★ 5

I have been practicing ashtanga yoga for over 30 years and Casey is one of the best teachers I have ever known.

He is easily on par with Eddie Stern and Peter Sanson.

His adjustments were just right for me. Not to little, not too much

And his depth and breadth of knowledge of all things yoga blew my mind.

Lastly I loved the studio environment. The abundance of plants!

I would travel half way round the world to practice at Near East again.

Source: Google

★ 5

Dropped in while visiting Portland. Casey and the Asthangi's who practice there are great folks. If you are visiting the area and practice Ashtanga, you would be doing yourself a disservice by not practicing Mysore there.
The room is oxygenated with plants galore and has natural light via skylights for the early morning dark to light transition.
A fantastic Shala where you can learn more about Asana, Breath and Sutra work.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 1

Terrible yoga teacher

Source: Google

★ 5

This might be the most special space in Portland - you walk inside and it feels like you’re standing on a giant crystal. Amazing shala, great community and wonderful owner. Thank you for this resource.

Source: Google

★ 5

Near East Yoga provides a warm peaceful setting to delve deeply into asana, philosophy, and breathing. Casey is an experienced and thoughtful teacher who shows up with a committed energy.

Source: Google

★ 5

Casey has an incredible amount of knowledge to share, and clearly lives and breathes the practice of yoga. My husband and I dropped in from out of town for a mysore practice and were lucky enough to stay for the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali study. We were so warmly welcomed into this community, and so blown away by how beautiful the physical space was. I've been thinking all week about the lessons that Casey shared during that philosophy session, and am prioritizing joining via zoom for the weeks to follow. I've been looking for a teacher and community like this for a very long time. Lucky me! Thanks Casey - keep doing what you're doing. What you're teaching is landing profoundly.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

I stumbled into Near East when the world seemed to pause, and now, it's where I start my days—before five, before anything else happens. Casey has curated a space over the past 20+ years where yoga and life flow seamlessly. He has a way of opening up new perspectives and has helped me to rethink the 'whys' and 'hows.’ I’m eternally grateful for the shifts in my thinking. Want a consistent pranayama practice? Come at 6:30 am. New to ashtanga? He'll teach you. Already have a practice? He'll help you dig deeper. Highly recommend meeting Casey and practicing here.

Source: Google

★ 5

I often drop into shalas around the world and even though it was a short trip I am grateful to have met Casey! I received some very valuable tools for my practice. Thank you! This shala is special for sure. 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Source: Google

★ 5

I found NearEast yoga 4 years ago, i had moved to Portland from Beirut. This studio quickly became my home away from home, the sangha is strong, the practice is liberating, and the core essence is not trying to fit a form, rather, finding yourself where you are in your enlightenment. I admire the way Casey teaches; without imposing or controlling, more so his teaching style is that full of guidance and acceptance. Nuanced with layers of lineage. I am a proud dedicated student and recommend this place for anyone seeking a rich and fulfilling ashtanga asana, pranayama, or sutra practice.

Source: Google

★ 5

An incredibly special and rare kind of studio, with a profound emphasis on Yoga philosophy, Pranayama, and other dimensions of yoga practice that I hadn’t encountered before. Casey’s dedication is amazing, and the whole community is so wonderful and welcoming. Highly recommended!

Source: Google

★ 5

What a treat to practice at Casey's shala. He welcomed me in to the studio for Mysore style practice and has created a space and energy that is not easy to find. I practiced at NEY before leaving Portland in 2010 and was thrilled to return. Thank you Casey. Namaste.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 5

The right place for a taste of proper yoga, I enjoyed the calm welcoming atmosphere and the experienced instructor brings a wealth of living knowledge to space.

Source: Google

★ 5

A wonderful community space for discovering the yogi within. Casey is a brilliant, compassionate, generous, skillful guide.

Source: Google

★ 5

I went there to do my Mysore practice. Casey, the instructor, provided me with the most useful corrections and advice I’ve had in 20 years of practicing Ashtanga yoga. He studied with the master, Pattabi, and has a deep understanding of the use of gaze, breath, and internal alignment.

