I’m out of shape/not flexible, can I do yoga?

This is one of our favorite and most commonly encountered statements or questions from people who have never done yoga. Yes, yes, and yes! We don’t do yoga because we are in perfect health or flexible, we do yoga to gain health and flexibility. And you will soon discover that yoga benefits the mind just as much as it does the body!

How often should I practice?

This answer really depends on each person’s individual preference, schedule, lifestyle and goals. You can practice every day, twice a day, a few times a week or once a week. You can alternate the type of practice you do - yoga practice can be anything from a vigorous 90 min vinyasa flow class to a handful of sun salutations, or a relaxing yin class, breathing session or meditation. Even simply being aware of your breath throughout the day, or your thoughts, or your actions constitutes yoga! Feel it out to see what’s right for you. While discipline is a big component of yoga, it’s also important to listen to the body when it needs to rest. When we rest we come back to our practice with renewed strength, interest and intention.

What are the benefits of yoga?

Yoga has many wide-ranging health benefits. To list a few,

• Improved sleep

• Improved digestion

• Improved circulation

• Mood balance

• Increased mental health

• Increased focus and concentration

• Improved physical flexibility and strength

• Building of bone density

• Relaxation

• Tolerance to discomfort and resilience when faced with life’s challenges

Can I do yoga if I have an injury?

As with any new physical activity, you should consult your primary health practitioner to determine the risks associated with your condition. Yoga can be very safe to do if you have an injury as long as there is awareness on both the practitioner and teacher’s part. Please notify your teacher if you have an injury so that appropriate modifications can be advised. Most importantly, always listen to your body - if something doesn’t feel right, it probably isn’t! Therapy isn’t always comfortable, but it shouldn’t be painful. Remember that one of the five yamas (or moral teachings of yoga) is ahimsa (non-harming), and this extends as much to yourself as it does to all other areas of life.

What should I wear to practice?

The best clothing for yoga is clothing that you are comfortable in, that breathes and stretches, and that you won’t find too warm. For example, shorts or leggings and a t-shirt or tank top. If you are coming to a yin or slower-moving class, you may want to have a long-sleeved shirt or sweater to throw on as we won’t be generating as much warmth in a class like that. For the most part, we do yoga in bare feet because we need the grip on our mat! If you wish to wear socks or need to for health reasons, you are always welcome to of course.

Should I have a water bottle with me for practice?

We have already addressed this question here, but the straightforward answer is no. Not unless you absolutely need to. We are not a ‘hot’ yoga studio, and assuming you have hydrated properly before and following class, there is no need to drink water during practice as it will only break the rhythm of the practice and take away from some of the cleansing benefits.

What classes should I start with if I’m new to yoga?

A great, non-intimidating class to start with for the new student is yin or flow & restore. Once you find your bearings with those two classes, you can move on to hatha and from there explore ashtanga or vinyasa classes.

What’s the right class pass/membership for me?

If you are simply looking to try out the studio once or passing through town and wanting to sneak a yoga class into your itinerary, we recommend a drop-in visit. If you think you’ll be doing 1-2 classes a week, you could purchase a 5 or 10-visit class pass. Please note that this type of pass expires in 6 months. For those practicing 2 or more times a week, it makes sense to go with an unlimited yoga membership. This allows you to take part in as many classes as you like! The payments are recurring on a credit card and you can cancel anytime!

What is your membership pause and/or cancellation policy?

For all recurring unlimited memberships, there is a minimum 2-payment (2-month) commitment, after which time you can cancel anytime. Recurring unlimited memberships may be paused up to 2 times per year (please note this does not include 5-class/10-class passes or 1 month unlimited passes). The pause period must be 2 weeks or greater, and we require 30 days notice.

We require written (email) notice for all pauses and membership cancellations.

What happens when my pass expires?

For drop-in visits, the pass expires after one month if unused. For 5 and 10 visit passes, the expiry is set to 6 months. We set expiry dates on our passes to encourage students to practice, and to protect our business. The dollar value of a pass never expires. After expiry, the remaining dollar value on a pass can be used at any time to purchase a new pass or membership.

Why do I have to register and reserve my spot in class?

We are a small studio and our maximum class size is 9 individuals at this time. As such, we have set up an online booking system to facilitate class registration and maintain fairness both to other students as well as our studio. Thus, class registration is directed in a first come, first serve basis. Class reservations will open 7 days prior to the particular class you are interested in attending. Class reservations will remain open until class begins. If you go to register for a class and the class is full, we have a waitlist option and you will be notified if a spot in class opens up.

How does the waitlist work if the class I want to attend is full?

If you planned to attend a class and found the class full when you were trying to sign up, you will be placed on a waitlist. Should a student cancel their reservation in the class, all individuals on the waitlist will be notified by email of the available spot in class. The available spot will be given on a first come first serve basis to the first person who responds off the waitlist, by registering for the class.

How long do I have to cancel my class reservation and what happens if I am late with cancelling?

We understand that your schedule might change and something might come up that interferes with your plan to attend class. You have up to 6 hours before the class you have registered for, to cancel your reservation, after which late cancellation charges may apply. This allows for someone who is on the waitlist to have an opportunity to be contacted about the opening and to then make arrangements in their life to attend the class if they still want to. In the event that you miss the early cancellation window and late cancel or simply do not show up for class, we uphold the right to charge a $10 fee or use one of your punchcard visits. We absolutely do not want to do this unless we have to! Please understand that this system is in place as a courtesy to other students who wish to attend class and to protect our business.

Feel free to contact us if you have any other questions about class reservations/cancellations, waitlists and late-cancellation fees.

You can make or access your student account here.

How is thai massage different from a traditional massage?

First of all, a thai massage is typically delivered on cushioned mats on the floor versus a traditional massage table. This is to allow room for dynamic movement and stretching throughout the massage in addition to a variety of massage techniques. Unlike traditional massage therapy, a thai massage therapist uses their entire body to administer the massage. This includes the feet, knees, elbows, hands... and a variety of positions that allow the therapist to use their body weight to apply pressure, stretch and move the recipient. In a thai massage, comfortable clothing is worn by the recipient and different touch techniques are used than those encountered in traditional massage. Finally, a major distinction between traditional massage therapy and thai massage therapy is that the body is treated as a whole in thai massage, and it is typical to have most if not all areas of the body worked on rather then to focus only on one 'problem' area.

Can I claim thai massage with my insurance benefits?

While we are registered therapists with the Natural Health Practitioners of Canada (NHPC), thai massage is typically not covered under most Saskatchewan health plans. That being said, it is always good to check with your insurance provider as some plans allow 'health benefits' spending for a variety of health-related expenditures.

What are your hours of operation and how do I book an appointment?

We typically work most days of the week with a variety of morning, afternoon and evening appointments available. Bookings can be arranged through us individually by email, text, phone or social media pages.