About · Marie
Yoga in Baleal · Peniche — by the sea.
VAYA YOGA was founded by Marie — a yoga teacher with over a decade of experience and a deep love for the ocean. The practice is athletic, accessible and intentional, built for moving bodies and quiet minds.
Meet the Founder
Marie — yoga teacher, founder, ocean lover.
As the founder of VAYA YOGA, Marie brings over 10 years of teaching experience, combining yoga, movement, mobility and functional training with a modern, grounded approach.
She has been teaching around the world and has worked for the past 4 years as a teacher at Alma Baleal — Wellness Center in Baleal, Portugal, where she has taught a wide range of students, including surfers, travelers, beginners and experienced practitioners.
Marie is a certified E-RYT® yoga teacher with a strong foundation in traditional Hatha Yoga — including studies in India — and further training in Vinyasa Flow, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, dance-inspired movement and functional mobility work across different countries and teaching environments.
Her teaching is shaped by global experience, continuous education and a deep understanding of movement for both everyday life and performance — creating classes that feel strong, accessible and genuinely transformative.
As a former studio owner, she has worked with students of all levels, supporting people in building strength, flexibility, awareness and a more balanced relationship with their body.
With a strong connection to surfing, sports and an active outdoor lifestyle, Marie brings a particularly relevant approach for surfers and sporty people. Her Surf Yoga and SWAVE Balance Training sessions are designed to improve mobility, recovery, balance and functional strength in a practical and intelligent way.
Through VAYA YOGA, she has chosen to shift her lifestyle and teaching approach towards a more ocean-connected, outdoor-based way of living and sharing yoga — moving away from traditional studio structures into beach, nature and movement-based experiences. From beach yoga and ocean sessions to private coaching and retreats, her work connects mindful movement with the surf and coastal lifestyle of Baleal and Peniche.
Mission
Helping people move better, feel stronger, slow down when needed, and reconnect with themselves — in a natural and authentic way.
What guides us
Four principles.
Grounded
Modern, clear and calm — without dogma or spiritual overload. Focused on intelligent, effective practice.
Powerful
Dynamic, well-structured sequencing for active bodies. Building strength, mobility and balance in a progressive, intentional way.
Ocean-inspired
Fluid, rhythmic practice shaped by breath, movement and openness — inspired by the natural flow of the ocean, not aesthetic cliché.
Personal
Small groups, precise guidance and space for your own pace. Adapted to your level, not a fixed system.
Baleal, Portugal
Practice with Marie in Baleal.
Classes happen on the beach, outdoors and at handpicked locations along the Baleal coast — open to locals, travelers and retreat guests. Drop in, book a private session, or join a workshop.