It is with a heavy heart I write this review, but feel aspiring yoga teachers should know what they are getting into at Doron Yoga. I am a 51 year old male business owner who did a lot of damage to his body playing the wrong sports. Ashtanga yoga literally changed my life, physically, mentally and spiritually. After only a year of practicing I decided to pursue the 200 YTT, more to accelerate my personal practice (which is a work-in-progress :) than actually teach. Doron Yoga looked ideal, he has a great background, I practice ashtanga & yin, plus 3 weeks of vegetarian meals on Lake Atitlan in Guatemala does not suck :). Location / Property: - It is located in Tzununa, a small very poor town in a developing country outside of San Marcos (tourist town). - The property itself is great, but isolated. - Ananda rooms are clean, housekeepers are great. Food is simple, good and healthy. Meals lacked protein, but I asked and the kitchen staff accommodated. - Shala has a wonderful view - There is literally an empty lot where people dump and burn their garbage down the road. At times you can smell burning garbage in the shala. - Wild dogs barking at night will keep up light sleepers. Safety: - A German girl was walking alone during the day, and a man tried to rob her phone. She got away with a scrapped up leg (which started the conversation). - One of the participants in our group and her boyfriend went out in San Marcos on Sat night (20 mins away). The tuk-tuk (3 wheeled cabs) drivers would not take them back to Doron Yoga for safety concerns. On the walk back, they heard a group of loud drunk young males and ended up hiding on a roof out of precaution. - Wild dogs are everywhere in Guatemala, will follow you and heard bites are not uncommon. Yoga Teacher Training: - You will learn the 8 limbs of yoga. Doron is very knowledgable, and I really enjoyed the history / philosophy discussions. - Up at 6:20am for Zen meditation and breathwork was great. - The Doron Yoga teacher manual is great. He summarizes and condenses information from other books really well. - You will be impressed by his asana practice, entertained by his antics (for a while), singing "i love my hamstrings" during Pyramid pose, but find it hard to reach pratyahara (withdrawal of senses). - You will learn and practice "Doron Yoga". Nothing wrong with that, but don't use ashtanga and yin in descriptions if you are only going to use a few ashtanga poses and will hold a stretch for a few minutes. - You will not learn the Ashtanga Yoga asana practice (we practiced lead primary twice and not by Doron, no Mysore) - You will not learn what I know a Yin yoga practice to be - meditative, focused on deep stretches and breathing. Doron, throws a pigeon pose during his flow and holds it for a few minutes, then back to his vinyasa. - You will hear about the flaws of Ashtanga, Mark Stevens and his other mentors... Seriously you are slamming your teachers, and the background that got me here? People Issues: - 2 of the 7 participants in our group wanted to leave at one point. - I was never at the point of leaving, but did have seconds thoughts and "bite my tongue". During class I was asked to lead Sun A. I did it the "Doron Yoga way". Afterwards he says "what was that" in a demeaning tone. - At a low point, Doron brought us all together to hear concerns. It was nice and needed because morale was low, but also very polished, like it happens a lot. He is intelligent and speaks well. - Volunteer turnover due to treatment. I read reviews about this, and thought could just be disgruntled, immature 20 year olds (sorry) not wanting to work. Then witnessed a hardworking family from Belgium leave after 3 days because of treatment. Another girl left with them. - Apparently Doron's assistant instructor left. During a New Year's retreat, he convinced an experienced yoga instructor from Guatemala to stay and work as his assistant for our January teacher training. She was a wonderful person and experienced yoga instructor, but did not know his manual or have his 30 years experience. She led everything and we did not see Doron on Wednesdays, Sundays and a couple of sporadic days. She stayed until our training ended, and left with us. She was awesome, but needed mentoring and to be treated better. Billing Issues: - Widespread billing "issues". 4 different guests in and outside our group had issues with over-billing. When I inquired to double check, it literally took 8 emails to get an answer and was handled very poorly. The administration person I booked with left before I arrived, and the administration person I had issues with left while I was there. Doron Yoga is great for a couple of days. Doron is charming, knowledgable and has an exceptional yoga asana practice. After a few days the mask begins showing cracks. read more

