welcome to your yoga home.
we believe that all bodies are yoga bodies.
we work hard to make sure that every body that steps on the mat with us feels welcome, comfortable, and safe.
we teach you how to use yoga to feel your best: physically, mentally, and emotionally.
we love working with skeptics, newbies, and experienced yogis alike.
we're more than just a studio; we're a community.
(and we always have chocolate.)
this is yoga for real life. come experience the difference for yourself.
We offer two types of yoga: Flow and Yin. (More on that below.)
We never "heat" our classes - the room is always kept at a comfy 72-74 degree temperature.
We offer modifications and props so that you can tailor the practice to your personal needs and goals.
We're totally secular - no religious music, chanting, altars, or references of any kind.
We keep our teaching down to earth and based on anatomical science. (In other words, we skip the hippie-dippie stuff.)
We play great music to give your mind something to focus on instead of your to-do list.
In Flow (or "Vinyasa") yoga, we link our movements to our breath to create a rhythmic practice. We offer classes for all experience levels, and our sensible class names, clear descriptions, and strong studio standards ensure that you always get the experience you expect.
This style of yoga is fantastic for all levels of experience, and is focused on deep stretching and relaxation. Yin is a therapeutic practice that is an amazing complement to high intensity workouts (like running, triathloning, etc.). It's also great for people whose bodies are stiff from sitting at a desk all day.
welcome to my studio... i'm thrilled you're here!
Hi! I'm Alia. I'm a recovering-attorney-turned-entrepreneur, and after a long and winding journey, found my calling as a yoga teacher and studio owner. I practiced for nearly five years as a big law associate before jumping ship to build a career that actually used my superpowers and passions. Two years - and a few other careers - later, I opened East Side Yoga, my first yoga studio, in Washington, DC in early 2015.
Four years later, I moved back to my hometown of Austin, TX and opened Oak + Lotus, my second studio, in the rapidly growing St. Elmo District of south Austin.
When COVID-19 hit in 2020, I had to make the heartbreaking decision to permanently close the DC studio. However, I was able to unite our community online under the Oak + Lotus umbrella, and am so grateful that the internet allows us to stay connected and continue practicing together.
I've been practicing yoga since 2008, and I'll be perfectly frank: my journey as a student involved sifting through a lot of hippie-dippie stuff to get down to the truly powerful benefits that yoga has to offer. It also involved ignoring all of the intimidating, unrealistic images of "yoga" flooding social media and building a practice that truly suited my needs.
I began teaching yoga because I knew I couldn't be the only person who craved a practical approach to yoga that wasn't all about seeing how far I could push my body. My mission as a teacher is to bring yoga to people who think it isn't for them, or who've tried it but didn't like it because they were either freaked out by the religious stuff or felt intimidated, rather than welcomed, by the other folks in the studio. And to people who already love yoga, but are looking for a down-to-earth, alignment-focused practice that still maintains the musical rhythm of the vinyasa flow style.
The mission behind my yoga studios is to build a community of folks who, like me, are looking for that "Goldilocks" yoga experience: not too corporate or aggressive, but not too woo-woo crunchy either. From the moment you walk in, you'll notice that we do things a little bit differently from other yoga studios. I hope you love it as much as I do.
- shayna f.
Best yoga studio I've ever been to. Everyone is so friendly and builds a trusting community. I've been going there less than 1 week and have already been 5 times and feel completely at home there. Incredible instructors, relaxing atmosphere, and just such down to earth, kind vibe. It feels like a true oasis each time I go, and feel like I can escape the hectic chaotic culture of DC. They embrace mindfulness and self acceptance. I couldn't recommend this enough!
- emily h.
I never thought I would do yoga, let alone enjoy it. I thought it was meant for a certain body type and that I would be immediately judged just stepping into the studio. I couldn't have been more wrong based on my experience here. The staff was warm and inviting and made me feel comfortable enough to admit that I had never done yoga and I was very intimidated. They eased my nerves and assured me that I was welcome regardless of my flexibility, strength, balance, or knowledge of any yoga poses or phrases. After just 3 classes, I already feel more confident about not just my yoga practice but also about my body. If you're a newbie to yoga or you've been intimidated by your past yoga experiences, I cannot recommend this studio enough for you.
- sara f.
Great studio! Let's be honest, yoga can be an intimidating environment for newbies. There are all sort of stereotypes for the "who" of yogis. I don't wear lululemon; I love cheeseburgers; and I have zero core muscles! With that said, I enjoy yoga and wanted a comfortable studio. Found it all here! A wonderful studio to clear your mind and heal.