Giggling Lotus Yoga

This place is a treasure!
Simply the most serene, pretty yoga studio I have ever been in. It’s also always the right temperature — not too hot, not to cold. But that is all just the cherry on top. The sundae underneath is just awesome yoga. The teachers are amazing at making sure everyone in the room — at a huge range of levels — is getting what they need.
Mimi and Andrew are the two I’ve taken the most with, and they are both excellent.

Giggling Lotus is a wonderful studio, with a warm and friendly, community-​focused atmosphere and fantastic teachers. They make yoga accessible for all — advanced and new. They also do a fabulous job of making it truly holistic yoga, bringing in the spiritual elements and pranayama as well as a vigorous asana practice. All the teachers are fabulous but definitely worth taking some with Mimi (the owner).

I’m so lucky that this place is in the building where I work.
I hadn’t done yoga in such a long time and it nice to discover this place that I can occasionally go to during lunch time. I remember that I cried my first time because I found it so physically and emotionally cathartic.
Mimi is a great instructor. She has a wonderfully calming voice and demeanor.

Excellent! It’s hard to find good teachers, i’m extremely fussy, as i want to be challenged and try new things. The room is filled with her great energy. She is amazing! very impressed.

I’m new to the city, and within my first couple of days here, I saw a flyer for Giggling Lotus Yoga and gave it a try. I am so glad I signed up for a month unlimited for $ 49 because it keeps you coming back.
It’s a little tricky to figure out how to get to the studio, but there are lots of signs directing you. It’s on the 3^rd floor of the warehouse on the corner of 3^rd street. Then you follow the signs back and to the left of the hallway.
The studio always has a complimentary pot of herbal spice tea brewing which is an inviting smell to walk into. There’s a small bathroom and changing room. The studio itself is pretty small. I couldn’t imagine fitting more than 18 people comfortably. The interior decorations are refreshing. Bright colored curtains relating to the chakras.
To consider: if you’re easily distracted. Yoga studios are a great place to practice Presence. This location can be a little loud because it’s right next to the MUNI and often times the wind will rattle the windows.
They don’t offer hot yoga at this locations, but boy gee golly let me tell you it gets warm in there. I’m not sure if it’s because of the windows, the actually AC, or the intensity of the practice but people are generally sweating all over the place.
They offer mat rentals for $ 2 a day or there are cards you can buy for a discounted price.
Yoga-​All levels w/​Michelle was super great. Michelle is a delightfully positive and encouraging instructor that gently pushes you to your potential but provides modifications if necessary. You don’t feel any competition in the class as you may find in gym yoga classes.
Mimi’s Yin classes are my favorite of her classes. I wasn’t a huge fan of the Yoga 1 class, it’s just had a different vibe to me that wasn’t my style. The Yin class is long and you feel like you get to get deep into the poses and really find your flexibility in mind and body. You discover that resistance rises in the body, but the edge is not the problem, just our perceptions of the ‘edge’”. I did like that you get the opportunity to play with inversions in Mimi’s Yoga 1 class. Mimi’s is very educated, gifted, and passionate about her practice, often sharing history of the practice and asanas with you and you move through postures.
Alice’s Ashtanga classes are pretty simple and fluid. You learn how Ashtanga feet positions differ from Hatha. Alice is sweet and encouraging and is generous in helping you to get aligned into the position. I didn’t care for the music selection in this class. It’s a personal preference but the modern music with lyrics often distracted me from the practice. It was a good test of presence ;). This class is great for beginners.
Chad’s Power II Yoga class is one of my favorites. Chad is a genuine, passionate, and encouraging spirt. His class is challenging, no doubt, but if you’re in it to win it (that is, the battle of your mind and body) then this is the class for you. You will sweat, you will breathe hard, and you will make sounds. Chad helped me recognize where I was slightly out of alignment in postures which changed my whole practice for the better. I felt this class was lighthearted, challenging, and rewarding in the best ways a yoga class can be.
Andrew’s classes are super upbeat and fun. There is a dance flair to the flow which keeps you motivated to keep moving. Yoga II is also challenging, but I’m always glad I kept pushing myself by the end.
Overall, this place is great for mind, body, and spirit. Highly recommended.

