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| - If only studios like this would make their way east, I would be so thrilled. I brought my youngest sister here to initiate her into studio yoga (she is not from Toronto and has only practiced at the YMCA). I wanted to find a studio that was really welcoming, that presumably would have parking, not be too busy, and that had a restorative class on Tuesday evening.
I had heard many things about Octapus Garden, so we decided to go here. Plus, first class is free which is a nice bonus since my passport just expired.
The staff were super friendly, and the teacher (Elizabeth) was fantastic. We chose a restorative class, as we were ready to melt our stresses away and were not disappointed. The studio is very large and there was ten or so other yogis in the class. We had plenty of space and props (most of which were Halfmoon) and plenty of attention, as Elizabeth had an assistant Emily helping us out. Restorative is a practice of minimal effort, and they made sure this was so, We were constantly being covered, having props handed to us, They were constantly looking out for us and checking our alignment.
As Jennifer K mentioned they use acuball which is a self-massage tool that you press into your back and I LOVED it. The poses flowed very nicely from one to another, and Elizabeth was a fantastic guide.
Overall my impression of the studio was really good. The space is beautiful, and very clean, and the staff were overwhelmingly authentic and friendly. Zero pretension or stuck up vibe here. Emily chatted with us before and after class, and gave suggestions to my sister and gave her extra support. There is a tremendous community aspect to this studio, which I am beginning to really appreciate. It leads to a different experience.
Bonus Points
- Filtered Water (!)
- Beautiful Clean Space
- EXCELLENT Instruction (!!!)
- Good quality, Halfmoon props
- Eyepillows and Acuballs (!!)
- An assistant during class
- Urban Herbivore downstairs with fantastic vegan muffins
- Spacious Changerooms
- You are allowed to bring valuables into studio
- Free first class
- 90 minute restorative
- VERY affordable class packages
Minus Points
- No Lockers
- Too Far from my house to visit regularly
- Only two showers
Highly Recommended 4.5 Stars.
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