Sun & Moon Yoga Studio

Though I have had to interrupt my classes at Sun & Moon due to a separate injury, I highly recommend this studio.
The facilities are clean and welcoming; instructors are well-​trained and friendly. They try their best to keep participants comfortable and safe while learning yoga poses and breathing.
I have found the stress relief and physical health benefits I experienced here extremely rewarding and will go back as soon as I am able!

This is an amazing place for yoga… the
owner and manager and volunteers are first rate. I love the quiet and tranquil space they have created for helping to create a peaceful space for yoga. It is a beautiful, loving and supportive place to get away from stresses of society. And my teen daughter loves her weekly yoga here with friends. Truly a very special place.

This studio is yet another reason why I am proud to call Cherrydale home! Great classes, wonderful atmosphere, and dedicated staff.

This is a beautiful yoga studio. When I walk in I am immediately taken in by the feng shui design. Someone here thinks about space, flow and peaceful elegance.
They display local artists works on the walls.
Their instructors are wonderful – caring and fun.
Even more they are part of the fabric of the Maywoodian community. Wonderful values, people and spirit.
The one downside of this studio for me is that the yoga classes are pretty relaxed. You have to root around to find one that will make you sweat. Though interestingly — the more I go, the more I find the gentle yoga is a powerful tonic for me.
I am so grateful to have this yoga studio within a block of my home.

I am reviewing the Ashtanga Mysore Program. I started Mysore practice with Tova in mid November. I had practiced power yoga on and off but was primarily a rock-​climber. I was tight and stiff. My fiancé self-​practiced Ashtanga at home for over a year and a half by himself. He waited for Tova to establish herself after she taught at a different studio and wanted us both to learn under her. His recommendation was that we learn under someone with lineage to the source of Ashtanga since Tova is one of the few to be authorized to teach Mysore. This was very important to him. It was one of the best decisions of my life. Mysore style is learning directly from the teacher and not in a group together. Before you know it, you have an hour plus of the Ashtanga primary series memorized to your own breath and pace. Tova will work with you one on one while other practioners around you go through their own practice. I was initially concerned that being not flexible was a detriment, but Mysore style ensures that any person regardless of weight or size, can learn each posture with modifications. There are students who are as young as 15 to as old as mid 60s!
The fact that you self-​practice in a safe and supportive environment is wonderful. If you want to take it slow one day, you can, if you feel that you have extra energy, the practice can be as physically demanding as you need it to be. The main point is working on your concentration and breath. I also love that Mysore practice is in the mornings in between a set time. Since it is a self-​practice, you just need to ensure that your practice is completed by closing. You can come in as early or as late as you need to.
The community at Sun & Moon is wonderful. It lacks the showmanship that is prevalent at most other studios. Annie, who I believe helps with the administration of the studio is actually a Mysore student herself, and her young daughter! Everyone is so nice and kind. Tova is an amazing teacher and has built a wonderful room full of friends that we see nearly every day.

