Kula Yoga Annex

I came here for a restorative with reiki class, which had so much promise. The instructor was calm and sweet and I was so inspired to really focusing on relaxing my body for 90 minutes. When the reiki practitioner gave me personalized attention my body relaxed into the posture immediately, and all my fidgeting eased away. As the class went on though, the instruction focused just on how to set up the props for each pose, but after the first pose there was no discussion of where to bring your awareness/​what area of your body you were trying to relax. I’ve been doing yoga regularly for many years, but I found it really hard to settle into many of the poses because without knowing if our goal was to relax our hips, legs, back, hips etc in a supported supine twist for example, I couldn’t figure out how to adjust. We were given wide latitude to set the props up in a variety of ways in each pose, but that actually made it more challenging to know where to settle.
Gorgeous practice room, so much potential, love the music and the addition of a reiki practitioner, but instructors need to remember to link the poses back to the body and point out what each pose is particularly beneficial for. Without that, students can still settle ‘wherever is comfortable’ as instructed, but may be missing out on so much additional benefit that they could experience — if they knew where to focus and what the potential was.

The teacher and the class were great — and everyone was really nice. It’s the studio itself I didn’t like.
It had kind of a dirty vibe to it — and it’s on top of Future’s bakery and was insanely loud the entire class. I tried to ignore the sound but it was LOUD.
The showers were out of order when I was there, and there is no where to lock your bags you have to leave them in the front.
Oh well.

As a new ClassPass member, I’ve been trying out new classes around the city that I wouldn’t normally take. Last Wednesday, I tried Restorative Reiki at Kula Yoga for the first time. I take the occasional Yoga class here and there, but my flexibility still leaves something to be desired. Fortunately for me, this was unlike any Yoga class I ever took. I would say that it’s more of a meditation class. For 1.5 hours, we were guided through mediation in different poses, all of which were lying down and very comfortable.
The most interesting part of this class was the optional Reiki treatment given by a Reiki practionner who walks around the room and stops every now and then at someone’s mat for a quick session. I wasn’t sure how I felt about this or if I even believed that Reiki works, but I was open to trying. As I was lying down, she massaged a bit of yummy-​smelling oil to the back of my neck and placed her hands on my head for a good 5 minutes. It was nice and comforting, and definitely an experience I would be willing to repeat! I left the class energized and feeling calm.
As for the studios, they’re nice, clean and modern. However, they’re located on quite a busy street corner (on Bloor and Brunswick Ave), so you can sometimes hear the occasional car honk, which can sometimes be bothersome during a yoga class. The staff at the front desk were helpful and friendly, while Linseed, the instructor, was very soft-​spoken and gives out the perfect vibe for a class like this.

Definitely the place to start. Instructors are friendly and supportive. The environment isn’t all spa-​like fancy pants, but not my thing anyway. They try really hard to make it all accessible to people and have a great spirit generally.
The starter promotion, and the $ 8 classes are great. Admittedly, the monthly rate is a bit bananas, but a ton are in this city. They have $ 5 community classes too, so new teachers can keep practicing without people paying a ton.
Serah, Donna, Crys and Suz are definitely worth your time and attention. Crowded classes sometimes, but you can pre-​register for them online… Which I don’t think people know.

Currently doing a 30 days for $ 30 promotion with I believe is a bargain. Normal price is I believe $ 80-​$ 90 monthly which seems very expensive. The only classes I like to do are the power yoga, which is a fantastic workout but only 3 times a week, and the core yoga which is just as infrequent. I attended a regular flow class and it was too slow for me. I’m new to yoga and I’m there for a good stretch that is also a good exercise and only a few of their classes offer that.

If you are new to yoga this is a nice place to start. You can practice gentle flow yoga, hot yoga, meditative yoga — perfect for the novice yogi/​university student who is finding out what yoga is about.
I REALLY WISH the studio would install mirrors on one of the walls so that the class can see and self-​correct their poses so that you don’t injure yourself and the most out of your practice.
But if you have practiced yoga for a while OR have gone to other yoga studios; you’ll find the classes either too easy /​the facilities are too small /​there was something missing from your practice. I’m sure the MANY teachers who teach at Kula are capable of teaching tougher classes, but its just not the studio’s vibe to do so.
All i will say is that this is a nice place to learn the basics /​visit for an affordable hot yoga class, but when you are ready to push yourself, be ready to look elsewhere for that experience.

Not the most convenient studio to my home, which would usually be a deal breaker for me, but I really love this studio.
I discovered them via the amazing, free park yoga classes they do at Dufferin Grove each summer, and it motivated me to come check out the studio itself. The style is more relaxed and accessible to those who aren’t as flexible or athletic (unlike many studios).
I also really love the politics of the place, with their focus on making yoga accessible for those who are often excluded for various reasons. I find it impacts all aspects of the experience in a positive way for me.

Having gone to Kula for around a year now, I have to say I really love it. I really appreciate the effort they’ve put into creating a positive space for yogis of all identities.
I think one of the greatest advantages of the studios is that they have a wide range of teachers so you can really go to the classes that fit your style or mood. Personally, I love Christi-an’s (the owner) approach of slow classes that force you to work on your alignment and balance, but there are many other teachers there who teach fast-​pace, butt-​kicking flows/​power classes if that’s more your thing (Serah, Donna and Marinella to name a few).
Kula also works hard to make their classes more accessible. There are a ton of $ 8 classes and they offer some great student deals.
The only negative of the studio is that the change rooms are small. But that’s a small price to pay for an otherwise wonderful studio.

I found Kula about three years ago, did the $ 30 first month, and sampled all of the classes. I liked many of them, but my favourite was the live music jam on Wednesday evenings with Christi-​an. There’s something about having live music that makes yoga enjoyable to someone who doesn’t really love going otherwise.
I’ve stayed there because I like the combination of body and soul that Kula’s got, going to the $ 8 classes when funds are low. The staff is lovely, and the safe spaces initiative is powerful stuff. Many kudos for any place making such bold moves.
Bonus: Look for Kula in Dufferin Grove Park in the summer. The Thursday class has live music, great teaching and beautiful green space, all FOR FREE. Def my favourite yoga class in the city.

Kula Annex is amazing for so many reasons:
1. Instructors are knowledgeable and experienced (whether or not each and everyone is your cup of tea). I like that there are a variety of teachers — some that lean toward alignment-​based anusara, others that prefer to honour the heart and body with gentle flows, and others that will get you sweating bullets.
As a long-​time student of Kula Annex, I’ve sampled many of the classes and take each one for what it is. Consider that you’ll love some classes more than others — which may depend on the teacher or their sequence, and maybe it has a little to do with how you came to your mat that day.
Each of the teachers have very different personalities and styles, and that’s awesome! Some you’ll instantly adore, and others might shake you up a little. That’s okay.
2. They have amazing workshops. Darren Rhodes, Noah Maze, Elena Brower??? These people are AMAZING. In addition, Kula has workshops going on consistently, if you’re looking to deepen your asana practice, meditation practice or life practice.
3. They take yoga OFF THE MAT. Maybe you do yoga for the sole purpose of fitness (that’s fine), but there’s so much more to this practice than getting in shape. And Kula knows that. You need not look further than their website to get a little more information about their positive space initiatives. They have an anti-​oppression committee, consent cards, inclusive change room signs, gender neutral change pod, brown girls yoga & queer yoga.
4. They make yoga more accessible. Yoga is (mostly) expensive. Kula offers a ton of $ 8 classes that are taught by the same amazing teachers that teach regularly-​priced classes. $ 8?! When I was a student and REALLY needed the stress-​relief, these sort of initiatives let me practice. In addition, you can attend on Friday evenings and receive free child-​care while you’re in class.
Lastly, Christi-​an, the studio director, is awesome. Her classes are based on a vast amount of experience both as a teacher and student. In terms of the running of the studio, it seems to be quite collaborative and reflective of the community.
I think Kula is doing a great job as a community leader, a change-​maker, and as a place of asana + mindfulness instruction. Wish I could be there more!

I dropped in to queer yoga when I was in town for work a couple of weeks ago. It would be nice if they had the info about lockers, renting mats, etc on their web site. Also I walked past the place around 4 times because the outdoor signage is not very clear! However, the staff were all very pleasant. I also really like how they cultivated an open atmosphere to all sorts of people.
I think it was Josh (?) who taught that day. He was good, but not overly instructive or specific. I loved the ‘consent’ cards they had, which you place next to your mat with «Yes, you may touch me to adjust my posture» on one side and «No, please don’t» (or something similar) on the other.
If I’m in Toronto again I’ll probably drop-​in and try another class!

