Bikram Yoga Vancouver/Metrotown & Bikram Yoga Metrotown

Bikram Yoga Vancouver/Metrotown & Bikram Yoga Victoria 

While in British Columbia, Canada for two weeks I had the opportunity to take class at three different studios; 1) Bikram Yoga Vancouver the Cambie location 2) Bikram Yoga Metrotown 3) Bikram Yoga Victoria. 

One of the best things about B.C. is that there are so many Bikram studios which means there is a lot of Bikram teachers. With lots of Bikram teachers comes variety in teachers, voices, rhythms, and energies. Often when you live in a small city, or a place with only one Bikram studio, you get accustomed to the teachers in every way.  Therefore while exploring new territories I was blessed with the opportunity to take class from various teachers.

Bikam Yoga Vancouver - Cambie Location 

The Bikram Yoga Vancouver Cambie location was walking distance from my girl friends Meghan's place which allowed me to take class everyday while in Vancouver. The studio is relatively new yet already very busy. Every class that I attended was packed and for good reason. The studio is a large space with huge women's change rooms (can't speak about the men's obviously) with a separate door for the ladies to enter the yoga room. The yoga room is large yet there was rarely a empty space. This was the first studio that I took class in where no one new my name, where I was from, or that I was a teacher.  It was awesome to simply absorb the heat, hear the dialogue and be a student. During my visit I had the opportunity to take class from Rea A a fellow yogi whom I graduated teacher training with. We haven't seen each other since graduation and her class rocked! Amazing energy, great motivation and good insight. Thank you sweetheart for such a great class! My hamstrings were sore for two days after your class.  In addition to Rea's class I also had the pleasure of hearing many other voices at the BYV Cambie studio. My top two favourite things I heard were;

1) "In class you aren't grabbing a hamburger, thumbs with your fingers".

2) "Come to class with a open mind, open heart and an extra large bottle of water".

Bikram Yoga Metrotown 

On my second last day in Vancouver I went to take a class with the beautiful Danielle Sullivan, a fellow yogini from Winnipeg, at Bikram Yoga Metrotown. Danielle and I have known each other for a very long time and both share a deep love for the yoga.  It is amazing how many Winnipegers are scattered across Canada as even the front desk girl was from Winnipeg. Her mother taught me my first Bikram Hot yoga class.... it is such a small world :)

This studio has two separate rooms one of which has windows overlooking the mountains. It was really a neat experience to be back bending and have the view of mountains with the sky train going by. Furthermore, the studio clearly has a very strong influence in the community.  There are pictures scattered across the walls of local community members, students/teachers competing, sport celebrities visiting the studio and students being sponsored by the studio for various activities. It is refreshing to see such strong community ties.

Bikram Yoga Victoria 

During my visit to Victoria I had the opportunity to take class at Bikram Yoga Victoria. Upon arrival to the studio I had the pleasure of seeing a familiar face - the studio owner Ken Mayes. Ken was a very influential person at Stafford Street Hot Yoga as we rarely got visiting teachers yet Ken's presence appeared more then once in the hot room. Ken also provided me with some very valuable feedback in my initial days of teaching. Feedback that I have always remembered and continue to carry with me. 

The studio is located within walking distance from downtown and has a very evident small town feel. Numerous students initiated conversation with me which doesn't always happen. Everyone was extremely friendly and appeared to know each other personally. Perhaps that day everyone was just a friendly yogi but I felt instantly at home; like I had been practicing there for years. There is a large sitting area for students to gather before/after class which appears to be regularly used. The hot room is located on the second floor which of the studio which was something I had never seen before. 

The class was hot, the teacher was great and it was awesome to see a familiar yogi face again!  

Thanks Ken. I hope to see you again soon!