Source: Google

★ 5

A warm and welcoming yoga studio with a great teacher. Knowledgeable, kind, and helpful

Source: Google

★ 5

I travel to a lot of Ashtanga studios on work-trips, and being able to spend time with Casey and the Near East Yoga community is a rare treat. There is something about the space that invites a calm, centered and full practice. I feel supported by the energy in the room - from Casey, other practitioners, and the plants, pictures and musical instruments that line the space - with no pressure to change or speed up my practice. Casey is well-trained (and practiced) in traditional Ashtanga and is on-hand to provide tips and tricks to those who are looking for them, and otherwise students are welcome to do their own practice, Mysore-style, at a range of start times (morning and evening). There are opportunities beyond asana practice, including morning pranayama, sutra study sessions, kirtan (music! singing!) and pujas – all are very open, informal, and inclusive, allowing people to talk about their own experience or interpretation of yoga texts like the Yoga Sutras or Hatha Yoga Pradipika. In my experience as a visitor (three trips so far!) I felt that fellow practitioners are very welcoming, for asana, kirtan and sutra study.

Source: Google

★ 5

Practice here, and your current and future selves with thank you. I've been going here for a year and a half and it was one of the best decisions I've made. I've been doing yoga for almost 2 decades, but the real healing and growth (physical, mental, emotional) is finally coming together thanks to this studio and the self paced journey it provides. I'm now present in my body in ways I did not know was possible. Casey is very supportive and genuinely cares about each of his students. I feel at home here. It's not like a typical studio where everyone does the same thing at the same time following the teachers instruction. It is self paced yet you always have support and guidance when needed. This style of yoga actually teaches you how to be present, aware, and trust in your own mind, heart, and body (while also feeling deeply connected to something much larger than yourself).

Source: Google

★ 5

Wonderful experience visiting. Casey is a gentle soul w a serious understanding of the practice and how to hold space. He provides the right balance of instruction and silence. Will visit again the next time I am in Portland.

Source: Google

★ 5

Source: Google

★ 1

Source: Google

★ 5

I was one of those super analytical, linear thinking left brainers. Through practicing yoga at NEY I became way more in touch with my body, presence and spirituality. The guided practice opened a door to a fuller life and provided a foundation I can always come home to. Casey is amazing! He is wise and patient. He exudes some of the best energy I've felt and holds down one hell of a space.

Source: Google

★ 5

I love my morning sessions at Near East Yoga. Mysore Style Ashtanga Yoga is a self-paced personal journey. Casey and the other teachers at this studio provide guidance in a supportive, welcoming environment. Though there are few words exchanged during practice, the collective energy of the breath among everyone in the studio allows me to deepen my own practice. My only lament is that I don't go often enough!

Source: Google

★ 5

Near East Yoga is a jewel: a wealth of yoga knowledge, community, inclusiveness and expression are contained that one room.

Teachers, including owner Casey Palmer, teach the Ashtanga method of yoga, giving practitioners truly individual attention to help build their practice at a customized pace. Every practice I felt discovery and challenge while always feeling safe and secure. The space is clean and lovingly attended to, and always has room for all who wish to practice there.

If you want yoga to be an asset to your life, this is the perfect place for you, no matter your level of experience. The yoga taught here is inclusive, while teachers' depth of knowledge can support advanced practitioners, too. I started with a few years of on-and-off yoga classes, and was able to experience practice becoming a part of my life. Ashtanga has a reputation for difficulty but if it is taught with true expertise and compassion, as it is here, it is perfect for someone who has never been on a mat before. Or who has, and is wary to do it again!

With great dedication, Casey has created a welcoming space not just for learning yoga poses but also for enriching and expressing the soul. The Ashtanga asana practice begins the process of connecting the soul with the body, but interested practitioners can join the Near East community in regular study of sacred texts such as the Yoga Sutra of Patanjali and the Bhagavad Gita. The studio also holds regular Kirtans that provide a truly unique setting for joyful expression in the form of music--and beyond.

Near East Yoga just feels good. If you go, you will see. Many hearts, not least Casey and his fellow staff, have created a really special place.

Source: Google

★ 5

Near East Yoga is the “real deal”. An authentic shala where you can learn, explore and deepen all aspects of your practice. Casey and other Near East instructors have vast and grounded knowledge they share with students ~ guiding with gentle strength and individual attention.

Casey has created a warm, embracing environment that invites you to make it your own; for instruction, solace, celebration, discovery, and creation. Near East offers a quiet, sacred (but not solemn!) space in the midst of the city’s cacophony. When people discover Near East Yoga you can almost hear the “ahhhhhhh” as they realize this is what they’ve been looking for.

Source: Google

★ 5

The Near East Yoga space is a simple, warmly cheerful room. The collective dedication and devotion to practice is palpable, even when you're the only person in the room. You can tell people love this place and feel a sense of home about it.

Wherever you are in your physical development and capabilities Casey Palmer meets you offering guidance through Mysore-style Ashtanga yoga. Even if you have physical hurdles that might prevent you from stepping right into Ashtanga poses, Casey will help you find a path into developing your abilities and your practice.

