Molly Masaoka

Owner of Yoga Centered, ERYT 500

Molly Masaoka, founder of Yoga Centered, in pink tank top with arms raised and intertwined against a white background.

For over two decades, Molly Masaoka has passionately taught yoga, evolving from student to studio owner in Hilo, Hawai’i. Since 2008, she's shared her expertise in alignment-based, restorative, and therapeutic yoga globally, shaped by personal healing and renowned mentorship. Her teaching, blending intensity, compassion, and humor, guides students towards self-discovery and acceptance, both on and off the mat.

A defining moment in Molly’s journey came when she sustained a serious spinal injury during a surfing accident. Through dedication to her yoga practice, she was able to heal herself, developing a profound therapeutic relationship with yoga. This personal experience informs her teaching, allowing her to guide others in using yoga as a tool for healing and recovery.

As a teacher, Molly views the yoga mat as a microcosm for life. She encourages her students to drop the need for perfection and embrace the present moment, discovering acceptance in both their practice and themselves.

Molly continues to lead retreats, teacher trainings, and workshops worldwide, bringing her passion for yoga, personal growth, and community to all her offerings. She is deeply inspired by her family—her partner Chelson, and her three children, Bailey, Reef, and Paisley—who continually teach her about presence, surrender, and the unexpected joys of life.

  • Person in a swimsuit doing yoga pose next to a surfboard on the beach with ocean in background.
  • A child wearing a cap and an adult smiling, embracing each other outdoors on a sunny day.
  • A couple posing together outdoors, surrounded by ferns and grass, with the man wearing a checkered shirt and a cap, and the woman wearing a sleeveless dress.
  • Group of five people lying on yoga mats outdoors, smiling and posing together on grass.
  • Person surfing on a calm ocean wave during daytime
  • A family of four posing in front of a colorful mural and a chalkboard menu. The mural includes cartoon characters, and the menu lists salad options. There's an arcade game console nearby. The family includes one adult male, one adult female, and two children, one older and one younger. They are all smiling at the camera.

Kind Words From Molly’s Mentors

  • A woman with gray hair in a teal shirt sits cross-legged, smiling, and performing a prayer gesture with hands. She is in front of an orange curtain, surrounded by other people in a yoga class setting.

    Annie Carpenter, Mentor

    “Molly’s teaching style is a beautiful dance between sthira-sukham, steadiness and ease. Molly is a dedicated practitioner whose teaching reveals her depth of experience and her intelligence, warmth and genuine devotion to Yoga and to her students.”

  • A woman wearing a light-colored headscarf and dress, standing in front of ancient stone columns indoors.

    Sianna Sherman, Mentor

    “Molly is living her dharma by teaching and sharing yoga in her community. We should have a lot of gratitude for her courage. Yoga Centered is a beautiful place to teach and practice.”