Welcome Home.
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We know it can be intimidating to start at a new studio and even more so, to start a yoga practice altogether.
We want you to know, first off, that you are not alone in this. Everyone is nervous when they try something new.
Our studio is made up of people of all shapes and sizes, all ages, all ability levels, and all comfort levels.
A lot of us, students and teachers alike, have suffered in some way and yoga has helped us. We are all committed to doing everything that we can to make you feel safe, comfortable, and supported so that yoga can help you too.
Here are some of the ways we support you.
Your Customized Plan or “Yoga Prescription”
It’s never made sense to me that we expect people who are new to yoga or new to a studio to jump right in and try any class without guidance.
Sara meets with every student before they start classes so that you have a customized plan before you start taking classes.
Come As You Are
We truly think of our studio as a sanctuary and set up the class completely before you arrive. We do this because we want every class you take to have the same qualities as a retreat. You walk in and leave the world outside.
But for new students, it means that you don’t need to buy or bring anything with you. You will use our high-quality mats and props.
Sneak Peeks at In-person and On-demand Classes for Beginners
If nothing else, Covid has taught us all how to use technology!
Under each of our class descriptions is a little video of what you can expect in it.
Yoga 101 and Student Posture Clinics are free for 2 weeks with any Intro Special.
“When I came back after my first class, I felt like my heart had come home again.”
-Emily M.
…comfortable in a yoga class.
..comfortable booking and paying on line.
I know exactly what I want to do and want to get started today!
I Am…
Meet with Sara in person, via zoom, or via text.
She will set steps 1-5 up for you and give you a personalized schedule and yoga prescription.
Think about scheduling a private, duet, or small group to better fit your schedule.
Or take a look at our online content.
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FAQs
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Just a couple of things.
First, if you haven't already, book your “Yoga Prescription” session with Sara so we can help you meet your goals and customize what we offer to your needs.
Second, choose your package.
Third, sign up for a class. You will always need to register before class. Space is limited and our teachers don’t take any payments in the studio.
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Absolutely. You can just register for a class and come. To be honest, I’m the kind of person who would want to skip a meeting with the owner.
But, here’s the thing. It really helps you get a lot more out of the studio.
In these meetings, we talk about why you came in. And often the answer surprises people. I’m a good listener and I also know what we can do to help you. I don’t just make a yoga schedule for you, I also give you resources that can help you sleep better, eat better, work on anxiety, or the pain in your back. I don’t have all the answers of course, but for the last 10 years, I’ve been researching and finding tools for a lot of the problems people are facing right now.
To be honest, most of us don’t really get the chance to talk about what’s bothering us and get tangible tools to help us live the way we want.
I also put together the best package for what you need and get you all signed up and registered.
I think it’s worth it. It’s only 15 minutes and can be in person, via zoom, or even over text or the website chat.
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You are not alone in that. We will help you.
If you book an in-person “Yoga Prescription” session with Sara, she can get you set up and registered, which is the hardest part. If you have trouble after that, just email Sara at least 24 hours before the class and she’ll add you in.
Here’s the reason we do the online payment and sign-up.
A big part of yoga and what we believe in is intentionality. We pay attention to all the details and customize our classes for who is in it. If we know you have a knee injury and you register for class, your teacher will plan modifications to help you get the most out of the posture.
We also want our teachers to be completely present to teach you, rather than taking payments just a minute or two before they start teaching. It can really throw your teachers off. I want them to be focused on teaching, not if they messed up a payment.
If there’s space in a class and you didn’t register or there’s an issue with payment come anyway and Sara will follow up with you after class.
However, we do have smaller classes than we used to and space is limited. You do risk not being able to attend class if you don’t register.
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You are welcome to bring your own mat and put it over the one we provide. A pillow case is a great option for covering a bolster.
We are really careful about cleaning and disinfecting, but lord knows, we should all be worried about germs.