Wonderful place to practice yoga. I am new to the area and studios and have taken classes with both Mimi and Kimmy. Both classes were excellent, with a lovely mix of spirituality and vigorous practice.

I gave GLY a shot last month as I have been seeking a second yoga studio to attend part-​time in order to compliment my weekly yoga sessions that I go to elsewhere. I purchased a one-​month pass with unlimited classes. It was a great experience. I love the studio. It’s beautiful and clean. Mimi and Alice have been excellent instructors! I will soon purchase a card with 20 classes that I can spread out during the next few months.
I am looking forward to expanding my yoga knowledge and abilities.

The Yin Yoga class on Wednesday nights with Mimi is deeply healing and revelatory. I sit 9+ hours at a desk, 5 days a week, and it is the only thing that I feel opens my hips and reverses so much of the built-​up tension and stress in my joints. The atmosphere is structured for maximum benefit and Mimi’s instruction is specific and calming. I have a lot of energy and so it takes a lot for me to find an inner quiet and peace — this class is the ticket!

I can’t say enough about this studio and it’s instructors. The space is absolutely lovely. The atmosphere is warm and inviting. Every instructor I’ve had there has been fantastic, they seem to really care about each student and they’re all very knowledgable about yoga. I’m super lucky that this studio is a 10 minute walk from my house.

I’ve been taking prenatal yoga with Susan since my first trimester. I love the studio’s ambiance with natural light and rainbow colored drapes, the proximity to Mission Bay, and how I feel after every yoga class — totally relaxed. The classes are intimate and you get a lot of personal feedback and attention on what you’d like to work on. Highly recommended for pregnant mamas!

Beautiful space, lovely instructors. I’ve been going to the yin with Mimi and elemental yoga (new) with Melissa classes for a couple of weeks now and can’t say enough positive things about this place. It had been a while since I had been to a yoga class so I was a little nervous at the start, but both Mimi and Melissa put me at ease. You can tell they both really care about their students and their practice
Over a holiday weekend, I had the pleasure of being the only student to show up to elemental yoga and had a one on one class with Melissa. It was amazing! A private class doesn’t fit into my budget, but if it did, it would be worth every penny.
I’m also totally in love with the space. From the high ceilings, to the bright curtains the place feels really bright and happy, rather than super serious and intimidating.

Giggling Lotus is a great addition to the Dogpatch neighborhood. The small studio is located in the converted warehouse and is a bit hard to find, but all you got to do is follow the signs. They offer a multitude of yoga classes at various levels, including ones in the early mornings and later in the evenings. The instructors I have encountered have all been great. I especially like their Yin yoga class; it’s a great stretch and very relaxing. The classes are not crowded and they are fully stocked with props. You can rent mats as well for $ 1. They also offer specialty yoga classes, like meditation classes, sexercise, and restorative mini yoga retreats.
This place would be 5 stars save two things:
1) The location of this place is right by the MUNI line (as is most of Dogpatch). The good thing is that it’s easy to get to, but the downside is that trains that pass are pretty loud and can disturb your zen.
2) No showers!

Giggling Lotus is a true blessing. Mimi and crew make every aspect of this place wonderful. From the lovely décor, the free tea, top-​quality props and mats, local artists on display, a super easy to use website, easy drop-​ins, hugs when you need them… this is my neighborhood yoga studio, and I love it.
The teachers and staff are super friendly and helpful! The people (patrons included) make this place feel homey.
Also, it’s always impeccably clean!
The overall vibe is exactly what I need/​want in a yoga studio, and I am so grateful it’s in my neighborhood.
Get a class pass… they never expire.
Many thanks to Chad Stose for the life enhancing work he brings to the studio. I’ve learned so much, and I feel so blessed!