Dropped in on a few classes here and there, it’s about $ 8 per class for the special ones, or $ 13-​$ 15 per class if you buy the class passes.
I bought a class pass and paid for $ 8 classes here and there when I could.
I am used to teachers in New York City, and their passes were never over $ 100 a month, and their teachers were. super SERIOUS about teaching.
Here’s a short overview of the teachers:
Charlene = Talks too fast and uses WAY too many words, mixes up Left with Right, which confuses me, and is in general NOT a good teacher. I thought she was an amateur to be honest.
Linseed = She’s too junior to be teaching. She needs to bloody speak up. I can’t hear a word she is saying, and I don’t really care that she doesn’t want to disturb the zen of yoga, she has to raise her voice so that everyone in the room can hear what she’s saying for poses or else we can’t reach a zen point. She also didn’t make me really work my body for yoga. All the poses she was doing — Sun Salutations, Downward Dog. I can do all of that at home on my own, I’m looking for someone to teach me new poses and to encourage me to WORK.
Serah = She is a FANTASTIC teacher. Damn does she make you work and sweat, but she speaks loudly, has a great teaching manner and is a lot of fun to have as a teacher. I really enjoy her singing at the end of her classes as well, she has a beautiful voice.
Marinella = She’s more experienced and definitely more senior, I can tell by her stance and the way she goes into poses. I guess she’s funny, because a lot of people were laughing, but her style is not my thing. I want someone who is going to really make me stretch. I don’t need to laugh in yoga and she’s confusing to understand.
Monique = She’s really soft spoken and apparently they usually teach with 3 teachers in the class (2 to adjust, 1 to teach). I wish she would speak up more. Her classes are a bit on the beginner side, so she’s a good one to start with if you’re starting out in yoga.
Christi-​an = I think she’s the boss of this place, but her business sense is as good as her yoga teaching, that is. not that fab. She does a lot of balancing work, and she doesn’t give you a workout but the stretching isn’t so bad.
Teachers in general are NOT GOOD. They are NOT GOOD. Except Serah, whose classes are usually packed.
They don’t do ANY statistics to check to see who is a good teacher (you can tell that teachers are good even when it’s the middle of winter and it’s packed with students). I am really not interested in paying even $ 8 for a crappy class of just Sun Salutations when I can do that at home. I am there to have a workout, and a real flow.
OTHER ANNOYING THINGS
— Bring your own lock, they don’t tell you but you aren’t allowed to bring purses and personal items into the room, SO BRING A LOCK so you can lock your things up. The lockers are also super tiny, so don’t think you can fit your Canada Goose in there to make sure no one nicks it unless you take up 3 lockers (one for your purse, one for your jacket, one for your other things).
— They should lock the doors with deadbolts at the starting time SHARP because I get annoyed with people traipsing through in the middle of yoga, jamming their heels on the floor and disturbing the beginning zen of the class.
— They also don’t have any yoga mat storage which to me is ridiculous especially in winter when I am expected to tote all my work stuff AND my bloody yoga bag through the snow and cold on top of my huge coat to get there? Are you kidding me?
— Get there early, or be prepared for the class to be PACKED during the summer. There’s not enough room. Simply not enough room. They need to get another place or rent more space because whenever I come ON TIME to do yoga, it is full. I mean, seriously? Other people are paying for a pass or a yearlong pass and they get screwed because they get there ON TIME but aren’t an hour early?
During the winter, there’s barely anyone because it gets colder and they don’t have any yoga mat storage, or large enough lockers.
— I really hate their «Energy Flow» idea where people work for free and then get to go to the classes for free, because it is utter bullshit. Case in point: A guy that «exchanged his energy» for free, went to a class then came out and apparently hogged the shower first before the other PAYING customers (my guy friend told me this, annoyed and sweaty because he couldn’t take a shower until this freeloader was finished.
That’s it. They would have gotten 1 star but Serah made it 2.

I feel so relaxed after a yoga class here and it’s got great rates for yoga classes! This is great for me because I am a student! It’s downtown and I love it! Hot yoga is great here as well!
Ana-​Maria is my favourite instructor she has such a calming voice! Try going to her classes they’re great!
This studio is very clean, has lots of space and its really awesome because there are a large group of different types of people who come here.
They’re so environmentally friendly. They offer glass bottles instead of plastic ones ad it’s quite modern! I love it would recommend to anyone.