The reason we would like you to use our mats and props has to do with the feeling we want you to go away with from our classes. We want you to feel cared for. You settle in right away without having to worry about whether you are too close to someone or taking up too much room, or facing the right way. We also don’t want you to loose your yoga headspacew with the business of cleaning up. We do it all for you. We are creating an environment for each class, so we don’t want the feeling and aesthetic that we are crafting to be disrupted by moving things around.
Outside of the suggestions above, you can leave your mat and props at the studio and we will put them out for classes that you are in.
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The doors will open ten minutes before class starts. That’s the best time to arrive so you can chat a little bit with your teacher, find your spot, and settle in.
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We have ten parking spots around the horseshoe driveway. If you are the 11th person to arrive or need to leave immediately after class, there is street parking on the street behind the studio, on Main Street, and on the streets off of Pierce Avenue. All less than a minute's walk from the studio.
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Yes, our teachers are trained to teach yoga rather than just lead a class. We operate from the perspective that it’s on us if you don’t understand something we teach or feel lost. Our teachers give very good cues and demonstrations. Thewy have all been trained by Sara.
And, there will be many other beginners in class with you.
We also offer a monthly Brand New Beginners workshop and have an online course for beginners to help you get the hang of it.
If you want some one-on-one support, a private session is a great place to start.
A few policies to know…
We give you a three-minute grace period after the start time of each class in case you are running late.
We lock the door at 3 minutes after the class start time and won’t let anyone in.
We’ve had this protocol in place for the past eight years and it’s a really important one.
Are we just mean or super strict?
No. We totally understand that things happen You won’t be charged for the class if you just miss the grace period and are locked out (if you are 10 or 15 minutes late that’s a different story).
The reason we have this policy in place is that we are creating a sanctuary for people in our classes. We start off every class helping students get their minds off all the stuff of their world. People who are late are typically super stressed, and that affects the whole class.
For the same reason, please don’t pound on the door if you are locked out and ideally give yourself at least 10 minutes before class to settle in.
Please make every effort to cancel a class you can’t make it to as soon as you know you can’t.
If you don’t cancel your class 8 hours ahead of time, you will be charged $12 for the class.
I know this is a rough one. We are a small business with limited space. If you don’t cancel in time, we will have trouble breaking even for the class. I’ve had situations where I’ve had to cancel things last minute plenty of times. Please just give us a call if it’s closer to class time, and we will work with you.
We are requiring that students pay and sign up for classes online.
This is new for us. There are three reasons we are doing this.
First, space is much more limited than in our previous studio, so by registering, you get a guaranteed spot. There is a risk if you don’t register ahead of time that you won’t be able to take class.
Second, we set up mats and props for classes and customize our classes for who is in the class. We never just wing it. When we plan a class, it’s helpful to know if we need to think about modifications for someone recovering from surgery, or maybe we planned a shoulder opening class and see on the roster that a student who is working on getting into wheel is in the class. We can add in techniques to support that student while still serving the broader class.
Third, we want our teachers to just focus on teaching, and we want them to be able to center before class, so you can be centered and grounded too. When they have to deal with computers and packages and payments, it is easy to become frazzled and distracted.
If you have trouble doing this, Sara can register you and help you purchase a package.
You don’t have to bring anything with you.
If you’ve ever been to a retreat center, you know that the room is always set up for students when they enter. We want every class to be a retreat from the stresses of your world. We want you to feel cared for, and we want you to use the highest quality mat and props that are available. It really does make a difference.
We disinfect everything, but if you want to bring a pillowcase for a bolster and a yoga mat towel for on top of the mat, you are welcome to.
You will need to sign a waiver before practicing with us.
When you sign up for a package, you will be linked to a waiver that you will need to sign before you can practice with us. This is mostly so that we are all on the same page, but also for the studio’s protection. For that reason, you won’t be able to practice with us until we have a waiver from you.
We will have some paper waivers in the studio for unexpected attendance.
For more information on privacy and policies and procedures, click on the link in the footer.