I got to know Doron Hanoch, the owner of this retreat center, over the course of two frightening and destabilizing weeks. I practiced daily at this center while volunteering my time on strategy, graphics, marketing, and promotion of the New Year's Eve retreat. After repeat incidents of rage and aggressive behavior, shouting, verbal abuse, and even threats by Doron, I ran away out of fear for my safety. Doron demonstrates all the precursors of physical abuse, which always begins with verbal and emotional abuse and uncontrolled angry outbursts. Having spent time with volunteers and with the owner, it's also worth mentioning that Doron Yoga & Zen Center experiences frequent employment turnover and staff dissatisfaction in addition to the owner's alarming temper and volatility. People that come to work or volunteer here tend to leave unhappy because the owner does not get along with anyone. In fact, his previous general manager only lasted a few months. Despite the carefully constructed facade Doron creates in class, the pattern is consistent with narcissism, showing a man who is in a great deal of pain and unwilling to work on himself. The first time I spoke to Doron, I told him I may be interested in doing a teacher training. Instead of discussing in the center's public café as expected, Doron asked me to come to his house, where I sat for two hours while he made passes at me. I kept redirecting the conversation toward business and yoga. I commented that he's being too forward and told him to take it down a notch. Ironically, he went on a heated 10-minute rant about how much he dislikes Bikram because of how Bikram treated women. Doron also talked about the #metoo movement in a way that dismissed its value. Despite the red flags and the tense atmosphere among staff and volunteers, I returned the next day to continue discussing marketing and strategy in exchange for yoga training. Doron was even more forward the second day: he said my physical appearance is "distracting", stood intrusively close to my personal space, and asked me to hug him. Over the course of the next week, I saw a side of Doron that is concealed during his yoga, which now looks to me like a front to conceal or bypass his out-of-control anger issues. He had an angry outburst right in front of another guest, which made both of us visibly uncomfortable. This guest made an early excuse to leave and told me that Doron seems controlling and that he's concerned for my safety. When I asked Doron later why he shouted at me, I was prepared to have a quiet, conscious conversation about what was going on for him. To my shock and disbelief, Doron instead immediately flew into a rage, screaming, yelling, slamming doors, stomping on the stairs, and behaving in a way that frightened me. I was not able to get a word in edgewise or calm him down, and finally gathered my things to leave. He followed me around, shouting and demanding to know why I was leaving and screaming accusations while I tried to get away. A week later, his second temper tantrum was much more frightening. He threw his computer and another object, outright threatened me (him: "you better be careful what you say next" me: "are you threatening me?" him: "yes, yes I am threatening you"), and continued yelling even when his staff entered the house to observe the entire meltdown. Both times I woke up to voicemails from him saying he's sorry and that his anger is "just a part of him". I told him I would only be willing to meet in a public cafe (so he couldn't yell or endanger me), and only because several of my friends booked NYE retreats here based on my marketing work, and we needed to figure out how to handle that. In the end, I told my friends what happened, and they did not feel safe keeping retreat reservations there. It took days for my friends to get their refunds. I told Doron he'd face credit card chargebacks if he didn't refund them. Please read his Google reviews, which corroborate his aggressive behavior, inappropriate interactions with women, and atmosphere of fear at his center. It's so sad, because he's a very talented teacher, but clearly a very tortured person who refuses to acknowledge -- let alone address -- his anger issues, which endanger the people around him. read more

Amazing deserves to recognized. Doron has managed to change my whole perspective of Ashtanga Yoga. When in a class with him, it is like magic. He is entirely in his element: living, teaching and just being the pure essence of a humble, but sturdy leader. Through the first classes I took with other teachers, my opinion of Ashtanga was the practice was relentless, dangerous and capable of injuring me or my other classmates the most. It is actually other classes that I took following with a heavy Ashtanga influence that propelled me to want to teach, but then I found Doron's classes. His version of Ashtanga with his own twist, is what I perceive as the safest way to practice. His style of teaching portrays and pushes the students to become the perfect, appropriate balance of breath with movement, strength and steadiness. I have yet to take anything more than a weekender course with him or his regular 75 minute class Sunday Mornings. He has mentoring packages for continuing 200RYT students working towards their 500 RYT as well as his own teacher training program for the first 200. He also offers retreats to warm tropical places all over the world like Guatemala and Bali and so on... He is an amazing person, with a warm, approachable personality. I recommend getting involved with Doron, if you want to better yourself or your yoga practice. Namaste. read more

There is one word that comes to mind when I think about Doron... Exquisite!! Doron's classes are so uniquely fabulous. Before class begins, Doron warmly greets all of his students, taking note of any injuries or conditions that may require modifications. He understands that his students are multi-level and teaches accordingly, providing step-by-step options to suit everyone in the class. Additionally, Doron can sense when it's necessary to pause and break down every aspect of a pose. He has the ability to seamlessly guide his students through poses and breath work while spreading his positive energy and spirit. Although each class is different, I always leave feeling grounded, energized, and genuinely happy :) thanks for being you, Doron!! read more

