The 5 Best Sites for Online Yoga And Meditation Classes
oga and meditation classes are a great outlet to exercise the body and relax the mind. Many people find comfort and strength in attending yoga and meditation classes across the world. There are various in-person classes, though online classes have grown in popularity recently. A question many may ask is, what are the best online yoga and meditation classes?
The 5 Best Online Yoga and Meditation classes include:
These online yoga and meditation websites are great for varied participants and edge out their competitors.
If you are interested in online yoga and meditation classes, the six resources listed here will offer the most in terms of distinct courses and what they offer. As with any online service, the devil is in the details. Choose carefully when considering online classes. Read on to learn more about the six best sites for online yoga and meditation classes.
Article Topics
Do Yoga And Meditation Always Go Hand-in-Hand?
Yoga and meditation generally go hand-in-hand. For thousands of years, yoga techniques have incorporated meditation as a way to find grounding and balance. Yoga exercises the body, while meditation relaxes the mind. Yoga and meditation work in tandem, utilizing the following techniques:
- Breathing exercises to relax the body and mind
- Channeling thoughts and emotions to find a “center” (place of focus)
- Positioning into static positions to better enhance the meditative state
Most yoga exercises require meditation in order to achieve full effect. Most yoga instructors will emphasize the importance of meditation with their routines. Yoga and meditation both also focus on the rhythm of your breathing. This is to establish a reliable pattern to relax and find your center quicker.
Yoga and meditation techniques were likely created in tandem, as they both have a rich history of being used together. For every yoga exercise, there is a corresponding meditation. Both work to achieve a similar result in relaxing the mind, despite keeping the body active.
It is nearly impossible to separate the two. For the best results out of yoga sessions, meditation will be a key factor.
Is Taking an Online Yoga or Meditation Class Legit?
The internet brings many risks and rewards. Online access has expanded consumer choices in many ways, yet not without drawbacks. Choices may seem numerous online, yet many may consider whether these choices are legitimate.
In short, yes, online yoga and meditation classes are legitimate. While there will always be scam services in every field on the internet, this does not poison the well for everything. How do you know which online yoga and meditation classes are legitimate or not? When choosing a resource, consider the following:
- Is the resource certified by Yoga Alliance? Yoga Alliance is an international body that enforces key standards of yoga courses, enforcing a strict curriculum on its certified instructors.
- Do not sign up for an online yoga class if it is not certified by Yoga Alliance.
- Since 2020, Yoga Alliance now certifies for online-only yoga and meditation classes.
It is best to research any online yoga and meditation class you are considering. As mentioned, the legitimate online classes will be certified by Yoga Alliance. If a course does not have a Yoga Alliance certification, then it is likely not a legitimate resource.
As with any online purchase, it is good to research products and services before buying. You certainly would not want to spend money on a service you really want, only to find out it was a scam. The more you research beforehand, the better. Take a look at some amazing yoga school reviews like this Akasha Yoga Academy review before you enroll so you know exactly what you are signing up for.
The 5 Best Sites for Online Yoga and Meditation Classes
As mentioned, there are five websites that offer the best options for online yoga and meditation classes. These sites are as follows:
- Yoga International
- Mindbodygreen
- Alo Yoga
- Gaia
- My Vinyasa
- Uplifted Yoga
These five websites will offer consumers the widest array of online yoga and meditation classes. These are quality classes, highly rated by both professional instructors and participants (both past and present). For the best online yoga experience, these are the classes you should explore.
1. My Vinyasa Practice Online Classes
My Vinyasa Practice is primarily an in-person yoga studio located in Austin, Texas. However, they do offer an excellent array of online yoga classes. My Vinyasa Practice offers both pay-per-class and membership options. They host a variety of Zoom classes including, but not limited to:
- Zoom Vinyasa
- Zoom Yin
- Zoom Restorative
- Zoom Gentle Yoga
- Zoom Kundalini
These classes are held seven days a week at certain times each day. Zoom, as mentioned, is the primary platform that is used to attend these online classes. Their classes are taught live via Zoom in their Austin studio by a variety of instructors. This format is more personally interactive, which may be preferable for some.
My Vinyasa Practice is flexible in terms of payments. They offer a daily payment, to avoid annual costs that many cannot afford. They also offer membership packages. Their daily rates are around $5 per class. They also offer monthly packages at around $24 a month.
