Kula Yoga

Kula Yoga Studio in the Annex is not your average yoga space. While you may come initially for the physical side effects, there’s a good chance you’ll want to come back for the friends you’ve made in class, a mind/body workshop or the 60+ classes offered weekly.

Owner Colin Matthews opened the first Kula Yoga studio in Oakville in 2003 after much prodding from his yoga students to open a studio west of Toronto. Five years later his neighbourhood studio in the Annex was born. “Kula means 'community.' It’s a Sanskrit word that can be translated as 'a gathering of people who share a common interest and choose to align in a similar way,'” says Colin. And stepping into the studio you can’t help but feel an immediate sense of inclusion and community.

Whether you’re a seasoned practitioner or new to yoga, you can find a class that works for you. “We have a gender-neutral change pod and queer yoga classes for those who want to align with others in that respect. We want everyone to feel welcome,” says Colin.

And the large, airy practice room, which faces Bloor Street, is full of natural light and beautiful exposed brick walls, giving plenty of space for students to breathe and move. There’s also a smaller studio for workshops and classes that are less busy.