In addition to our weekly Basic level and Mellow yoga classes, we also occasionally offer an Introduction to Yoga series (see workshop page for dates). You may also want to schedule a few private sessions with Nick or Lela to determine what kind of modifications you need in some postures. We can also help you develop an at-home practice plan that will get you on track for beginning level yoga classes.

We have all the needed props at both locations. However, for sanitary reasons, you may want to buy your own mat (though we do have cleaning spray you can use on the community mats too). Mainly, we encourage students to buy their own mat so that they feel more committed to practicing and are able to roll it out at home.

We have had good experience with Hugger Mugger yoga mats, especially the Mandara mat. We are also fans of Manduka.

We are sponsored by lululemon athletica and wear a lot of their clothes proudly. They have a store in downtown Evanston that we are happy to send our students to for high quality yoga and athletic wear. They also have free classes every week and a charitable giving project. 

We certainly understand that for many people, it is much more cost effective to take classes where you work out. In some cases, your gym may offer decent yoga classes. We tend to believe that a yoga studio is more of a healing, peaceful place than a gym. You will come into a room that is only used for yoga and meditation. You can feel the difference! Plus there’s no mirrors or obnoxious music to contend with! If you have never been in a yoga studio class, come give it a try and see if the more personal connection to the community of practitioners doesn’t appeal to you.

Because our capacity is limited, it is recommended that you call, email or text message us at least 2 hours before class to ensure that you have a space reserved in one of our classes. If you have a package, you can reserve as many classes as you want. If you want to take the chance and come without a reservation, please understand if we have to turn you away because the class is already full. 

We would like for you to make the best decision for you. Only buy a package if you feel like it will help you commit to your practice and it is realistic for you to expect that you will be around for most of the weeks that you package is active. Financially, we offer a better deal to those who commit to a class card, but in some cases it may be better for you to pay per class. If you choose to do the drop-in option, remember to sign up in advance for your class. 

If you choose to purchase a 6 or 12 class card, you will get a good deal on the per class rate! We are flexible- you can attend any class that we offer. We like our students to tell us when they are coming to class, and also when they are not able to make it. If you register with us, because capacity is limited, we ask you to commit to your reservation and call, email or text if you can’t make it so we can give your space to another person. If you have a package with us, you can reserve as many classes per week in advance as you like. We try to give our regular students preference when registering for workshops and special classes as well.

At our two downtown Evanston locations, Blossoming Life Studio and The Heartwood Center, we cap our class attendance at 15 people. This means that each student is a valuable part of our class- you will be remembered, you will be adjusted and assisted (if you like) and you will be able to ask us questions. Grateful Yoga aims to provide a place to create sangha, a sacred community where students and teachers are committed to the practice of yoga, and actually have a chance to talk with each other.

Our spaces are simple and elegant, with low overhead. This allows us to focus more on what we love doing - TEACHING YOGA. We have learned how to successfully run a business, but our main intention is to have a positive relationship with our students, to transmit the ancient practices of yoga and to enjoy ourselves. We aren't trying to run a huge spa in a prime location that turns all our attention to paying the bills. For this reason, we are also able to offer a sliding scale for our class rates and make donations to local charities each month. Please know that we have consciously chosen to "keep it simple" for you and for ourselves.