Heartfire Kundalini is a local business in Montréal that offers inclusionary Kundalini yoga classes at two locations in the city on a weekly basis. We spoke with Maya Khamala, founder of Heartfire Kundalini, to learn more about them.
What is your business called and what does it do?
Heartfire Kundalini. I offer Kundalini yoga classes. Kundalini is not like other yoga. It’s a unique blend of breathwork, movement, mantra, relaxation, and meditation. It’s great for all abilities and experiences and is an incredibly powerful tool for healing trauma, anxiety, depression, and chronic stress, as well as for helping our bodies function optimally. These classes are trauma-informed, anti-racist, body-positive, LGBTQIA2+ friendly, and open to all experiences and
abilities.
What made you want to do this work?
I was drawn to Kundalini yoga as a way of helping me to release deeply stored childhood trauma from my body. It is an ongoing journey, but my Kundalini practice has helped immeasurably. It is incredibly empowering when you begin to understand that you already have everything you need to heal within you. It may just need a little activating. The fact that Kundalini yoga originated in
Punjab and I have Punjabi ancestry is a bonus, as it’s also been a way for me to make contact with that part of my family tree.
What problem did you want to solve with the business?
We live in a time of nonstop demands, ever-advancing technology, and very high stress. We live in a time of trauma, and mental health
problems. We also live in a time of conflict, suffering, and struggle. My goal is to provide Kundalini yoga classes that offer valuable and
time-tested tools to help us look within for the strength, resilience, and personal power needed to help us tap into who we really are. Kundalini yoga helps us align with our truest, most intuitive selves -while getting stronger in the process. It works on our glandular and nervous systems, while also helping us to raise consciousness and become better human beings. Ultimately, Kundalini yoga has the potential to be a powerful healing form of self-justice, and by natural extension, social justice.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
My classes are currently open to adults of all ages, backgrounds, and experiences, as most postures and exercises can be modified to better suit any given student. That being said, I think there is a reason my classes tend to attract people of colour; women of colour; women over 35; women over 55; LGBTQIA2+ communities, and people with a history of trauma.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
I offer drop-in classes, as well as 5, 10, and 20-class packs. If you buy a class pass, classes are as low as $15 per class. All classes can be booked here.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
I currently offer classes at 2 locations.
- NDG Class:
Espace BE Bien-Être
2240 Beaconsfield
8:30 am every Wednesday (1 hr)
Yoga mats available! - Plateau class:
Studio 414
10 Des Pins West, #414
8:30 am every Friday (1hr)
Bring a yoga mat!
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.
Q: Do I need to be flexible?
A: While so much of what we see on Instagram, online, etc., is a Westernized version of yoga involving slim, fit, young white women
holding seemingly very demanding postures, this is a harmful and inaccurate depiction of true yoga. Yoga has eight limbs and asana (AKA physical postures) is just one. Other limbs include breathwork, meditation, and certain moral codes. Yet we place all the emphasis on the physical, to our detriment, just as, in life, we place too much emphasis on work and not enough on relaxing. All that to say no, you do not need to be flexible. That being said, with time, the practice may have the effect of increasing your flexibility.
What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?
The best part about what I do is teaching people to calm and strengthen their nervous systems, and helping them to make contact with the authenticity of who they are. It is calming for them, and it is calming and deeply grounding for me as well. Teaching is that part of my day when I get to go within and invite others to do the same. It’s quite beautiful, and as real as real can be.
The worst part is trying to cover costs and make a living doing this. Although I have a few devoted students who never miss the class, it
takes time to build up class sizes and keep it consistent. With the economy being what it is, many people also prefer to do yoga videos
online than show up to a class in-person, too. In order to improve class attendance, I have plans to add an evening class to my roster
beginning in January 2025, and I will eventually try my hand at live-streaming classes as well.
But I wanted to also mention that I am a lifelong creative writer and have been a freelance copywriter and editor for close to a decade. Anyone interested in harnessing my wordsmithing talents can check out my services here. The last year has been challenging as a writer due to the rise of AI, but I know that as a human writer, I still have a lot to offer!
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Ever notice how babies are masters of deep breathing and living in the present? All we’re doing in Kundalini yoga is trying to return to that wisdom… and maybe find an adult-sized crib to nap in after class!
Where can we follow you?
Instagram | Facebook | Youtube | Linktree | Website
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
I absolutely adore Studio 414, a local healing studio space. I actually use their space to give one of my classes. They have a trauma aware approach and social justice values. They offer unique forms of massage therapy including abdominal massage for people with uteruses, and scarwork. They also offer craniosacral therapy, moxa, and much more. They go the extra mile by offering low-cost community classes each month.
