The Grinning Yogi

I had no idea yoga could be FUN! Until I went to the Grinning Yogi. They have classes with live music! DJs and acoustic singer-​songwriters alike. The owner/​teacher, Jamie, makes jokes in class and makes you feel really welcome. The classes are interesting, challenging but not strenuous, with well-​designed flows. I enjoy every moment I am there. It feels therapeutic and I leave feeling centered. I have gone to many yoga studios in town and this is my #1 favorite.

I just moved to Portland and I LOVE this studio! The instructors are all so great. They do such a nice job of incorporating a spiritual practice with the physical practice. Classes are just challenging enough, but not overload. They always remind us to smile and ENJOY this fun practice! Great vibes all around. Did I mention it’s nice and warm?

Great studio downtown. Did the grinning flow and the instructor was really friendly and led a wonderful class. The music was uplifting and energizing but not overpowering, a great spot to get in your practice while traveling. If I’m back in Portland I’ll definitely go back!

Great location, beautiful studio, excellent instruction, and I left smiling. Thank you Grinning Yogi! –George

Currently visiting Portland, and took my first class here. Great, great studio. Give it a try — you won’t be disappointed! I look forward to coming back on my next trip!

after over 2 years of not moving my body for anything more than daily-​functioning purposes, i took my rickety ass to a class with jamie. she was awesome! kept us moving without over explaining and was great for us who haven’t practiced (ANYTHING) in ages. didn’t think i would be into the 80 – 85 degrees they keep the studio at, but my sweaty-​betty sensibilities did just fine. stoked to go back. ps– did i mention i’m not into yoga? yeah, i wasn’t before now!

Phenomenal studio! I am now a regular here and love it. The studio is clean and peaceful (you actually forget you’re on division street– which is quite a feat!) and the instructors are wonderful. Each one has their very own unique style and you get a very different experience with each one. The prices are the best I’ve found in the area and for the quality of each class you’d be nuts to go anywhere else. At first I was skeptical about taking heated yoga classes, but it’s actually a really nice experience and you don’t feel like passing out from heat exhaustion like those crazy hot yoga places– just enough warmth to get your muscles ready. Definitely try this place out!

I first got into yoga at The Grinning Yogi in Seattle. I had done yoga on and off before, but never really made a real practice out of it. With the wonderful instructors, peaceful, but upbeat space, and body positive vibes I started enjoying yoga so much more than I had anywhere else. I keep surprising myself with what I can accomplish and feel completely accepted and welcomed at TGY despite not being able to do a handstand or having an über skinny typical yogi body. Ya’ll who live in Portland are so lucky to have the new TGY PDX nestled into the cutest neighborhood! I dropped by twice to take classes with Jamie while I was in town and it was lovely as usual. The studio is beautiful and Jamie is a phenomenal instructor as always!

There’s something special here that you’ll want to be a part of. I’ve been coming to my mat for years, but each time I practice with Jamie, the owner of this studio, I’m able to get out of my head space and into my heart space in a big way. She’s an authentic treasure and has created such a beautiful yoga home here (and at her Seattle studio!) This space is all about the love.

Portland, you are SO lucky to be getting a Grinning Yogi of your own. I go to the Grinning Yogi in Seattle many times a week. It’s my home studio for a reason! I come here for the teachers and for the community. First, Jamie, the owner of the studio, is phenomenal. She’s an empowering person to start, and she really knows how to put together a great class. Some of my biggest physical and mental breakthroughs were in her classes. She’s funny, authentic, and she understands the body and the energy of the class. Even if I come in to a class not feeling comfortable or ready to flow, I surrender to her instruction and she gets me to that place of yoga. She leads each class with an intention that however small, always makes me reconsider my outlook on things. I’ve taken Jamie’s classes when I need a laugh, a cry, or for just some reassurance that things will be alright.
The classes are are physically great, challenging but well explained. You’ll get a lot of creative sequencing, good music, and a playful and open environment to try new poses. And all the teachers I’ve had are awesome– not only by yoga teaching standards but they’re also incredibly authentic and supportive of you. There are no egos, no pretension, just a place for you to work on your yoga and yourself. I have so much love for this studio and it makes me so happy to know that more people can have this experience as well.

I’m so thankful for the Grinning Yogi in Seattle– so awesome to see this amazing studio opening in Portland. Jamie’s ability to create a welcoming and safe space to practice is really unique. So many studios seem cold and unwelcoming to new students. Not at the grinning yogi! Even if you’ve never practiced before, they will make you feel welcome and inspired. The best part about the grinning yogi is the inspiring messages the instructors offer to their students, stop reading Unilocal and give the awesome gift of practicing at this studio to yourself. Trust me, you won’t regret it!