This review is for the Ashtanga Mysore program by Tova Steiner.
Sun & Moon is quite possibly, one of the most beautiful studios I have ever had the pleasure practicing in. Located in a nondescript small plaza on Lee Highway in Cherrydale, the interior is an oasis of calm. Upon entering, a rather impressive collection of yoga and spiritual books are available on a beautiful, open, bookcase to the right. Walk through the hallway and you are greeted with multiple rooms for practice. They are large, clean, and oh-​so-​spacious with 20 ft. ceilings. The flooring is a lovely cork-​meets-​wood design. Multiple changing rooms are available for the men and women, and hot tea is available at no charge.
I am so thrilled that Tova, formerly leading the Mysore program at Little River Yoga, is here now. This area desperately needed a Mysore program. Before I continue, Ashtanga Mysore is a style of yoga taught by a teacher to the student, posture by posture. It was founded by Sri K. Patthabi Jois, in Mysore, India. What exactly does this mean? Instead of a led style class, with a teacher guiding a room of practitioners, the teacher works with you one-​on-​one in Mysore style, guiding you through the Ashtanga sequence posture by posture. You learn to develop your own practice, at your own breath and pace. It is completely individualized and customized to your own body.
On your first morning, you may learn the Sun Salutations A & B, followed by a few additional postures (20 – 30 minutes total). You arrive the next morning, unroll your mat while other practitioners move through their own practice beside you, and you simply go through the sequence you learned. And if Tova, for example, feels that you are comfortable, she may add an additional posture. This will continue until you learn the entire sequence (there are numerous series/​sequences, although the majority of practioners will stay in either primary (1^st series) or second series. In my opinion, it is by far the most safe and effective form of learning. There is NO intimidation factor.
The majority of vinyasa flow style classes including all power yoga, is an off-​shoot of Ashtanga. But quite frankly, it is the kid brother or sister, or an off-​shoot cousin. You just can’t compare. Ashtanga links each movement with breath and concentration, and as you learn the sequence, a transformation occurs. You are taken on a meditative roller coaster of focus and physical effort within the boundaries of your own body at that present time. I say all of this to set the stage of how wonderful this practice is. Young to old, all are welcome to this practice. To say that this practice has changed my life is the greatest understatement.
Tova is Level 2 authorized, which holds significant weight. Without getting into too much context, authorization requires multiple visits to Mysore, India, to the birthplace of Ashtanga at the K. Pattabhi Jois Ashtanga Yoga Institute. There is no teacher’s training weekend. You can’t purchase a certificate. Only dedicated visits, demonstrated knowledge and passion for the practice grant you a blessing to teach. In essence, Tova has made the sacrifice of stepping away from family and friends, to practice with her teacher at KPJAYI, for at minimum, a month, at a time for years. I have self-​practiced Ashtanga for two years and I was to the moon when I found out that Tova would be leading a program at Sun & Moon as authorized teachers are few and far between in this area (perhaps 2 – 3 in the DC metro area?).
I am completing my first full week of practice with Tova, and I feel that I have known her for a lifetime. My lady, who is completely new to Ashtanga, and I are blown away at the level of one-​to-​one teaching she provides to each student. Within just one week, my own practice has made leaps because of the attention to detail Tova provides and she actively encourages her students to ask questions. She has been blessed with not only her own practice, but the ability to teach and convey clearly and warm-​heartedly.
Ashtanga Mysore is taught in the morning between the hours of 5:30am-8:30am. If you are new, please email Tova (
). If you read this review, I sincerely hope you give Ashtanga Mysore with Tova a try!

I tried the mediation class on a Sunday evening and really enjoyed it. I had never tried mediating other than in my own home so I went into it with an open mind. It was more difficult that I had imagined because you don’t realize how hard focusing on your breathing/​trying to clear your mind can be. The instructor was so kind and encouraged me to come back since I was a beginner. I would absolutely recommend people of all ages to try this out if you need to slow down and relax. Not only is it a great way to start your week but it is FREE… donations are accepted and are given to children and women that are homeless. I plan to go back– just have an open mind and give it a chance!

I went to the 4:30 Levels ²⁄₃ yoga class today with Jackie, and I was seriously disappointed. I chose a lower level class because it was a new studio, and I really wasn’t feeling flexible today.
The facility: large, perfect temperature, free mats/​blocks/​blankets/​etc., nice design, free tea, locker rooms and bathrooms for men and women. A+ for all of those things. The first class is free, which was great.
The class: The asanas were done with little to no guidance — sometimes the instructor didn’t even model the pose, even though there were new students in the class. They were also done without any breathing guidance. The instructor simply suggested, halfway into the class, that we see how it feels to breath with our movements (which I was already doing on my own). For me, pranayama is one of the most important parts of the practice! She did help a few people adjust their poses, but it wasn’t constant enough. Also, she asked us how we felt after a certain set of postures, which I thought was a waste of class time and something that she could have done at the end of the class. We did very few postures, and for those that only worked one side of the body, we weren’t told when to switch sides. This resulted in many people spending five minutes in the posture working their left side and only one minute working their right side, for example.
In my opinion, this is a studio for people who don’t know what real yoga is/​feels like.

