Devanand Yoga Center has been my Home for the last fifteen years. It has enabled me to stay in shape. I owe it to DYC, that I am flexible, and stronger in my forties than I was in my twenties. The center is genuinely dedicated to helping people of diverse abilities attain their finest potential for that day-- a true non-profit in practice and spirit. Now comes the most important part, that is the Yoga teacher. At the Devanand Yoga center we have a master teacher who has honed his practice and teaching through the years and attained a deep knowledge and understanding of Hatha yoga. He is creative with his routines, humble and compassionate in his approach, and safe in his technique. As opposed to other studios, he practices with his class and knows how far and how long to hold. He uses humor to make everyone feel included in their yoga journey. This is crucial in a practice such as yoga, that it cultivate fitness in a NON-COMPETITIVE manner. Perfection is not the aim here and one competes with no one. We are encouraged to close our eyes while we practice. At the same time, very easily the yoga routines at DYC challenge the body.. work up a sweat, and leave you exhilarated. There is a great emphasis on internalizing body awareness, alignment, and tuning in to our selves as we move. Finally, each routine is different.. has been different for the last several years. Forget sameness, have no set expectation before a class. Unroll a mat and be prepared to discover. Pause and just relax in between if you want to. Take a break. Last but not the least, PROPS. From time to time, the teacher introduces straps, weights, chairs and the use of yoga room walls to enable a student to reach farther and experience deeper stretching. If this is what you are looking for come in and practice. Close your eyes so you see no one else but follow only your breath and the lucid instruction of the yoga teacher. read more

6 Stars Solid! Wait, can I do that? Whatever, I just did! I've been coming here for four years. I first discovered doing Yoga as part of my workout regiment when I first tried P90X. The Yoga in that video was long, difficult, and the same exact thing each week. Honestly, everyone hated that video, lol. It also lacked something I discovered was essential... passionate instructors who could help you improve along the way. Devanand has been open for nearly 25 years and it is one of the oldest Yoga Centers in Houston. So many places are about trends. You won't find Bikram or Hot Yoga here. You will however, find Hatha, Vinyasa and enough variety between the weeks and instructors to keep you wanting to return. Located towards the back corner of the shopping center, the setup is simple. Show up and give it a try. If you like it, keep coming. Being a not-for-profit organization they will never ask you for payment. Payment is on the honor system, and honestly I'm behind... but I intend to catch back up. They are more than deserving. The cost is $15 per class or $89 a month. Whichever ends up being less. The money is simply for the lease and to keep the lights on. None of the Instructors receive a dime. They do it because they love it. Everyone is welcome, and no one has ever been turned away (unless the place is beyond capacity, it's only happened once that I've witnessed). Needless to say, it's 2017 and most of the resistance to Yoga as being something taboo, has passed. People come here for a variety of reasons. For some, it's spiritual. For others it's about releasing the stress of the day. For others, like me, it's probably the most important part of my fitness regiment. I typically come on Wednesdays with an occasional Monday here and there. Both those nights are led by Rafael. He is the favorite of everyone who takes his class and has become a good friend. I've had the opportunity to experience classes by other Instructors, usually Aileen who is normally there on a different night. She and others have been substitutes on the nights Rafael has been out, and they each bring a different style and feel to the class. Do check out their classes and see what they have to offer. As for Rafael, he brings a very relaxed atmosphere to the class. He combines great instruction with a little humor. You will never be told you can't take an extra break or feel bad for not being able to get into a more advanced pose. (Well, he will with me, lol. The perks of knowing him for years). The class is about you and your body, not anyone else around you. Over time, this will sink in. He offers variety from week to week. Some days are what he calls "sleepy yoga". Some days he turns up the tempo leaving you soaking wet when you finish. Often we will spice things up by using either the wall, chairs, straps, or weights (2-3lbs max). The typical Rafael class starts at 6:30pm with Mantra Chanting. My first time, my friends warned me this might be weird to me. It wasn't. Rafael will usually explain the meaning behind chanting to new students. This is where you will hear them chant "Hare Krishna" and other Mantras mixed with some simple instruments. It can be spiritual if you want it to be, or not. It is intended as a meditation and that's what I use it as. I'll lay on my back for 30 minutes and just relax. As they have explained, and best I can sum it up: It's not them being musicians, but rather creating a sound, a vibration, about positive things to create calming positive energy through the meditation. Don't feel bad if you don't get it the first day, lol. Over the past four years, I am constantly improving on core strength, balance, posture, flexibility, endurance, breathing and more. With your permission, Rafael will help you achieve more out of the poses by physically helping you. Him pushing me to go for more has really helped me and is always the "Ah-Ha" moment when my body figures out how far it can go. I've come to class after a bad day feeling anywhere from sad to angry and I always leave there feeling calm and relaxed. This is one thing I intend to keep going to as long as they are open. I hope to see you there. read more

I have always wanted to get into yoga but never made the time to do it. I was browsing on Groupon and came across a deal for this center. I decided this would be a good start for me and since the center is so close to my home I have no reason to not go. I went to my first class yesterday and it was a packed room but there was enough space for everyone. I was a little tense before arriving because I had a pretty hectic day. As soon as I stepped into the center I felt a sense of calm. Rafael is absolutely amazing and very kind. He explained every position that we were in. He was very good at showing us how to pay attention to our bodies. He emphasized numerous times that this is not a race you do only what your body allows you to do. He had no problem walking around the room to make sure we were doing our best in each pose and he has an amazing sense of humor which is very soothing. I am definitely looking forward to my next class with everyone. I am very happy I came across this place and I would recommend it to anyone that is interested in yoga whether you are a beginner or advanced you will appreciate the class. read more

