Author: Love Yoga Studios

I often forget that those of you who are fairly new to Love Yoga… might not know some of the coolest things about the studio and how we got where we are today. Here’s 8 things to catch you up!

1. I started Love Yoga with $5k and 4 weeks of experience. That story alone should be an entire email. But briefly… The day after my 1st yoga training, I unexpectedly found myself unemployed. So 9 days later, I opened Love Yoga

2. We started out downtown on 1st street with 1 other teacher, 6 mirrors, a handful of blocks and a dozen mats. We moved to North Albany a year later because people were asking us for hot yoga. We couldn’t get the downtown space hot enough, so we moved.

3. Before Love Yoga, here in Albany, I had worked for Stone Forest containers and I sold ads for the Democrat Herald. I also worked at Sam Health, the AGH Foundation, Panolam, Mission Hills, Selectemp, Jackson & Prochnau, Cellular One, my Dad’s insurance agency and Tec Labs. In Seattle, I sold insurance, siding, windows, toys, rainbow vaccuum cleaners and international transportation. When I told my first business landlord that I’d had 17 + jobs, he said, ‘sounds like you have all the makings of an entrepreneur’. Yay! (Target rejected my resume 3 times in one year when I was 19) Thanks Target!

4. After numerous other trainings, we became a yoga ‘school’ through Yoga Alliance, offering teacher trainings for the 200 hr. and 300 hr. certifications and CE credit. This Summer we’re offering the first ‘Summer School’ you’ll actually LOVE!
Eight weekend workshops over the Summer to take you from Breathing deeper and Counting Crows to Inspiring Inversions and the Magic of Meditation.

5. Kelly, one of our massage therapists is also a yoga teacher and taught restorative yoga here for about 4 or 5 years. Aunnie and Erin Hanawalt took the first two teacher trainings we did here. In fact it might have been Aunnie that suggested we do it.
I stalked Sabrina on Instagram as she moved here from Kentucky! Erin Yatsui (‘Yats’) took our teacher training and retakes it every year just to be part of it and help out.
(I’ll write a ‘things you might not know about our teachers’ version soon. That just made all the teachers slightly uncomfortable : )

6. Yoga for Anxiety classes came about for three reasons.
1. A few years ago, four different people showed up at the studio within one week asking about yoga for anxiety.
2. I knew a little something about this as I had severe anxiety attacks all through my 20s. Long story short. I ended up in ER a few times, I tried everything from herbal tea to jumping jacks. I found yoga and meditation. I practiced. I practiced. I practiced. It went away. Literally faded away. I haven’t had an anxiety attack in 20-ish years. Nothing. Nada. Not one.
3. The response to that class was huge. So now we have it every few months.

If you struggle with anxiety, you’re not alone.
Trust me. You’re not. And you don’t have to be.

7. Meditation has been a game changer for me personally. I doubt I’ll ever stop. I’ve studied various styles and I’ve found what works for me. It’s like riding a bike, swimming and singing the alphabet. It just sticks with you. It gets easier by the minute. And it feels good. If it doesn’t feel good for you yet… just keep swimming. ; ) Or come try a few new styles with Paul on Wednesday nights or Candace on Monday Mornings, both free! Or I’ll talk about it anytime if someone asks. : )

8. Final note: I started Love Yoga in 2010 mid/post recession, single mom with a 17 year old, in the grass seed capital of the world. No savings, no insurance, no back up plan, no business plan. My mom put up the 5k. And she’s been believing in me ever since. (and still waiting for me to pay her back).
We try not to let money be the thing that keeps anyone from practicing yoga. It’s a life changer and it’s worth it. We still have to pay the lease, the teachers, the utilities and supply you all with toilet paper and chocolates. But If you or someone you know isn’t practicing because of finances, let us know. If we can help, we’ll work it out. We offer trades, 5$ classes and Sunday mornings are always a donation class – any donation.

Did I miss anything?
Is there anything else you’ve just got to know?

Oh, we get the foamy soap from Whole Foods and the bathroom scent sticks from Bi Mart. All of our mats are Jade Yoga mats.
We are very grateful for all of you… that read these emails to the very end ;

(Warning: once a season, you’ll get a super long email. This is Spring’s)
(also: Wedding Pictures at the bottom)

The spirit of love is very apparent in everything we do. Everything from the soft floors to the foamy soaps.. From the cozy blankets to the crystal bowls. From the peach tea to the toilet paper…. well, you get the picture.  We have a ‘no mat left behind’ policy, meaning we all make every effort to make sure that nobody feels left behind, lost or unloved.  And not just during class.

In the past two months at Love we’ve come together for a death, a birth, a wedding and a reunion. In the coming months we’ll come together for a teacher training, spring hiking and a send off party. See, it’s not all about yoga. It’s about connection. You don’t have to love yoga to love people. I learned this at a deeper level than ever before over the past few months.

Here’s how it all went down. 

Part 1: My Dad’s Okay

My Dad died. I know, it’s okay though. He’s fine. He told me. And before you roll your eyes… this is not ‘wishful grieving’. (pretty sure I coined this term… have you ever heard it before? I didn’t think so. I’m claiming it. It’s brilliant right?)  Because we all know someone who sees a chicken and thinks it’s their dearly departed Aunt Doris who used to strut around like a bossy mother hen. ‘Wishful grieving?’ perhaps. And don’t even talk to me about hummingbirds. I told my Dad, I’m not interested in birds! If you’re gonna connect with me, I’m gonna need something a little more concrete.

