving you feeling energized and centered in both body and mind.

Hatha Flow

Hatha Flow is a comprehensive and dynamic yoga class suitable for all levels. This class seamlessly combines the fluidity of Vinyasa yoga with the longer-held, grounding postures of traditional Hatha. Each practice explores the harmony between – Hatha and Vinyasa – emphasizing the central role of breath and its synchronization with movement. Mindfulness is threaded through the practice, anchoring in the present moment.
Whether you’re a seasoned yogi or stepping onto the mat for the first time, Hatha Flow invites you to experience the profound benefits of this practice, embracing the flow of energy, breath, and movement, one pose at a time.

Hatha Yoga

This class draws on Iyengar, Vinyasa and classical Hatha yoga principles. Hatha classes move through a variety of postures, themes, and focuses to balance body and mind, powerfully and presently. Slower paced than Vinyasa Flow, Hatha classes are suitable for both beginners and experienced practitioners. The class offers attention to the foundation, alignment, and subtleties of each posture, with guidance towards expressing each pose to address individual needs.

Mindful Yoga & Meditation

This class combines Mindful Yoga and Mindful Meditation, offering 40 minutes of mindful yoga followed by 20 minutes of meditation. Each month, the meditation practice focuses on a different Mindfulness theme, quality, or foundation. Mindful Yoga brings awareness to movement, breath, and body sensation, turning movement into a form of meditation. Mindful Meditation involves focusing on sensing and feeling in the moment without interpretation, judgment or evaluation, to deeply connect and accept ourselves.

Morning Yoga

Morning Yoga blends mobility, balancing, and strengthening movements with traditional Vinyasa yoga postures. Each flow incorporates variations that allow everyone to find their best experience of poses and transitions. Suitable for beginners and experienced yoga students, the class provides opportunities for quietness, stillness and dynamic movement.

Pilates & Fitness Fusion

This workout class combines pilates, dance, yoga, and strength training elements to improve mobility, support good posture, and tone and elongate muscles. Expect a low-impact workout with specific movements that target abs, back, hips, arms, glutes, and legs.

R&R: Reset & Rejuvenate

R&R: Reset & Rejuvenate is a midweek recharge class. Designed to help relieve stress and restore your energy each session brings a soothing mix of yoga poses, including restorative ones, and tension-alleviating stretches.  Simple and easy to follow breathing exercises as well as mindfulness guidance are included in each class. With this proven combo of effective stress reducing sequencing you will leave feeling more centered, calm and mindful.

Restorative Yoga

Restorative Yoga is a restful practice that involves slowing down and opening the body through passive holds done on the floor with the support of yoga props like blankets, bolsters, sand bags and blocks. The class emphasizes the meditative aspect of yoga and deep relaxation by staying in each posture for 5-10 minutes, with very little movement. It is a practice that can lead to deep relaxation and stress release.

Restorative and Yin Yoga

Restorative and Yin styles of yoga have both similarities and differences. Both practices take a slower pace, and involve longer-held, floor based poses, utilizing the support of props like bolsters, blankets, blocks and straps. There are not many poses covered in a single class in either because the transitions are done slowly.
 
Both stimulate the parasympathetic nervous system, promoting relaxation, stress relief and a practice to help calm the mind and reconnect to self. Both offer a soothing balance to the busyness of life – emphasizing the deliberate practice of stillness, presence and contemplation.
Where they differ is in their aim and internal experience. Yin Yoga focuses more on actively stretching the body by applying “gentle stress” to targeted connective tissues. Restorative Yoga focuses more on supporting the body, without active stretch.
There’s definitely room in your yoga practice for both. This class is taught in a way and at a pace to develop a greater sense of both practices and to better understand and help you decide what style might be better for you in each class which might vary from week to week, day to day, pose to pose, moment to moment.

Saturday Yoga (mixed levels)

Saturday Yoga classes are designed to be adaptable to a wide range of students, from beginners to more seasoned practitioners.  Emphasis is on alignment with skillful instruction, as well as time for exploration to sense and feel how yoga poses differ by design and approach. Many Saturday Yoga classes revolve around a particular theme (making for a mini-workshop style of class) or are set up to look at a few specific poses.  Classes may revolve around a particular theme,  or include poses, stretches, movements, and exercises to support a full body-mind practice. Each class involves time for relaxation, breath awareness, and stress reduction.

Stretch and Strengthen

Strength training is for everyone!  Each stretch and strengthen class starts with a warm up then transitions to a series of exercises that train the major muscle groups. Classes are planned so that regular students will progressively build strength over time. Clear instructions, demonstrations and options are provided for each exercise.  People new to strength training and those with more experience lifting can feel both challenged and successful.  Concluding with guided stretching and relaxation, this class is a fantastic compliment to a yoga movement practice.

Take A Breather (a mindful breathing and movement practice)

Take a break from the hustle and bustle of everyday life with “Take A Breather,” a mindful breathing and movement practice led by certified breath work facilitator, Margaret Townsend. This class is designed to help you find calm, clarity, and relaxation through guided breath work and gentle movement exercises. You’ll learn to deepen your awareness of your breath and connect with your body, helping you to feel more grounded and centered. Experience the power of conscious breathing and self-compassion as you soothe your nerves and quiet your mind.

Vinyasa Flow

An ever-evolving and creative form of yoga, Vinyasa Flow classes integrate breath and movement, awareness and alignment. Vinyasa is a logical arrangement and placement of asana (postures) where the intelligence is guided from within. Each class is unique and influenced primarily from Hatha yoga traditions, as well as other healing and expressive arts.

Yoga Basics

Join us for Yoga Basics, a class suitable for both beginners and seasoned practitioners. In this slower-paced class, emphasis is placed on alignment and skillful instruction to help you deepen your practice. You’ll have time for relaxation, breath awareness, and stress reduction techniques to leave you feeling refreshed and centered. Our experienced instructors will provide clear explanations and offer modifications so you can tailor each pose to your individual needs and experience level. Come explore the fundamentals of yoga with us and leave feeling rejuvenated.

Yoga for a Healthy Spine

Yoga for a Healthy Spine is a class that aims to help students improve the health of their back and spine through proper alignment, core strengthening, and tension relief. Whether you are a seasoned yogi or new to the practice, this class is designed to help you develop a preventative practice or explore lingering back issues. The class focuses on enhancing postural habits to prevent long-term negative effects to your spine, while also addressing tension and sensitivity in the back body. You will learn techniques to support proper alignment of your spine and strengthen your core, especially to support your lower back.

Yoga for Healthy Aging

Yoga is a wonderful way to maintain and build vitality as we age. In studio classes are a great opportunity to connect with others and meet new friends.

Maintaining vitality and wellness as we age is essential, and yoga is a fantastic way to achieve this. Join us in this slower-paced, accessible, and energizing yoga class designed to support a healthy mind and body. With a focus on balance, flexibility, and overall well-being, this class includes traditional yoga poses, stretching, and breath work, all aided by props. We’ll conclude each session with a restorative pose and/or a final resting pose, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and relaxed.

Whether you’re a beginner or someone who has been away from yoga for a while, this class welcomes all ages, bodies, and experience levels. Join us and connect with others while experiencing the benefits of a mindful yoga practice.