If you ask Chynna Dee Andrada, founder of Sage Cacao and holistic nurse, she will tell you that from the moment she rolled out her yoga mat, the practice she now teaches others has been about connection. The first year she applied to nursing school, she didn’t get in and she was feeling down and unsure of herself. “My mom really encouraged me and said, ‘Let’s do yoga together,’” she said. Both her parents started attending a hot yoga class with her. She began to feel confident and more in tune with her body again. She reapplied to nursing school and eventually got into the program she wanted. Her mom became a yoga teacher in 2015, traveling to India to learn more about the practice, and eventually sent her daughter to do the same in 2017. “That was really more of a gate opening,” says Andrada, who studied ashtanga yoga and hatha yoga after her trip to India. She continued to practice nursing but taught yoga on the side, often blending the two careers to help children with cancer learn and practice yoga. Through this work, she saw the real and practical impact yoga can have not only on the body but also the mind, by building connection and solidifying relationships: children sleeping better, not having as much pain and feeling less isolated to name a few. Now she builds networks through free community yoga classes she teaches in Yonkers, NY, on Wednesdays and private retreats and workshops, both in person and online, that she holds for her private clients at Sage Cacao based in Ossining, NY. Since she began teaching yoga in 2020, she has seen a shift from people choosing yoga for self-care to people now wanting yoga to help them grow not just internally but externally. “Ultimately, I will say that human connection is what drives people to keep going,” says Andrada about yoga. “By looking within yourself and understanding what’s going on, that allows us to look outward to understand how we exist in relation to other people.”
Yoga’s ability to connect has garnered interest from many who seek physical fitness for more than just physical fitness. Yoga, as a fitness practice, has grown more than 60% in the last 10 years, according to Yogi Times, a national publication specifically dedicated to covering the yoga community. Perhaps this is because yoga is so flexible (pun intended!): The practice can be performed at home alone, with an instructor online, in a classroom setting or even outdoors. Many communities now offer free yoga sessions supported through town programs, like the one Andrada teaches Wednesdays once a month, along with a rotating roster of local yoga instructors. The program allows those interested in yoga to connect with each other as well as connect with a variety of teachers, each of whom has something else to share with the class. “People have said to me, ‘If this wasn’t here…it really saves me,’” says Andrada.
“Community is at the heart of everything we do,” says Aimee Eisner, founder and owner of CT Power Yoga, which launched Stretch, Sip and Unwind in partnership with the Hyatt Regency Greenwich this summer, a program that goes beyond the typical yoga class and creates a space where people can practice, relax and genuinely connect afterward. “It intentionally combines movement and mindfulness with social connection in this way,” adds Eisner, who says she sees yoga not only as a workout but also as a way of connecting with ourselves and with each other. “Our studio is designed to be a safe and welcoming space where people can show up authentically, support one another and grow together,” says Eisner. “We’ve seen students form friendships, support one another through life changes and even collaborate outside the studio because of the bonds they’ve built here.”
While yoga is very conducive to growing a social network Andrada says if you are new to the practice, look within first and get to know your own body, breathwork and sensations. “Start by developing a home practice, where you would just focus on breathing,” says Andrada, who offers one-on-one classes with clients as well as group instruction.
“Yoga is unique because it is both a deeply personal and shared experience,” says Eisner, when asked why yoga, in particular, seems to be conducive to creating community. “While each person is on their own mat, the collective breath, movement and energy in the room create a sense of unity. Practicing together reminds us that we’re not alone in our challenges or growth—we’re part of something bigger.”
Yoga has always been more than just a physical practice, says Ellen Sirot, yoga instructor at Katonah Yoga in Westchester County, NY. “It’s a shared ritual, an orchestra playing together,” says Sirot. “When people come together in a class, they breathe in sync, move in rhythm, and share an experience that’s both personal and collective. That combination fosters a natural sense of belonging. You’re not just exercising near someone; you’re participating in a kind of moving conversation without words.”
She sees her students forming bonds in a shared experience that becomes a doorway to real friendship. They chat about their day before class, sharing stories about their kids, their pets, their life. After class, they compare notes about how the practice felt. “Over time, these small moments accumulate into friendships, support networks and a sense of ‘these are my people,’” says Sirot.
At Katonah Yoga, says Sirot, teachers often weave in themes that spark reflection and encourage students to observe and learn from each other. Workshops and training sessions give even more opportunities to connect beyond the mat. Across programs, there is a culture of mentorship where more experienced practitioners guide newcomers. “Yoga doesn’t just teach you how to fold forward, it teaches you how to fold into a community,” says Sirot.