Doron is an absolutely fantastic teacher. He is intuitive, compassionate, fun, humble and very well-educated and well-practiced -- a true teacher of teachers. His classes are joyful and challenging, and leave room for everyone to leave experiencing a zen state of calm after a beautifully Ashtanga-based sequence with creative, logical variations. An asana practice led by Doron is more than worth your time. His holistic approach to a complete embrace of yoga as lifestyle branches into everything he does, and the vibrant, positive energy is palpable in any classroom he leads. I highly recommend Doron as a teacher, whether on your journey as a new, intermediate, seasoned veteran yogi, or aspiring teacher yourself. read more

Retreat center is beautiful. The only negative comment I have to say is it would of been nice to have hot water and as a place of zen to retreat it would be nice not to hear the dogs barking and the rooster waking crowing at 4am in the morning. read more

Something truly shifted in me after completing the first of three yoga teacher training immersion retreats with Doron. Although I am a teacher and lifelong student of yoga, I had been feeling like a nasty raincloud was hanging over my head for months, growing darker and more intense as time passed. Coming to Doron's training was like coming home, a reminder of how important yoga is and how I should never never stop this yoga train. I have been feeling such joy and lightness, even days after the retreat. I admit I was a little nervous about the amount of information I would need to absorb during this training. However, I never once felt overwhelmed or stressed. It's as if the knowledge, so clearly presented, simply absorbed into my being. As a teacher, Doron is very direct yet caring; it is obvious that he has an honest wish for his students learn and grow. And as a person, Doron is generous, warm, present and clearly as dedicated to his practice as he is his teaching. When I stood in front of my own students to teach class a few days after his training, I noticed a 150% improvement in my confidence level, sequencing, presence with each student, and hands on adjustments. I felt that I had so much more to give! I feel so amazingly happy about this; words barely describe how I feel! Doron has really given me a gift, and I will continue to study with him for many, many years. read more

Doron is INCREDIBLE! I was nervous to return to yoga after a year off. Unsure, I went with a friend to Doron's class. Not only was he warm and friendly, but he explains all positions (even in his advanced class) and gives modifications ranging from the most basic to the most expert of poses. He will always spot harder positions and really encourages his students to reach for their personal best. It is always an emphasis of Doron's that each student practice their own individual yoga and not worry about the "cirque du soleil" going on around them (however you're always free to watch). Doron's presence and instruction makes for not only the best yoga classes I have ever been to, but also the most calming, and fun. He is truly a master of the art of yoga, meditation. and what appears to be life. He is genuine and caring and always offers chances to extend your practice outside of that individual class with workshops and group meditation. Doron's classes speak for themselves as does his following. Classes are always filled and more people are always welcome. I now rearrange my schedule just to take his classes. Doron is the perfect balance of life yogi, instructor, mentor, and enthusiast and really makes one appreciate yoga as an art for both their life and their body. I give Doron my highest rating as well as recommendation!! read more

Doron is amazing. He has a powerful loving presence. One cannot help but feel cared for during his class. He uses humor, transformative spiritual words, along with teaching proper alignment. You will get a fantastic workout for your body and leave with a lightness and joy in your heart. . read more

Doron is the most phenomenal yoga teacher in the Bay Area. His classes provide the perfect combination of alignment, physical challenge, yin, humor, philosophy, warmth, and community. Not only have I grown as a yoga practitioner in his classes, I've found in them a refuge from many of the challenges in my life. Doron also provided me with a way to reconnect to a meditation practice through his monthly meditation and discussion group. His approach to both yoga and meditation is practical and accessible. Doron's yoga classes and meditation group have helped me heal a shoulder injury, work through emotional challenges, and broaden my community in the South Bay. I'm very grateful to Yoga of Los Altos for introducing me to him! read more

Have I thanked you recently for your warmth, your presence and your smiles? Many don't understand how such little effort can make a person's day brighter. :-) Doron, you consistently do this without effort, and I have been meaning to acknowledge it. Thank YOU! I should also mention that I somehow manage to slow my speech down after I see you. Every single time. Namaste. read more

Doron is a generous and skillful person in many avenues in life, one amongst them being yoga instructor. He is also a very affable and approachable fellow. Thus far I have taken several classes and a couple workshops with Doron. There's a reason why it's packed. Go to Doron's website to get a feel for who he is and how he teaches. There is a wealth of instructional videos on there, which he should package and sell as a DVD. If possible, contact Doron about booking 1:1 lessons in tandem with group classes. I delayed in doing this, due to expense. After one session, I see now why Doron's time is so valuable.. Namaste! read more

