Pilates of Carmel

Though this serene studio was named after Pilates, it was actually parented by Pilates' neighbor, yoga. During yoga classes, which are small, intimate affairs, Pilates of Carmel’s friendly, enthusiastic instructors guide beginners through the basics of each plank, downward dog, and upward orangutan while helping experienced yogis strengthen their stretches and reach leveler levels of mind-body alignment. The accredited massage therapists at Pilates of Carmel can knead relief into your muscles with soothing Swedish strokes. Your indulgent 30-minute session will take your consciousness to a blissfully whited-out plane where your mind can bob up and down like a Q-tip buoy in a sea of cotton balls. Once your mind flutters back down into your corpus, you can apply your newly accumulated mental powers to help you complete such physical activities as opening stubborn pickle jars, practicing more yoga, and chasing ostriches.