Studio La Lune: The First Women-Focused Yoga Studio in Hong Kong

Embrace the cycles of your femininity like the cycles of the moon.

After working in the investment banking industry for a few years, Anna Cabannes felt disconnected from herself, but her growing curiosity in the wellness industry kept her stable. At some point, Cabannes decided to make a change and devote all her time and energy to what made her fully alive – yoga. So in September 2021, she opened Studio La Lune to create a safe and sacred space to honour all women. 

Studio La Lune, the first yoga studio in Hong Kong that focuses on women, is a place of exploration and discovery about female bodies and prioritizing self care in a mindful way through movement and breath. Ladies gather, inspire and empower each other by being part of a community. The studio provides yoga classes and holistic practices for women in every stage of their life, and some of their classes are pregnancy-friendly as well.

The Ambience

The moment I stepped into the cosy studio, I noticed one side of the room painted in pink with drawings and symbols of women. It gave off a very warm, safe and comforting ambience. During the day, sunlight streamed in and lit the studio, and during evenings, candles gently illuminated the space. Clean mats were always provided, as well as other yoga equipment and accessories, such as wheels, massage balls, bolsters, blankets and straps. 

The Classes

Studio La Lune offers a diverse type of classes, both traditional and not so traditional. I tried four classes at Studio La Lune: Embrace the Feminine with Viv, Emotional Release Breathwork with Janith, Yoga for Menstrual Health with Erika, and Aerial Stretch with Rachel. Each class was very different in their own ways, but one common aspect of all classes was the intimacy between the instructors and the students. Class sizes were small, usually around 4-8 students, so instructors could pay close attention to everyone and help correct postures or encourage deeper stretches. 

Embrace the Feminine with Viv

Although I hadn’t done yoga in over a year, I was still able to follow Viv’s flow because of how well she guided us through the movements. This class was all about getting to know our feminine energy and allowing that energy to flow out of our bodies. Through the stretches and poses, Viv encouraged us to stay true to our bodies and feelings, to move however we wanted to express our femininity.

Emotional Release Breathwork with Janith

This class was my first experience with holotropic breathwork, so I was excited but nervous going into the class. Everyone’s experience would be different, but personally, I found it slightly uncomfortable physically. It was most likely because we were practicing a different type of breathwork, and my entire body began tingling and felt numb from the increased oxygen intake. That said, I felt very happy and serene after the session. I felt strong and powerful, like I could tackle any obstacle coming my way. And I felt kindness and gratitude towards myself for taking the time to join the session.

Yoga for Menstrual Health with Erika

Every week, Studio La Lune offers yoga classes for different cycles of your menstrual health. One session is primarily for the follicular phase (the start of your period until ovulation), another for the luteal phase (ovulation until your next period). I tried the follicular phase class, which is generally slower, more static, and introspective, as the instructor guides you through breathing practices. We also spent some time focusing on acupressure and myofascial release on our feed and kidney points on our backs.

Aerial Stretch with Rachel

The Aerial Stretch class emphasised deep stretches using a hammock. All levels are welcomed, and Rachel was great with helping those, including myself, who was less confident or unfamiliar with a hammock. Since I have only tried aerial yoga a couple of times before a few years ago, it felt like a pain tolerance class at some points, as the hammock was digging into my legs and back. But once you focus on breathing and relaxing into the stretch, it does get better, and it feels like a deep tissue massage. At the end of class, I felt like a butterfly coming out of her cocoon!

Our verdict

I really enjoyed trying Studio La Lune’s classes. As a women-only studio, I appreciated that classes were dedicated to women and our emotional and feminine sides. It was empowering to be encouraged to embrace ourselves in such a supportive and safe environment. I highly recommend Studio La Lune for all women, whether you have tried yoga or not, because of its unique classes. Doing yoga and mindfulness practice in such a warm space could do wonders for your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing.