The Shala

Ashtanga Yoga Kifisia is a space dedicated to the teaching of the Ashtanga Yoga method, as taught under the lineage of Shri K. Pattabhi Jois and Sharath Jois..

The Shala, located in the northern suburbs of Athens, was inaugurated by Melina Vlachou in January 2013, and since then it has become the home for a large number of practitioners & teachers who are eager to learn, connect, communicate and deepen their practice experience..

Where there is Breath there is Life, where there is Life there is Growth, where there is Growth there is Space, where there is Space there is Freedom, where there is Freedom there is Potential..

This is the Potential we all seek for in order to make this Life meaningful enough..

Ashtanga Yoga alongside the beautiful community that keeps growing effortlessly around it, is my strongest Potential in life..

Blessed..


An immense thank you to Olga @olgakokthi , Ulli @ulrike_sumetzberger , Tania @tanjarudolf7 and Valerie @maybeitsthegranola who make every day count..


#ashtangayoga #yogainspiration #lifegoals #yogacommunity yogapractice
...

143 13

Ashtanga Yoga Retreat
Lemnos island
Greece
21-25 May 2026

To be remembered, to be continued..
A month already since a memorable retreat, amongst the most inspiring practitioners I know, amongst the most awesome Ashtanga community in the world..

Lemnos island is an energy bomb, and what happened there during those 5 days will always stay deeply carved in our hearts & our minds..

Not a breath wasted..
Not a moment wasted..
Not a practice wasted..
Not a life wasted..

Thank you all from as deep down as it gets..

To be continued..



#yogaretreat #ashtangayoga #yogapractice #yogalove #yogainspirqtion
...

134 14

SUMMER SADHANA IN THE YARD..
Summer practice has officially commenced in my second home & favorite place in the world, Vasiliki village, Lefkada #lefkada .

My house is always open to however wants to share practice with me, and sometimes the company is just overwelming..

Yesterday I had the greatest pleasure & joy to practice next to my dear friend & student Katerina @kat.mouzakiti and my one + only student & partner in crime Olga @olgakokthi at @melinaslittleshop ..

When the day starts with a mindful Ashtanga yoga Mysore style practice, the day ahead is ready to be lived at its fullest level & extend..

Grateful for every breath taken & every moment lived..


#ashtanga #ashtangayoga #yoga #yogapractice
...

151 15

Ashtanga Yoga Retreat
Lemnos Island
Greece
21-25 May 2026
@melina.ashtanga
#ashtangayogakifisia

1st day in Paradise!
A Mysore practice to be remembered, the energy of the island at its peak, the sanctuary of the Kabeirion of Lemnos, the pure PRANA coming from all sides in all forms, the island of Hephaestus, the light rain on a warm day, mystical times, memorable moments carved deep in our hearts.

I am so deeply grateful to be surrounded by such an incomparable community of people full of everything, a community that supports & nurtures the way we chose to breathe and unfold our KARMA..

Thank you so so much..

Not A BREATH WASTED..

Cant wait for what is yet to come..

Blessings

⚡️⭐️💛🪄⚡️


#yogaretreat #ashtangayoga #yogalife #yogainspiration
...

139 8

Do it like Prince..
KISS 💋

Not a breath wasted..
Happy Friday..

This weekend we’re going to burn the practice floor!
Saturday => 8:00-12:00
Sunday => 9:00-12:00
Ashtanga Yoga only..⚡️

See you on the mat!
@melina.ashtanga
⚡️⭐️⚡️

#prince
#ashtanga
#yogalife
#yogapractice
#yogagreece
...

212 8

“Just as the rivers entering the ocean cannot disturb the ocean in any way, desires entering the mind cannot disturb the steady mind of a sage”..
_Bhagavad Gita_

Every practice should be an act of contemplation, an act of devotion, surrender, faith, peace and observation.

That’s the goal of our daily Sadhana..

Not a breath wasted..

🙏


#ashtanga #sadhana #spiritualpractice #meditation #yogainspiration

@melina.ashtanga
Athens, Greece
Ashtanga Yoga Kifisia
...

192 18

What a lovely day..
Eat, Pray, Love..
A life worth Living..
No doubt..

Our daily Mysore Program #ashtangayogakifisia resumes from today Friday 17th of April, so from tomorrow onwards we follow our most beloved mantra: NOT A DAY MISSED!!
#practiceandalliscoming

See you on the mat!
@melina.ashtanga

#mysorepractice #eatpraylove #ashtanga
...

156 6

Every day is a prayer to Life & the miracle of Existence..
Holy Saturday &
Happy Easter..
👁️


#prayer #practice #breath #meditation #ashtanga
...

228 13

DAILY SADHANA, even when out of a favoring & secured context..

Mind training every single day..

Holy days are ON..

Enjoy..

