How to find yoga or meditation classes?

Calgary offers a huge variety of opportunities for those looking to start or deepen their yoga and meditation practice. From traditional studios to modern fitness centers, free community programs to high-end private classes, the city has created an ecosystem that caters to the needs of any seeker of inner harmony. This article will reveal all the possibilities, help you navigate prices, formats, and approaches to finding your ideal place to practice.

Most popular yoga studios for beginners and experienced practitioners

The Yoga Studio of Calgary

Open since 1996, this studio specializes in the Iyengar method and offers classes for everyone from beginners to advanced students. The studio is known for its therapeutic approach and qualified teachers who help students develop proper alignment, stability, and depth of practice with the help of yoga props. They offer both in-person and online classes, as well as specialized programs including prenatal yoga, yoga for moms with babies, yoga for curvy women, and yoga for arthritis.

Yoga Santosha

With two locations in the Mission and Kensington neighborhoods, Yoga Santosha is known for its wide range of yoga styles. The studio offers more than 20 different styles, including Ashtanga, Vinyasa Flow, Yin/Yang, Hot Yoga, and Kundalini. Their philosophy is that yoga is a community, and they create a space where people can connect with each other and be authentic. The studio also offers yoga teacher training programs, workshops, and booking options for corporate events. The cost of an introductory month-long unlimited pass for new clients is CAD 49.

Metta Yoga Calgary

Operating since 2013 as an inclusive space for practicing yoga with ongoing education and accessible sequences. The studio offers a variety of in-studio and online classes to support each person on their yoga journey, including weekly Karma yoga classes where all proceeds are returned to the community. All classes are heated, except for prenatal, children's, and some workshops, and the minimum age for hot yoga is 14.

Breathe Hot Yoga

With four locations in Calgary and Airdrie (Avenida Village, McKenzie Towne, Gates of Nolan Hill, and Bayside Village), it has been recognized as the Top Choice Awards winner in 2015–2018. Each location is designed with a warm, luxurious spa-like environment with candlelit studios. The studio has four modern FAR infrared hot studios and three non-heated studios, allowing them to offer yoga for all levels. Memberships are interchangeable between all locations.

Soul Hot Yoga

In southeast Calgary, the focus is on yoga being for everyone. The studio believes in open minds, strong bodies, and liberated souls, offering heated classes for all levels in a grounded, heartfelt space. New clients are offered one month of unlimited classes for CAD 65. The studio also has a 200-hour yoga teacher training program.

Community and budget options: city programs and YMCA

  • Calgary Recreation Centers offer some of the most affordable options for practicing yoga in the city. City programs include various types of yoga and Pilates, from gentle yoga to more active styles. Classes last from 50 minutes to an hour and a half and begin with focusing the mind on the practice ahead and a gentle wake-up. The cost is included in the general Rec Pass for CAD 58.05 per month, which provides access to all 16 recreational facilities in the city. Registration takes place online via liveandplay.calgary.ca at 6:00 a.m. with a virtual queue starting at 5:30 a.m.

  • YMCA Calgary includes yoga in its group fitness programs through a network of six health and wellness centers. Gentle Yoga is included in the list of group classes offered by the YMCA, and these classes are included in the general membership for CAD 88 per month. The YMCA also offers arts programs that include yoga among other activities, creating a comprehensive approach to health. YMCA membership can be canceled at any time with no additional fees, making it a flexible option.

  • Community Associations throughout Calgary also offer yoga programs at discounted rates. For example, Calgary Marlborough offers a Beginner Yoga program every Thursday from 6:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. for CAD 40 for 10 classes or CAD 5 for a single visit. These programs are limited to members of the respective community associations but provide an affordable option for local residents.

Variety of meditation centers and spiritual communities

Modern + Mindful Meditation Studio

Calgary's first modern meditation studio, offering a place to pause in today's 24/7/365 digital world. The studio offers 30-minute sessions several times a day, seven days a week. Their approach is not to reimagine meditation, but to improve how it is practiced in the modern world. Reviews highlight the beauty of the space and the distinctiveness of the teachers, noting that it is a non-intimidating space to learn the practice of meditation.

Calgary Buddhist Meditation

The largest Buddhist meditation community in the city with 2,245 members. They offer a supportive community for learning and practicing meditation with meditation techniques that can be developed. The group welcomes people of all backgrounds and experience levels who are open-minded and united by a desire to learn about Buddhism. They offer online meditation classes and have a website, calgarybuddhistmeditation.ca, for more information.

Akshobya Kadampa Buddhist Centre

Offers a peaceful and inspiring environment where anyone can learn meditation and Buddhism. The meditation and Buddhist practices taught have been carefully adapted to suit everyone for easy integration into modern lifestyles. The center offers day and evening classes, retreats, special full-day courses, and weekend courses. They also offer evening classes in Okotoks. The cost of the “Learn to Meditate” course is 48 CAD.

