Tejas Yoga — Local services in Chicago

Every class at Tejas places significant value in the final savasana and pranayama breathing exercises. At least 10 minutes of time is devoted to savasana and 10 minutes to pranayama breathing exercises and meditation/concentration. I find it so hard to meditate and perform breath work on my own - I'm grateful to the instructors here for guiding me during each class. You may not be used to this commitment to savasana and breathing if you are coming from a gym environment or a more athletic yoga practice (many yoga studios skip or make this part a DIY process), but I am grateful that this pose is not short-changed here.

I love the physical space of the Tejas studio. I feel like I'm practicing yoga in someone's home. It provides a cozy, beautiful space that exudes the genuine love of the owners. The studio is simple and offers a small changing room and a safe lobby area in which to secure your things, grab a cup of free herbal tea. You won't find a boutique of overpriced clothes, a spa, or a full-fledged locker room here but you will soon find that you won't need them. I appreciate the simplicity.

Teacher Reviews Here are brief reviews of instructors I have taken at least 5 times at Tejas:

Jim Bennitt is a well-known yoga instructor who presents nationally, so it is not a surprise his classes are excellent. His classes are intense; he pushes you to achieve your physical and mental potential (if you choose to). No class is the same; I treasure the variety. I love the creativity he integrates in his classes; there are always new poses I have never tried. His classes combine a lot of hard work, deep instruction, and absolute attentiveness to each student.

James Tennant's classes will leave you feeling a greater sense of freedom and vitality within your body. He exudes incredible passion and joy for yoga, which drives students to feel the same. He is incredibly vigilant about understanding the physical presence of every student in class and has a great memory of each person's own yoga progress. He is absolutely engaged and attentive and present as an instructor. James also has a wonderful sense of humor, which he integrates well in each class.

Marcelyn Cole is a playful, philosophical, and precise teacher. Her classes are incredibly informative regarding shoulder and arm placement and energy as we perform the poses. I have learned so much in a few sessions about the reasons I hunch my shoulders (and how to address it). Marcelyn integrates depth in the practice, but in a way that's accessible for all.

Keely Jones is a warm, positive yoga teacher. She is such a welcoming presence with a soothing voice (I wish she could talk me through my nighttime meditation!) and breaks down each pose so that they are understandable for individuals who struggle with balance. Keely is great at describing poses in a way I can really understand and provides excellent hands-on adjustment. Keely personifies positive energy - it's great to have her as an instructor leading an uplifting workout.

Paul Hnatiw creates an instant level of comfort for students. He is exceptional at breaking down poses and explaining the anatomical basis of each pose and which muscles to focus on; you'll see fast improvement with Paul's classes . Because of Paul's knowledgeable instruction, I now know the importance of conditioning my serratus interior for so many asanas and I know what the POA is. Paul is a creative, compassionate, and memorable yoga teacher.

I don't mean to neglect Adam and Zach in my review. I simply have not taken their classes...

Exceptional yoga studio! I practiced in person with them when I lived in Chicago and have continued to practice with their live virtual classes since I moved to NYC - because I can not find a class I like better. I love going to Jim Bennitt's class! To be fully transparent, I started at Tejas for the workout aspect - which is really great by the way. Even though I could tell it was a serious yoga class where I was surrounded by people with a more focused and intentional practice than I had, it had a warm and welcoming atmosphere and I kept showing up. I appreciate the benefits of how learning to breathe properly improved my practice in regard to both stamina in challenging poses and concentration in the meditation. Before Tejas, I was never someone who was patient or thought that the meditation portion at the end of a yoga class really did anything. Here I truly feel the benefit. When we finish class with alternate nostril breathing (my favorite breath work) I feel so energized for hours afterward. An added benefit is when I am practicing regularly I am able to sleep so much better - no need for melatonin. This practice has brought so much balance to my everyday life. I came to it as a runner who did yoga on the side and now maybe you can say I'm a...

Nice space and lots of class times available. I went to a 7am class while visiting town and although I really liked the teacher personally, I had some issues with her sequence. Seems like more of a slower paced studio than others, I barely sweat at all during the hour I was there... but if that’s what your into - good in you! Teacher had some interesting ideas and made use of the wall in ways that I hadn’t ever seen (I am also a yoga teacher) - one position in particular seemed extremely poorly placed - she had us in downward dog right up on the wall with one leg extended up in the air against said wall - without first taking adequate time to open the shoulders. Mine were screaming at me during this pose and continue to do so now. Teacher offered almost no modifications to positions - we had someone in our group that was brand new to yoga - and didn’t spend much time discussing alignment or muscle engagement - we started in mountain pose but there was nothing said about how to engage your quads and not just “stand there”. Maybe they have a loyal squad of people who are always there and don’t need these extra queues - but it made for a pretty negative experience for our friend who is...