.Best Yoga Studio

As overused and cliché as the word “community” is, that’s exactly what comes to mind when describing Adeline Yoga Studio: There isn’t a more welcoming, comfortable yoga studio in the East Bay. Since Heather Haxo Phillips, an East Bay native who is among the highest certified Iyengar yoga teachers in the East Bay, took over in January, the studio has been undergoing constant improvements. During a weekend of renovation efforts in April, troves of students turned out to help. The studio defies all of the annoying superficial conventions that are sometimes associated with yoga — that it’s for the rich, young, thin, and white. At Adeline, students are all ages and skill levels. Focus is placed on precision and alignment; teachers encourage students to listen to their bodies and modify poses as needed, and there’s always enough time to get into a position that will actually serve you. Classes are never so packed that you need to fear being elbowed by a Lululemon-clad twenty-year-old with an eight-pack. If you can’t afford to make a regular commitment, sliding-scale community classes are offered three times a week. Adeline is all substance and no flash.