Defying Gravity

Beyond Yoga Teaches Its Students That the Mat Is a Sanctuary, the Hammock Training for Real Life, and Yoga a Way of Life.

- Alyssa Lapid

“The philosophy of yoga is to quiet the mind by quieting the body,” begins Benedict Bernabe, managing partner, head of operations, and yoga teacher at Beyond Yoga. Tucked in an unassuming corner in San Juan, this yoga studio prides itself in offering challenging yoga classes while also instilling the discipline required in meditation—one that aims to help its practitioners conquer the stresses of daily life.

It sounds like a goal near impossible, yet the instructors at Beyond Yoga are evangelists of the practice. “It’s not a competitive sport, you are not competing with anyone else in the room, you are competing with your own mind.” Guided by this philosophy, the mat then becomes more than a prop—it becomes a place of Zen, a sanctuary of sorts, to practice breathing, to still the mind, and to surpass one’s own limiting beliefs.

ALL ON THE FLOOR

“Beyond Yoga is well known for its Vinyasa classes. Vinyasa 1, which is our entry level but challenging at the same time. Vinyasa 2 challenges your strength and flexibility a lot more,” beams Bernabe of the classes that they teach. While other studios offer the same classes, Bernabe doesn’t skip a beat in sharing that the difficulty in their classes is what sets them apart. The approach is also very technical. “When they enter we set the students’ expectation for the class and their growth in the studio. We make sure that everyone gets corrected so they know the alignments better and their bodies better.”