2. mindbodygreen Online Classes
mindbodygreen (mbg) offers a large array of online yoga and meditation classes. These classes are also accessible by pay per class or signing up for an all-access membership. mbg offers some of the following classes for both individual purchase and all-access memberships:
- Complete Guide to Yoga
- Complete Guide to Tai-Chi
- Essential Guide to Meditation
- Ultimate Guide to Breathwork
- Tantra 101
mbg also focuses on dieting. They believe that incorporating healthy eating into yoga and meditation increases their effectiveness. mbg offers a range of dietary and body health classes that work in tandem with yoga and meditation such as:
- 7 Day Full Body Reboot
- The Elimination Diet
- The Ultimate Guide to Plant-Based Nutrition
mbg emphasizes the “green” aspect of its name. This website is especially useful for those who desire online yoga and meditation classes while also getting tips on healthy dieting. mbg’s philosophy is that a healthier body makes for a better yoga and meditation experience.
3. Brett Larkin's Uplifted Yoga Online Classes
Brett Larkin’s Uplifted Yoga advertises itself as a “community” rather than a set of classes. Uplifted Yoga offers an interactive library of pre-recorded yoga classes as well as training guides. Uplifted Yoga also offers member-only guides and challenges that include the following:
- Printable practice calendar
- Classes tailored to your specific needs and feedback
- Exclusive workshops
- Guest expert presentations
- Private podcasts
- Journaling prompts
Uplift Yoga utilizes an exclusive membership. By paying an annual membership fee, you will have access to all of the membership benefits listed. Training plans will be tailored to your specific needs and schedule. You can follow standard class schedules or create your own.
Class videos are categorized by collection and sequenced by length. These videos are also categorized by level and focus. This is done to organize your yoga and meditation practices as efficiently as possible.
4. Alo Yoga Online Classes
Alo Yoga offers a unique service: Alo Moves. Alo Moves is a specific set of online yoga and meditation classes offered by Alo Yoga. Alo Moves works through an annual membership. This annual membership gives full access to an array of online classes such as the following:
- Core Sculpt
- School of Arm Balance
- The 7 Chakras
- 21 Day Yoga Sweat
- Healing Sound Bath
- Mobility Flow
Alo Moves offers a more specialized set of online classes. These classes are meant to enhance the practices of those who are already involved with yoga and meditation. Alo Moves focuses more on building upon the basics, rather than the basics themselves.
Alo Moves also separates classes into categories. This streamlines the process, giving consumers direction depending on what they are looking for. They break their categories down into the following:
- Yoga
- Fitness
- Mindfulness
- Skills
These categories make it easier for consumers to choose which classes work better for them. Some may only want yoga for meditation and mindfulness, while others may be interested in the fitness and skill aspects of yoga.
Alo Moves offers great potential to hone your practices in yoga and meditation. If you are more advanced in your yoga and meditation skills and want to hone them further, Alo Moves is a good resource for online classes.
5. Gaia Online Classes
Gaia is a unique streaming service that offers an array of yoga and meditation classes. The format of Gaia is different from many other online resources, as their “classes” are a set of pre-made instructional videos. Gaia is also unique in that it has specialized courses for the time of day, and how much time you have to spare.
- Gaia breaks its routines into morning, mid-day, and evening
- Gaia breaks periods of the day into minutes you can be available, from 10-60 minute sessions.
- This format works well for those interested in yoga and meditation yet are constrained by tight schedules.
Gaia offers classes for both beginners to yoga and those more advanced. They offer classes that include, but are not limited to:
- Audio Meditation
- Full Mandala Flow
- Morning Power Up
- Sleepy-Time Yoga
- Uplifting Energy Activation
As mentioned, there are online classes geared toward certain times of the day. This works well for people who can only practice yoga at certain times of the day. Gaia is a membership-only service, operating on an annual fee for access to its wide range of online classes.
Conclusion
The five websites listed here offer the best in terms of online yoga and meditation classes. These sites offer mainly memberships, yet some are flexible for daily payment needs. These websites also work to cater to your specific needs and desires.
These five websites are also certified by Yoga Alliance. They are reliable in delivering the best online yoga and meditation classes available.
If those don’t work out for you, there is always YouTube. You can find the basics of the best yoga YouTube videos, or you can be more specific and find the best yoga YouTube channels for weight loss!
