My Yoga Studio

Moksha Yoga Richmond Hill underwent a major facelit and renovation

The waiting area, the change room and the practice room itself all double in spaces! New floorings, new fixture, almost new everything.

Now the practice room has much better lighting than before, the floor to ceiling windows does let a lot of nature light comes in the room on a nice sunny day. The floor now are wooden panelled flooring.

The lady change room now has 4 showers with wooden partitions, 2 hair dryers and 2 sinks! And they also installed a water machine out in the waiting room instead of having the filtered water from the only sink they have previously! Disappointment is there still no locker facilities.

I also like how they expand their schedules in offering more non Moksha series classes! The Reduced Heat Vinysa Flow class I attended using my Passport to Prana was excellent. Lynda the instructor was really patient in explaining all the poses and walking around doing adjustments for us! She walked around the whole room and make sure everyone doing the asanas properly!! Great energy! Great class!

There are also complimentary fresh fruits at the receptionist area where you are welcome to have a healthy snack before or after the class.

They are still working on putting more finishing touches to the studio. I can't wait to see how it will be when everything is done.

Moksha Yoga Richmond Hill is in a building I saw being built back a few years ago when I was still working within the area. I noticed that this is the first Yoga Studio that has large clear-view windows so everyone outside can see how I do my Flippin' Downward Dog. I noticed the lady next to me was really scared I'll give her a Windmill Kick in her face instead. She's still alive and eating. :P

I guess in case of any emergencies, the Fireman from the Fire Hall a few steps away can always walk over and give anyone here Mouth-to-Mouth. The interior setting and bench has a lot of Drift/Natural Wood variety elements. The M washroom seemed average as I shared it with myself with 1 Washroom and 1 Shower area w/2 Shower heads. Awww, how intimate?

The Studio space was large and must have fitted the 25+ of us perfectly but anything beyond that would have us kissing feet. The instructor was quite good with all explanations and the emphasis on "Opening up the Collar Bone" as today's focus. I guess probably as the lone Rookie and non-weekly local, the instructions and transition from pose-to-pose was slightly quicker for me, but perfect for everyone else.

She wasn't the "Technical" type as she commented herself so we did the whole session Au-Naturel. That didn't mean we were doing Yoga nude, it just means we went without any soothing Music until the ending sleepy resting pose, my FAV.

This is my favourite Yoga studio in the Markham/Richmond Hill area. It started out as a Moksha Yoga, but I love the improvements that the owners have made since it became My Yoga Studio. I feel like they kept the best of the facility and great instructors. But they tweaked the format of the classes to enhance the learning experience of the yogis and yoginis looking to advance in their practice. I always feel able to try something new and challenging here. With Moksha, you are very limited. I find the yoga instructors here to be very encouraging and supportive for people who want to take their practice to the next level.

Another thing I like about the classes here is the variation in temperature according to each style of yoga. It's these little attentions to detail that I love.

I needed a good diversion as I ended my tournament season, recover from injury, and quiet the mind. Then, I tried Moksha RH since it's so close to my house and one I haven't tried before. I took the Introductory Offer of $40 unlimited for 30 days last March and I just got hooked to his place. I've been coming regularly since, 3-4x/wk. The #1 reason? TEACHERS.

Rockstars and angels, they are simply a bunch of outstanding instructors. They're all highly experienced and effective. I just love the way they help us build and understand the foundation for each pose. Reminders, tips, queues, personal pose adjustments, philosophy - excellent guidance through the practices. Their leadership in each class are just brilliant.

I have a list of awesome teachers, and it adds up so often. PM me so I can tell you how they're generally like. I have my faves too! This should help you one way or another.

The other reason is SPIRITUALITY. From my practices years ago, I have learned that Yoga is first and foremost a practice for the mind & spirit. And the Moksha RH teachers never ignored nor neglected this aspect of the practice. In fact, they emphasize it, which to me is a total coolness factor.

Found my sanctuary that offers a good variety of CLASSES - another reason to love this place - those I totally dig and absolutely love. The frequency of each class type also helps with my desired number of practices each week with favorable schedules.

