At Hugger Mugger, we love shining a light on the yoga communities that inspire us every day. We’re thrilled to feature GTHR Yoga, a studio guided by a simple ethos: caring for one another, our neighborhood, our Earth, and our shared future. Everything GTHR does is inspired and informed by community.
Q: Tell us a little about your studio's journey. How did it all begin?
GTHR began as a selfish project - to have a room temperature yoga studio a short walk from my home, to meet other folks in the neighborhood, and to bring some of my favorite yoga people together - and have it all organized around principles of community care and a commitment to low waste.
Q: What makes your studio unique? What kind of yoga do you specialize in?
Our teachers are the backbone of our space - they are incredibly well rounded and curious individuals who have studied so many angles of human existence. In the yoga world, our classes range from strength focused vinyasa to long hold yin, as well as natal and kids practices. Our vinyasa movement offerings are influenced by Katonah, Ashtanga, Kundalini and Hatha, plus meditation and breathing practices. We’re a devoted low waste studio - producing under 5 pounds of landfill waste each week (the average human creates 30 pounds of trash weekly). We host fund-raising, donation based practices to support BIPOC, LGBTQIA+ folks, immigrants, reproductive rights and environmental justice. We offer weekly pay what you can practice because yoga is for everyone.
Q: How would you describe your community?
Our community is made up of neighbors, visiting yogis, folks that take the train over to the studio - our community is the most important part of the studio! The way we strengthen our world is by building pockets of community over and over and over again - we want to create a landing pad for folks to develop their villages. GTHR offers regular practices that include dedicated time for introductions and conversation so folks leave class with new connections. Our teachers practice often at the studio, both the students and teachers are familiar faces in the community.
Q: Do you have a favorite Hugger Mugger product you use in your classes?
We love our sandbags - especially in yin and restore - but all classes benefit from a little extra grounding. For lots of students, it is the first time they've used weighed props and the feedback is always blissful.
Q: What’s one piece of advice you’d share with someone who’s new to yoga?
GTHR stream is our online streaming platform that offers lots of "how to" videos - it can be nice to gain familiarity with the pose names and shapes before coming into the studio. If you want to start in person, a slower flow or restore focused class can be a nice introduction to the asana or movement practice of yoga.
Q: What’s next for your studio?
We are currently in the midst of a move - our current building is being sold and we've had to scramble a bit to find a new place to call home. Once we solve the location challenge, we're thrilled to expand our breathwork, mediation and journal + movement options!
Website: https://www.gthryoga.com/
Location: 158 Montague St 2nd floor, Brooklyn, NY 11201