A really good friend of mine is addicted to this place… and I mean twice-​a-​day-​yoga-​classes-​addicted to it!
So I went here for the first time with her on a free pass she had for a first timer, and it was amazing! We did a hot yoga class in the evening.
The studio is centrally located at brunswick and bloor, and although it’s a bustling neighbourhood, you can’t hear much of the city once inside the studio. It’s clean and inviting, and everyone is super friendly (of course!) The bathroom is super clean and new and I was just very pleased with the studio!
The room wasn’t too hot, nor was it very crowded at all… Everyone was very relaxed and the instructor was great. There was soft music in the background and different poses were given different levels to accommodate beginners/​advanced participants — so that was great too! Our instructor had lots of ‘mindful phrases’ and ‘meditation lingo’ going on all throughout the hour — which I have to admit I absolutely loved! Makes you think and focus at the same time… it’s very strange!
After discussing and evaluating the class with my friend she told me that every class is different… and so is every instructor. So for this purpose they have a ‘newcomers 30 $ 30-​day pass’ so you can try out all the classes and instructors at your own accord for only 30 $!! I’M BUYING THIS SOON!
In general, they also have 8 $ Flow classes and 5 $/​Pay what you can Karma classes!!! This is great for people who can’t justify paying 20 $ for a yoga class or can’t afford or commit to the unlimited month-​long passes… They also have Yoga for KIDS!!! –SO AWESOME. and I’ve heard their «Reiki Restorative» classes are phenomenal.

I started yoga about 6 years ago, and I take it and myself about as seriously as I did then.
Over the years I’ve learned I like yoga that’s more fitness. I’m not a big ohm-​er or chant-​er. I will do a little bit. Just a little. I’ve also learned that I like hot yoga, and any flow by any name, Vinyasa, Anusara, Ashtanga, etc. I like it all, except Bikram. I tried it. We were an ill-​fated pair.
I’ve made it my mission to find the best yoga studio in each area I frequent. The area I’ve focussed on for past quarter of this year is the Annex. You would think there would be a lot of yoga studios to choose from. There aren’t. I picked Kula from the Unilocal reviews. Now I’m giving back.
It’s a favourite. It’s not the nicest studio but it’s enough that my princess tendencies are satisfied.
I love that they have enough classes that I can always get to one. Fellow yoga peeps are mellow too. (Unlike Downward Dog — I’ll get to them another day.)
Kula’s classes, save and except the Restorative, never get filled. Then again, the rats just unleashed themselves back onto campus so I might have to take that back.
If you’re looking for a solid Ansura practice, Kula is your joint. I haven’t tried every class, but enough to say that Marinella’s Hot Expanding class could be considered a Level 2 because she pushes you to challenge yourself in a playful way. She’s sassy, and I’ve found that every Kula class is a clear reflection of the teacher’s personality. And like in any group, you’ll find your favourites. I like Chrys’ classes, and highly recommend Christi-an’s live Live Music Flow. It’s an hour-​and-​a-​half of stretch, sweat, and smiles. Sweet.
Kula also offers one of the best intro deals because as any dedicated yoga-​goer knows, intro deals are how you start, the classes will be the reason you go back (or don’t). You just have to find the right fit. Kula might be yours, it’s just $ 30 for 30 days to find out.

Let me begin by saying I *want* to like Kula. I really do. The location is great: for someone who used to live at Spadina and Dupont, you can’t really get much closer. The schedule is good: I like that there are a number of afternoon classes for those of us whose work schedules are shift-​ey as well as a number of evening and weekend classes (and even weekend evening classes!). The two instructors I have had there have been lovely: I highly recommend going to classes with Ana Maria or Linseed. And I love a studio where you can have options of hot or regular temperature classes so I don’t end up putting my membership on hold in the hot hot months of the summer. But there’s just something that leaves a bad taste in my mouth…
I have been to a few classes here before my experience this week. In the winter, they had a Hot Karma class on Saturday in the late afternoon (ana Maria’s class), and you can’t argue with hot yoga for $ 5! This week I went to the Reiki Restorative class with Linseed; this was my Passport class. Never having done a restorative class before, it was a different experience. I’m much more used to vinyasa or ashtanga and lots of flowing. I do want to give restorative another chance (second first chances are key), but I don’t think I’m a total convert.
The space is lovely. That said, it does overlook Bloor and Brunswick, and Bloor is a busy, noisy street; it’s hard to restore and chill when you hear mid-​day traffic and yelling.
The folks who work reception? I think that’s my discomfort. While friendly enough, I definitely felt an «other» vibe when the receptionist greeted regulars for the class. I also felt like I was a horrible, horrible person for not buying one of the mason jars and instead running across the street to get a plastic water bottle from Superfresh. Yes, I do realize the problem of plastic water bottles, but where am I going to put my mason jar at home? This isn’t an isolated experience with the reception staff here; I felt the same discomfort waiting for the classes I’d attended in the winter as well as when I picked up my wallet after leaving it one day (oops!). While I was greeted, I never felt welcomed.