Shala #ashtangayogakifisia will remain open until Thursday morning..

⭐️⚡️⭐️

#sadhana #ashtanga #mindsetmatters #yogainspiration
...

183 6

*Ashtanga Yoga Workshop*
with Chadi El Hnoud @chadiyoga
Athens, Greece
20-24 March 2026
@melina.ashtanga
#ashtangayogakifisia

What a great honor to have with us a highly inspirational teacher, Chadi, who for 5 days made us fly to heaven with his soft touch, his in-depth guidance, his respect to our teachers, our lineage, the tradition of our practice, the Parampara..
5 days that gave us fuel and motivation to keep on searching within, discover Philosophy & dive into it, breathe deeply through Pranayama, explore our capacity through mindful back-bending, & realize the deep power of silence & communal energy through Mysore style practice..

Thank you, thank you, thank you
See you again 🌸
19-23 MARCH 2027
SAVE THE DATES!!!!

#ashtanga #ashtangayoga #yogainspiration #yogaworkshop
...

112 4

ASHTANGA YOGA WORKSHOP
CHADI EL HNOUD
Day-1
Athens, Greece 🇬🇷
Ashtanga Yoga Kifisia

@chadiyoga
@melina.ashtanga

A big thank you to all 44 practitioners who are participating in this workshop with our beloved teacher @chadiyoga and spread their beautiful vibes with us ALL!!

It’s Pure MAGIC..🪄

Can’t wait for tomorrow..⚡️⭐️⚡️

#ashtanga #yogaworkshop #yogalife #yogapractice #mysoremagic
...

188 21

ASHTANGA YOGA PRACTICE
ADVANCED-A Series
@melina.ashtanga
Ashtanga Yoga Kifisia
Northern Athens, Greece 🇬🇷

I started practicing the Advanced-A Series of the Ashtanga Yoga practice in my mid-thirties, and at that time I became so strong in my body that it felt as if I had obtained SUPER-POWERS..

I wanted more, I wanted it ALL!!
I was young and I was fierce and this practice had it all!!

BUT..

It also made me AGITATED, stopped my MENSTRUAL circle many times, and started growing my MASCULINE side very strongly..

WHY?

ADVANCED-A SERIES is a highly demanding practice where the SYMPATHETIC Nervous System is usually the Protagonist, the BREATH becomes often FAST & SHALLOW & the body is OFTEN under STRESS in order to go through the deeply complicated ASANAS throughout the series.

STRESS & BAD TEMPER can often project OFF THE MAT..

SOLUTION =>
3 things have changed my PRACTICE ON & OFF THE MAT=>

A) the DEEP & LONG EXHALATION THROUGHOUT the practice => VAGUS NERVE ACTIVATION => HIGH PARASYMPATHETIC RESPONSE

B) RELAXED BELLY + ENGAGEMENT OF THE PELVIC FLOOR

C) REST TIME BETWEEN ASANAS (more breaths in DOWNWARD DOG), HEART RATE Decrease..

When these 3 parameters guide my practice, it becomes STRONG & FEMININE - GROUNDED & RELAXED at the same time..

In my late forties BREATH is my greatest ALLY!!!
I go NOWHERE without my EXHALATION!!

Ashtanga Practice is a PATH of WISDOM & it requires years of PATIENCE & INTROSPECTION to ACKNOWLEDGE that..

Let me know how your practice feels when EXHALATION PREVAILS..

#ashtanga #yogapractice #t1dlookslikeme #practiceandalliscoming
...

310 16

ASHTANGA YOGA
EXPERIENCING PURE MAGIC EVERY SINGLE DAY..
@melina.ashtanga

Feel like DANCING..
A RECIPE to BE HAPPY..

All you need is to STEP on your MAT..
EVERY SINGLE DAY!

LIFE IS A GIFT..

ENJOY THE JOURNEY..

ON & OFF THE MAT..

At #ashtangayogakifisia we teach ASHTANGA YOGA every single day of the week..

NO TIME TO WAIT!!!

#ashtanga #handstand #dailypractice #yogainspiration @madonna
...

296 31

Sunday, 1st March 2026
ASHTANGA YOGA ~ LED PRIMARY
with Sanskrit Counting
+
PHILOSOPHY Talk
with:
Melina Vlachou
Authorized teacher Level-2 by Sharath Jois & SYC.
@melina.ashtanga
&
Vasiliki Meintani
Psychotherapist & Yoga Philosophy teacher.
@meintani_vasiliki
Where:
#ashtangayogakifisia
Northern Athens,
Greece 🇬🇷

2026 is a year full of in-depth workshops & in-depth understanding of the Ashtanga practice both in theory & practice, in body & mind, connecting & embracing the practice as whole, INSIDE-OUT..

