On The Mat Collective

It Starts Here. We are a group of individuals that believe that getting on the mat is where it all begins.

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OTMC Feature: Adam Bolton for Yoga.Eat.Repeat. II

For this second instalment of Yoga.Eat.Repeat coming up this April 5th, Adam Bolton is back with another amazing post-yoga class meal for our community of creative movers and shakers. 

A message from Adam, who has just returned from a month in Mexico:  "Yoga.Eat.Repeat. II is coming up this Saturday at Artscape Youngplace. You should come,  I'm making Mexican!!!  here's a little taste of what's inspiring the menu! Riding the sweet inspiring energy of a 1 month romp on the Oaxacan coast of Mexico - I'm super keen to share some the culinary delights that have been lighting up my life from the streets of Mexico. the freshness and abundance of gorgeous sun-ripened market produce has totally reawakened my tastebuds to local loveliness and has made me super-keen to get back into my own kitchen to attempt to create my own versions of this Mexican magic. Oaxacan food is based on local staples - corn, beans, chilis - and most notably mole (a super luscious savoury chocolate sauce)- I could basically live off of quesilla (a stringy fresh cheese) nopalitos (cactus) mescal (think smoky rustic tequila) and the real crown jewel - pulling all of these stellar star elements together is the tlayuda (kind of like a giant taco)- which I could basically eat for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I couldn't think of an event more perfect to share these mexican treasures than yoga eat repeat - a celebration of movement, food, and creativity. so bring your appetite & see you there!!!"

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News: Yoga.Eat.Repeat II & AYP Open House

Gratitude to a beautiful group of friends, family & yogis from all over the city, the Launch of Yoga.Eat.Repeat at Artscape Youngplace, taught by Kathryn Bruni-Young on March 1st was a glowing success! AND don't worry if you missed the first one, because we're doing it again!...

This time, class will be co-taught by OTMC teachers / facilitators Robin & Tahnee. The event will take place Saturday April 5th. Yoga + Food + Music + Creative Energy. YOU are invited to move and eat and play together with us in this wonderful community space. Check out our event page for registration details. *** Tahnee and I (Robin here!) were invited to share an offering at the Artscape Youngplace Open House this Thursday evening. We created a mini sanctuary in the flex spaces and gave 10-minute savasana massages, coupled with some simple breathing exercises and a little meditation. It proved to be a great chance to meet members of the AYP and Trinity-Bellwoods hood. It felt great to meet a ton of supportive folks who were into the idea of sharing yoga in this beautiful ART space!  The lighting was moody and likely helped to open up the lower energy centres of our savasana massagees!

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News: Yoga.Eat.Repeat Launch Event & Weekly Series at Artscape Youngplace

Lots of exciting events in the near future!

We're hosting our official launch on March 1st at Artscape Youngplace. To find out more visit our event page. We're also hosting our weekly yoga class every Tuesday from March 4 to May 6 at Artscape Youngplace. Join Robin for an early bird class at 7:30 am as we explore our creative potential through asana practice. For more info visit the Artscape Youngplace website.

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The Case for: Early Mornings

"The Case For" is our series where we introduce new and interesting concepts and tactics that may shift the way you think about your daily life.

I was not always an early riser. For a good part of my life, I was a night owl spending countless hours into the late night working on essays, studying or just procrastinating. But since I started doing morning yoga about 6 years ago, I've become an early bird. And I get more done before 10 am than most people do in a whole day.

There's something really beautiful about the calm and quiet of the early mornings. I can actually hear myself think early in the morning. I use this time to meditate, do morning yoga and journal. It is the foundation for the rest of my day. It is what grounds me when the rest of my day is a whirlwind of activity (vata whut up!). I also have some of my most creative moments in the quiet moments of the morning. During the stillness of 4 am, my subconscious reveals things to me that I wouldn't pay attention to at any other point of the day. Also, I usually am my most productive when no one is around or active online so I am done most of the things on my to-do list by 10 am.

According to Ayurveda, it makes sense that 4 to 6 am is a fertile time of night. This period of the night aligns with the Vata dosha, which is often associated with creativity and activity. For most people, this manifests itself in vivid dreams. For early risers, this means great periods of creativity and productivity.

Does it wreak havoc on your social life? It doesn't have to. So maybe I don't go out clubbing until 3 am on weekends, but I've been able to balance that out with dinner parties, brunches and after work drinks. There are other ways to have a social life that don't mean staying up way late at night. And arguably, these interactions are a lot more meaningful than the conversations I have late at night.

Convinced? Here's how you do it:

1. Prep the night before. Make sure your notebook is within easy reach, your yoga mat and bag is already packed, breakfast is ready to go. Heck, even pre- toothpaste your toothbrush if it means you can remove all the barriers necessary for you to get up.

2. Reward yourself. Maybe that means you make yourself a more elaborate breakfast, or you take the time to really sip and enjoy your coffee. Having something to look forward to in the morning makes getting up a lot easier. Extra points for establishing a morning ritual!

3. Be consistent. They say it takes 21 days to establish a habit. Stay consistent with your wake up time even if that means weekends (and especially Sunday mornings!)

4. Go to bed early. Turn off computer screens and the television 2 hours before you go to bed. Eat a light meal, 3 hours before bed time. Avoid caffeine. Settle down with a good cup of herbal tea and a book. Do a few restorative postures.

5. Buddy up. Pair up with someone who you can be accountable to who can make sure you're awake. This could be as simple as an email or text message sent.

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The Importance of Yoga on Mondays (read: come to our Monday classes!)

Who am I kidding, yoga is important for everyday. 

But Mondays are particularly special now because we'll be launching our first series of asana practices on Mondays at Flex Studios, Artscape Youngplace (180 Shaw St.) from December 2 to January 27. Artscape Youngplace is a beautiful restored elementary school that is home to numerous artists and art organizations. We'll be taking advantage of all the creativity in the air during our 4:15 pm to 5:45 pm 90 minute classes and will be exploring creativity through our asana practice. 

Bring comfy clothes and a mat. 

All levels class, beginners especially welcome.

Sliding scale, $8 to $15.