Austin Yoga Institute

This studio is one of Austin’s longest running and best educated institutions on the science and art of yoga. Iyengar Yoga is for everyone, all ages, all stages of health, any injury can be accommodated for so that it can begin to heal. With a focus on alignment and a knowledgeable use of props like blocks and straps and rope walls all poses can be modified to the practitioners level and ability. Pranayama classes are sometimes available as well.
I would give this studio one hundred stars!

I love Austin Yoga Institute and the Iyengar method. I’ve been practicing here for almost a year and I only have time to go on Saturdays, but I look forward to it every week. Patty is the best. Very understanding and thorough. You are always encouraged to take your time and do only what you feel comfortable with. It’s a great place to go if you’re a beginner. You will always feel welcome. Another thing I love is the rope wall and all of the extra supplies they have to make your yoga experience the best.
I’ve practiced at other places before and this one just feels the most down to earth and comfortable. Try it out! It’s also great that they give discounts to students and people who take public transportation. With these discounts I actually think it is cheaper than anyone else around. The classes are small too, so you don’t feel cramped and you will get more personalized attention than most other studios.

Wonderful place to learn. Peggy has long experience teaching students and teaching teachers. I learn from Esta «Seva» Herold and Peggy was one of her teachers. You can choose the depth of your involvement and the level of challenge — there are nurturing teachers to back up your choice. In my opinion AYI is for people who are serious about exploring the yoga path and it is also for those that are serious about continuing deeper along the path. I have not studied the many different paths of yoga and chose the Iyengar method based on a recommendation from someone with long experience. Looking back, the method and Austin Yoga Institute were both good choices.

One of Austin’s oldest yoga institutions staffed by some of the best trained teachers in town… The Iyengar method, which is the only flavor served here, is one of the most intensive and detailed hatha methods. In other words, you probably won’t get hurt by some Bozo with a weekend yoga teacher certification here. Its a great place to get the basics down before venturing out to other flavors. Founder Peggy Kelley has been at this stuff around forty years and has been selfless in the early promotion of yoga in Austin. I have had classes with about half of the teachers here and all were very good. If I lived South of the river, this would be my regular yoga haunt! One of the more pleasant studios physically to practice in as well… Lots of interesting art by R. J. Oehler to view normal or inverted… Ropes wall… a few doors to left of Alamo South…

I was pretty sure I was going to love the Austin Yoga Institute right away. Since my yoga training is in the Iyengar method, I sought out a Iyengar-​exclusive studio when I move to Austin. From what I can tell, the Austin Yoga Institute is the only yoga school in the city that has an Iyengar curriculum. So if you want to focus your yoga on the Iyengar method, this is definitely the place for you.
I’ve taken classes with three different teachers at this point. They all have different personalities and teaching styles, but I enjoyed working with all of them. Each is well-​trained, personable, and able to help you work around any chronic problems you might have. In addition, they all seem to be willing to help each other out, meaning that if a teacher can’t make it that day due to illness or emergency, another teacher is able to step in and help out.
Since I have a day job, I attend the 6 p.m. class on Mondays and Wednesdays. These classes have never had more than 10 peope in them. The daytime and weekend classes might be fuller, but I can’t be sure.
Another perk to the studio is that it offers teacher training in the Iyengar method. So if you want to be an Iyengar instructor, this is probably your best option. And for complete beginners to yoga, there is an 8-​week series designed for people with no yoga experience. So whether you’re just starting out, or you’re looking to become a teacher, Austin Yoga Institute has something for you.
I will warn you that the school’s fees are pretty expensive. However, there are discounts for students and for people who practice green transportation practices (taking the bus, riding a bike). And if you’re really hard up for money, the teachers are willing to work with you. So if you really want to take yoga classes but find the cost prohibitive, I encourage you to talk to one of the teachers to find out about alternative accomodations.