Radha Yoga & Eatery

This morning, I decided to try something a little different and venture to East Van for a class at Radha Yoga and Eatery.

What: Radha Yoga and Eatery

Where: 728 Main Street, Vancouver BC

When: May 14, 2010, 9:30am-10:45am

Class: Hatha Yoga

Teacher: Ciera

Drop in rate per class: $12

Comments:

Space:

Located on the top floor of a building in the downtown east side, this studio has a lot of character. It is part restaurant, part yoga studio, with a simple bamboo divider separating the two areas. The restaurant wasn't open during the yoga class, of course. Although a bit small, the space had beautiful old hard wood floors and old brick walls adorned with Buddhas and other ornaments. We faced some lovely large windows which let lots of natural light flow into the room.

Atmosphere:

This place breathed "community yoga". It had a very friendly atmosphere and really catered to practitioners at the beginning levels. Lots of tea and cozy places to sit and chat. I liked the way the room was set up with no solid divisions, just a suggestion of different parts of the space. It resonated with a good energy, almost as if the old wood and brick held on to the vibrations from past visitors and kept this prana alive in its matter. There were decent washrooms - nothing fancy. Mats were also available, which was nice.

Teacher/Class:

Ciera was a soft-spoken teacher who really took her time to clearly articulate the important notes for each pose. The hatha class was very gentle and slower-paced, which I appreciated because I rarely go to classes that focus on relaxation and release. It was a pleasant surprise! We opened with a Light Invocation and did an amazing visualization of light energy spiraling from our centers and up and out into the universe. I always love going through visualization exercises. The participants in the class were older and you could tell they really enjoyed going through things slowly and patiently. It was definitely a place where you could sink into your own being and tune in with yourself.

Rating: 6/10. This studio is not for everyone - it offers a more relaxing style of yoga and if you're looking for a workout, you probably won't get it here. That being said, the space was beautiful and the style was very soothing. They don't offer classes too often, mainly mornings and evenings. They also hold other community events, such as cooking classes and community organic vegan dinners.