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through this same period in India. These studies are starting to examine more carefully
postural practice rather than yoga as philosophy, which reflects contemporary
understandings and practice of yoga. It is in this context that my study may add to
scholarship on the subject. My central concern has been with what yoga teachers and
students have expressed to me about yoga. I believe that this focus gives a vivid picture
of the play between yoga and religion in a contemporary setting. It is interesting to
consider these dynamics against the backdrop of recent reports in the American media
about Hindu organizations wanting to “take back yoga” and in a society where religion is
less and less overt. This study hopes to discover what people actually feel about what
they are doing and what meanings yoga has for them.
The first chapter of this thesis describes each of the three Montreal yoga studios I
studied: Moksha Yoga Montreal, Sattva Yoga Shala (Ashtanga) and the Centre de Yoga
Iyengar de Montréal. The two main components of the data presented are the
environment of the studios themselves and the character of the classes. Chapters two and
three are structured in the same way as each other with chapter two relating to the
teachers‟ responses and chapter three to the students‟. Each of these two chapters is
divided into three sections. The first deals with participants‟ background, experience and
attitude towards yoga. The second section explores responses about the benefits enjoyed
by participants as a result of their yoga practice. The third section discusses participants‟
knowledge of and interest in yoga‟s history and tradition. The fourth chapter offers my
analysis of the patterns and trends that have arisen from the participants‟ responses.
Although many other interesting observations were made, I have focused my concluding
8
analysis on the ways that practitioners‟ engagement with yoga reflect aspects of “Indian-
ness” and religion.
9
Chapter 1 Yoga Studios and their Styles
This chapter will describe the three Montreal yoga studios in detail, introducing
the three styles and giving an idea of the physical appearance of the studios. In addition,
this chapter will discuss the methods used in the classes and the general tone of the
classes. Not only do these two elements mark the differences among the studios and
styles but more importantly indicates their Indian and/or spiritual orientation.
Moksha Yoga Montreal (Moksha Yoga)
Despite its relatively new arrival on the yoga scene, Moksha Yoga is among the
most successful yoga styles. It was founded by Ted Grand and Jessica Robertson in 2005.
Grand was originally a student and associate of Bikram Choudhury, the famous guru of
hot yoga based in California. Having decided to go his own way, Grand developed the
Moksha sequence of postures and began opening franchise studio locations. The
Montreal Moksha studio is owned by the manager and Ted Grand. The influence of his
former teacher is evident in the class and in his business model. Like Bikram Yoga,
Moksha is practiced in a heated room. However, whereas Bikram was strict on postures,
sequencing and teaching, Grand designed his system with greater freedom for both
teachers and students. Interestingly, the Sanskrit term moksha means freedom from the
cycle of birth and death. However, Moksha Yoga offers a more modern and practical
freedom; “freedom from letting work get to you, freedom from the frustration of traffic,
or an argument, or from a need to fit a certain body image before accepting oneself [...]
we share this term... because we see freedom in its varied shades as a worthy goal”
(Grand and Robertson 2005, p.4).
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What is most particular is Grand‟s community focus through his studios. All
Moksha Yoga studios are required to offer a minimum of two “Karma classes” a week.
These classes are given for a minimum donation of five dollars and the proceeds go to
benefit a local charity. The other significant focus of Moksha is its environmental
outlook: “The studios are built with sustainable and non-toxic supplies, lights and heating
systems are low consumption and all studios are cleaned with environmentally-friendly
cleaning products” (http://www.mokshayoga.ca/au-philosophy.htm).
There are two Moksha Yoga studios in Montreal; I attended classes at the St-
Laurent boulevard location. The studio itself is quite modern and chic looking. When
entering, students are greeted at a small reception table with a little adjoining boutique.
Students may rent any of the accessories necessary class including water bottle, towel or
yoga mat. The changing rooms are fully equipped with showers and supplies. The decor
of the studio is not overly eastern but it should be noted that several busts of the Buddha
are to be found in the reception area. Also, a framed map of ancient India is hung on the
wall. The entire studio is quite clean, largely thanks to the trade program; students may
volunteer three to four hours a week in exchange for free classes. It is worth noting that
many yoga studios employ this sort of program under the name of “Karma-yoga” or
selfless service; Moksha intentionally avoids the use of the term in favour of “trade”,
which refers to a direct barter of service (unpaid work) for service (yoga classes). By
changing the use of the term, the personal intention in the program changes from selfless
service (“Karma-yoga”) to selfish service (“trade”). The spiritual dimension of service is
replaced by more practical motivation. As previously mentioned, Moksha does use the
term “karma” but to designate their five dollar classes that aid local charities.
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