Coffee, Chocolate & Meditation

November 11, 2009 - My boyfriend encouraged me to write down all of the yoga things I keep talking about, regardless of if they were different studio reviews or not. I have become a steady attendee at Unity Yoga (close to home, variety of classes, pleasant tea room, affordable) since working full time in North Van. Below are some not-so-straight-from-the-horse's-mouth notes and quotes from Shelley's Saturday Anusara class and the beginnings of my own humble meditation practice.  

This time of year in Vancouver we are entitled to all of the chocolate and coffee that we need. The sun has left us and we are sad with longing. there is an abundance of water energy surrounding us. We must fight so as not to become moldy or rusty.

We do this by invoking  sun/fire energy in ourselves and in our lives. We hang pictures of the sun in our homes and we feel its burning warmth in our hearts and envision its glow in our minds. Short, powerful and vigorous sessions of exercise are good for this.

This week I have been taking five to ten minutes in the morning to meditate after a short invigorating set of sun salutations. I find it gives me a space to settle into whenever I feel too caught up with whats going on around me.

This is how to meditate:  find a comfortable seated position (usually half lotus, perhaps on a small cushion) and if necessary, set an alarm (at anywhere from 5 to 15 minutes). Face your window and maybe a candle, light or something auspicious. Then close your eyes and take a look at what is going on inside. Generally the mind is anticipating, chugging away, planning ahead, chasing its tail. But wait patiently, sitting, eyes closed, and  label the thoughts for what they are: fear - judgement - desire, fear - judgement - desire, in a perfect circle. The light in the room is warm. Continue to relax and disregard the raucous, chattering mind. Imagine that you are full of light. What sensations would you have? You are but a sheath of sensory surface and a body pouring forth light through every opening (above Rob Green's "Sun Worship").

Unity Yoga

Commercial & 10th

Anusara Yoga

Teacher: Shelley

Drop in: $10 first time

$15 regulard

SUMMARY: Spiritual and uplifting this class challenged me to observe my body in new ways and new postures. Expansion of the mind and connection both within the body and to those around you was a big emphasis. Some quotes: “every moment is an opportunity to either connect or disconnect,” how to experience ultimate freedom? “We are not free until we are all free.”

SETTING: Unity yoga/tea house is a non-imposing building tucked away on a shady bike path just off of Commercial Drive. There is a massive asian themed mural decking out the side of the building which faces the Drive. The building has a tea/reading/socializing room where you sign up for classes and can purchase natural goods as well as a small studio space that could use some updating.

STYLE & PACE: This particular class was demanding but (for me) not strenuous. The teacher was vivacious and the poses were challenging but also inspiring. I experienced a classic lunge with a bind feeling for the first time in a mental space of ease and opening.

“Anusara yoga is a school of hatha yoga which unifies a life-affirming Tantric philosophy of intrinsic goodness with Universal Principles of Alignment (www.anusara.com)”

SCENE: As fore-warned by my co-attendant this Saturday morning session is the one all of the teachers attend for it’s dynamic and intensive nature. Mostly 20-something experienced yogis of mixed gender as well as approximately 30% middle aged women of various body types. A few new young female attendants such as myself.

MY EVALUATION: Great, dynamic, awe-inspiring. If you have a habit of viewing yoga as painful, strenuous or demanding this might not be the class for you although it might just help you break out of those negative views. Physically challenging poses require a strong awareness and connection with the body in order to avoid injury.

YYoga

231-1233 Lynn Valley Road, North Vancouver

Northshore Elements Studio: "Hot Fusion"

Teacher: Melanie

Drop-in: $15.00-20.00+(extras)

Intro 2 week unlimited special: $30.00

SUMMARY: Hot Yoga is very effective for developing strength, discipline and flexibility rapidly. This class was no exception. There wasn't much originality but what was offered was solid; challenging but not exasperating.

SETTING: The location was in a great new integrated shopping centre off Lynn Valley Road. Live music was playing outside and there were lots of family friendly businesses. The 'northshore elements' studio is one of a comprehensive network of YYoga yoga studios in Vancouver. The features of this corporation include multiple classrooms and styles at each location, infra-red sauna and boutique.

STYLE & PACE: The attitude of the class I attended was demanding but not overbearing. The heat did not seem as overwhelming as other hot yoga classes I've experienced either. The teacher was understanding, encouraging and staunch. Modifications and level 1/level 2 variations were encouraged. The postures were mostly focused on individually (instead of in a series) and held for long periods of time. The series was similar to Bikram's (maybe copyright infringement? :oP).

