yoga works divisadero

By: Shanti Michaels

We’d all love to sneak off in the middle of a hectic week and practice yoga in luxurious spa environment, wouldn’t we? If only.

Yoga Works Divisadero is a beautiful, spacious new yoga studio in San Francisco’s Pacific Heights neighborhood. The original vision is to be a place “offering quality yoga in high-end clean and comfortable facilities.” This is exactly what you will find it in abundance here. The studio opened in February 2006 as the YOGAStudio with an open house featuring free classes and massage, and people pouring in the door for a sneak preview of the city’s newest yoga sensation.  

The space is truly beautiful with gleaming hardwood floors, skylights, Zen-like China-white walls, miniature Buddha effigies at the front of each of the three practice rooms and large leaf statues hanging from the ceilings. The studio’s store offers a vast array of merchandise, all carefully arranged for aesthetics as much as utility. Almost any color yoga mat you could hope for is sold at Yoga Works, each color carefully organized into its own cubby shelf, bringing a powerful color spectrum to the lounge/lobby area. Tea is ready, hot and waiting for practitioners, and a whole wall of small cubbies are available to leave shoes and small extraneous articles before going into class. The studio offers conveniences like showers in both the yogis’ and yoginis’ restrooms.

The studio is served by a full roster of teachers offering a wide range of classes, plus retreats and teacher trainings. With at least fifteen classes on weekdays and ten classes on Saturdays and Sundays, students have their pick of teachers and styles. Most of the classes on the schedule are titled according to level, while only a few advertise a particular yoga style. Students, can choose a full membership package in which classes are unlimited, take single classes for $20 per session or community classes for $12 per session during the weekday lunch hour.

A particularly unique offering at this studio is a free personal consultation with Anna Fischer, a knowledgeable “YOGAGuide” who has a background ranging from fitness training to medical centers to spa management. Anna helps students through assisting in the design of a personal yoga class plan, to encourage students to work at their own pace towards health, healing and transformation.

Providing a sort of one-stop shopping for yoga practitioners looking for a touch of luxury, Tea Garden Springs are integrated into the new studio’s offerings, in partnership with Marin-based Zenspa. The spa is currently constructing facilities directly above the San Francisco space, and is taking reservations directly through the studio. 

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