After a day of working away online, swapping from my laptop screen to my phone screen then back again, you best believe that by the end of the day my brain is 1000% fried. Between the delusion of convincing myself that “I will book a well deserved holiday”, the whirlwind that is Melbourne’s icy winter weather, my personal (and never ending) health issues, and the ever amounting work I’ve added to my to-do list – which is now more along the lines of my will-i-ever-get-around-to-it-work list – Slowlane Yoga has been my welcoming break away from the chaos.

Okay, so what is Slowlane Yoga?

Nestled away in the back on a Moonee Ponds alleyway and up a flight of stairs is Slowlane. A large indoor open space with natural sunlight, wooden floors and exposed bricks (the relics of, from what I’ve learnt was an old bakery). Their space is lit through windows, skylights, and a few lamps scattered around the room providing a gentle warm glow but for me it was never about the lighting or the room for that matter. It was in fact the welcoming  teachers, each who had their own style, and of course my favourite aspect – the infrared heaters. As a tech head and chronically cold individual, for the 60-75 minutes I was at each of these classes I finally felt what I can only describe as the lizard basking in the warmth of a heat lamp like we had back in my school science class. But more on that later… The heaters, not the lizard.

While I know for a fact that Slowlane offers a wealth of physical, spiritual, and emotional guidance to be obtained, for the everyday, anxiety ridden stress head like myself, just having an hour or so out of my day to dedicate to rest and relaxation is worth its weight in gold. For those looking to further their practice, Slowlane offers Yoga Teacher classes to become a fully qualified teacher, monthly events like movie nights, sound baths, and even a yearly opt-in trip overseas to meditate with like minded individuals and fully relax. But for me my evening classes were enough to get a nice reset in.

The Classes on Offer

All of the classes offered at SlowLane were spread out pretty evenly throughout the week with a few different time slots and classes per evening. Most of the time the classes ranged between 10 and 30 people ensuring there was enough room to be spread out spaciously on the floor and maintaining an intimate vibe. On offer were a few different classes to choose from varying from couch potato-esque through to what you’d traditionally think of when someone says “hot yoga”. Except they have much fancier names for the classes. See below: 

Yin and Restore (my favourite and most frequented class)

Oh, how I love Yin and Restore. This was essentially the driving force behind how I survived this cold Melbourne winter. 60 glorious minutes of self indulging in the fact that it’s actually okay to slow down, close your eyes, and soak up some warmth while the sound of meditation music plays gently in the background. Oh and usually in a reclined position with my legs twisted across my body giving me the most wonderful stretch along my spine each time making me think “man, I need to do this more often”. Generally speaking, each position held in this class was for around 3 to 4 minutes, long enough to really let your muscles relax into the pose but not so long that you start cramping up.

This is the beginner friendly class you want if you’re just starting out and want to quiet your mind from all those racing thoughts – or perhaps just an excuse to get away from the kids?

Mellow (I’m not sweating, you’re sweating)

A step up from Yin and Restore is Mellow. Similar to Yin and Restore but with more flowing and dynamic movements to get the heart rate up a bit and making you think “those overhead heaters are actually surprisingly warm”. This class was always rather fun especially once you got into the rhythm of it. Going from downward dog, into a plank, sliding into cobra then back to child’s pose and repeat, really loosening up all your joints and undoing all that time spent hunched over a computer. And just as your legs begin to shake you’re instructor switches up the routine into a rebound pose allowing for you to catch your breath before doing the other side and then finally into a resting position to finish up the class. 

This class is also beginner friendly and the class I’d suggest to start with if you want to experience the best of both worlds, physical activity and some deserved relaxation after.

Vinyasa Flow class for those who don’t mind getting the sweat on.

While I would love to give my input on this class I’ll have to admit that Mellow was more than enough for my unfit and sedentary lifestyle that I live. Butttt for those more active than I am – which means anyone no longer being pushed around on their wheely work chair by their colleagues – Vinyasa Flow provides a much more active set of poses and flows that I hope to someday experience myself if I can ever walk up a flight of stairs without panting. 

Each class opened their doors 15 minutes early which provides ample time for you to get in early, grab a provided mat (or bring your own), two blocks and a bolster then just sit (or lay) in quiet for a while before being graciously guided into your selected class by one of the very reassuring and talented instructors.

The SlowLane Teachers

I had to add in a quick spiel about the teachers as this is something I immensely appreciated. Not only was I thoroughly surprised by some, and drifting away into nirvana by others, but it was the guidance and reassurance that they all shared which spoke volumes to me. Being assured that if something doesn’t feel right, or if I simply didn’t want to participate in a pose, it would be completely okay for me to do my own thing and rejoin when I felt comfortable and ready to do so. Me with my chronically stiff neck opted to skip some of the super bendy poses while the incredibly friendly instructors provided helpful alternatives to others ensuring every skill (and flexibility) level is getting a nice stretch. And then there is Cecily. Oh, my god. Never have I been blessed by someone’s voice and musical talent like I did at my Monday night Mellow classes with her. Combining sound bowls, another instrument I’ve never seen that resembles an accordion, plus her voice, I would want to clap at the end of each intimate piece. So, a huge shoutout to her – like seriously if you get a chance to experience one of these classes you won’t regret it. 

The Infrared Heaters

You know that feeling of finally escaping the winter cold and basking in the warm sun on a beach where the sun rays feel like they’re going right through your skin and actually warming your bones? That’s the feeling I get when I finally lay down on my mat under the heaters at SlowLane. These heaters warm up your body in a way that your home heater just can’t. It’s not that suffocating heat either, it’s a lovely warmth that melts away all the built up tension from your day and provides lasting relief into your night. In fact, I consistently get a better sleep the nights that I’ve gone to a yoga class – check my sleep cycle app if you don’t believe me!

SlowLane Yoga Price

The price to pay for genuine rest and relaxation? Priceless. But somehow SlowLane have managed to wrap all their expertise, warmth, and journey to peace in a budget friendly $35/w package. In my opinion a very reasonable price to pay for the benefits you’ll get from each class. Personally, I was going about 3 times a week on average which works out to less than $12 a class.

My SlowLane Yoga Review

It’s so easy to give my recommendation here to SlowLane. Between the next level guidance of the teachers, the reasonable cost and the glorious warmth emitted from the heaters, SlowLane has made it easy for anyone to access a time of rest and recovery. Their introductory offer is also the perfect way to test out if hot yoga is for you as it gets you unlimited classes for 3 weeks for just $59. As someone who didn’t expect to be a fan of yoga I was thoroughly surprised to have become such a diehard fan of the activity! So if you’re anything like me and need a bit of a break from the everyday life dramas, check them out! I can tell you, you’ll most certainly see me there again!