Why Do You Yoga? Kaitie Sly's story.
Author: Joanne Shih
Moved to Coquitlam from Vancouver Island a year ago, Kaitie found Jai Yoga Studio in her neighbourhood resembling the yoga studio she used to practice yoga back home in Victoria. “It took me a while to find the right studio ever since I moved here. But when I came to Jai Yoga, I knew this is it.”
Kaitie has been practicing with Jai Yoga Studio since the beginning of the studio, and we are honored to interview Kaitie to share her yoga journey and experience. Read on to hear from our member.
Kaitie Sly is a renowned singer, songwriter, bassist and sound artist, based out of Coquitlam, BC.
Q: Why is yoga an important aspect of your life?
“Yoga has became an important aspect of my life.” Kaitie said. “I have been practicing yoga on and off for over 10 years. It was not until the past year that yoga started becoming a bigger part of my life.” Kaitie went on her first yoga retreat in 2018, and after that she started to practice yoga more consistently. “I realized that yoga is a good fit for me compared to doing other physical activities. I feel energized after doing yoga rather than exhaustion after a workout in the gym.”
“I noticed how much it helps with my general well-being mentally and physically. I have an injury on my shoulder. Yoga has been helpful in alleviating my physical symptoms and taught me how to be mindful while working with my physical injury.”
Q: Why would you recommend doing yoga at least three times a week?
“If I do not practice yoga regularly, I can feel it in my mood and my energy levels. Physically, I can feel a difference in my flexibility and strength.”
On top of the frequency of practicing yoga, Kaitie also pointed out the importance of having a balanced yoga practice, “ Although I like doing power flow or vinyasa yoga more, recently I have been trying to incorporate some restorative and yin practice. I see how both the high and low intensity practices complement each other.” For example, she continued, “I have tight hips, but a lot of movements that we do in power class require loose and flexible hips. Then I realized that combining yin and hip opening classes into my practice would actually help me get better and have an easier time in power and vinyasa classes. Plus, restorative yoga is even more beneficial mentally and emotionally because of its calming effect that soothes the parasympathetic nervous system.”
Q: What do you like about Jai Yoga?
“I like the community here especially for someone like me who just moved here. This studio makes me feel more at home in the Lower Mainland. For me, coming to the studio is like a downtime routine. It is a place where I can go and relax and always see familiar faces. It has been really helpful for me as someone who is new here.” Besides from the community aspect, Kaitie also mentioned, “I also like how the studio is slightly heated with infrared. Especially in the winter, I definitely notice my body’s core temperature is warmer and it lasts for a while after I leave the studio.”
“I like the different variety of classes that are here, and I am able to have those different options for practice depending on how I feel.” You can find a mix of classes from active to restorative classes when you look at the schedule at Jai Yoga Studio. Moreover, to create an authentic and deeper yogic experience for students, Jai Yoga designs special classes such as Yoga & Tales to meet various learning desires and for people to deepen their yoga practice.
Q: Would you recommend it to everyone?
“I actually already have recommended the studio to people I met and some friends who visited me from Vancouver Island.” Kaitie said. “I have a friend who had bad experiences doing yoga. I brought my friend to Jai Yoga, and it gave him a totally different perspective on yoga. So did myself. I once injured myself doing hot yoga and had been to studios not jiving with me. But it is just like anything, right? You could have a bad soccer coach somewhere and find another coach that suits you. You have to find a place that resonates with you.”
At the very end of our interview, Kaitie added one more thing that she likes about the studio, “I forgot to mention earlier that I really like the various types of events here. I think that’s what makes this place special. Be sure you add this in the article!”
Kaitie Sly is a renowned bassist, singer, sound artist and songwriter. Learn more about her craft through the links below:
Website: www.kaitieslymusic.com
Instagram: @kaitieslymusic
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/2tKtmCsBpHLxM0V4UTMDlt?si=1Omya5-kRuuMRLdDjPUYIw
Kaitie Sly’s yoga playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/0DbgIk4zg4xolO28iiIED1?si=Ph-SDCYhRWuHVyDTTyK_Og
Author: Joanne Shih
