Reviews from our Students
Joe Pietromonaco, Ph.D., Psychologist and Screenwriter, Oakland, CA, October 2024
I recently learned Surya Kriya from Ajay of Sun and Moon Yogis. In an expression of my gratitude to Ajay, it was my idea to write this testimonial for him. I have many years of sitting meditation practice, so sitting meditation is mostly effortless and easeful for me. On the other hand, I have almost no experience in hatha yoga. I avoided hatha yoga because I am uncoordinated, not too flexible, I have poor somatic memory, and I am not exaggerating. Surya Kriya, from my understanding, is a meditative practice that involves coordinated hatha yoga asanas, pranayama breathing, and sitting meditation. It is also a very precise practice. So in learning this practice I was definitely not playing to my strengths. :) Fortunately, Ajay was exceedingly patient and kind with me. He is also exactingly precise, but he allowed me to learn slowly at my own pace, emphasizing the details of practice as I became ready for them. He highlighted that Surya Kriya is a meditation, not an exercise, so the Spirit of it resonated with me. Now I am grounded in the practice, and I look forward to doing it every single morning. If you are seeking expert guidance from a caring, patient gentleman, I highly recommend Ajay.
Update, May 2024
Post my initial review of Ajay from Sun and Moon Yogis, I’ve been honing my Surya Kriya practice. This has led to enhanced clarity, vibrancy, and heart-centeredness. Kriya Yoga and certain Hatha Yoga forms are precise and refined, with benefits amplifying as practice matures. Consequently, I had two review/correction sessions with Yamini since last October. This review was my initiative, not solicited by Yamini or Ajay. Yamini, a gentle soul with inner strength, is also a highly skilled teacher. We collaborated to effectively refine my practice. I’m grateful and eager to elevate my Surya Kriya practice.
Ruturaj, San Francisco, CA. July 2022
What was your experience of the class?"
“Wonderful! This was my second practice I learned from Yamini so I knew to expect a great experience learning my next Hatha Yoga practice. Yamini did a great job setting the right atmosphere for a conducive transmission of the practice. Her energy was kind, supportive and encouraging.”
What was your experience of the practice itself?
“I had been eager to learn this classical Hatha Yoga practice for quite some time and it met all my expectations. It is challenging, energizing, and fulfilling for my body, mind and emotions.”
Jaidev, San Francisco, CA. January 2022
Ajay is a fantastic teacher. He is patient, knowledgeable and very kind. He taught me angamardana over the course of a few days. He was very flexible to find timings that worked for me and answered all my questions. I have also recommended him to others as the practices have helped me build discipline and make my body more comfortable. Ajay puts his heart in his work and loves what he does. I am going to take more classes with him in the future.
Tana, Oakland, California. March 2022
I discovered Ajay and Yamini by searching for traditional Hatha Yoga instruction in the Bay Area. I was seeking to learn yoga that was in line with original teachings, centered on holistic well being – not just a physical practice. It was my intention to develop a daily practice to tune my mind, body, and spirit. Ajay's instruction was very thoughtful, clear, and effective. I've now been practicing daily for 3 weeks! My body feels incredible, and pain-free after years of back aches and general tension. I highly recommend these classes, and am looking forward to learning additional practices as I continue to grow as a yogi. I am grateful to have the opportunity. Thank you, Ajay & Yamini!
Jesse Jara, Pleasanton California.
"I connected with Yamini through the Isha website in April 2021. I was a bit hesitant about learning the practices when I got in touch with her but she was able and willing to communicate more about them that I ended up learning it with her shortly after we got in touch. She was very flexible with her schedule and very patient when teaching. On top of that she was available to answer questions about what I learned upon completing the course. I was so satisfied with what I learned and my experience that I ended up learning a second practice with her a few months later. I look forward to learning more from Yamini in the near future."
Davis, San Rafael, December 2020
"I recently found Yamini via the Isha Yoga website, where I was looking for certified Hatha Yoga teachers local to the Bay Area. I was so happy to find her in Oakland and emailed her right away. Since I first reached out, she has been responsive, kind, and encouraging. My wife and I have loved getting to know the daily yogic practices for wellbeing that Yamini guided us through via Zoom, and I am glad to have such a high-quality resource so close to home where I have the opportunity to come to know the deeper aspects of Hatha Yoga as well. Classes with her have been wonderful, faithful to the roots, and Yamini is such a caring teacher. Her genuine wish for the wellbeing of her students through the practice of traditional Yoga is inspiring."
Mayur, Oakland
"I have known Yamini for a few years now. I have volunteered with her at multiple programs. I had been wanting to learn the Angamardana program that Sadhguru offers for a while now. Yamini very generously offered to teach the class to me at her place at times that were convenient for me. She took a lot of care to set up a very pleasant ambiance for the program. I learned the program over a period of 4 days. Yamini was very attentive during my learning. It is evident that she cares deeply about teaching and sharing these practices. The program has done wonders for my back, spine, and general well-being. Yamini continued to answer my various questions about the practice well after the program was completed. I am very grateful to Yamini and Sadhguru for helping me add such a wonderful tool to my life."
Jade and Timo K, Walnut Creek, August 2021
“We signed up for a private yoga class with Yamini. Yamini was flexible and accommodating regarding the scheduling of the days and time. During the class, Yamini explained and demonstrated everything in detail and matched our pace. Her corrections were very helpful and allowed us to learn and remember all of the poses correctly from the beginning. Yamini followed up a few times after the class, to make sure no questions were unanswered. A few months later, we scheduled a follow-up session to make sure we were still doing our poses correctly. Similar to the class, she was great with correcting our poses and answering our questions. We are planning to take more classes with Yamini. We highly recommend working with Yamini – she is a very pleasant instructor, it was fun, and you will learn a lot!”