Calgary Centre for Spiritual Living

A radically inclusive New Thought spiritual center offering inspiring teachings through Sunday services, spiritual classes, meditation, events, and workshops. The center is an open, inclusive, and welcoming community of people from all walks of life, with many members of the LGBTQ community making it their spiritual home. They offer free meditation on Sundays from 10:00 a.m. to 10:20 a.m. in the sanctuary, led by one of their licensed ministers or spiritual practitioners.

Specialized meditation approaches and traditions

  • Self-Realization Fellowship Calgary offers a structured meditation program with a regular schedule. They hold a long meditation on Saturdays from 8:00 a.m. to noon, Sunday services with silent meditation from 10:00 a.m. to 10:45 a.m., and a reading service from 11:00 a.m. to noon. There are also Sunday evening services on the first and last Sunday of the month from 6:45 p.m. with energizing exercises. The organization was founded in 1920 by Paramahansa Yogananda to spread Kriya Yoga.

  • Sahaja Yoga Meditation Calgary offers free weekly meditation classes for beginners every Monday from 7:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. In these classes, participants learn about the inner energy centers or “chakras” and how to balance themselves for spiritual uplift. Comfortable clothing is welcome, chairs are available, and classes are always free.

  • Calgary Soto Zen is a Soto Zen Buddhist community practicing in the lineage of Shunryu Suzuki Roshi and affiliated with Norman Fischer's Everyday Zen Foundation. They offer regular meditation opportunities, retreats, and other practical events in Calgary. All of their activities are open to everyone, and beginners are always welcome.

  • Bodhi Path Buddhist Group Calgary is part of an international network of Buddhist centers under the guidance of the 14th Shamar Rinpoche. The group offers a regular schedule of meditation sessions, discussions of Buddhist texts, and teachings in accordance with the Bodhi Path curriculum. All programs are open to anyone interested in learning about meditation and Buddhism, welcoming complete beginners, experienced practitioners, and everyone in between.

Pricing: from free to premium options

  • Drop-in classes typically cost between 15 and 29 CAD per class.

  • A typical one-time class at boutique studios costs around 28 CAD (Reddit).

  • Some studios offer special prices:

  • ATHA — 10 CAD drop-in

  • Breathe — 15 CAD sessions on Friday evenings and Sundays

  • Class packages

  • YogaMcc — 2-week intro period for CAD 40; unlimited membership CAD 125/month

  • Yoga Santosha — 1-month intro period for CAD 49; unlimited CAD 109/month

  • Students and seniors — 20% discount

  • Private classes

  • Average cost of private yoga classes: 42 CAD/hour.

  • Private meditation classes: 49 CAD/hour.

  • 95% of teachers offer the first class for free.

  • Community programs

  • Calgary Recreation — ~CAD 12/class

  • YMCA — CAD 88/month (yoga included in membership)

  • Sahaja Yoga — free

ClassPass as an alternative way to explore studios

  • The platform allows you to visit different studios for a single monthly fee.
  • Each class costs 10–15 CAD in tokens.
  • Basic plan — 7 tokens/month (≈2.50 CAD/token).
  • Suitable for beginners to try different styles.

Online and hybrid options

  • Yoga Santosha — online access with membership.

  • The Yoga Studio of Calgary — live stream and video library.

  • YogaMcc — On-Demand library for CAD 26/month.

  • Calgary Mindfulness Meditation — Sunday Zoom meditations at 8:00 a.m.; resuming September 14, 2025; also on YouTube and iTunes.

Registration process and practical tips

  • Most studios use Mindbody for booking.

  • Breathe Hot Yoga — 2-hour cancellation policy; late cancellations incur a CAD 20 fee.

  • Walk-ins are welcome, but registration closes 10 minutes before the start.

  • It is recommended to arrive 15 minutes before the start.

  • For hot yoga, bring a towel and water; many studios rent mats for CAD 3.50.

Special programs and workshops

  • The Yoga Studio of Calgary — 8-week courses with a 15% discount when registering for two courses at the same time.
  • Canadian Mindfulness Research Center — mindfulness workshops (~CAD 105).
  • Akshobya Kadampa Buddhist Centre — free 30-minute pop-up meditations.
  • Retreats — through BookRetreats.com: 5-day retreats starting at USD 3,599.

Teacher training and professional development

  • Yoga Passage — 200-hour program (Yoga Alliance) for 3100 CAD + GST.

  • Soul Hot Yoga — 200-hour teacher training program.

  • Alberta Yoga College — 200-hour training in Yang and Yin, practice planning.

Conclusion

Calgary offers an exceptionally diverse ecosystem for yoga and meditation practice that caters to everyone from absolute beginners to experienced practitioners and future teachers. The city successfully combines accessibility through public programs with high-quality private studios, traditional approaches with modern innovations, and in-person classes with online options.

The best approach to finding the right place to practice is to first determine your goals, budget, and schedule, then take advantage of introductory offers from several studios or platforms such as ClassPass to explore your options. Most studios welcome beginners and offer trial periods or free first classes, allowing you to find the perfect fit without a major financial commitment.