SCENE: Lots of young ladies with lulu lemon brand allegiance, about %25 middle aged women and three middle aged gentlemen. Yoga's pretty seductive to young women who aren't afraid of spandex. This stylish, modern location is definitely a place to be 'seen'.

MY EVALUATION: In my experience, there is a post (day after) hot yoga energy high that is hard to beat. Sometimes you pull a muscle a little bit, sometimes you are wicked sore, but all in all the benefits of rapid results are very pleasing to the 'live fast' American palate. The aspect of corporate yoga culture has some benefits but does not yield a personal, heart-warming aura.

Spartacus Athletics

Commercial Drive & Grant Street
Hatha Yoga
Teacher: Jennifer
Drop-in: $7.00

SUMMARY: Awesome, down to earth yoga for all levels at an affordable price (though sessions are only 1 hour where as most studios are one and one half hours). Teachers offer individual adjustments (something you don't often get in crowded vancouver yoga classrooms) and there is a strong work out vibe in the environment but still plenty of mental room to relax and release stress.

SETTING: In the heart of an underground, greco-roman, urban gym lies the glass walled yoga studio. Walking into this building you pass through a tunneled stairwell muraled with ancient ruins and modern humans enacting athletic activities of all types. You can see into/out-of the studio room to about waist level form the rear and side of the yoga space and the front and opposite side wall are full length mirrors. It was hot, hot in the room (from Vancouver's current heat wave) but a strong fan was blowing. The dank air reminded me of a jaguar stalking through a majestic, sticky jungle. Energetic and rhythmic music was playing: vibrant equatorial drumbeats and the delicious melodies of my favorite Indian buffets.

STYLE & PACE: The hatha yoga was easy on the body and effective on exorcising stress. Good for all levels, the teacher was very encouraging. The energy of this room which's also used for step-class and other power work-outs definately carried over in the instruction and enthusiasm for physical activity. Prop use was encouraged and alternative poses for greater or lesser challenge were offered and employed. There were also options to take or leave a vinyasa flow in between key postures. Om-ing was a lot of fun with this crowd. I enjoyed taking an Om at the end and seeing how my voice key had changed after my body had relaxed so much.

SCENE: The building is filled with the sweet, of-all-ages, alternative-leaning crowd of the Drive and the girl at the counter had a huge smile on her face. If you're looking for a regular gym membership by the way - this place has one of the best deals in town! Inside the yoga class there was a good variety of age groups and a roughly 25% attendance of men.

MY EVALUATION: A great class for some exercise and stress relief. Good, positive, encouraging energy and well known poses make it a good entry level class. For the more experienced yogi there is a great interpretation of yoga practice to absorb from the gym environment. I hear this studio offers great power yoga classes for the work-out hungry.

Yoga Moves (Iyengar yoga)

North Van: McCay Park off Marine Drive

"B.K.S. Iyengar"

teacher: Morgan

Drop-in:$15.00

SUMMARY: Wow! I discovered today that Iyengar yoga is all about alignment and let me tell you a yoga posture becomes 1000 times more effective when you are doing it in proper alignment. Too achieve this numerous props and devices are used to teach your body.

SETTING: It was a rare treat to be the only attendant at this Friday evening class. I had the teacher's full attention. Comfy props (blankets, bolsters, straps, "foamies" and wood blocks) galore, warm terra cotta tile and summer songbirds on the breeze made relaxing irresistible.

STYLE & PACE: Great care and concern with the natural opening and restoration of the body was the definitive message of this series. Beginning with a number of restorative poses on large cushiony props and blankets, energizing poses followed next and lastly some carefully executed inversions. Epic effectiveness of the postures was achieved from great concern for alignment. I felt lovely muscles I had never consciously controlled before in unprecedented amounts.

SCENE: Because I was the only participant in this class I can't offer much for scene. The teacher was a long, slim middle aged woman.

MY EVALUATION: If you ever have the chance to do this yoga, do it. It is good, it quenches the body's thirst and awakens its holiest structures. It is a gentle and effective workout so, if you're looking for intensity maybe look somewhere else.