When I think of Doron's Yoga class there are 3 words that come to my mind Fabulous Yoga Teacher!! Doron's classes are for everyone. He provides step-step modification for every pose, so it helps if you are a beginner or an advanced learner.. either ways you are never left behind. His teachings are so simple and yet so exquisite, learning how to draw energy from yourself and other yogis in class. He will constantly remind you to focus on your breath- which is most important in Yoga. I love that he does not play any music in class.. just following the silence and his voice during the entire length of class is peaceful and calming. He gives hands on adjustments which help with pushing yourself further into a pose or getting a depper stretch. I love that he ends each class with a OM and chant in Sanskrit. Check out his website- http://www.doronyoga.com/ I take his class every Sunday at Peacebank Yoga studio in Redwood City. Doron is a phenomenal teacher.. no wonder his classes are packed. read more

I took the Doron Yoga teacher training as my second teacher training and it was the best thing I could have done to enhance my teaching, in addition to my own personal growth and transformation. One of Doron's strengths as a person and a teacher is his strong awareness in everything he does. His attention to detail, his passion for yoga and its benefits, and his knowledge of the body and philosophy of yoga is stellar, more than anything I have seen and experienced in the Bay area. Every single minute of the training was organized and designed to keep us stimulated, active, and curious. What I loved most about the training was Doron's encouragement to not accept his word without trying everything ourselves. He encouraged empowerment and confidence as a teacher and a student. From meditation to the physical postures, from philosophy to nutrition, from the art of teaching yoga to how to deal with injuries, all the information took my teaching to an entirely new level. I found my authentic teaching self through Doron's guidance and feel much more comfortable with teaching and student adjustments within the poses. The information was repeated often in different ways so the knowledge was consistently being engrained in me. Doron's training beautifully interweaved the tradition of yoga with the practicalities of this day and age. What makes the training both valuable and life changing to those wanting to teach and to students just interested in personal growth, is the mentoring aspect of the training. Doron has the ability to bring out the BEST teacher in everyone. He gives 100 percent of his time and focus to questions and concerns from the students. Students are able to study, observe, and assist in his classes. I highly recommend the Doron Yoga teacher training. Of all the yoga trainings, workshops, and meditation courses I have taken, this by far exceeded my expectations and proved to be one of the greatest experiences I had as a teacher, student, and woman. read more

Doron gives special insights which affect our everyday life from our choice of daily happiness to reality of mortality. Our world is stressful and hectic; the practice of yoga is more complete when you move beyond the physical poses. read more

I finished Doron's teacher training about 3-4 months ago. I took it to develop a home practice, which I have done. What I learned is still coming out as I practice more. Anyone wanting to become a better person should consider taking Doron's teacher training you wont be disappointed. read more

My interactions with Doron Yoga have always been kind, respectful, and unique. I crave his teachings and can never get enough! I am forever grateful for the Teacher Training program that I attended this year, as it has changed my life and perspective on "Yoga" as a way of living. I am looking forward to working on my 500 hours with Doron and continue to be an eternal student of his. I can't wait for the next retreat! Good people, good food, good entertainment and just pure authenticity! read more

I took Doron's Teacher Training Course nearly a year ago. It was a fantastic experience. We were a class of about 20 people, unusually small size for this kind of training. This allowed lots of one on one time and also time for in depth discussion of the many issues, questions, etc. we all had in the class. I learned so much in Doron's course, I couldn't be happier for my good fortunue to know Doron and to learn of his teaching. Doron is a person who puts 100+% into his yoga practice. When you learn his history and commitment to yoga you will know that you have found a true Guru and someone you can learn from in a judgement free environment. The most important thing I learned from the Teacher Training was that while it's important to find your "edge", it's also important to know where that is and to stop when you reach it, be grateful to your body for allowing you to get there and relax. You do not have to do all poses even half the poses perfectly. You are free to be who you are, and if you don't know, Doron will help you find out. It was so liberating to realize that I was in fact a yogini though I could not do an unaided headstand. To be recognized so fully in spite of shortcomings is a blessed experience. read more

Fun, friendly classes and a very kind, but also disciplined teacher. I was just hired at my second studio for some additional things that I learned through his workshops. He has taught me how to teach safely and yet also helped me translate my own personal style for working with students. Some additional pluses were his ability to show us how to teach mindful meditation, work with those with special concerns for their health... I enjoyed how to bring a flexible blend of safe, gentle and stronger options for students in their breathwork, asanas and focus. I enjoy the range and variety of things he brings to his classes. While I teach yin and restorative and hatha mostly to small groups, I have been able to strengthen and expand my own teaching skills and physical self in his all level classes. One huge benefit to me in one of his teacher training workshop was he brought in Jennifer Moore for a prenatal seminar. This was very beneficial to those of my friends/family who asked for examples in this area. I am not a prenatal teacher, but the material and learning gave a wonderful perspective about the care and concerns and awareness we need to have. I heard he is expanding from weekend teaching to some weeknights locally, so I look forward to the new schedule soon! read more

