about yogadotcalm

Yogadotcalm teaches Ashtanga Yoga, also known as "power yoga" in the Western parts of the world. We are located on the second floor of Fish Creek Village in southeast Calgary (click here for a map). Our instructors are experienced, and love to teach this dynamic style of yoga. We also offer pre-natal classes to both members and non-members.

"Practice, practice all is coming." Sri K. Pattabhi Jois, father of Ashtanga yoga.

Sri K. Pattabhi Jois (Guruji and Grandson Sharath) "Guru" = "Remover of Darkness" Ji = affection towards

It is through a regular Ashtanga yoga practice that you will discover its enormous benefits. Like with all things in life, anything that changes ones life requires practice.

We all have busy lives. Yogadotcalm classes run on a drop-in basis, so you can pop in for a class when it is convenient for you. Our memberships are good for unlimited use (like a gym membership), and are affordably priced (click here for a price list). If you attend two classes a week with a one year membership, the cost works out to only $5 to $7 per class.

What is Ashtanga Yoga?

Yoga is a peaceful way of being - a philosophy of life. Yoga is one of five ancient philosophies known as darsanas (dars = see), so a yoga practitioner is learning to see; to wake up to the real. Yoga means oneness, so it is to see the wholeness of all things instead of the falsely perceived separateness of the ego. There are many ways to practice yoga, including yoga:of the body (hatha yoga), of the heart heart (bhakti yoga), of the mind (jnana yoga). There are many many ways of practicing this way of being, often at the same time.

Ashtanga yoga is a dynamic and vigorous style of hatha yoga (yoga of the body). Ashtanga yoga is unique in that movements between yoga postures (asanas) are fluid and are synchronized to the breath, which create an intense heat within the body. The heat makes the muscles soft and supple, allowing the postures to be done safely and deeper. The room is kept comfortably warm, as you can imagine, this is a sweaty and purifying practice.

The sweat (a product of the exocrine system) is good as it removes toxins from the muscles and organs. Remember to drink lots of water before and after class. Drinking water during class is discouraged.

young Sri K. Pattabhi Jois in samasthiti

Ujjayi Breath
A powerful style of deep, and meditative breathing. This style of breathing creates heat, increases lung capacity and most importantly occupies the mind. Focus on the breath, and the postures disappear.

Bandhas
Internal energy locks, or bandhas. Although you may not experience the bandhas in your first practice, we teach about them from day one. Along our spine we have nerve plexus, which the yogis call chakras. By engaging certain muscle groups in the core of the body, it is possible to active these nerve plexus and move energy up through the body. It is difficult to explain, but through regular practice you will experience it.

Drishti
The gazing or focal point. The mind is very active and easily distracted, by
gazing at a single point it allows the mind go inward.

Movement
Moving the body creates heat, and requires the mind to become aware of the body.

Our motto is: "work your body, calm your mind". Although Ashtanga yoga is a sweaty and rigorous practice, it is amazing how much mind control it takes to control: the body movements, the specialized breath (ujjayi), and the focal point (drishti) all at the same time. It truly is a "moving meditation".

Guruji gives great wisdom in reminding us "Practice, all is coming".

If you want to know more - please read this official description from Mysore, India by clicking here.

Owned and operated by Amber Kyliuk. She has been a part of the yoga community in Calgary since 1998.

She moved to Calgary from Winnipeg, MB in 1997 after completing her degree in Kinesiology. Originally moving out to Calgary to start her career in personal fitness training, she quickly learned how beneficial the Ashtanga yoga practice was. She was introduced to the practice by Mary Jo Fetterly and after completing Ashtanga Yoga teacher training at the Yoga Studio she began her journey into the yoga system. She has been a part of many yoga studios in the past, and has now set her roots in the south of Calgary with yogadotcalm.

She loves to spend her spare time in the outdoors, cycling, mountain biking, climbing, inline skating, downhill skiing, backcountry skiing, ice climbing, and surely more in the future. During the last few years she has been competing in the sport of skeleton at the national development level. Placing in the top ten in Canada since the first year of sliding, Amber has competed in numerous international races throughout Canada and the U.S. Retiring in 2005 to pursue the ownership of yogadotcalm, she holds many fond memories and found many great friends along the way.

Through her years in yoga she has learned from many inspirational teachers along the way.... Beryl Bender Birch, Tim Miller, David Swenson, Sarah Powers, Nancy Gilgoff, David Williams, Fiona Stang, Rameen, and so many more... not to mention all of her yogi friends that have helped her learn so many lessons about everyday living.

Currently she is working toward her certification in Critical Alignment® therapy.

Actually, I didn't, it was Ian Buchanan and his wife Helen that did all that hard work! I am very grateful to both of them for all of their ideas and accomplishments along the journey of yogadotcalm.

I still remember the day that I met up with Ian at Good Earth Cafe and he told me all about his ideas for this wonderful studio and asked me to be one of the teachers. Wow, had I been told that day that one day I would be owning it... But here I am. I am so looking forward to building on what Ian and Helen have already created.

It is not only a new chapter in my life, I truly feel like I have started a new book.