Thank you all for embracing this intention, filling up the space, & giving us the opportunity to channel the knowledge that has been offered to us so unconditionally..

My heart is full of GRATITUDE..
🙏💛🇬🇷👁️🇬🇷💛🙏


#yogateacher #yogaworkshop #ashtanga #yogapractice
...

86 3

ASHTANGA YOGA WORKSHOP
1-5 March 2026
HINTERTHAL, AUSTRIA
@melina.ashtanga
Hosted by:
@ulrike_sumetzberger

5 days in Hinterthal, Austria 🇦🇹
Five days in snow heaven..
5 days full of Ashtanga workshops, practice, breathing, alignment, method analysis, 5 days full of insight, full of understanding the body & the mind inside-out, the Nervous system, the Pelvic floor, the BANDHAS, 5 days of understanding the reason we practice and why can’t we escape from it, and of course the unprecedented After-Practice EFFECT..

Five days surrounded by an incredible circle of unique & super strong & determined women, my beloved friend Ulli, my super loved friend Tanya, the One + Only Vicky - our Rock Star!!,, the super-powered Maria, a born Ashtangi, our sweetheart Sandra, and of-course my warrior Slovenian Gangsta => Tanya, Ajda (7 and a half months pregnant) & Krousna 🇸🇮.. not to forget Johnny, the only male who made his appearance on the last day, lifted + jumped back off the floor without any discomfort during vinyasa.. 🫣🤪😂

Five days full of SNOW, skiing, ski touring, spritzers, strudels, schnitzel, and all the best Austria has to offer, drinks by the terrace, laughters, sweet gossips, and endless love ❤️..

I feel so fortunate to be a WOMAN, surrounded by such women, practicing such a MINDFUL PRACTICE #ashtangayoga , and knowing how to unfold life in PEACE & HARMONY, away from EGO, AGONY & WAR..

Thank you my dear Ulli @ulrike_sumetzberger 💖💖💖
We said it for fun a month ago, and here it is!
“Practice, practice, practice and all is coming”..
Sri K.Pattabhi Jois

#yogaworkshop #yogainspiration #yogatime #yogapractice
...

114 10

“Practice, practice, practice and all is coming”
Sri K. Pattabhi Jois

Undoubtedly, ALL is coming, INSIDE-OUT..
All you need to do is Unroll your mat + Do the JOB!
Breathe, Observe, Soften, Engage, Align, Activate, Engage, Understand, Unravel, Connect, AWAKEN..

Moments from Friday morning Mysore practice at my temple, Ashtanga Yoga Kifisia..
Friday is my day-off from teaching & the practice I enjoy the most..
Always Advanced Series-A.
Thank you @annavichouu for the exquisite assists..💛⚡️💛


Wish you a great long weekend..

Tomorrow Monday the 23rd of March, we fly the kite!!
🪁🪁🪁

#yogainspiration #ashtangayoga #yogaasana #practiceandalliscoming #type1diabetes
...

163 5

ASHTANGA YOGA WORKSHOP
Sunday 1st February 2026
ASHTANGA LED PRIMARY + PRANAYAMA + PHILOSOPHY
#ashtangayogakifisia
@melina.ashtanga
@meintani_vasiliki
#ashtanga #yogainspiration #yogaworkshop #yogaclass

Next WORKSHOP:
SUNDAY 1st MARCH 2026
10:00-14:30

10:00-12:30~
Ashtanga Led Primary with Sanskrit Counting & PRANAYAMA
MELINA VLACHOU @melina.ashtanga
Authorized teacher Level2 by Sharath Jois

12:30-14:30
PHILOSOPHY CLASS
‘CHITTA VRITTI NIRODHA’
The second sutra of the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali (1.2), explained & related to our practice & our daily life OFF THE MAT..
VASILIKI MEINTANI @meintani_vasiliki
Phychologist & Yoga Philosophy teacher

SPACE IS LIMITED >>REGISTER NOW via Direct Message..

Yesterday’s workshop was MIND BLOWING!!!
A warm rhythmic practice as traditionally taught to me by my teacher @sharathjoisr @sharath.yoga.centre in Mysore India, followed by Pranayama & a PHILOSOPHY CLASS that explained the philosophical foundations of the practice in such an in-depth & profound way, connected to our practice in the most experiential way possible!!!!

Thank you so much my dear Vasiliki for spreading your vast & in depth knowledge with us all, setting new understandings & foundations, so the benefits of our practice can be understood & evaluated primarily OFF THE MAT..

An immense thank you to all the beautiful souls that couldn’t wait to join us!!!

‘YOGA IS 24 HOURS’ Sharath Jois.

CANT WAIT FOR THE NESX ONE!!!
...

298 18

Stay in Touch

Sign up with your email address to receive news and updates.

Copyright 2026 © All rights Reserved. Design by D4