So I visited with a medium. Yes, a medium. I was skeptical too. So I didn’t volunteer any specific information. He didn’t know my name. We’d never met. He only asked me who I wanted to connect with. I said, ‘my Dad’.

He told me 3 specific things that only my closest family members and a few friends could have known. Like who he was with and what I should do with the truck he gave me. I was stunned. Google can’t even tap into the information he shared. I’m happy to share the details with you but for most of you it probably won’t make much sense. So, if you want more specifics, just ask me.

Why am I risking my credibility to tell you this? Because you know me. I’m not woo woo. You know I like physiology, anatomy, evidence, proof.  But people, I’m tellin’ you… this was the most unexplainable, comforting feeling I’ve ever had in my entire life. I’ve never been less afraid, more excited for the future and beyond comfortable with exactly where I am. I want everyone to feel this good.

Watching him die a little bit every day was the most excruciating thing I’ve ever experienced. Reconnecting with him was the most exhilarating thing I’ve ever experienced. He loved Love Yoga. He was so proud of me and he was so happy to connect with those of you he knew. He even left us a juke box and all his records – maybe in part so a little piece of his spirit would still be there. 

Having so many of you at his service was beyond comforting. His passing made me frantic about not wasting a minute of my life. And the love from Love Yogis gave me the support and the space to fall apart… and reconnect. Spirits of Love? I think so.

Part II The Babies.  (the names have been changed to protect the identities)

One of my dearest friends and Love Yogi, I’ll call her Samantha, gave the ultimate gift of life last month. (2 lives actually) to a lovely young couple who wanted children. The surrogacy and sacrifice was more complicated than she originally anticipated. There were waves of emotions, frustration, pain, nausea, inconvenience, fear, surgery…. and LOVE. Those close to her felt the immense amount of love she was willing to share. And when the babies arrived, the love was more expansive than anyone expected, including her. She instantly knew there would be a life long connection to little Ben and Nora.  So many lives touched by one act of enormous generosity.

Tons of Love Yogis reached out constantly throughout this adventure asking about her well being. Waiting for news. Sending love and prayers. Eager to reconnect. She knows who you are. When all is said and done… knowing you have a community that cares, is beyond comforting. And in the true spirit of Love, she’s on her way back to connect to us.

Part III: The Wedding and the Reunion.

Another dear friend and Love Yogi, texted me one day out of the blue: ‘Do you have an extra room for a wayward traveler and her dog?’. I texted back: ‘Sure’. Jen was a Love Yogi from years ago. She had moved away and then dove back in head first last year, joining the teacher training and moving in with me while she relocated. She finished training, moved out in June with plans for the rest of the year somewhat lined up. She bought a house, she travelled, she met her man, she fell in love.

A few weeks ago, she texted me again: Do you know anyone who can marry people? I said, Yes! But then through a fortunate series of events, I became ordained and I married them! It makes sense right? LOVE Yogi marries couple in Finton Green Natural Preserve.  SO. MUCH. LOVE. We made the traditional Brazilian drink for the Groom. Erin Hanawalt made bem casados. The clouds parted, the rain broke, the dog wore his tutu, the stars aligned.

The afternoon was magnificently magical. (nope, I’m not woo woo at all). Sabrina, Haley, Erin and I were honored to witness to this union. Love Yogis unite. (think wonder twins, activate!)  I fully expect her next life changing text to me will be asking me to be a GodParent…(wink, wink)

Writing a piece for a marriage ceremony that articulates the spirit of love was like coming home for me. A natural extension of practicing with love is writing with love. I felt incredibly blessed to be able to do this and quickly considered a career change. The amount of love in your heart is palpable when you are immersed in something as joyful as this. I would do this all day every day if I could. (let me know if you want to renew your vows! ; )

And… THE REUNION

After the wedding we hurried back for class and a surprise reunion. Haley rushed back to teach class and the rest of us rushed back to my house for a surprise potluck reunion for Sabrina. Yep, it’s true. Sabrina’s back!

Afer a brief sabbatical for her own personal journey, she’s back! The Love teachers gathered to welcome Sabrina back with open arms, open hearts,, snacks, stories, sarcasm, pictures, laughter and love. Aunnie made banana cake which almost overshadowed the guest of honor.

We missed her. We know you’ve missed her.  She’s coming back in April to teach Power on Wednesday nights at 6pm. 

Before that she’ll be subbing two classes:  March 24th, Sunday’s Karma class 9:30am and March 31st, SOL Power, 5:30pm.  Also, Watch the schedule for her next Yoga for Back Pain coming soon

It’s not all about yoga. 

Sometimes it’s just about Love. 

but remember: 

We have 24 classes every week plus workshops and trainings. 

Yoga, hiking, workshops, sound baths, bonfires, vacations, anything that

creates human connections, memorable moments and self reflection. 

2 spots left for teacher training at this year’s rate!
Blue Pool Hike tomorrow morning at 7am 

Email us for more info on either the hikes or the training: love@loveyogstudios.com