What is Maja?
Maja Yoga was created out of the loss of my beautiful husband Matthew Novellino. There is no denying the impact on everyone he touched in life. No one wasn't smitten, or humbled, or pleasured by his presence.
Over the years, we planned our dream of leading a healing center together. A place to teach and practice the principles of right thinking and right acting. He being a leader of divine masculine energy. A teacher of wilderness survival , Native American principles and techniques, morals, values, special forces training and warfare expertise to name a bare few. Then me, the yogini and Thai massage girl with healing touch, who loves to help women claim their power and heal their lives.
Now with him gone not only do I feel the urge to create the dream space for these ideas and people to flourish, but I deeply and desperately need a great metamorphosis and growth zone to heal within. I cannot pretend that anything will ever go back to the way it was. So the vision of Maja Yoga was born.
​
M for Matthew and Aja.
​
M+aja=Maja
Dear Friends,
​
I have been honored and blessed to train with and be mentored by some of the most wonderful and talented teachers in the world. I truly do not know how I became so lucky.
It was 2005 and the very beginning of my yoga practice and journey into self discovery when I was inspired by my first yoga teachers, especially Brock Cahill, Krista Cahill, Annie Carpenter, Maty Ezraty, and Vinnie Marino to name a few. Within our yoga community, I learned that there is nearly no limit to what can be achieved through consistency and practice. You may struggle and fall, but the gold is when you are willing to pick yourself up and try again.
I am beyond humbled to not only have completed my Thai Massage Therapy trainings through Spirit Winds School of Thai Massage © in 2010 with the incredible and incomparable Janice Gagnon; but also to be continuing under her wing of mentorship as an affiliate instructor, leading Thai Stretch teacher trainings in Northern Style and Jap Sen for Spirit Winds.
​
I am eternally thankful for my years of daily yoga practice and eventual apprenticeship with sought after "teacher's teacher" Annie Carpenter, and for completing well over 500+hrs of her Smart Flow© Yoga Teacher Trainings, as well as assisting her classes, teacher trainings and yoga festival appearances in California and Colorado.
I truly cherish the memories and life lessons I gained from the years I was able to complete 400hrs of Heart of a Teacher © Yoga Trainings with the legendary Maty Ezraty, may she Rest In Peace.
My Reiki attunements and Mastership were passed to me by the gifted Alexandra Juliani and her American Reiki Academy ©, that has been training people in Reiki for over 30 years in Los Angeles, CA. I began my Reiki practice in 2011.
When I came to find Pilates it was the fantastic Maria Leone, master trainer for Balanced Body™ who's Mat and Reformer trainings I attended. Under her watchful eye in 2017, I was opened up to the incredible world of Pilates and its history and use as a mind body practice.
The many years and countless hours I have spent on my mat and within these studios, classes, communities, trainings, workshops, intensives, festivals, and retreats around the world have forged some of the greatest relationships and lessons in my life, and has had an immense impact on me and my teaching. I look forward to continuing my studies with these wonderful beings and many more in the years to come as I gather and practice these gifts to pass on to all who seek.
​
Thank you,
Aja Novellino
​
Reiki Master
Thai Massage Therapist & Teacher Trainer
Yoga & Pilates Instructor
​