I arrived on time at their Fairfax location to fill out whatever I needed to for a level 2 class. They advertised «First Class Free» and I figured it would be great to try out since I lived nearby. Especially since I love yoga, and I’ve taken classes for about a year now. So I come in, and say I’ve never taken a class in their studios before and I’m a local resident blah blah blah, and suddenly, the woman behind the counter is charging me $ 60! Without a single word other than asking for my credit card! I said, «wait a minute, I thought this was free?» She said it was, that I was paying for the next 4 classes. WHAT?! Then a yoga instructor who was just letting her next class out, said that apparently «dropping in» is $ 20. The «free» session is only from buying the next four sessions, get the fifth free.
I just went ahead and paid the $ 20 because I still just wanted to try it out. The floor was filthy and had so many stains on it, I didn’t want to take my shoes off. They told me the area was the shoes free area, and I begrudgingly removed my shoes. The class was nice, and the room was huge, but I felt I was getting a pilates class more than a yoga class. And I found myself evaluating everything, like, «My God, they are charging $ 20 a class and they can’t even clean their floors?» or «I still can’t believe how expensive this place is for the location, upkeep, and useless equipment. I had never seen so many exercise balls and in different sizes in a yoga studio. So that’s what I’m paying for? Ugh. I asked about how often those sessions were, and I received a very vague answer of «a quarter». What?
Usually yoga studios ask for like a few hundred dollars and you have 3 months to spend an unlimited amount of classes. These people only let you take one class a week for apparently, a «quarter» (whatever the heck that means). Overall, this place left a terrible taste in my mouth and I will not be returning.

BOTTOM LINE
Tranquil environment alone does not make a good studio. Great for relaxation not to challenge yourself.
**Peaceful Space**
Sun and Moon is one of the longest established yoga studios in Northern Virginia. When I first found them years ago, I was just glad to find *anything* related to yoga. Great for anyone totally new to yoga or fitness. The studios are immaculate and very peaceful.
**Limited Drop-​in**
Sun and Moon offers classes quarterly, requiring students to sign up by course (one class a week). Again, great for beginners so that they can set a goal for themselves to to attend a yoga class weekly. But any level beyond that, incredibly frustrating. Once a week as a real exercise practice does not cut it. Other studios in the DC area allow you to buy a package of classes. Using this approach, you choose your class based on the studio’s schedule (because you *are* smart enough to figure it out and maybe want to do it more than once a week). You can drop-​in but the studio heavily caveats that classes may not be able to accomodate you.
**Restorative Yoga Only, No Matter the Class**
My main issue with Sun and Moon is that they need to more accurately label themselves as a restorative studio. I dropped in to a Vinyasa 2 – 3 class. I asked how advanced it was and was told strongly intermediate. Um, no. Nothing Vinyasa, 2 – 3 or intermediate about it.
No fast-​paced flow, no inversions (not even on the wall), no binding. A lot of seated assisted stretches with a ton of props. That is at best Yin yoga (which can be wonderful) not the Vinyasa I signed up for.
I tried to give then a chance and later took a Level ¾ class. Wow, finally some standing poses but nothing intermediate or advanced about it.
**Look Elsewhere For a Workout**

I really needed to get myself moving and being new to the Arlington area I was ready to try anything. Sun and Moon Yoga was walking distance from my apartment, had convenient class times, and a variety of classes to get me moving.
I love that I don’t need to bring my own mat, belt, or blocks. I just mosey on into the building, store my shoes in a cute little cubby (reminiscent of kindergarten) and practice. I think one of the best things about Sun and Moon Yoga is the flexible drop in schedule. If I can’t make my normal Tuesday class, I can pop in Wednesday or Saturday, no problem. Everyone is so friendly and helpful that I plan on adding more classes to my schedule next time around.

I love Sun and Moon. I have been coming to the studio for over 3 years now, and continue to cross the river even as I have moved from VA to DC.
I have tried several classes, and they’ve all been great, even if some appealed more to my personal tastes in yoga than other. Amir is great for beginners, anyone with an injury and people who want to spend time learning proper alignment. Allegra is lots of fun and a good relaxing class, not too challenging. Carol is wonderful, she’s just found this perfect blend of feeling like you’re working out but also connecting at a deeper level with your body and relaxing. Nirinjan’s pilates class is also excellent.
The studio itself is very welcoming, nice airy rooms, parking, a great little store. The new massage studio downstairs is an added bonus.

Finally! I found my yoga in VA! I have been living here for 2 years now, and have tried several yoga centers out… and this place is it! They have large rooms, you are not on top of your neighbor, the instructors are fantastic, the prices are reasonable, and there is parking!!!

Do you wan to practice yoga in a room that feels like a womb? Then Sun and Moon yoga is for you. Specializing in hatha yoga (though they do have some vinyasa classes as well), this space is calming and complete. They have all the equipment you would need, and the teachers are great. You can sign up for 3 month sessions at a discounted price, or the drop in rate is $ 20 dollars for most classes. And, of course as others have mentioned the first class is free to people to live locally.

