How is it that we form communities and strong friendships through our yoga classes and studios?  When I first opened Blooming Lotus Yoga and Wellness Center, I had a vision in my head of how my classes would unfold.  Every student would enter the studio, silently take care of his or her belongings (remove shoes, turn off cell phone, etc.), sign in, and roll out his or her mat, silently lying or sitting down to begin meditation.  This, of course, has not been the case.  Our classes have become tight-knit communities of loving friends, laughing and sharing life’s experiences.  I quickly realized that this was not MY studio, it was Interlochen’s studio.  This warm, inviting space has created an atmosphere where people feel reconnected to each other, and to themselves.  Websites, Facebook, IPADs are great tools of communication, but nothing takes the place of looking into another human beings eyes and offering a warm smile, a hug, or a laugh together.  I deeply cherish the friendships I have formed and watched others forming through our yoga practice together.  I love that when someone new comes in, others introduce themselves and welcome them to our studio.  Yoga offers us unique and beautiful opportunities to go deep within ourselves and see the rich, vibrant beauty we ALL have within us.  When we carve out moments to enjoy the best within ourselves, we open to the best in everyone else.  We become more compassionate, more understanding, patient, open, and more mindful of ourselves and others.  For some, this is a process that takes time and personal healing.  For others, it happens in an instant.

I recall classes I have attended in which the instructor worked very hard, class after class, to convince everyone to be silent, go within, not interact with others, not disturb others.  It often became a situation in which the teacher’s irritation with the students was more distracting than the interactions in the class.  It felt to me that the teacher was encouraging intolerance in others.  I chose, instead, to get out of the way and watch the bonds of friendship form.  Taking time, instead, at the beginning of each class for silent meditation, so that we could, as a group, unwind, quiet down, and go within.  The beautiful yoga family that has formed at Blooming Lotus was more important than each student’s silent, pious entry to each class.

OUR yoga studio continues to be a community center and yoga family.  I wouldn’t have it any other way!

With love,

Steph

Since the explosion of yoga in the west, many new types of yoga have been created and are continuing to emerge.  We hear about Gentle, Vinyasa, Hatha, Kundalini, Ashtanga, Yoga Nidra, Yin, Anusara, , and many more.  With all of the different styles, it’s easy for a new yogi to feel a little lost and confused.  Your yoga practice will hopefully compliment and supplement your life, providing a well-rounded experience.  If your daily life tends to be hectic, busy, stressful and physically demanding, a yoga practice which provides the opposite is suggested.  A quiet, relaxing yin style yoga is a nice compliment to a very active lifestyle.  In contrast, a sedentary lifestyle would benefit from a more active, heat building, calorie burning yoga, such as vinyasa.  If you are attending several classes each week, try combining different types to create a balance of strength and vigor with rest and rejuvenation.  Over time, you might find that your needs and desires change, and what once worked well for you no longer suits you or your lifestyle.  Be open, pay attention, and honor yourself.  Also, be open to trying something more than once.  Occasionally, when someone tries yoga for the first time or tries a new type of yoga, he or she finds the practice to be agitating, disturbing or aggravating.  Yoga can cause deep-seated emotions to rise to the surface and release.  Feeling inexplicably angry, sad, or even overwhelmed during yoga is not uncommon…and not necessarily a negative experience.  It might be an indication that you have found the exact place you need to be to release something you’ve been holding onto.  You might be directing those emotions at something specific at the moment, the music, the sound of traffic outside, a pain in your leg, etc. that you feel is annoying you and causing those emotions.  More likely, the emotions are arising from within and releasing out of you.  Try the practice one or two more times, and you might grow to absolutely love it!  Very often, the style or pose you hate the most is the one you need the most…and the one you grow to love the most!

Namaste’

Stephanie