Moksha Yoga

4th & Alma
"Moksha Mild"
Teacher: Monica
Drop-in: $18.00/
Currently Intro Week: $20.00

SUMMARY: Releasing, Strengthening, slow but not overly stressful or fundamentalist Hot yoga that increases total embodiment. A nice blend of styles in a clean, classy studio. But be careful there's an hour parking limit outside of the facility and some classes last 90 minutes (I learned this one the hard way, damn you parking patrol!).

SETTING: There was sincerity and naturalism here, qualities you don't find at every yoga studio. A more intimate experience was created by the small number of attendants and warm lighting in this weekday mid-morning class. Moksha seems to have a well developed environmentally sound philosophy. Nice hard wood floors, simple decor and modern, practical yoga accessories add to the feelings of purity.

STYLE & PACE: It was Hot yoga (as in you'll be dripping) and the poses were held stationary for a substantial amount of time; this brings the chore of ignoring an often uncooperative mind. This is an important habit to develop:ask yourself "are these thoughts serving me right now?" and if they're not, you let them go because they're hogging your moment!

SCENE: Roughly 25% out of shape middle aged men, %25 fit young females and %50 middle aged woman of various ethnicities. Although my friend and I did scope a rather attractive young man getting ready for the more intense class after ours. There were less than ten people in the class.

MY EVALUATION: I can't resist the temptation to compare this class to Bikram's (the first copyrighted hot yoga series?) there were definitely likeness in the continuum. But Moksha's defined a less rigid approach, that blends popular hatha yoga poses with flow and other forms. They offer classes of varying levels, lengths and styles. I think practicing yoga in a hot room is great when you're really craving embodiment. You can manipulate your body so much more freely and move into positions you never imagined you would experience in this lifetime. It can be a bit dangerous though if you're worried about loosing too many fluids or have any sensitive medical conditions.

Semperviva

Kitsilano: Sun Centre, Broadway & Tralfagar
Teacher: Maggie
Drop-in: $9.00 first time
$18.00 regular drop-in fee

SUMMARY: "Open level hatha," Gentle guiding words and deliciously intense foot stretching in warm up, the class degenerated into physically demanding moves held for long periods of time. Lots of use of props. I think I left with as much of other people's sweat on me as my own.

SETTING: On a busy street, the studio itself sees a lot of traffic. You enter the large tiled room through a small shop where some ayurvedic and clothing sales, as well as registration is completed. The classroom (like most yoga classrooms) is quite plain. White walls with storage units for props and your stuff. At the front is a picture of wind swept curtains framing an ocean view, some candles and pampas grass. No windows, no mirrors and modest lighting.

SYTLE & PACE: I sweated profusely during this class from the humidity and intensity, which was not something I was anticipating. The bulk of the asanas (poses) involved holding lunges for long periods of time. An activity I personally find desperately strenuous and more work-out intensive than restorative. The teacher seemed a bit befuddled and unfocused, which can be very frustrating when you're holding an uncomfortable pose.

There is an old yoga adage that you have to know your boundaries, and observe them with care. This is often counter to our nature because we are cultivated in Western, Protestant self-pressure to do everything to the extreme if we can take it. If we leave a yoga class hurt it is because we did it to ourselves, we ignored the voice of our bodies asking to be treated more mindfully. But what's the point in being at a class if your bodie's telling you to quite on half the poses? Is it just a brutal reminder of how weak we are in comparison to the masses surrounding us? Is it a realization that of how far we have to go to physical well-being and health? Or is it a teacher telling us to do things we don't want to...

SCENE: As with all of the other classes I've blogged about so far this mid-morning yoga session was very crowded. At least 40 people in the room. A lot of the attendants appeared to be quite fit and very keen. There was a large number of men there of all ages, comprising 30-40% of the class.

MY EVALUATION: General consensus (from my new-to-yoga-co-attendants as well as myself) was the class was bad, which breaks my heart to say because I've love loved this teacher in the past (she was the first one to ever show me pigeon pose and she made it so wonderful). Maybe she was unfocused because she has a new baby and in a few months time will be all wonderful again. In general I've experienced a great inconsistency in quality with Semperviva yoga teachers. I know they run a large teacher training program but it's particular flavour doesn't seem to accord with my yoga practice preferences. The classes, I gather, are all supposed to be very slow, smooth, and soothing as well as toning. But as often as I've found a class at their studio helpful and explorative I've also had a class uncomfortable and strenuous- more phsyically challenging than opening and relaxing. As my swim coach always said "the slower you do it the harder it becomes."