hiatus

Dear Dedicated Yoga Police followers,

I will be on a hiatus from now until mid July as I indulge myself in yoga teacher training intensive at Downward Dog.

Wish me luck, send me any reviews and complaints on yoga studios and of course celebratory reviews of functional yoga studios!

Cheers!

The Yoga Police
Emma Blue

Review of Octopus Garden

I love Ashtanga yoga. I love small studios where you dont need to worry about your belongings getting stolen. I love well trained teachers and plants and sculptures and a relaxed vibe to a place.
Oh and also I loved the Octopus Garden! The only reason I didn't venture their sooner is because I'm an uptown girl, wayyyy uptown and the Octopus Garden is located in the Annex.

They accept the Passport to Prana and have classes all day long. Ch-ch-check it out.

Review of Yoga Sanctuary--College St.

The Yoga Sanctuary—College St.

Something about the name The Yoga Sanctuary carries OOMPH. It is one of the better known studios in Toronto and for good reason.

It invites community in with the quiet laughter echoing in the high ceilinged practice studio.
The studio boasts assistants, much like Downward Dog who walk around and give adjustments while the teacher instructs, which is the way to my heart.

Our teacher made a few jokes, which I found funny and every yoga class should have a few funny jokes.

The classes vary from pilates to hatha flow to ashtanga and the teachers are well trained and have been teaching for many years.

I really enjoyed the conversations with students before and after and while the space was damp and sparsely decorated, it did indeed feel like a sanctuary.

Check out the Solstice Dance party complete with a groovy Dj on June 20th, I'll be there!

Review of Tula Yoga Spa--Central location

Watch out! Yoga police here. To inspect your oriental (is oriental an un PC term?) décor, the vinyasa instruction, your studios hospitality and the overall vibe of your yoga studio. I love my unpaid job as the Yoga Police!

When I asked the reception at Tula Yoga Spa if people make jokes about the guests being tools, she replied without smiling that she had never heard that before.

First impressions are everything if not everything and having help that laughs at my jokes is right up there with teachers who pronounce Sanskrit correctly.

This was Tula Yoga & Spa’s Central location. They have clothes haphazardly displayed, expensive potions and a small tea area (gold star for this) as well as closed off rooms for who knows what—probably spa services. The best part was the ominous attendant dressed completely in black standing behind a partially opaque curtain that made me feel like I had stepped into the matrix.

To their credit the studio at Tula Central is working with a hodge podge layout and it’s not easy to make hodge pode flow seamlessly.

However, if you get the opportunity, I recommend visiting just to see the female washroom. I burst out laughing. I described it to my boyfriend as such:
“As if some people one night came up with the idea for a yoga studio and spa while drinking and then executed in the daylight by maxing out their credit card at Pier 1 Imports”.
There was hardly room for the wash basin with all the matching sets of stone platters to hold napkins and soaps, flowers (fake?) and in front of the showers, the quintessential changing screen, since we can’t like, be naked in front of each other, that would be unnatural.

On to the yoga ! A heated fusion class, the studio itself was averagely nice. Candle light along the borders of the room and a sign outside warning to not make any noise in the studio.
I’m beginning to build a biased against studios with NO TALKING signs. One way you know you are in a community is that you will hear laughter and stories being exchanged. I suppose you could do these things outside the studio, like in the “lifestyle boutique”, but in a world increasingly worshipping the individual, why not invite that community in? Life naturally has noise, not stifled silence.

The teacher was probably new, at one point I wanted to take over for her because the transitions were rough, she made NO jokes and the Sanskrit pronunciations of the postures were horrendous.

In short if you want yoga studios which are breeding grounds for community check out Jivamutki, Downward Dog, 889 Yonge st., Yoga Queen and the Yoga Sanctuary.

If you want mirrors, heated classes, frenetic instruction and few hands on adjustments, check out Moksha Yoga and Tula Yoga.