Students vary in levels and personal purpose of doing yoga here. And the teachers are mindful enough to adjust their pace and difficulty level depending on the class that gather at that time. Sometimes, there are too many binds and handstands; sometimes mostly stretch, reach, and bends. However it goes, I get my waterfall of sweat and oh-yeah's. So I come to class without expectations, just follow the flow/breath, and focus on what I can do.

They also have many relevant workshops every month with experienced and highly esteemed teachers and healers. I love their website. Go check it out.

The CULTURE of kindness, humility, and politeness without prejudice nor aggression to push you out of your limits are very motivating. I find the students here are practically happy that they can laugh and smile at their own fumble-and-tumble (i'm one of 'em), and kind enough to tell you hey its the left foot not the right with a smile. The teachers make jokes or positive remarks making each class fun yet serious hard work.

I've tried almost all classes and scheds except for the weekday early morning of 6:30, and they're all good. Some classes can get so packed regardless the time. But it's NOT always like that. The weather is sometimes a good indication. LoL

They have a single studio with a maximum capacity of 40 adults, maybe 45 if the mat spacing are adjusted properly. Yes, I actually counted like an engineer. I dunno why but it should serve a good purpose in this review.

Anyway, the heating/ac in the studio is good, love the huge windows and lights in the studio which they adjust according to the intensity of the practice (light affects our state of mind, after all), musing on the calming and earthy interior, sufficient dressing room, and super nice & friendly customer relations. No worries about parking spaces.

Moksha RH: a sanctuary, a church, a haven, a good place.... There's just so much love in here, man. :D

Barely a 4 star (close enough) but it's only because I had an encounter with ants. Otherwise it was quite a pleasant experience. Definitely won't mind coming back again with the passport :)

This studio is wonderful & gave me a nice warm feeling upon entry. Or maybe because I was greeted by the nice receptionist Aura. The practice room was quite big. Plenty of spots... guessing it could max out at 50? Some classes can be quite packed so come early to reserve your spot. My ants problem....Not sure where the heck they came from. I sure hope its a one day problem. There were so many in the front/middle portion of the class. Halfway through the practice I killed around 3 as they wandered on my mat. Sorry I'm not doing yoga w/ ants.

The bathroom was spacious and as Jen K mentioned there were 4 showers (with wooden doors now), 2 sinks. The only annoying thing about the place was there were no lockers. Put all your valuables in your car. I actually changed at work before leaving for yoga. Yes just in case someone wants my used stockings & $10 jacob skirt. :)

The class I took was on Wed 6pm Moksha Flow with Vikram. One of those great instructors who was clear on instruction, patient & came by to adjust anyone who may need a little assistance. I think the pace is a little too slow than what I'm accustomed to. I thought there would be a lot of sun salutes, etc. Not much at all. I'm still a newb at Moksha...but I'm guessing we aren't allowed to go into our own variations? I was politely asked not to do a different camel & stick w/ the basic. Different style I guess. But still a great class.

3.5 Stars..
Besides Moksha Yoga Downtown, this is the only other hot yoga facility I have been to. My experience here was what I expected from the downtown location but there were some slight differences. All in all still, it was a still a great experience and it probably boils down to individual preference in the end.

Though this was not a Karma class I went to (meaning 8$ donation minimum class). It was similar as it was an Economy Class (7$ typically taught by newer instructors) on Saturdays at 8pm. So I'm not sure if an economy class would be truly ideal for a beginner.

Decor/Location:
For someone who lives uptown, I appreciate the accessibility of this place. The biggest thing I worry about whenever I go downtown is finding parking spots so I always have to add 15-20 more minutes to my commute just in case I can't find parking. So fortunately, this facility is in a plaza so there is ample parking. The decor is similar to that of Moksha Yoga downtown: minimalist, clean facilities, calming.
The change room is a bit larger than MY Downtown but not by much. I usually shower afterwards but I was in a rush so I wasn't able to see if the shower was communal or individual. Again, please keep valuables in the car as the only form of storage is shelves beneath the bench.

**Off on a Tangent for a moment...I wonder how people can come out of a hot yoga class and just change and leave. I mean, you essentially took a swim in your own sweat (worse than working out at the gym). If you plan on going out right after or take public transit, please be considerate and rinse off at least!