Coming back to Kula Yoga for a revisit using my Passport to Prana … and I am still a FAN!
Now Kula Yoga’s website does allow you to reserve a spot in one of the more popular classes, so you won’t be disappointed. But as a Passport user, this is not an option but at least I can check if my favourite restorative class is full or not.
Sunday 3:00 class has 4 spaces left when I checked online at 2 pm. So me and my friend got there by 2:30 and secluded 2 spots. This class is now a Reiki Restorative. Basically it is still a restorative class but there is a little Reiki treatment while you laid there in your poses.
Love the class since I was just laying down with my eye pillow for almost the whole 90 minutes… there are 3 staffs to a ratio of 17 students that help us with adjustment and made sure that we are laying there correctly… SWEET!
Love the instructor playing the harmonica and singing at the end of the class… that is really calming and different…
Sigh… it was so heavenly and peaceful… OMMMMMMMMM

I had no idea there was a yoga studio beside Future’s bakery.
After realizing that this studio was right beside Futures, I wanted cake.
I went into Futures but then decided I should go to Yoga first.
I arrived early for a Hot Hour class. The regular teacher was not there and there was a substitute.
There wasn’t much to do if you arrive early. There is only one large room so you have to wait by reception if a class is still going on. While I waited I talked to the staff about the classes offered, the live music classes seemed really cool.
After the restorative class was done, I went to relax in the studio. The studio can fit a lot of students. There are about four rows, I was in the third row center.
I really couldn’t see anything at all. As a newer person I found it a bit annoying. I was able to follow because of the verbal instructions, but I wished I could see the instructor. This substitute did not make any adjustments to any of the students.
The flow of the class was very easy and the moves were not advanced. However, you had to know the names of the moves or hopefully your mat neighbor was someone who knew what they were doing. There was a lot of folding… I feel very. bendy.
After the class, everyone dashed to the change room. No lockers or cubbies. The change room was tiny and cramped. I collided with the girl next to me which is slightly awkward since she was sorta naked.
Anyways, it’s a nice studio that’s full of students using their OSAP to buy Lululemon.

I used my Passport to Prana card to attend a live music yoga class here last week. I’ve never had a yoga class with live music, but this one was great! The regular instructor was away but the substitute was AWESOME! She took the time to adjust and address each and every student several times throughout the class.
I especially appreciate instructors who do this; it demonstrates attention to detail and care for the students. I used the props here throughout the class, especially the foam blocks. I felt like I learned a lot in just one class — instructor feedback means so much!
The live music was really wonderful, although I’m amazed the guitarist could play without stopping for so long. What a treat — I wish more classes included live music.
The studio itself is great — not too crowded and I appreciated the well-​ventilated space. Change rooms had no locker so I had to put my backpack beside the front desk, which seemed safe enough.

I went to Kula’s restorative class. I like restorative yoga classes because it’s less about exercise, and more about lying on the floor and relaxing.
I used my passport to prana card and found every staff member there to be very friendly, welcoming and helpful.
This restorative class was– how can I put this nicely? –flaky.
There was a women there handing out new-​age tarot cards and if we wanted some reiki done on us we were to leave the card on the edge of our mat. How could I say no?
As I was lying with my eyes closed I felt an odd tingling feeling go up my arm. That was probably the reiki.
There was also some chanting at the beginning of class. More chanting than I am comfortable with. But I guess some people like that sort of thing.
As for the yoga poses, they were very nice, no problems there. So in conclusion, I would be more likely to go to the restorative class if they left out the new age stuff. But if you are looking for that kind of experience Kula is the place for you.