I stumbled into Doron's yoga class at JCC in Palo Alto in 2009, and what a beautiful journey have I embarked on! Since then, I am a regular in his classes. I participated in his retreats, workshops, and completed his teacher training in 2012. One of many attributes that Doron stood out from other teachers was his presence and awareness. He has a natural innate talent to engage and inspire you to find your own light. It is not just about forms, lines,and poses. He moves you to wanting to know more, and finding that true peace and stillness within yourself. He can respond to you on a personal basis based on what is going in the class and in your presence, rather than teaching out of a preconceived agenda. Now that it is 8 months after my teacher training graduation, and as I continued to deepen my yoga practice, I appreciate Doron's training even more. His training was broad based, and really provided a good foundation for anyone who is interested in yoga, not just for those who wants to teach. He did a wonderful job transmitting information about history, philosophy, lineages, poses, nutrition, meditation, pranayama, hands on adjustments, teaching language, pose sequencing..etc. You name it, and he had touched upon it in the class. In addition, he provided further references and recommended reading if you choose to go deeper. He will give you his opinion, but never impose that upon you. He encourages to think for yourself. Now, I have no fear walking into any yoga class or pick up any yoga reading and have a good framework to practice and understand them. I then can decide for myself whether it is beneficial or not. If you are into yoga, you need to at least take one of his classes! You will learn a lot from him. His yoga classes are very balanced and often leaving me in complete bliss. Zen dance and meditation sessions are also gems too. Be sure to check him out! He has that rare ability to help you finding that stillness within yourself, and put you there marvelling the wonder of yoga. read more

Fantastic, Fantastic!!! Very informed, strong teacher who brings levity to his classes. Challenging poses made playful and joyful. You HAVE TO GO!!!! read more

Doron. !Muchisimas gracias por ser una fuerza de inspiracion en el mundo! Vivimos en un mundo cambiante y ritmo tan rapido, sus enseñanzas me han ayudado a encontrar la quietud y apreciar el Zen en cada accion. En particular, agradezco la recetas de alimentos tangibles que compartir en su sitio de internet. Como una professional ocupada, mi horario no permite mucho tiempo para las comidas elaborate. Lo que ha creado son recetas saludables, rapido y asequible que ayuda en la digestion. Al hacer sus comidas, me siento mas conectado a mi entorno mediante el uso de verdures frescas y hierbas ye encuentro el Zen en el trabajo de prepararcion, sin dejar de mencionar que mi estomago se seinte tan tranquilo despues de comer/tomar estos platos. !Mis recetas favoritas son te schuk y la kombucha! Estoy deseando tomar algunas de sus clases de yoga o entrenamientos en Ayurveda y meditacion en el futuro. Thank you for being such an inspirational force in the world! We live in such a fast paced and ever changing world, your teachings have helped me to find the stillness and appreciate the Zen in every action. In particular, I appreciate the tangible food recipes you share on your website. As a busy professional, my schedule doesn't allow much time for elaborate meals, what you have created are healthy, quick and affordable recipes that aide in the digestive process. When making your foods, I feel more connected to my environment through the use of fresh vegetables and herbs and I find the Zen in the preparation work, not to mention my stomach feels so calm after eating/drinking these dishes. My favorite recipes are the schuk and the kombucha! I came across a quote today that reminded me of your very practical teachings that lead to a more joyous life, Pema Chodron wrote, "Meditation is a process of lightening up, of trusting the basic goodness of what we have and who we are, and of realizing that any wisdom that exists, exists in what we already have. Our wisdom is all mixed up with what we call our neurosis. Our brilliance, our juiciness, our spiciness, is all mixed up with our craziness and our confusion, and therefore it doesn't do any good to try to get rid of our so-called negative aspects, because in that process we also get rid of our basic wonderfulness. We can lead our life so as to become more awake to who we are and what we're doing rather than trying to improve or change or get rid of who we are or what we're doing. The key is to wake up, and to become more alert, more inquisitive and curious about ourselves." Cheers to living an awakened life! Thank you Doron for being you and for sharing your wisdom! I look forward to taking some of your yoga classes or trainings on Ayurveda and meditation in the future. Salaam read more