I got an amazing deal on one of the groupon-like sites, and decided to try this place out. I came in on a Saturday when they have Chanting, and Medidation Yoga. Let me tell you though I have only participated in physical commercialized yoga previously. Rafeal (sp?) welcomed me, told me I had no need for my towels and water bottle and mat (you can tell I come prepared to such events) and to join them in the small room in the back. This was definitely a spiritual yoga session. They chanted, and prayed, and opened it up for discussion. It is Hindu in origin, but by no means did they override anyone's religious beliefs, this was not a Hindu conversion session or anything of the matter. After class I stayed and we had a fun open discussion with several of the members, as I know very little about Hindu and other religions. This was very insightful. I will definitely be back to check out the lighter yoga classes, where you stretch and do weird poses, lol. But honestly, this is a very fun locale I definitely recommend trying out. read more

I had the pleasure of taking a yoga class here with Pia. I am relatively new to the practice of yoga and Pia made me feel comfortable, guided us through the poses, and always provided modifications. Her classes are great for yogis of all levels. There is a 30 minute chanting & meditation session prior to each class. I recommend going early to participate in it because it allows you to really clear your mind and ground yourself. You can just lie there, stretch, and listen if you don't feel like chanting. It really sets the mood for the class. The studio is in the back corner of a strip center. There is plenty of parking. Just remember to take your shoes off before entering the studio. There's a rack outside to put your shoes. They also have yoga mats you can use. Pia starts the class with a moment of silence/mediation and asks us to set an intention for our practice. Her voice is very soothing and she adds humor to lighten things up when we most need it. She reminds you to listen to your body. There is no judgment. I will definitely continue taking classes here. They offer an unlimited monthly class package, which I signed up for. I would highly recommend attending a Tuesday night class with Pia -- she's awesome!! read more

Yoga is as much about the mind and soul, as it is about the body. And in an era when commercial yoga studios are popping up at every street and corner, this one clearly stands out from the crowd! Rafael starts every class with about 30 minutes of chanting, and after a busy day at work, that's exactly what you need to clear your mind and set you up for the asanas to follow. If you are starting out new or if you are looking for a good teacher, this is the place to be! read more

I've been coming to Devanand Yoga Center for several years and love it. I've been to many yoga classes in many places and this is where I feel the physical, spiritual and emotional all come together. Rafael explains each movement as we all do it together with him leading as the example. He knows a lot about yoga and about the human body and all it's muscles & ligaments and energy spots. He never pushes anyone, always urging people to listen to their body and emphasizing that every body is different. At the end of every class, my body feels alive and grateful and I feel inspired spiritually as well as calm. This is the most complete yoga class I've found anywhere. read more

This is hands-down the most amazing yoga studio I've ever been to. Taught by the one and only Rafael Sarango, I am now so spoiled that I am not sure I can go anywhere else. I know I certainly won't ever be able to stand yoga classes at the gym ever again! Rafael's method of instruction is perfect for both beginners an seasoned practitioners. Not only does he demonstrate each pose (small classes so everyone can see), but he describes every detail of how each part of your body should be moving and which muscles you should feel activated. I can't even tell you how helpful this has been for me! So many times, I've walked out of other yoga classes wondering if I was doing the poses correctly. What was I supposed to be working on? Where was the stretch supposed to be? Rafael describes everything moment to moment and then walks around to give soft corrections to each individual. He knows your name after the first time you come and keeps up with how each class went for each student. What care! Oh, and the rest of the yoga people who go there are super cool, too! Very friendly from day one-- the atmosphere is non-competitive and I've always felt totally comfortable. I've even made friends! I also love that there is Sanskrit singing for a half hour before each class. At the gym, I end up hurrying in after working all day, totally flustered and unable to focus. The energy and intention set up though the singing helps me have my mind where I want it to be-- I guess for me, yoga has a spiritual side as well as the physical side-- an aspect that has been sorely neglected at the other yoga studios I've attended. For those of you who aren't so sure about the singing, you can skip it and just show up for the yoga. I find it a welcome relaxation before class. Tuesdays they offer pilates and they are awesome. I promise you'll be sore the next day, but it will be that good kind of sore, not the kind where you're tempted to stab your hand with a pencil so that you forget the pain in the rest of your body... Rumor has it they are thinking of offering an early morning yoga class pretty soon which would rate high on the awesome chart, too. Can't wait guys!! read more

This is the best yoga facility I've been to. I can say all the instructors are outstanding and bring meaning into the yoga beside just the physical aspect. Raphael has actually changed my life and helped put me in a great place mentally and physically. Everyone is welcome. I first bought a groupon but now am a full monthly diner. This is a non profit and worth the price. read more

Devanand Yoga.. So happy to see that this incredible gem still shines! Where should I begin!? Maybe by saying that it has been over 4 years since I had the pleasure and privilege of joining Rafael's truly amazing yoga class and doesn't matter where I have practiced yoga ever since, be it in North America or Europe, I can't forget this one place back in Houston. As soon as I have the opportunity to visit, taking again Rafael's class is on the very top of my list, and that says a lot already!! :-) read more