Review (sort of )of Downward Dog Downtown

Although I never officially voiced my longing to find a yoga studio in Toronto to consider a home away from home, that was part of this initial quest to sample all the flavors and styles of yoga and report on this here blog! 

Now this desire has been fulfilled. I'm talking Downward Dog baby.

Sometimes we hear about a place, again and again, quietly, a casual mention and gradually the tides in our life begin to create the circumstances that lead us to one morning wake up and say

"Enough is enough! I'm grateful to all of the fabulous and my most favorite yoga teachers in Toronto who trained at Downward Dog, I want to go straight to the source!"

Of course the creme de la creme yoga studios are not on board with the Passport to Prana, thus I forked over twenty dollars for a week unlimited at Downward Dog. Usually when I do this, I drag my ass to the studio for the next week so I get my moneys worth. Not with Downward Dog, it's almost as if I float there and pretty soon I find myself walking past the tulips and into the studio once more.

I am very fortunate to have enough training that I could plop right on down in a level 1-2 class with Marla Joy. I'm not going to gloss over and give this teacher a pseudonym. Marla Joy's classes are changing my life. I needed a more nurturing yet totally bad ass teacher in my life. Marla Joy sings at the end of class accompanied by her Shruti box. When we bowed out in gratitude and humility for the space to practice, for all the people all over the universe, I cried. It's usually the most gentle, subtle openings that remind us we can know love and to love is our destiny. 

Some great things about Downward Dog include: the general use yoga mat's which *gasps* don't cost anything to borrow! The vibe, the people, who are like grounded tornadoes, very grounded! And the excellent instruction, the music, the singing bowls, the assistants in every class who walk around and help you in ways you didnt know you could be helped, while the teacher is instructing.

I've found the good yoga ju-ju in Toronto. So what do I do with my Passport to Prana? My quest to unearth all the weird and wonderful studios in Toronto? Well I continue, but I may not be so active as I once wasn't.

Review of 889 Yonge

I hope to move into the yoga studio at 889 Yonge st. "Our Tea Garden is the heart of the experience - a place to sip our tea and just be". 889yonge is listed with the Passport to Prana, had it not been for the passport affiliation, I may never have visited. 

My first impression from their website was that it was a swanky spa with yoga classes as an afterthought (this is based on my past experiences rather than by fault of the website). 

They offer holistic spa services, medicine treatments, yoga classes (vinyasa, detox, ashtanga, beginners workshops etc.) and a boutique.

Located on Yonge St. near Rosedale Ave. I was welcomed by hospitable staff who were down to earth and sharp as a whistle--they laughed at all my jokes and showed me to the studio upstairs. 

From their website: "The yoga community at 889 is home to three eco-consciously designed, non-toxic Yoga studios: one filled with natural sunlight and a glorious window overlooking the Rosedale Valley, one which was once the main living area of this late 1800's Victorian home, and one intimate space dimly lit by candles for our 889 Customized Yoga." 

The hour long ashtanga class was awe-some. In which the teacher's tone, verbal cues and adjustments allowed my brain to turn off and my body and breath to unify. This is also one of the first classes I have been to in Canada where the teacher pronounced the sahnskrit words correctly.

After class I poured myself a mug of "Shangri-La" tea which was the missing note in my bliss.

The selection of books they carry is so unique, impressed I inquired and was informed, each of the employees has read one of those books.

Downstairs the boutique of clothing and jewelry is carefully selected and arranged, the jewelry is of hand crafted quality I have not seen since I lived at the Shambhala Mountain Center.

The wooden floors, open spaced establishment of 889 Yonge is calming and beautiful.  I will be back to check out the other levels and styles of yoga offered and perhaps for a massage and some tea. 

A few studios in Toronto could benefit from visiting this establishment and taking notes on how to run a joyful business.

Review of Yoga Queen

In any journalists non-existent career in blogging, there comes a time when personal interests can cloud an objective view.

Thus my Yoga Queen cherry was popped, having tought there, but never been a student. 