Great yoga studio. Beautiful space. Gentle teachers. Accepting of all bodies and yoga levels. Lots of breathwork, philosophy and meditation in each class. You walk out feeling inspired and empowered to practice yoga at home or work throughout the day.
Love, love, love! Have found my yoga home.

My first ever yoga class was at Sun & Moon Yoga with Amir, and I became hooked from then on. I went to the class really just curious because I’d heard so much about yoga, but not really knowing what to expect.
I had been a dancer for many years but had never really learned how to stretch properly. Amir was wonderful in teaching beginners of all ages and abilities, and even in just one class he helped me with my alignment. I felt so renewed afterwards: calm, but energetic – a feeling that has kept me practicing yoga regularly for the past 5 years.
Amir and all of the other instructors at Sun & Moon are very knowledgeable and accomodating to all students. They have a gentle approach to teaching all the important aspects of yoga, including the physical, mental, emotional, and even spiritual (if you want it to be spiritual).
The space is really nice, tucked away across from the Cherrydale Fire Department (no, I never heard any sirens). The classes are a bit pricey, but most yoga classes are these days. They offer loads of hatha yoga classes for all levels. I’ve never seen them offer more rigorous styles of yoga, such as ashtanga, so don’t expect to break into a big sweat at most of these classes. But their restorative yoga classes are delicious.
I left Arlington and have gone on to practice more rigorous yoga elsewhere, but I’ll always remember that first experience at Sun & Moon Yoga.

In case you can’t tell where exactly on Lee Hwy this place is like me, it’s a short distance west of the Italian Store (maybe even just west of Safeway) I’m terrible with gauging distance.
A beautiful space for a yoga practice. Once you walk in past the reception are you enter a sanctuary of calm. With the fiber carpets and the curving pastel walls and wicker chairs where you can wait to enter one of two studios. I got kinda lost finding the bathrooms and changing room in the back, but I finally found the place to hang up my coat and secure my shoes.
The studio itself was serene and tranquil fully equiped with mats, blankets, blocks and belts that you would need for your practice. The instructor was really bubbly friendly and was very knowledgeable in various poses she walked us through. I especially liked how she showed poses that builds up to the basics of sun salutations.
Will still have to try other classes at different times, but this place is high on my list.

I’ve only been going there for a couple of weeks now but my wife has been going for several years. As a yoga-​phobe, I’ve resisted doing it for years since yoga isn’t a «man’s sport» but back, shoulder and neck problems have forced my hand.
After only a couple of sessions with Amir, I can tell the difference already. Amir is great. He used to play contact hockey so I know he can kick my butt. He played until back problems sidelined him. Yoga healed him so he can play again.
The studio was recently redecorated and is very tranquil and peaceful. Many of my fellow classmates have been taking classes with Amir for awhile. Many are there for the relaxation and stress therapy.
Very nice experience so far… highly recommend it… even for guys!

I don’t give five stars easily, so take note.
I’ve been to several yoga studios and nothing has been quite as comfortable as Sun and Moon. The environment is tranquil, the people are friendly, the equipment is clean and in good repair. I’ve taken at least seven sessions of classes, starting at «level one» and I have always been encouraged, I’ve been relaxed, and I’ve never been pushed. I have had four different teachers through this studio and they have all had different approaches and personalities, but they’ve all worked to understand my situation and my limits. I have never felt like I did not get attention that I needed, nor have I felt uncomfortable because I was getting too much attention (as yoga practice can be a very personal thing).
If I could come up with one complaint, it would be that the schedule doesn’t include a weekday session that starts around 7:00 am so I could do my yoga practice in the morning. It seems that I always arrive for the evening sessions stressed from a hurried commute.

Sun & Moon was originally referred to me by my doctor, and she said that many patients and friends had consistently recommended it with high reviews. So I decided to give it a shot, and I must say that I have to agree with her and all those other people.
I’ve only been to a few classes so far, but I really enjoyed them. The staff and instructors are very knowledgeable, helpful, and friendly. The Arlington location surprised me because while it looks tiny from the outside, it actually has two large studio rooms with high ceilings. Best of all, the classes were not overly crowded and they also offer special workshops and events in addition to their classes. As Jennifer S. mentioned, they offer the first class FREE so it was fun to try it out before committing. They also provide equipment (yoga mats, blocks, etc…) if you don’t feel like bringing your own.