If you have gone to typical yoga classes for even a month or two, the chances are high that you have encountered a good number of the poses that you will learn in the Ashtanga primary series. The difference is that the poses are in an organized sequence and that by memorizing that sequence you will develop independence in your yoga practice. That is a powerful gift that manifests differently in everyone.

In addition to teaching and holding space for practicing the physical side of yoga, NEY supports the more subtle, arguably more fundamental, aspects of yoga, what some might call the spiritual side. Every week there are multiple opportunities to engage with the sources of yogic thought: Patanjali's Yoga Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita. Through chanting, reading and discussion, and bhajan/kirtan, working with these and other sources teaches us how to take yoga out of the room and into the world, not in an evangelical way, but as an ongoing personal practice - asanas of the mind and spirit - that has the potential to permeate everything we do.

Near East Yoga is not about a workout, fashion trends, or the cults of personality that tend to float through the yoga world. It's about offering a space and inspiration so that we can show up and practice for ourselves. You will get that workout (it's a worthy reason to start), but that is only the beginning of something bigger.

Source: Google

★ 5

After sampling many of the prominent yoga studios in Portland, I found my long term yoga home and community at Near East Yoga. Casey Palmer, the studio owner and primary teacher creates a welcoming, comfortable and supportive environment to practice asana and offers superb instruction in yoga philosophy and dharma. Near East Yoga offers truly authentic yoga; adapted for the West, but firmly rooted in the ancient teachings of the East. The Mysore method of Ashtanga yoga is self paced, and practitioners at the studio are of all ages and ability levels. Casey and the other instructors support people wherever they are in the practice, helping them grow whether they have just begun or have been at it for years. I have experienced tremendous personal and spiritual growth while studying and practicing at Near East Yoga, and give it my highest recommendation.

Source: Google

★ 5

AWESOME! Fun! Rewarding! Enlightening! SO special! These are just a few words to describe this studio. The space itself is welcoming and so conveniently located to arrive either by bike or bus. And i even live in the Southeast but my commute has thankfully been no troubles. Honestly, even if the commute was a bit of a drag, this studio's many offerings give easy justification for it. There is so much more than yoga practice here. If one is ready and willing, you can find paths to yoga living here too.but yoga is a very personal, fluid , and always growing practice so this studio can offer you what you want at this moment and when want more, it will be there waiting for you. So if you just want to just stretch and/or try something new: this is the best place to begin. If you are a devout yogi/yogini teacher or student trying to compliment or expand your practical : this is especially the best place for you. If you dont even want do move your body in any way but want to discover ways to practice yoga in your heart, spirit, and mind : this is also the best place to wonder and play. I have been to many studios in few states, and Casey's studio is a genuine gem of Portland.

Source: Google

★ 5

The practice is working on me as much as I am working on it. I have been loving learning Ashtanga at Near East Yoga, under the caring and watchful eye of teacher Casey Palmer. But whats really so so special is the Friday morning Yoga Sutra study that I experienced last week. After listening to the sutras being read aloud in English and then chanted in Sanskrit, Casey opened up a lesson/dialogue about them in a way that facilitated a consciousness expanding experience for me, and was also so applicable to daily life. It is really really deep material contained within the Sutras and yet Casey presented it in a grounded and light hearted way which made it quite easy to relate to. He's got a gift for talking about the text and making it accessible to people who are just encountering it for the first time. I feel so blessed to have the opportunity to study these teachings, right here in my back yard.

Source: Google

★ 5

I came to Near East Yoga as a visitor from Baltimore. I have an established Ashtanga practice. Casey was perfect! He gave me the freedom to practice as I am accustomed and he does amazing adjustments. If you can hang around for his sutra study, bonus for you.

Highly recommended.

Source: Google

★ 5

Casey has cultivated a space for all levels of interest in yoga. The warm, heartfelt welcomes by him and his team of gracious, gifted yoginis offer you a moment of respite from the outside world. His cultivation of a slice of yogic, sadhu, east indian culture permeates the space.
Instruction is given by the use of verbal visual guides that allow you to understand what your body wants to do, to move in and out of a posture. Adjustments range from firm and precise to a healing energetic allowing for your body. If you practice 3 days or 6 days a week does not matter.
Casey's talent and dedication is offered up by holding a space that enhances everyone’s feeling of well-being. You are invited to move, breathe and be at Near East Yoga. All levels are able to appreciate NEAR EAST YOGA as sacred vibrational space.