This was a 'hatha' class, and the pace could not have been more different from my own vinyasa style ( a silly affection for ashtanga does shine through ). And this breakdown of the motions was welcomed by many beginners present and myself, it was a great opportunity to steal--i mean borrow--cues from another teacher.

Founded by fabulous Heather Elson who has been teaching in various capacities for more than sixteen years. Yoga Queen is the only community based yoga centre in Toronto! 

Located in Parkdale, you will find intimacy--classes are small, the vibe is relaxed without slouching, playfulness and excellent teachers. As well as a variety of workshops--from a Yoga & Therapy group to Yoga For Smokers who Don't Want to Be, pilates, pre-natal yoga classes, vinyasa, hatha and restorative yoga.

What goes around comes around and these ethics are interwoven with the studios community pay--what--you can classes and karma classes, which are donation based with all proceeds going to charity.

What you won't find: showers or multiple studios. 

The studio is one airy bright room with one washroom that opens into the studio. Probably not the greatest place to do a detoxifying flush.

There is no credit card machine. It is simple and more than enough.

My only qualm? The props are beginning to overfloweth, the decor in general should be made more functional and less random looking.

Rock it Yoga Queen!

EDIT:  If you can make it to one of Heather's classes and are fortunate enough to have you sing while you are in shivasana, when you leave your body--make sure to come back!

Passport to Prana

It's April! The new Passport to Prana is out and becomes active the 16th of April. 45 yoga studios are on the list this year, for the price of $30. 

The passport has now gone electronic and is in the form of a card each studio on the list swipes when you use it.

Passports may be purchased at any participating studios or online. 

Stay tuned for more yoga studio reviews in the coming days. Be well.

Bikram North York Review

A few things are ubiquitous with Bikram "yoga":

1) heat 105°F (40.5°C) thus, sweat

2) clapping

3) sandwich analogies

4) mirrors

5) 26 postures which never change and are always given in the same sequence.

To read more about the founder of Bikram's who tried to trademark his style of yoga go here. 

Thankfully Bikram teachers must train for almost two months with Bikram himself before becoming certified. So they are aware of the different modifications of postures for different body types and articulate well about how  a pose may feel.

Bikram North York is close to my house. In the dead of Canadian winter is my favorite time to embrace the hour and a half class' sweltering heat.

The studio is functional, enough space in the change room for all the ladies.

This is the only studio I have ever been to in my life where a teacher has urged us to "hurry up" and rush through the postures. Bikrams has been critisized for their endorsement of competitiveness in yoga on the grounds that it deviates from yoga's true nature and purpose and it shows.

The mirrors are another way of making the focus more physical.

I enjoy that the heat and the teachers encourge me to go deeper in the postures and I am prepared for the postures, there are never new variations with poor instructions.

I do not enjoy the slightly military undertone: this is the way you do it--we have no props here to help you, no Baron Baptiste variations to help you align your spine (and scolliosis).

The sweat created in a Bikram's class leaves me feeling deeply cleansed and is slightly addictive. Bikram's is like Burning Man, I think everyone should try it atleast once.

Review of Moksha Yoga Uptown

Ungapotchka (pronounced uhn-ga-potch-ka)  is an invented word in my family we have used all my life, unga for short. It refers to when something is all over the place and / or there is something that is messed up within this thing. 

Ungapotchka is also the perfect word to describe the Moksha yoga studio in the upper part of downtown Toronto. 

First and foremost, I would not reccommend Moksha to someone getting their feet wet with a yoga practice. It is for seasoned travellers who have seen the good, the bad and the weird in the yoga world. I paid $20 for one week unlimited and used it to the max.

Founded by Ted Grand and Jessica Robertson who's background is in non-profit organizations, the website reveals moksha can be translated to mean freedom. The sequence is designed to open up all the parts of the body that are normally constricted to enable you to reach your full potential. 

Moksha is a community of yoga studios all across Canada (and several in the GTA), Singapore and Asia.

