An enterprise that is collectively run yet individually programmed by five fierce women, that is low stress, enjoyable, that pays the bills (a portion of them, anyway) and is social justice oriented? I'm all over it!

And I'm not even into yoga.

I was, once, long ago, when I was a freaky teenager and nobody I knew was doing it. Nowadays, it feels like everywhere you turn, you bump into yet another yoga studio. It's so damned trendy. And the spandex! I'm pretty sure the original yogi practitioners weren't overly concerned about looking fashionable in leggings and matching tops.

But what Kelly Hilton and her group have going is something different, something special.

Aviva Yoga Studio is a beautiful little studio on Barton Street East that opened its doors three years ago and is now a part of the health and wellness movement in this struggling neighbourhood.

You go up the narrow staircase and enter into a space of tranquility and stillness.

"It's simplicity, which is what I was searching for when I first started out with this work," Kelly tells me. She's been practicing and teaching yoga for two decades, and is always thinking about how best to empower not only the student but also the yoga teacher. That includes keeping the classes very small, knowing in depth what each student's practice is like and helping them develop it further. "We don't want to teach the masses!"

"Part of what is happening at Aviva is that if you want to sustain yourself, it's possible since there are no administration costs, no technology, none of that white noise of business. When it comes to students, it's just you, the mat and your teacher. This is empowering the yogi."

Once the idea of forming a collective of like-minded, self-propelled yoga teachers to share a space and all of the details of developing a dynamic yoga studio began to percolate, Kelly interviewed potential partners. In time, Kim Agostino, Kristin Billing, Amanda Farhat, Amanda Welton - who offers doga (yoga with dogs) - joined her in creating a well-rounded, ample schedule of classes with each member of the collective sharing in the responsibilities including paying rent, designing the space, maintaining the website, creating the logo and signage, "carving out our vision and identity."

What is particularly interesting to me is the collaboration with partners, two doors down. The Eatery at 451 is popping, and their "pay it forward" Buttons for Food program is something that inspired the collective to do the same at Aviva. Since they are well aware of the need in this neighbourhood, they offer a similar program to people who can't afford the $15 an hour, or even donation: it's five buttons for a class for anyone in need. "The Buttons program is rewarding in that it creates the opportunity for all residents to access the many benefits of yoga," Kelly says.

Aviva's biggest use of the buttons has been through the Living Outside Suffering and Trauma (LOST) program, which is a mental health, peer support group that operates once a week and is open to all individuals.

"Yoga is one of the most ancient healing practices, it brings us into balance mentally physically emotionally. So whether someone is dealing with addiction issues working through the stresses of day-to-day life, or looking to strengthen and support personal harmony yoga is there for us all."

That's certainly not everyone's opinion.

Just recently, University of Ottawa's Centre for Students with Disabilities cancelled their weekly free yoga classes due to cultural sensitivity issues. Nothing exemplifies cultural appropriation like yoga does. Yoga originated in India thousands of years ago rooted in the Hindu spiritual tradition. Do westerners have a right to teach and practice it? What's more, the debate around yoga is as it is practised in the west, ("exotic," focused on fitness mostly) it's not even yoga - since it has been stripped off its spiritual, meditative context.

But many argue that while yoga is appropriative, the intention of yoga is to have it be spread around for the good of all people.

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Kelly points out the example of Mysore, India, where yoga hopefuls go to learn from the masters to then go out into the world, and share the gift of yoga.

"Yoga's hope is to inspire peace. So it is counter-yoga to say it isn't to be shared!" Kelly ends, stressing that it is however, necessary to acknowledge and respect the roots of yoga.