Source: Google

★ 5

I believe Near East Yoga is one of the only spaces in Portland where you can authentically engage with a comprehensive yogic practice. The studio offers daily mysore and led ashtanga classes--with a focus on individual breath and awareness, as opposed to focus on a teacher, a pose, an outside goal. Casey, the studio owner has put so much energy into the place, and it is palpable. The space has the environmental power to actualize deep meditative states, an environmental energy I have rarely experienced outside of India. I think its rare to find a humble and authentic studio in today's fitness-crazed-yoga scene, where the focus is on devotion, community, and spiritual growth--some of the less flashy, but nevertheless vital aspects of a yogic practice.

Source: Google

★ 5

This is THE place to practice Ashtanga yoga in Portland. You will find no other studio in Portland that provides such a quality holistic experience. Teachers act as facilitators, allowing your practice to be your own. You will never be forced into a pose not yet appropriate for you body, but are welcome to explore new challenges safely with supervision and guidance. You'll learn the mental practice in addition to the physical and no doubt experience it's benefits off the mat. Opportunity to learn about yoga's history and philosophy are also available. The studio is a welcoming, inspiring place to study and practice.

Source: Google

★ 5

I have been a practitioner of hatha yoga for 15 years and a teacher of hatha yoga for 12 years. I find that the quality of instruction at Near East Yoga is superlative. I especially appreciate the focus on yoga philosophy and study of the foundational text of yoga such as the Yoga Sutras of Patajali or the Bagadvad Gita. If you are looking for a place to study not just the physical aspects of yoga, but Ashtanga yoga as a system of spiritual and personal growth, then this is the studio for you. I find that there is an excellent balance between offering a system of yoga and the encouragement to do self study and integrate the practice on a personal level. I have learned so much as a practitioner and as a teacher from studying at this studio. I give it my highest recommendations. Meadow Goldman, LMT, RYT

Source: Google

★ 5

NEY is a unique entity that I highly recommend for anyone seeking inclusive sangha and a useful method for navigating life more artfully. You'll learn breath-focused asana from a trusted lineage. You'll meet lovely imperfect people who are figuring it out as they go along. You'll have opportunities to study/discuss the ancient texts and sing bhajans too, if you like. Casey is completely tuned in and devoted to supporting his students in their practices. And there's room for those practices to change as needed too. Come and enjoy the sacred space. Let the devoted yogi seasoned container of NEY hold you as you grow.

Source: Google

★ 5

Many instructors have told me that the postures are only 1% of yoga. For years I've been interested in learning more about the other 99%. Near East Yoga is a wonderful place to do this. Casey embraces the spiritual side of the practice; his space is adorned with images of Ganesh and statues of Hindu gods and goddesses. Upon entering, one feels as in a place of reverence, rather than a stinky sweat soaked gym class. Before Kirtan, singing, drumming and musical incantations, Casey offers the best cup of chai or the sweetest papaya. Don't be afraid to expand your practice, Casey welcomes everyone, and the sangha is a group of kind, metta infused journeyers. Nor is the practice too serious; occasionly Major Tom pays a visit. This is the most truly heart centered yoga in Portland.

Source: Google

★ 5

Casey Palmer, the founder and teacher of Near East Yoga, is such a wealth of information and so nurturing, and supportive in his teachings. I love the way he holds space for kirtan. It is an all inclusive affair, steeped in tradition, yet open and spontaneous when it comes to our participation. The space is like a hidden secret, so warm and welcoming. You feel at ease and comforted.Right outside is the crazy city. The contrast is evident. I love Casey and Near East Yoga!

Source: Google

★ 5

Near East is the best studio in Portland to practice yoga. Whether you need instruction in the method, or a clean quiet place for your established practice, or a bit of coaching and encouragement, you will find it here. Teachers are helpful but not intrusive, and the community is welcoming, not cliquey.

Even if you have heard that Ashtanga is hard, or dangerous, or boring, give this studio a try and you will find out why so many people make this method their own custom, portable, and genuine practice.

Source: Google

★ 5

Casey Palmer may be one of the last of his kind in PDX fighting to keep the roots of yoga alive through his teachings of ashtanga and authentic Mysore in Ne PDX. Though traditional in many ways, Near East Yoga offers something for every level of practioner. In the beautiful and welcoming space you will truly find the meaning of yoga whether it be through the physical practice, the kirtan, or sutra studies and if you are lucky, you will find yourself.

Source: Google

★ 5

I've been practicing at Near East since April 2008 and love it. Even though I travel a lot and only get to practice there occasionally now it still feels like home to me. The studio has a very nurturing and healing energy.

Casey is a very talented teacher and by drawing on his wide knowledge base he offers students a much more comprehensive understanding of what Ashtanga Yoga is beyond just asana.

I highly recommend this studio to students at all levels.

Source: Google