Jolene shares the power of yoga at Exhale

“I love the joy of yoga and I want to share that with people. It’s a service,” says Jolene Bayda, 31. “For those few hours in the day I teach, it’s not about me. I just want people to feel that power of yoga.”

Jolene has been a yoga teacher for four years and she says (half-jokingly) that she started yoga on the day she was born, when she took her first breath. Here are the classes she teaches at Exhale in downtown Vancouver, B.C., Canada:

Candle Light Yoga class on Tuesday at 8:30pm
Hatha Yoga Classes on Thursdays at 10am, Fridays at 5:30pm and Sundays at 10:30am
Candle Light Yin Yoga class on Sundays at 8pm

Exhale offers a great deal for beginners, which I took full advantage of: $24 for one week of unlimited classes. Jolene was my teacher for two of the classes and I also did classes on Monday and Wednesday night with Dan.

In the past, my version of exercise was jogging and lifting weights at the gym - but in recent years, I've been really put off by the gym atmosphere. The smell of sweat, weights clanging, tough guys grunting... Now, as a contrast, the yoga class seems so peaceful and gentle, and it also offers a great workout. I've tried yoga a few times, with some very devoted teachers, but I've never really enjoyed it this much. In fact, I'm kind of surprised by my own enjoyment of it. Am I being whimsical and enjoying the novelty of something new? Or is this the start of something I will cherish for years to come? Time will tell...

In the meantime, thanks to Jolene, Dan, and Exhale. My experiences in the studio have helped me through a stressful week - and I am eternally grateful.