Friendly Neighborhood Yoga

My Baltimore yoga life consisted of at-home Rodney Yee dvds and the community ($6!) classes at Charm City Yoga, mostly (very) Hot Vinyasa, made even hotter by the crowded class's incessant popularity. I dabbled in the community Hatha and Rock and Roll, but I found Hot Vinyasa to be most addictive. Although I, to put it lightly, got my ass kicked every single time, I found the energy, the heat, and the yogis around me doing headstands and handstands at the drop of a hat exhilarating.

I've been hoping to find something similar in Cleveland, but I decided to try a studio right around the corner from home located on Murray Hill RD. in a peaceful little collection of galleries. What I discovered was a much smaller operation than Charm City's; it's called The Yoga Room, and named appropriately, the studio is one big, open room with hardwood floors and lots of natural light.

The smaller size allows for personal adjustments, and I love my teacher! I decided a long time ago that prenatal yoga would be crucial for me, and this lady is very pregnant and still teaching a challenging class. She is also a great Savasana leader, with a very kind spirit and grounded spirituality. She even rubbed essential oils on our shoulders, necks, and faces one day, at which point she earned my unwavering devotion.

The pace is slower for sure, but it's working well for me right now. I think it fits the current state of my life, because while most of my energy goes to job interviews and music/PhD questions, their Vinyasa Flow seems to be just what I need.