Rowena Mittal Yoga — Local services in San Francisco

I've been working with Rowena for over a year now, starting with her fertility yoga class after I spotted a flyer when I was walking around the neighborhood. I'd never seen such a thing and I was in the midst of getting ready for a second embryo transfer attempt so I figured why not try it, anything that could possibly help. I enjoyed the class and the explanations Rowena gave for the moves we were doing. And I became pregnant! So then I graduated to prenatal yoga which I began doing as private lessons in the shala which Rowena had just gotten (conveniently in the same location as the class, at Mobu Dance Studio).

After giving birth, I have been continuing on with private postpartum mom and baby yoga. It's been great to be able to bring my daughter with me to practice without having to worry about care, and my baby has really enjoyed watching me do my yoga and then the baby yoga time she gets near the end. I caught her doing happy baby pose at home after about a month of sessions! Now she does it all the time. I consider it a nice bonding activity for us and the shala is a nice relaxing place for her. Rowena makes sure my daughter is set up comfortably. She has a blanket she would lay on next to the yoga mat but now that she's gotten a little older, she has a little throne of bolsters she can lounge against for some sitting practice and a better view.

At first I wasn't sure about taking private lessons instead of classes since it is a lot pricier. But it's been nice having workouts customized to me, and Rowena is super accommodating about making adjustments if there's anything I want to focus on or if a particular area of my body needs relief. I definitely notice the difference in my body now compared to when I first started. My strength and flexibility are...

A Life-Changing Find for Someone with Long COVID I’ve been struggling with long COVID for over a year now, and finding movement that works with my unpredictable energy levels and symptoms has been a constant challenge. Most exercise classes left me feeling defeated. Then I found Rowena, and everything changed. What sets her apart is her incredible intellect combined with an intuitive teaching style and there’s no heavy-handed corrections or adjustments that make you feel like you’re doing something wrong. Instead, she weaves guidance so naturally into the flow that improvements happen organically. Every single class, she reads the room and adapts instantly. On days when my brain fog is thick, she simplifies without making it obvious. When fatigue hits mid-session, she seamlessly shifts the entire practice to meet where I am. It’s like she has a sixth sense for what my body needs. This isn’t your typical studio experience - no cookie-cutter super repetitive sequences or one-size-fits-all approach. If regular yoga classes are McDonald’s, this is absolutely Michelin-star level instruction. The depth of knowledge and skill she brings to every session is remarkable, but she wears it so lightly that you just feel held and supported rather than intimidated. For anyone dealing with chronic illness or just wanting truly personalized, thoughtful yoga instruction, I cannot recommend her highly enough. She’s given me back a relationship with movement and after class my body feels like I just finished meditating. Worth every penny...

Finally Found a Yoga Teacher Who Gets It I’m a 45-year-old guy who travels constantly. My body is basically in a permanent state of jet lag, and my flexibility is about what you’d expect from someone who spends most of his life in airplane seats and at a computer. I’ve tried yoga classes before, and honestly, I spend my time staring at the clock, but Rowena completely changed my perspective of yoga. First, she’s incredible over Zoom - which is perfect for my travel schedule. Her virtual instruction is so clear and effective that I sometimes forget we’re not in the same room. What really sets her apart is her intellect and teaching approach. She has a remarkable ability to guide you without making you feel like you’re being taught or corrected. I’ll finish a session and realize I just did poses I couldn’t do before! She works with my limited flexibility in ways that feel natural and achievable. Other instructors focus on what you can’t do. She focuses on what you can do and somehow expands from there. There’s no shame, no awkward adjustments, no feeling like the only inflexible person in class. She meets you exactly where you are. For fellow business travelers or anyone who feels intimidated by traditional yoga classes, I can’t recommend her enough. Professional, adaptable, and genuinely gifted at...