Maha Fusion

On vacation and walked to the class from Waikiki beach with ease. The instructors were incredibly warm and welcoming. It was the first class I had been to with two instructors and definitely made a difference as one would lead with clarity and the other made really insightful adjustments to my poses. Definitely would recommend this class and will certainly come back when I’m in town.

One year ago I had stage 4 prostate bone and anal Cancer. Today I make my one year free of cancer. Because of chemo I have major neuropathy problems. I found this yoga class has calm the soreness on my hands and feet. This class has brought me to a new level of having the soreness go away. As I continue taking this yoga class I find myself getting more strong and balanced. Yoga is now part of my life and the teachers are awesome they help you stay align while teaching the class as a whole. Thank you for your dedication to your students and want to bring the best out of you. I humbly ask you to join this yoga class you will benefit from it no matter if you had health problems or not.

I love this facility and found the parking was easy! Which is saying alot for Waikiki… you just don’t feel that you are surrounded by towers at this place… but the real treat is the teaching there. Murti and Larina are a dynamic duo and its nice to have someone correcting and assisting with postures while the other leads! Its nice to have both genders represented. They both bring a lovely attitude of reverence and fun to the practice of Yoga… find yourself on their floor and you come away like I did… more peaceful and restored.

Immediately upon arriving in the studio I was greeted by Larina Hawkins, a warm, gregarious and gentle spirit. The overall autmosphere of the room was one of great ease and comfort. Located in a open-​air classroom in Waikiki I was quickly approached by other members who were extremely friendly and eager to make conversation. I was taken by the appropriate setting, initially, the floor was padded as to make for a more comfortable session, and the direct view was of a green courtyard in an otherwise urban Waikiki setting. My partner and I had already come prepared, but a mat and other paraphernalia was offered upon my arrival.
It had been nearly 6 years since I had done any kind of extensive yoga, so this was to by my first experience in a long while. A survivor or Stage 3 cancer and having battled leukemia for 4 years I was very apprehensive to partake in that days session. I resigned myself to be more of a onlooker, took my place in the back of the room and did my stretching.
Larina introduced herself, and also gave introductions to Murti, a seasoned yogi like herself. We were fortunate to have both of them in class that day; one to instruct and the other (Murti) to do adjustments and help out overall). Despite having complete atrophy in my left leg, as well as nerve and disc damage connected to my condition I decided to go full force into the practice.
I was pleasantly surprised that Larina took good care to keep the entire class in synch regardless of the various stages and capabilities. I would say the age group varied from those in their 30’s (such as myself) tho those in their 70’s, and as the class progressed it became more and more apparent that she was able to keep the entire class in form. There were times I felt my injuries would prevent me from going any further, but with the help of Murti and Larina’s gentle approach to instruction I was able to keep up and do the poses to the best of my abilities, which were a lot more than I had expected.
The whole experience was very favorable in my opinion and I was always at a place of comfort and ease, and I never felt like i was isolated from the rest of the group regardless of my handicap; in fact, I felt like my handicap did not impede in my ability to participate at all.
At the close of class I explained to Murti my health conditions and he so kindly took time out to show me various poses and stands that I could practice to help incorporate balance in my everyday life. Since then I have done just that and I can proudly say that so much has changed since that initial class I had with Larina and Murti. I have disregarded certain things medical professionals had warned me about, such as overextending myself and my leg, and have found that simple exercises and yoga poses have, indeed, made it possible for me to once again use my leg to the fullest extent. I have since gone hiking, jogging, and surfing on a leg that western medicine told me surgery or medicine could only allot me the possibility.
I have a lot of mahalo and blessings to give those at Maha Fusion for giving me the opportunity to rely on my breathing, stretching, and confidence in living a normal, healthy life not compounded by the warnings of modern medicine. I will be a return visitor to Maha whenever I am in Waikiki, and forever thankful for the epiphany I discovered there. Mahalo, namaste. jah.

I have practiced yoga with hundreds of instructors and Murti Howard and Larina Hawkins are my favorite.
Although only a minor reason why you should continue your yoga practice here, the fact that the first three classes are free is kickass cool.
The duo teach hatha yoga five days a week in a breezy, open-​air classroom at the Waikiki Community Center. Parking is free at the center (enter from the Liliuokalani side of the block, not the Paoakalani side of the block). The entire second-​floor classroom floor is covered with a thick spongy surface that you can put your yoga mat or or borrow one of the ones Murti or Larina provide. There is very little chance of slipping or hurting yourself. Maha Fusion also provides straps and blocks, which they use in every class to support good form. The class is gentle, restorative, and yet designed with pose progression such that even students who have been practicing for decades will find their edge of challenge.
Murti’s yoga heritage goes back to Rodney Yee, whom I believe is a master of restorative, restful poses, but Murti also folds in traditions of ashtanga, a more acrobatic and spectacular yoga practice. We also use methods employed by those who practice kundalini yoga, micro yoga, B.K.S. Iyengar yoga and vinyasa yoga. Murti is an avid read in yoga theory and makes his students well aware of the vast survey of yoga teaching through commentaries and the sutras. Go Rumi!
Larina is a dancing yogini! Larina teaches classes in conjunction with Murti, and usually heads up the Saturday class. Her hatha-​based practice folds in elements of ecstatic dance. Students in her class will find themselves moving about the classroom in addition to engaging in a challenging vinyasa flow. Larina has a very healing and gentle spirit about her and the sharpest eye when it comes to adjusting students’ form. With the slightest touch or brush of her fingertips she will have you executing poses with the accuracy.
What I love the most about this practice is the flexibility is brings to my own practice. I am an athlete and strong and experienced in practice, yet there are days when my body, like anyone’s is not having it, has had it, and does not want me to be there. Those are the days that I am thankful I practice with these two. I am never made aware that I suck that day and never am I guilted into going beyond what I should be doing that day. Larina and Murti break down each pose is broken down into krama or various expressions of a pose, from the slightest expression of a pose to its grand finale, and each student is invited to find a variation of the pose that suits them that day. There are some days when I am a full wheel and some days I am a man on his back with just his hips raised off the floor a little.
The students in the classes range from 30-​something to 70-​somethings, from surfers and athletes to grandmas and grampas. The rapport between students is remarkable, and is probably due to the fact that in every practice the students engage in partner yoga whereby they assist one another in obtaining the proper form or in engaging in more challenging poses with the support of another person. It is common to for students at the center to greet one another with hugs and kisses on the cheek. At least several times a year there are vegetarian potlucks after classes on Sunday where students catch up, and every month there is a meditation group held at the beach. In sum, Murti and Larina have created a yoga community.
I recommend practice at Maha Fusion very much for the novice practitioner and those who have been practicing for a long time.