Some specialties include by donation hot yoga classes and sending 50 or so yoga teachers into places such as half way houses each year to teach. The studios pride themselves on being "green" which translates to eliminating their carbon footprint (they dont sell plastic water bottles, but they do rent reusable ones for $1 or sell them for $10).

Located convieniently for TTC riders at Yonge St. & St.Clair with classes from 6:30am-8:30pm the toilets at Moksha Uptown are located not so convieniently, outside the studio down a carpeted hallway past the neighbooring business. 

A few weeks ago I attended a Saturday 90 minute Moksha hot class. The change rooms were overflowing with naked women and the seats in the waiting area were limited. There is a half full rack with clothing for sale taking up considerable room next to the coat rack.

Everywhere you look in the studio there is a typed written note with a 'Don't' message: 

'Don't lean against the sink while using it', 

'The shower is for quick rinses, please leave long beauty routines for home'

'Don't unroll your yoga mat in the studio' ( I saw this before entering the room and quickly made a beeline for the front desk, asking 'Is this for real? Ive been to a lot of yoga studios and Ive never seen such militant instructions' am I allowed to mindfully, quietly unroll my yoga mat? "Well, yes" admitted the front desk).

'Don't talk or make any noise in the studio'. This it turns out is mainly referring to the heated studio.

The teacher reminded us upon entering the room that we don't talk because "this is a sacred space" and apparently something is only sacred if it's silent, rather than asking us to direct our attention and intention AKA being mindful, noise is the main objective. 

Life is filled with noise: farts, cars, chatter, yoga mats hitting the ground. I can't say any of these sounds bother me, in fact background noise frequently aids me in becoming present.

 

The class was filled almost to capacity and the heat generated by all the bodies and the heater grew to feel stifling, rather than the enveloping sense of warmth hot yoga usually gives me, this was almost nauseating. I enjoyed the variety of poses, the modifications on the Bikram sequence no doubt. The teacher did not say very many names for poses, rather she gave cues for body parts to move, one piece at a time so I began to look around at the regulars as my lead. This was slightly frustrating but even more perplexing was when she called extended side angle 'trikonasana'. 

These are my two biggest suggestions: rather than posting signs saying there is no talking/no mat unrolling, cut to the chase: be mindful in this space, everything you do, do with your breath--practice yoga on and off the mat.

Rather than discouraging people from talking, discourage people from fidgeting and drinking water constantly (find stillness)!

The class picked up speed, though the sweltering heat left people in all sorts of positions--lying down, semi-child's poses, water gulping, looking around. The teacher cued for the right leg to be lifted up and the girl in front of myself and my neighboor raised hers before the blink of an eye and kicked my neighbor directly in the eye (she was NOT lifting her leg with her breath or it would have been more controlled). 

My neighboor let out a loud "FUCK".

So much for the sacred space. And then proceeded to leave the room.

After class I asked the teacher about the whole trikonasana rather than utthita parsvakonasana thing. She was very blase with her response, "thats how we do it here". 

I was slightly perturbed by my experience and emailed the management listed on the website with my overall experience and suggestions. Several weeks later at the time of press, I have yet to hear back from anyone. 

I have since gone back to Moksha dozens of times and seen a wide spectrum of teachers. One of the teachers happily explained that in Bikram's, which Moksha is heavily based on, they do a trikonasana variation, she also pointed out how a bent leg trikonasana is more closely related to trikonasana than an extended side angle. When I told her about my unanswered email she said management is going through a change of hands and the owners of the studio are both at home with little babies. Perhaps it is also note worthy that the website's teacher info has not been updated in more than a year.

Someone or some people have been too busy to really organize all aspects of the Moksha uptown studio, that or they are doing so well they don't need to respond to their customers feedback etc. . . None the less, the mixture of affordable heated classes and non heated classes are a godsend for a hot & regular yoga addict.

 

Besides if I don't show up and judge these teachers, who will?

Review of Jivamukti Yoga Studio Toronto

February 27th I took a long awaited jaunt over to the Jivamukti yoga studio in downtown Toronto, on Shutter st. next to Massey Hall.

