When I sat down to write my next post for my inquiry project, I realized that without a doubt, my inquiry had changed. I initially set out to create this blog to document my process on how to learn to do a handstand, I couldn’t help but notice that the last several weeks, I have been mainly focusing on unpacking my experience with yoga and sharing my perspective and tips on how to practice yoga. So, I thought it only made sense to pivot my inquiry and make yoga the focal point. While I will definitely touch on handstands in the upcoming weeks, I think it would be more fruitful and authentic to base my project around yoga.
So! Let’s get right into it!
Last week I discussed my experience at my favourite yoga studio back in Toronto, and I thought it would be great to branch out and share my experience as I try out different yoga studios in Victoria. Since moving to Victoria, I have missed practicing at a yoga studio and I have not yet found a yoga studio to practice at so I would like to share my experience after taking two classes at two different studios. This week I am going to focus on The Lab, a yoga studio in downtown Victoria, and next week I am going to focus on One Yoga, a yoga studio in James Bay. The reason why I chose these two yoga studios is because they are the closest studios to where I live and would be the only two feasible options for me to attend on a regular basis.
The Lab is a 10-minute drive from my apartment, or about a 20 minute walk. I took the class called “The Roots” and it was a hot yoga class that was described on the website as a “foundational, consistent and grounding yoga sequence.” I found the studio to be extremely welcoming and it greatly reminded me of my favourite yoga studio back in Toronto. The teacher was very friendly, and I loved her energy as she was very calm yet also pushed everyone to try their best. The teacher ended the practice by singing a lullaby and I thought that was very special. The only thing that I was unhappy with was the size of the studio space. It was a very busy class, and everyone was packed in the studio like sardines. There was very limited room to move around, and I couldn’t fully express myself in each posture as if I extended my legs or arms, I would be touching the person next to me. However, overall, I loved the yoga sequence and can definitely see myself practicing at The Lab more often.
