By Karen Watson Reeves
The pose of the month this time, as the caption above states, is not a yoga pose at all. It is just me feeling very happy and a little sassy, standing in front of a place that has become a second home to me for the past 10 years.
Yoga is so much more than just the poses and classes anyway. It is a lifestyle, and in our case at The Yoga Place, like so many other studios, it is community. Sharon Stickney and I spent the spring of 2013 walking the streets, handing out schedules, and meeting people. We opened on July 1 of that year, just the two of us instructing the few classes on the first schedule.
When her family’s journey took them out of the country and then out of the state to settle in Texas, our partnership continued. She continues to be a tremendous listener as I bounce ideas and ask for advice. She is a graphic design person extraordinaire and keeps the website up-to-date. She gave me courage in the early days to do that which I thought I could not.
Through the years we have grown to offer classes seven days and four nights a week. The many people who have walked through the doors during this decade, both amazing students and a gifted and dedicated group of instructors, also create awe and gratitude.
The Yoga Place is not me and it is not a building, but it is a group of people who choose to spend an hour a few times a week becoming stronger, more flexible and balanced, and creating relationships with other incredible people whom we otherwise might never know.
Because we want to express our joy, we are offering a free yoga class/party, hosted by the staff and our building owner, Kristine Artymowski. (See the details in the ad and press release in this edition of The Springs). I am astounded and humbled that our doors have been open for a decade and it is exciting to see what awaits us as we continue to offer yoga to the best of our ability!
Fred Padilla has been photographer extraordinaire for the six years that Karen has been writing for The Springs Magazine.
Karen Watson Reeves has called Hot Springs home since 2006. Owner of The Yoga Place, at 301 Whittington Avenue, she became a registered yoga/children’s yoga teacher in 2011. When not on the mat, Karen enjoys the beautiful outdoors of the National Park, especially from her bicycle. For more information about her studio and her schedule of classes, visit www.theyogaplacehs.com.