Jivamukti means liberation while living, taken from the sanskrit word jivanmukti. The Jivamukti yoga school began in 1984 created by Sharon Gannon and David Life. Word on the street is that these two invented the downward dog. At the time of press, I could not find a reliable source for this, but I did hear from a reliable source that downward dog is an asana which is only about 100 years old at the most.

Jivamukti yoga openly attests to being a spiritual yoga practice, spiritual meaning opening up to the gift of each moment with chanting, readings (from the Upanishads to Pema Chodron), music, sequencing, breathing, adjustments and shivasana. 

The Jivamukti center in Toronto has a comfortable, spacious and creative vibe. Upon hurrying up the stairs, I began to relax while looking at colourful handmade artwork mixed with sanskrit chants hanging on the door.

The studio in which we practiced had ginormous windows that gave a view of billboards with plants at their base thriving. It is refreshing to find a studio without mirrors.

The temperature was on the cooler side and although I found a perfect mixture of chanting, sequencing, adjustments, shivasana, I was thrown off in the beginning when the teacher announced the theme for the month upon which to meditate and incorporate in the practice:

"satya/truth or veganism".

I opened my eyes when I heard this. What? The hours old poutine in my belly danced to mock the teacher.

If we want to get technical about 'truth' the great mystics all over the world agree that 'truth' is that which is permanent. Thus the only truth is that all assembled phenomenon is temporary, everything is emptiness and in order to experience each moment fully, we must be empty. Meditate on radiant emptiness.

All Jivamukti teachers train for a month at the Omega institute with Sharon Gannon and David Life. Sharon and David are now well into their 60's and still teaching.

The quality of the teacher was evident as the sequence and cues flowed seamlessly.

It felt like a perfectly balanced class, including a nice long shivasana which seems to be an endangered asana in the contemporary North American yoga practice. 

My two complaints: the militant vegan innuendo and the lack of sweating (I love hot yoga).

I affectionately refer to this studio as a school now rather than a studio. None the less drop ins are easily accomodated and the norm, they run frequent sanskrit workshops. The quality of instruction and fun sequence is worth trying, the prices are reasonable, the atmosphere delightful and as reccommended by blogto, just don't go bragging about the korean bbq you are going to later.

the laughing liger yoga mantra

"It is very easy for pupils to find out whether the teacher is good or not. I cannot blame the teachers, but I blame the people who go to them without judging the standard. The moment the pupils start judging, the teachers will come to know that they are observed. This will make them realize how little they know and they will practise more and probably become good teachers. So I leave it to the students to decide." --B.K.S Iyengar

On Teachers and Teaching

There are more and more yoga studios popping up each day. I used to live in New York City, where I still brag to anyone who is visiting, what excellent yoga teachers there are in the City.

Now I live in Toronto and I have visited quite a few yoga studios, with only a few outstanding experiences with teachers. Many of the studios I visited did not seem interested in feedback, neither good nor bad, thus I was inspired to take my views to a blog.

I will slowly but surely cover many of the well known yoga studio's in the Greater Toronto region.

According to B.K.S Iyengar, "The teacher should be clear, clever, confident, challenging, caring, cautious, constructive, courageous, comprehending, creative, completely devoted and dedicated to knowing the subject, considerate, conscientious, critical, committed, cheerful, chaste and calm.

Teachers must be strong and positive in their approach. They must be affirmative to create confidence in the pupils, and negative within themselves so that they can reflect critically on their own practices and attitudes. Teachers must always be learning. They will learn from their pupils and must have the humility to tell them that they are still learning their art. . . .

If you want to go on to do a PhD or even more, then that is up to you, but the important thing is not the certificate. What is important is whether you are sincere, whether you are humble, whether you are compassionate. You have to be compassionate as well as merciless. The two have to go together, but you must know where to be compassionate and where not to be compassionate in order to help the pupils with their problems."