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Yoga West of Vancouver
Category: Active Life Fitness & Instruction Yoga Yoga [Edit]
2662 4th Ave WVancouver, BC V6K 1P7
Neighbourhood: Kitsilano
(604) 732-9642
2 reviews for Yoga West of Vancouver
2 reviews in English
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Review from Sandra G.
Vancouver, BC
5/6/2012
I've been to a lot of yoga studios. While my favourite one is still the YYoga giant, there are a lot of great smaller ones in Vancouver. Yoga West is the first that's been review-worthy.
You're greeted with a storefront, and the studio room at the back is carpeted and looks like a normal room except that it's quite big (not as big as some of the huge studios though). There is a smaller meditation room (which I'd love to check out someday) and Yoga West specializes in a very specific type of yoga: Kundalini Yoga.
The "instructor" is more of a facilitator - he admitted that being new to the class, I would learn more from my classmates than from him, and as far as poses this is true. But he was great -- he looks like a guru from India but spoke perfect English and his voice was commanding yet gentle. The Kundalini Yoga poses start and finish off much similar to regular yoga but the exercises in between use some pretty hard core aerobic-like movements and breath work. Even the simplest of movements are hard to keep up for a good 5 minutes. Oh! And the chanting! There is some chanting, and some time spent on meditation, which I really enjoyed because I like to practice thinking about nothing - it's difficult! Normally the chanting isn't my thing but 3/4 of the way into the class we did a great mantra to music that symbolized (I asked about this) the transition from darkness to light.
The savasana was AMAZING because gongs were used and not the high pitch mousey gong - two big earthy gongs. They were facing each other a slight bit, which caused the sounds to ripple off of each other and cause a sound wave that came over us all like an airplane flying directly overhead. It was awesome. Then more songs.
If you want to amp up your spiritual experience while getting a great 1.5 hour workout, try this place out. Mats are not required as the provided blankets serve as mats. Bring water too! -
Review from Karen R.
7/30/2010
This is the first really spiritual yoga studio I've been to. There was a warm welcome and the studio smelled amazing - very spicy. The yoga room was interesting - no mats, just carpet and blankets. The instructor was very spiritual and really friendly. I did notice that most people had on capris and sleeved tops - there's nothing on the website that says you should be covered so I felt a little uncomfortable in a tank top and shorts.
Kundalini yoga itself is interesting - some panting and way more chanting than I've ever done. I loved the music, it flowed and felt organic with the poses. I would definitely return and try another class here again just because it was unlike any of the other yoga I've tried so far.Listed in: Passport to Prana - One Yoga…
