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About
A Coach Who Has Walked the Path You Are On
Sama Yoga is the online practice of Maya Rao — certified RYT-500 coach, lifelong student of movement, and believer that yoga should fit your life, not the other way round.
My story
Ten Years of Practice, One Simple Belief
I came to yoga the way most of my students do — exhausted, stiff from desk work, and quietly sure my body was the problem. My first class was humbling. My second was clarifying. By the end of that year, I had restructured my days around the practice.
A decade later, after 500 hours of certified training and thousands of hours guiding others, my belief is simple: transformation comes from consistency, not intensity. Small sessions, practiced often, with a coach who actually knows your body — that is what changes lives.
Credentials
Training You Can Trust
RYT-500 Certified
Registered with Yoga Alliance after 500 hours of teacher training across vinyasa, hatha and restorative lineages.
Breathwork & Meditation
Certified pranayama facilitator with additional study in yoga nidra, mindfulness and nervous-system regulation.
Anatomy & Safe Practice
Functional-anatomy training focused on injury-aware sequencing, so every posture is adapted to your body.
250+ Student Journeys
A decade of private and group coaching, from complete beginners to advanced practitioners rebuilding after injury.
Philosophy
Practice Over Performance
You will never be asked to touch your toes on day one, hold a headstand for applause, or push through pain. Sama — the Sanskrit word for balance and equanimity — is the whole method: steady effort, honest feedback, and a plan that flexes when life gets loud.
Sessions happen live over video, supported by a recorded library and direct messaging with your coach between classes. Wherever you are, the mat meets you there.
"Maya sees what your body needs before you can name it yourself. I arrived skeptical and left — a year later — unrecognizably stronger, inside and out."Ruth Adler · Student for 2 years
Questions
Before You Ask
Yes — for most goals, more so. Your coach watches your alignment closely on video, sessions are recorded for review, and practicing at home removes the commute that quietly kills consistency.
A mat, two blocks (or thick books), a strap or belt, and a quiet corner. That is the entire kit — your plan is designed around what you already own.
Anytime. Move between Foundation, Growth and Transformation as your life and practice evolve — your history and progress carry over with you.