Radiance Yoga & Therapeutic Exercise Center

If you are in the market for stretching, improving flexibility and stress relief then you should attend the «Stretch and Relax» classes at Radiance. If the concept of yoga, as well as images of challenging poses frightens you, have no fear; the class does not go to extremes and uses props to gain the benefits of many of the more challenging poses without as much challenge. Peggy, the instructor knows her stuff! She varies the exercises from class to class so it never becomes boring. For those who may have some physical limitations, Peggy will help the student through or suggest an alternate pose that will generate the same results while addressing the limitations of the student. Age should not be a factor and there is no time that is «too late» to start. Most of the class have seen more than a few summers but younger students feel right at home too. The core group of the class has been together for years and always makes new faces feel welcome. Personally, I have experienced significant improvements in posture and flexibility. If my shoulders are all knotted from a day of stress, I leave feeling relaxed and at peace. Radiance offers a number of other classes so a student could put a toe in the water with the Stretch and Relax class then move on to more challenging classes as the comfort level with yoga increased. Very few places can you have fun and do something good for yourself at the same time; this is one of those places.

I’ve been practicing yoga regularly for over 18 years, and this is one of my favorite yoga studios. Everyone is so nice and friendly. But my favorite instructor is JoAnn. Check out her Sunday morning class. Great group of practitioners at all levels. Heading there now! Namaste.

This studio is beautiful, very well equipped and serious about its services. It is friendly, welcoming and highly professional. I’m a serious yogi and it meets my high expectations for the quality of its teachers. I go to the Monday night class and it is superb — not too big and not too little. Best of all, it is located on a quiet commercial street with lots of parking. There is really nothing to not like about this studio.

Cara’s prenatal yoga class at Radiance is wonderful! She seems to know everything about practicing yoga and how to tailor moves to women in different stages of their pregnancy. I always leave class feeling stronger and more confident about my body and my pregnancy than when I arrived. This cute little studio is also very close to UCSD Hillcrest, so I get a weekly practice drive to the hospital where I’ll be giving birth!

I regularly attended classes here before I moved. I wish I could still go! I been to other yoga studios since, but there not the same. The level of knowledge the owner, Aura, has about yoga and how to relieve any aches or pains you have is remarkable. Most importantly, Aura is a teacher above anything else. She will give you a great understanding of what the sources of your pain are and explain the benefits of the tiniest movements. She has also instilled a tremendous amount of knowledge into her teachers. Also, the welcoming energy in the studio is very nice. As soon as you go in, it seems as if everyone is having a great day and the lighting is right on point.
I recommend the personal plans she sets up for you. If your looking for the benefits you can receive from yoga, Aura’s experience is unmatched.

I local pain management doctor recommended that I find an experienced yoga instructor to help me customize a program that could not only help me to recover from my injuries but also serve to strengthen my body. I discovered Radiance Yoga through an internet search and met with Aura Finegold-​Fechter, who worked with me to design a routine for me to complete at home.
I was admittedly dubious about the benefits of yoga before meeting with Aura; I had taken one class in college, long before my body sustained some injuries. The class was fun but not mind-​blowing. My more recent attempts at yoga which followed some soft-​tissue and nerve injuries were unsuccessful. The basic yoga class I took a few years back involved weight-​bearing poses on my injured arms, which made things worse and I left feeling frustrated. When people have gushed about how «yoga changed their lives,» I have generally tried to refrain from rolling my eyes. I lost interest in pursuing yoga because I thought it was for athletic people with extremely healthy bodies, and not for people like me whose bodies have taken a hit or two over the years.
After meeting with Aura twice to design my home program, I think I owe a couple of my yoga-​loving friends an apology! I don’t know enough about how yoga works to pinpoint what makes it so helpful, but I have been absolutely amazed at the improvements in my range of motion and flexibility. I have less pain, I feel a sense of euphoria after completing my home program, and frankly, I’m thrilled but confounded as to how this all works! Clearly, Aura’s yoga expertise and insights into the human body played a huge role in the success of this program. My poses are extremely gentle and simple, but they are paying huge dividends.
I enthusiastically recommend Radiance Yoga. Aura, you are fabulous! Thank you!

Radiance Yoga is solid. They know what they teach here. While I have mostly come to Aura’s (the owner’s) classes, it is clear Radiance is not about trends in yoga, but about a serious understanding of anatomy and movement. I love the careful focus on alignment and use of props. And its great to be in classes with a wide diversity of age and gender. The overall feeling of the studio is welcoming, generous of spirit and a profound openness to meet you wherever you are in your practice.

I’ve been going to Radiance for private weekly sessions since last November, on the recommendation of my 88 year old mother, who also used to go. Each week one stretching/​yoga session, and one physical training session.
Aura and her colleagues know what they’re doing, listen and watch, figure out what you need as an individual, and tailor the sessions to it.
The center is wonderfully serene, open, airy and fresh.
They keep me motivated — I am not a keen exerciser — I am really very happy to be there, and extremely happy with the results.
Shout outs to Michael, Dinah, Allison and Laurie too!
Rachel

I first started yoga when I was about 3 months pregnant, about 3 months ago. I initially chose Radiance because it’s close to my house, but I visited a few other prenatal yoga studios just to check out my options. After dabbling in some other programs, I can confidently say that JoAnn, the prenatal instructor at Radiance, is the best.
The facility at Radiance is clean, bright, and comfortable. The props are well taken care of and every staff member I’ve met is very nice and helpful. The prices are very reasonable, especially if you purchase a few months’ worth of classes at a time. But ultimately I’m giving Radiance 5 stars because JoAnn, the prenatal instructor, is amazing.
JoAnn welcomes feedback and if you tell her which specific pains and problems you’re having in your pregnancy, she will tailor the class to address those needs. I’ve had major sciatic pain and she always spends time stretching out my lower back and giving me tips on how to practice at home. The poses and stretches she’s recommended have made a major difference for me and I’d hate to imagine how uncomfortable I’d be without JoAnn’s guidance.
I also attend JoAnn’s Stretch and Relax class on Wednesday nights, and like the prenatal class, I find it combines the best of both worlds– lots of fun interaction with others, but with the personal attention of a private instructor.
In addition to helping prepare my ever-​expanding body for delivery, yoga keeps me sane and grounded during the work week. I plan on attending until I have the baby, and I’ll be excited to return to Radiance for some post-​baby yoga too.

I have gone to Radiance since 1992 for therapeutic exercise with Aura, the owner. Yoga is of course a great form of therapeutic excercse, and the instructors at Radiance are top-​notch, some of them going all the way back to the 60’s.
And in addition to group classes they do have people who do private classes and therapeutic classes for injury
As a bonus, they have very beautiful brand new space, hardwood floors, everything is new. In a great location easy to get to off the 5 or 163.
I recommend Radiance Yoga completely.

A wonderful yoga center. Peggy’s relaxation classes are amazing for people of all levels. It’s particularly good for anyone who is of a certain age or has any physical problems. However, even limber people with a lot of yoga experience will benefit from her class. Other classes cater to people who really want a workout or can do the pretzel thing.