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| - I've been coming here for over two years now. Its one of my favorite places on Earth. Yet I'm hesitant to Yelp about it. This is one of the things I treasure so much, that I like to keep it secret. How un-yoga of me. I'm a selfish whore. Besides. Should we really be reviewing something like yoga? Its like rating a church. Wait. Has that been done? I know what I'm doing after this post.
Fine.
Blue Sky Yoga is located in The Arts Factory downtown, on Charleston and Main. Classes are held in one of the downstairs galleries. Accessible from the north entrance by Tinoco's. You'll see the sign, don't fret.
The main instructor and founder, whatever you want to call her, her name is Cheryl. She is certified in Jivamukti yoga. Cheryl is a straight up hippy. Not the dirty weed-smoking, tie-dye wearing, no job-having variety. But the life-loving, goodwill-having, free-spirited, showers regularly kind. She has a small collective of other instructors. One of which teaches Vinyasa. Another teaches Kundalini. And one is strictly pranayama (breathing exercises). I believe there used to be kama sutra classes at one point as well. Too bad it is no more. Because was just about to try it ...
So far, I like all of the instructors I've encountered at Blue Sky. Bum is a goofy, happy go lucky kid. Don used to teach a kickass Vinyasa class. He moved on to personal training. I was sad to see him go.
Jivamukti is a good all-around yoga. It emphasizes meditation, chant, and asana (posture). Not so much the pranayama. At the end of some of Cheryl's classes, during savasana (corpse pose, fully relaxed and meditative), she'll come around and massage the back of your neck or shoulders with lavender essential oil. With some of the students she's more comfortable with, she'll do little things like come around and bang on your feet when you're in shoulder stand. Its theraputic, fo sho.
Her Sacred Sunday Practice classes are usually overflowing. Sometimes she has to teach class from the other side of the entryway. But then some of her classes are damn near empty. I used to go to Friday afternoon classes. Once it was just me and this other guy. Cheryl knew both of our experience levels, so she pushed us into these way advanced postures, totally foreign to me.
I love the feeling of comfort I get from her. I love the customization in her routines. I love the dedication and love.
Oh. My hippy is showing.
Most of the classes are welcome to all levels. Might I recommend avoiding Yin if you are a beginner, as asanas are held eight minutes or longer. Also, beginners avoid Kundalini. Just ... trust me. There are also natal/ pre-natal classes. I'm not touching that. Just check out the website and read the class descriptions if you're scared.
The best thing about this studio is its free. But don't get too excited. Its based off of donations to help cover rent. Be generous. Because classes there are the shit. And Cheryl's got two kids.
The only gripes I've heard (I took family there) is that the studio is too small and its too noisy. It is located right off of a main thoroughfare, so you can hear some street noise. Honestly, I just zone it out. Its really not that bad. But for some classes, you can hear footsteps from the upstairs galleries. People just don't know how to walk on hardwood floors upstairs. Roll step, people!
The studio provides mats if you should need.
And so now that I've shared Blue Sky with you, you have a part of me. I'm inside of you ...
* off the strip, non-casino
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