Took a class with them when I was up in Seattle and liked it, so when I saw they recently opened in PDX was curious to check it out here too.
I liked the PDX class even better.
The instructor (Jamie?) was super friendly. Maybe because it was cold outside and it’s a slightly heated class, the inside felt perfectly toasty.
Came out feeling super relaxed and extra deserving of pok pol chicken wings, which happens to be super close on division. Double yum.

I adore this brand new cozy studio on Division! I took classes last weekend with Jamie and Jennifer and LOVED them both.
Both instructors provided great hands-​on assists/​mini massages, good cues that helped me get deeper into poses and a modern (non-​chanty) soundtrack.
The studio is heated to about 85 degrees so, it was toasty, but not too hot.
Tips & Notes:
* This is the perfect studio for night owls. Weeknight 9pm class? Yes, please!
* They have a newbie special: 3 classes for $ 20.
* This is a one room studio so the instructor is the receptionist/​cashier.
* This is the 2^nd Grinning Yogi studio; the first opened in Seattle a couple of years ago. I adored the classes I’ve taken there too!

Beautiful and brand new studio. Owner/​Instructor Jamie is a delight! Her vinyasa flow classes are wonderfully engaging and the diverse playlist is sure to keep you moving through your chaturanga to upward facing dog.

I’ve been going to TGY for about 1 year now and within the first 10 minutes of my first class with Jamie (the owner), I was completely hooked. I was relieved to find such an awesome studio since I had been hopping around quite a bit trying to find just the right one. TGY was everything I wanted and needed in both my life and my yoga practice.
Some of my favorite things about the studio is the varying levels of classes, the well thought out and put together flows, the personal stories the teachers share and the fantastic music. There are lots of different classes to choose from depending on your mood, skill level and whatever your body needs for the week. The community is also very supportive and friendly, which makes you feel at home. You seriously cannot go wrong with TGY!

I absolutely adore TGY. I’ve been going to classes twice a week for over a year now, and can’t imagine life without it. The community here is strong, warm, non-​judgmental and welcoming which makes it the perfect place for beginners and advanced yogis alike. The teachers are supportive and loving and I’ve enjoyed every moment spent here.

TGY in Seattle is probably my favorite thing in the city. I’ve been doing Yoga for a few years at various studios in two different cities and nothing beats TGY. The teachers are consistently among my favorites, they play awesome music, create beautiful sequences, and genuinely care about their students. Jamie has an amazing talent for creating a welcoming space and I’ve never experienced another studio with such a strong sense of community. It’s really an amazing place.

You are so lucky right now: you’re thinking about going to The Grinning Yogi and it’s going to change your life.
When I started doing yoga two and a half years ago, I really didn’t know what I was getting into — just that I was overweight and full of anxiety. I thought that yoga class once a month or so, would help «center» me. The universe was looking out for me – the studio that was literally closest to my house was The Grinning Yogi. I hadn’t done any research or tried any other studios (now I’m pretty much a yoga whore) and I walked into the best of the best.
Jamie is a seasoned professional, something that I wouldn’t have believed possible for someone so young if I hadn’t witnessed her ingenuity and brilliance first-​hand. She’s the perfect blend of supportive and responsive without coddling. She will help you get wherever you want to be. She is Magic.

I cannot speak highly enough of The Grinning Yogi– the staff, the supportive community, the amazing studios, and all of the joy that flows from this place makes it the best yoga studio I have ever been to. I initially went to the Grinning with my eyes closed to what yoga really meant, to me it was just another work out where you get a nap at the end. I never understood the big picture. Through the extremely accessible classes and teaching of yogic principles I became more attuned to what being a true ‘yogi’ was all about. I’ve found myself curious outside of class, and I’ve cultivated a more balanced life for myself through asana and mediation. I credit The Grinning for lighting this curiosity.
Jamie, the studio owner, is likely one of the best yoga instructors around. Her classes are always fun, engaging, energetic, meaningful, and they always connect to something outside of the class. Her playlists often get you singing to yourself, and get your mind off the physical discomfort you might be in (*chair*cough*cough). I have never had a negative experience with any instructor that she has thoughtfully hired, and many of them have become mentors of my own. Every instructor has their own unique style and flavor, which makes every class different and unique.
However, big thing that distinguishes this studio from others is the community that it cultivates.. Within a city it can be a bit difficult to meet people outside of your personal circle but within The Grinning people are constantly saying hello and genuinely curious about your life. Individuals from all ages, backgrounds, beginners, to fellow instructors can be found at the studio, chatting, sharing stories, and letting some of the formality of the city go. It’s amazing to see how it’s grown into a community base, bringing the neighborhood together.
Jamie and the instructors have taken some of the stigma away from yoga as being inaccessible, difficult, or spiritual and made it a community of people coming together, sharing and growing.