Sweet 16!
16years ago UVY held its first official class, in the newly built BlackCommunity Center in Hanover. Kat and I co-taught the class and to ouramazement, the gymnasium was packed with curious newcomers and seasonedyogis alike! At the end we just kind of looked at each other inamazement, laughed out loud and agreed that maybe, just maybe, we couldopen a yoga studio, and people would come. This was 2003. There wasmaybe one other yoga studio in the UV. I'd already been teaching a good10+ years at that point in Chicago and then San Diego. Kat was arelative newcomer to teaching but what she lacked in years she more thanmade up for in enthusiasm and had enough confidence for us both.
Kat lives in Philly now. I've been running this ship on my own for a lotof years. I still love and cherish what we, all of us in the UVYSangha, have collectively created and nurtured. I still loveteaching—many things have changed, that has not. I still marvel at thetalented, devoted and loving teachers that teach here.
I just turned 55 so as I find myself on the further shores of "middleage" ( I mean. I think it unlikely I'll live to 110. But who knows?) mylittle yoga studio has turned into a full-on teenager, with all thesweetness and some of the heartache (and thankfully none of thebrooding). I won't share the heartache bits. But there are tough dayswhen I'm not sure I can afford to keep it going. And other days when astudio full of shining faces and laughter, loving spirits, and glowingbodies brings me back to myself. When yoga students leave looking cleareyed and serene, sweaty (sometimes) and refreshed, I am deeplygratified.
which brings me to the "sweet 16" pass. Summer's over and we want tohelp you get back into the swing of things, yogically speaking. So:$160, 16 classes, 90 days to use them. A regular practice is essentialto my own wellbeing and I can say that holds true whether you've beendoing yoga for 30 years, or 30 days.
Take a look at our schedule: Intro starts up this week, Christina beginsa new level 2 flow class on Saturday afternoons, also this week.Chrissy Morley (welcome, Chrissy!) will be teaching the Tuesday eveningclass, beginning this week.
Lastly, this piece by RL Knost popped up twice in my social media feedsand after the third time I decided to give it some attention. It socaptivated me that I have been reading it at the end of classes for thepast week. A lot of people have asked, so I share it below.
Thanks all,
Love,
Leslie