This facility actually offers unheated classes as well which is good because it adds depth and variety if you want to do Yoga more.

Class:
The instructor definitely made sure we covered most of the basic poses. I had a friend that was arriving late and she was more than willing to delay the start time of the class to accommodate him so I appreciated that courtesy. I have to say that if you are unfamiliar with the movements, please stay in the back so you can follow others. If you're in the front, you'll find yourself turning your head a lot. This instructor did go through some movements rather quickly though so I can imagine someone who's never done yoga getting a bit lost or falling behind. The instructor did a lot of core work (planks, etc) as well which was definitely much more challenging than MY Downtown's Karma Class. Almost all the girls crushed me in these movements:P

One issue I had was that the instructor turned the lights on too brightly. I wasn't able to feel as calm as I was at MY Downtown as the lighting during those classes are much darker. It also doesn't help that the class actually has windows (tinted on the outside I believe) and a non-operable glass door looking out into the plaza which are situated in the middle rear of the room. So it's actually a bit distracting when cars pull into the parking lot and shine their headlights into the room and reflects of the mirrors which takes away from the calming ambiance yoga is supposed to achieve. The brighter lighting and the existence of windows and glass door into the yoga room are probably the reason why I only gave it 3.5 stars.

Overall:
Finding hot yoga classes on the weekend that are affordable for people who do drop in is difficult. This is one of the few locations that has a class on the weekend and is only 7$.
Would I come here again? Definitely! Yoga, irregardless of the room discrepancies, is something that will always be a welcome addition to my fitness routine and well being. Perhaps the presence of windows and the brighter lighting won't bother you and perhaps I'm just super nitpicky but either way expect to feel good coming out of the class.

Moksha Yoga studio...one of the most well known Yoga Franchise in Ontario I guess. They have multiple locations in different cities to date.

For this particular location, I would say it's ok...because
1. Class size : when I was there during 2010 Nov/Dec....I found them not too attentive, the classes were huge, they do say they have a max capacity, but they probably still let people in (well I get that because it would annoy me too if I drove all the way there and then found out the class is full and have to turn around) But Mondays and Wednesdays nights are always packed. The little studio have 4 rows and everyone was standing next to each other with less than one arm length.

2. Teacher quality: Due to the class size, it was really hard for him/her to walk around, and some just doesn't care...and won't come over to correct your pose...it's ok if you are in advance level, and you know what you're doing, but not so good for beginners, because they might get injured and tried to push themselves too hard in a wrong way.

3. cleanliness: I personally never shower there...so i'm not too sure. The change room is very spacious, so that's good. The only thing I kind of don't like is that they don't have a locker. So my advice is to leave your stuff in the car if you can. The studio is hardwood, so that's good.

I've been trying to find a yoga studio that offers a decent amount of Ashtanga classes since I can't take the heat (I get ridiculously dizzy which makes me want to curl into a fetal position not a child's pose).
Richmond Hill has 3 classes a week at convenient times so I signed up. During the week is one instructor (Eric) and on the weekend it's someone else (I have yet to attend a weekend class...something always comes up!). I haven't done Ashtanga for a few months now but Eric is pretty good instructing the class and walking around occasionally to correct people's poses. I enjoy them as they're challenging and varies.

The studio itself if pretty nice. The changer room is clean and goes by honour system since they don't have lockers yet. I was advised by the front desk that they're coming soon. You can leave your purse with the front desk if you want so it's not an issue. While the change room is small, people are generally good at changing quickly so it has never been an issue for me.

Looking forward to a weekend Ashtanga class...

We love this studio. It's not as updated as Maple location, but there are 6 showers in the ladies change room, which is greate, as you don't have to wait in line.
I love the classes. Our favourite is YuMee Chun's Jivamukty classes on Friday night and Sunday, with live music. These are AMASING!!! Thanks YuMee and Moksha!

A disapointing experience here. After hearing great reviews online I drove to the Richmond Hill location hoping to try it out only to be turned away with a unsympathetic "no" from two kids for being 3 minutes late the to class. I know policy is policy. But businesses don't succeed with poor customer service. By all means this place could be the greatest yoga studio. I simply had a horrible experience.