portland yoga collective

PYC and Kindling Collective are teaming up for a special Pride edition of our monthly Free Q***r Yoga class!

Expect the Free Q***r Yoga class with Hail (they/them) you know and love, with a few extra treats! We’ll have seltzers and snacks from , as well as extra yoga mats for you to borrow and yes, even take home, at the end of the class if you want or need one!

New to Q***r Yoga? Here’s what you can expect:

This slow flow class consists of 60-minutes of gentle movement. It honors q***rness by inviting curiosity, consent and authenticity into our practice. Choice-based instruction will provide options, and more time to set up, to explore the version of a shape that’s right for you. The aim of this offering is a q***r affirming space to move gently (or not) and connect with ourselves and each other (if you want!). Come nap, or flow; chat, or speak to no one; soak up the energy of an exclusively q***r space.

This class is free to attend. Class is taking place at Hinckley Park in South Portland at 5:30pm. Come a bit early to give yourself enough time to park and walk to the field.

Join us for a special class in honor of Juneteenth, with 100% of donations going to our friends at . Rooted in the celebration of Black freedom and the ongoing work of collective liberation, this gathering invites us to practice presence, community care, movement and rest as we imagine and build a more equitable future together.

In this class, we will explore the basics of Vinyasa flow and end in gentle, floor-based Restorative postures supported by yoga props. Class is designed to be accessible and supportive, with a focus on helping students make empowered choices that feel right for their bodies. It will offer a safe and supportive environment to explore movement with curiosity and rejuvenation through rest.

This class is FREE for all to attend. Donations of $5-$25 are encouraged, with 100% of donations going to The Third Place.

Unable to join, but interested in donating? Please email
[email protected]. We’ll also be collecting donations at the front desk all week!

🗓️ Save the Date 🗓️ June 8-13 we’re celebrating our 5th birthday all. week. long.

Pro tip: scroll ahead in Mindbody and check out the Throwback Thursday class themes. They are SO GOOD.

It is an honor and joy to share that the PYC teaching team continues to grow! Please join me in giving our newest instructor Gloria (she/ella) a warm welcome! Gloria will be joining our class schedule this fall - until then, be sure to say hi when you catch her in the studio! Gloria - tell us about yourself!

🇨🇴🌊 Hi! I’m Gloria, and I was born in Colombia and have called Maine home for 26 years. I love Portland’s walkability, its open green spaces, the ocean and especially its vibrant community. I work in community building and have a background in public health.

🧘🏾🦁 I started practicing yoga 27 years ago with a prenatal yoga class and haven’t stopped
practicing since! Yoga has been a companion through many life healing events and practicing to be in the present moment. I was so pleased to deepen my practice by taking part in the PYC YTT with Christina and Tizzy and discover it brings me great joy guiding others to drop into this moment with breathwork and mindful movement. Facilitating yoga (beyond the asana) has been incredibly fun and joyful, and I am so looking forward to offerings with the PYC community.  I am grounded in several traditions of healing: meditation, somatic embodiment, mindfulness and Reiki, and bring all of those things to the practice on the mat. To note: there will most likely be LIONS BREATH if we practice together!

🏊🏼‍♀️👩🏼‍🌾 I love playing with clay, and it’s a great way to practice being in the moment and also practice giving away creations! Open-water swimming is also an invigorating and meditative practice of mine, a way to be fully with the ocean. I love the smell and feel of salt water all around me (and a wetsuit keeps me cozy). Silent meditation retreats are how I really come back to center, a time I value immensely. Meditation in all its forms is keeping me going in this chaotic time and that’s what I want to share with the PYC community. I can also be found in the winter cross-country skiing and in the non-snowy times digging in the community garden on the East End.

We just returned from Koh Lanta, Thailand after our first international PYC retreat! What a sweet, unforgettable journey.

It’s hard to articulate the experience. The water was warm, the sun was hot and the food was delicious (very, very delicious).

We got completely soaked celebrating Thai New Year (Songkran), rolled out our mats for daily yoga to the sound of the birds, shared quiet moments in beach meditation, walked alongside elephants and spent a full day island hopping by boat.

But the very best part was the people. A group of strangers at the start who slowly became something closer by the end, through shared experiences, long days and a lot of laughter.

Thank you for trusting us with your time and your presence. We’re so grateful you were part of it. We love you, keep going!

Next year’s retreat destination is already in motion. Stay tuned 💛

SAVE THE DATES

Your favorite events of the summer are making a comeback – and y’alllllll, some are bigger and better than ever! Mark your calendars – these are ones you won’t want to miss!

We are so grateful for a full weekend of workshops with !

Her work brings a kind of depth that’s hard to put into words...less about adding something new (though you can be sure her book is one of a kind), more about giving closer attention to what’s already here. The way she invites critical inquiry, especially when examining yoga’s history through feminist and decolonial lenses, created space for deeper reflection and more honest conversation.

Anjali sparked genuine inquiry. Rather than leaving with neat answers, we all left with more meaningful questions. In that way, it felt like a true learning experience.

Thank you for joining us, Anjali, to lead two powerful workshops an our quarterly team meeting! We are so appreciative of the space you held and everything that came through it (including a little dance party). We miss you already!

Hear from some of our incredible 2025 YTT graduates on their experience with PYC’s Yoga Teacher Training.

Our next training kicks off this fall! Questions on what to expect? Sling us a DM!

p.s. Please enjoy these images from when it was warm enough to practice on the prom 😎🥹

This summer we’re taking a very special PYC adventure into the Western Mountains of Maine, and we’d love for you to join us!

Retreat co-leads Kat and Casey will be your guides for this long weekend getaway August 7-10 at the Flagstaff Lake Hut.

Just imagine…twice daily yoga practices; meals prepared by PYC Fitness Manager and private chef Jennifer; optional outdoor activities like hiking, nature walking & floating in a kayak; time to relax and lounge & read by the lake – and so much more!

We can’t wait to sit around the fire with you and stargaze — swoon!

Space is limited – link in bio to learn more & rsvp!