12 Years of SHY: Lessons from a Full Chinese Zodiac Cycle

Today marks a completion of one full cycle of the Chinese  Zodiac for SHY: 12 years. On this day, 12 years ago, I opened the doors to the first class. 4 people showed up. It was miraculous.

Every year of the Chinese Zodiac is assigned an animal with attributes to bring luck, good fortune, and prosperity to those who pay attention, and maybe also to teach a lesson and provide guidance in difficult times. 

Here are a few of my lessons from building the studio these past 12 years:

2007: We opened in the final months of the year of the Pig, whose overwhelming attribute is a kindness that can change the world. I don’t know that I set out to change the world, but I certainly needed to change my own world, and wanted to do so through the love and practice that is yoga. 

2008: Year of the Rat, whose attributes are creativity and an entrepreneurial spirit. I certainly needed to channel the Rat in this first full year of business to keep the doors open!

2009: Year of the Ox with loyalty and friendship. I focused on building relationships this year, holding SHY’s first teacher training to build our staff. (Lori trained in this very first training and is still here sharing her wisdom with us!)

2010: Year of the Tiger with sensitivity and justice. I remember this being a difficult year both personally and professionally, feeling unsure of both the studio’s future and my own. 

2011: This Rabbit year, which embodies a friendly and personable nature, brought Yanni, also a rabbit, into my life. 

2012: Year of the Dragon, who knows how to dream big. We hosted our first international yoga retreat in Rhodes, Greece.

2013: Year of the Snake, who strives to give and receive unconditional love. We recommitted to our students and our mission when we re-opened in our current location in July of 2013.

2014: Year of the Horse, characterized by a strong work ethic and leadership. We restructured the studio’s offerings. We introduced the Barkan Method Vinyasa to the studio this year and made the shift away from 90 minute classes. 

2015: Year of the Goat, who is quiet but strong. We hosted our first Costa Rican Yoga Retreat in this year. (Our Spring 2020 Retreat marks our 4th Retreat to Costa Rica and our 6th Retreat overall!)

2016: Year of the Monkey, intelligent and playful. We kept moving onward, steady and strong.

2017: Year of the Rooster with progressive thinking. I published my book in this year to commemorate our 10 year anniversary. 

2018 Year of the Dog, a faithful protector of loved ones. I was challenged to trust in the years of building the studio and the continued faith of our students, looking ahead to see what we all needed to stay challenged and keep growing together.

2019 provided us a full year for the Pig with a kindness to change the world. We embraced two huge undertakings for the studio this year. The first was our Teacher Training collaboration with Jimmy Barkan last spring, and the second was our epic Know Thyself, Odyssey to Delphi, Greece Retreat in September. I hope these two experiences empowered all who participated to unlock and channel their own power to change the world, starting with their own.

I continue to learn from every one of you how to be a better person. 

You inspire me to be a better teacher and to do my best each day.

And as we now embark on our 13th year together, I really do believe that we have changed the world, or at least our own corner of it. I am blessed to know all of you. Let our best be yet to come.

Peace and blessings to all who have adventured through these doors and to all who will in the years to come. 

Namaste,

Lara 

A Look at Gratitude and Yoga

By Lara Alexiou

The Health Benefits of Cultivating Gratitude through Hot Yoga

As the season of gratitude descends, let's take a look within. No time to stop and reflect? It's time for yoga!

The season of gratitude is upon us. But if you don't actually take the time to stop, reflect and look inward, you lose sight of the joy, generosity and peace of the season. 

Inner peace is just that - inner, as in found within. With all of the externals that pull on you daily like work, family, and even social media, the importance of carving out specific time in your week just for you and your easily neglected inner-life is imperative. 

Committing to weekly Hot Yoga classes makes self-care a priority.

With regular practice, not only will you see the physical results from your Hot Yoga practice, like more mobility and less chronic pain, but you're mind will quiet too. So often our students tell us that taking class is the only part of their day where all stress falls away. They leave the Hot Yoga room relaxed and recharged. They enter the world again from that quiet internal space where gratitude, self love and compassion reside. Hot Yoga reveals your infinite capacity for compassion, patience, and peace.

Self-Care ~ Self-Love~ Gratitude

Enjoying a Hot Yoga practice is way of experiencing self love where everyone benefits. So many of our students say that through regular practice, they have learned to feel comfortable in their own skin and happier in their lives.You don't have to take my word for it - strike up a conversation out in the great hall where students gather before class and you'll discover that inner peace and gratitude are a natural part of this practice. The self care aspect of Hot Yoga keeps many of our students returning class after class and year after year.

It goes deeper than the sparkle of a good sweat.

In Taoist Philosophy and Traditional Chinese Medicine, emotionally, the Fall Season can be associated with depression. It's a great time to cut away excess, reflect on what is really important to us and reap the benefits of a personal harvest. A regular yoga practice provides the quiet time to help you put things in perspective to see what habits in your life are serving you and what habits are no longer serving you and need to fall away. 

Hot Yoga to Ward off the Chill

• Keep the body and mind supple as the cold, contractile & brittle effects of winter approach
• Bring your emotional state into balance: let stress fall away so you can enjoy the season!
• Gratitude! Go within for inner peace- give yourself the pace and time to appreciate where you are in this moment
• Connection: group classes keep us social as the days darken.
• Our classes are for all levels, making today a great day to get started or return to your mat!

HOW DO I GET STARTED?