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.