Building a Yoga Community

Can yoga be lonely? For me, it was. I practiced alone for two years in Lost River, West Virginia, a beautiful but isolated village in the Shenandoah Mountains. Every day was a challenge to stay disciplined and content in my solitary practice. I missed my teachers, the energy of other yogis, and the art and music of a yoga studio. Without a sense of community, I found it hard to stay motivated and find ways to grow.

All that is changed now. This summer fifty budding yogis practice with me every week in a mountain cabin converted to a studio called Lost River Yoga. I teach two classes every day to men and woman of all ages, shapes, and sizes. For most, it is their first experience with yoga. They are buying their own mats, coming to class regularly, and saying how good they feel.

How did this happen? Much of the credit goes to two well-established yoga studios, one in Mexico, the other in Florida, for showing me the way. Through the skill, experience, and good karma of two caring teachers, I have deepened my own yoga practice, begun a teacher training program, and am supported by the ancient tradition of teacher passing to student the philosophy and practice of yoga. This story is about two studios that model best practices and have inspired me to open my own studio.

My first yoga class was in the beautiful Caribbean coastal town of Playa del Carmen, Mexico, at Yoga By The Way. When owner Ellen de Jonge (E-RYT) invited me to join, I was apprehensive, but it turned out to be one of the best risks I've ever taken. Ellen teaches vinyasa flow yoga which links movement with breath. Her mixed-level classes encourage students to use their intuition in self discovery--to listen, experiment, try hard, but modify when necessary.

I am now enrolled in Ellen's 200-hour teacher training course and practice teach in Lost River while I continue to work toward my yoga certification. Ellen's teacher training curriculum is rooted in vinyasa flow yoga and explores the many tenets of yoga, including philosophy, anatomy, pranayama, teaching methodology, alignment, assisting/adjusting techniques, and more.

Ellen's support extends beyond her classroom; she supervises my practice teaching by reviewing lessons, providing feedback, asking questions, and recommending readings. She also encourages me to try different styles of yoga, saying, "You will have many different teachers and you will learn from every one of them."

She was right. A second teacher has a hand in shaping my yoga development. Her name is Becky Boyle (RYT) of Yoga Village, a campus-like studio in Clearwater, Florida. Becky is one of fifteen Yoga Village teachers who work together to offer different yoga classes at all times of the day in a beautiful setting with decking for outdoor practice, garden seating, and two indoor practice rooms. Yoga Village also operates teacher training courses, organizes workshops and potluck suppers, hosts events such as drum and chanting circles, and is home to a book club and a fresh organic vegetable co-op. I visited Yoga Village as a "drop-in" client and Becky's warm welcome made all the difference. As we got to know each other, I told Becky of my isolating yoga experience in West Virginia and she offered to do some free teaching in my community. I was astounded by her generosity and adventuresome spirit.

Becky recently spent a long weekend teaching multiple classes to my burgeoning yoga community, focusing on alignment, healthy back exercises, and gentle stretching for older learners. She also advised me on the nuts and bolts of running a yoga studio and the importance of creating and sustaining community spirit.

What is it about yoga that makes so many want to try it and share it with others? According to my students, yoga makes you feel good. When you enjoy something, you naturally want to share it. I see my students creating the very thing that was missing for me when I began yoga—a sense of community. They walk in the door wanting to belong to something fun, friendly, and healthy. They bring their spouses, friends, and children or grandchildren. They talk to one another before and after class and exchange hugs, phone numbers, and yogic energy. The studio has come alive with offerings of candles, fruit, and flowers and colorful yoga mats, blocks, and straps now brighten the entryway.

Something extraordinary is happening in Lost River! We are building a yoga community one body at a time. New students of all ages and backgrounds arrive every week: older people concerned with strength and balance, athletes seeking flexibility and cross-training, parents needing time for self, professionals looking for an antidote to the stress of their jobs.

I am no longer lonely in my yoga. On the contrary; I am a yoga teacher. My studio is filled with art and music, and I thrive everyday from the energy my students give me. I get teaching practice and experience in running a studio every week. I have opened a Facebook yoga page and am planning to build a real yoga studio in the near future. All of this came from two teachers who modeled for me the true spirit of sharing yoga with others and who showed me the kind of teacher I want to be. Namaste and thank you. Margo Pfleger