Giggling Lotus has changed my life. I have been going to bootcamps, classes, and workshops for over a year. The early morning bootcamp is my favorite because it is such a great way to start your day with a mind-​body balance. Mimi is the most kind and genuine person… and the environment she has created is so mindful and nourishing. I will be coming here for a long time. I have developed my yoga practice in ways I never imagined thanks to mimi and giggling lotus!

I’ve been taking yin yoga classes at Giggling Lotus for over a year now, and I love it! Mimi is an amazing yoga instructor — extremely supportive, motivating, and accommodating. The studio also offers fun seminars/​workshops on the weekends — I took a Laughing Yoga class, which was eye opening and inspiring. I will continue to take classes at this studio for as long as I am in SF.

I really enjoy the Yin Yoga class. Mimi brings a great, supportive energy to the class, helping you adjust your pose based on your needs that day (there’s no ‘right’ answer). Take advantage of one of the introductory deals, and come check it out for yourself.

Great space to do yoga! Clean changing rooms and bathroom, smooth wooden floor, clean blankets, sturdy blocks. I strongly recommend Chad Stose’s classes on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. His lessons can be physically demanding but they are intelligently sequenced so it’s meaningful sweat. Great lessons, good workouts, thoughtful practices, sincere students.

I’ve been coming to Giggling Lotus for about a month since I signed up for their Yoga Bootcamp. The studio is two blocks from my place making the 7 am classes a quick walk. It was a little hard to find in the labyrinthine AIC complex, but once you do the studio itself is really cool. It’s open, bright and colorful. Mimi, the owner, is a very friendly southerner that makes yoga appealingly not-​too-​hippie for my tastes.
I really like the modern, industrial vibe of the place and so far have really enjoyed Mimi’s classes. If you live or work in Dogpatch or Potrero Hill, I’d highly recommend making this your yoga jam.

I love this studio. I have been coming here for over a year now and have taken a few different classes with a variety of the teachers, all of which i have enjoyed.
Today I took a new class titled Therapeutic yoga, which helped ease out quite a few tensions and knots in my body whilst leaving me feeling tranquil. It was all of the stretch with none of the worry about which leg should be where! The teacher, Laura, was calm and collected and gave great adjustments when needed.
Another hit for Giggling Lotus. If I lived closer I am sure I would be here every day of the week!

These days, I’m rarely moved to write reviews — aren’t there enough people out there Unilocaling already? But then I run into a business that I really, really connect to — and damnit, it’s review time.
It’s review time.
I’ve been practicing yoga on and off for 20 years (and crikey, I’m only 31), and the classes I’ve attended over the years have varied from fine to quite good — but at the end of the day I’ve always preferred practicing alone to trying to fit into a studio. I’m spiritual but don’t claim to be Buddhist; I love yoga, but I don’t claim to be a die-​hard practitioner; and I don’t like feeling sized up my classmates or instructors in some «who’s the most legitimately spiritual person» competition.
And then Giggling Lotus arrived in my neighborhood, and so into the yoga studio I went like a moth to the flame.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned in life, it’s that first impressions do count, and Giggling Lotus gets everything right on the surface. Serene? Check. Spacious? Check. Beautiful? Check.
But most important is what it gets right beneath that surface. All I can say is that the pervasive mindset there is one of truly gentle, unforced serenity. The classes are varied without being frenetic, and familiar without being boring. I’m challenged in the most positive sense of the word, I leave class a more connected person than I was when I came in, and my fellow practitioners aren’t there to show off; they’re just there to practice.
In addition to being an excellent instructor (and I don’t use that adjective lightly), Mimi has a gift for bringing themes into her teaching in a way that feels genuinely connected to the physical lessons at hand — and I leave classes knowing I’ve gone deep in a supported way that is inspiring subtle, sustainable change.
To put it simply, Giggling Lotus is the first studio that has spoken to my solitary yoga soul. I never thought I’d be a studio monogamist. But then again, maybe I just hadn’t met the right studio.