By Wendy Oberg, Owner & Teacher, The Yoga Room
The Yoga Room is brand-new business featuring some of Eau Claire’s long-time yoga teachers. We kicked off our first class on Sunday, November 27, with a sold-out class. We are in the location of the former Orange Leaf (by Festival Foods). There are two studios: one is non-heated and the other is our HOT studio. The excitement and support has been amazing!
This space has sixteen dynamic and unique yoga teachers all in one easy-to-find location. Finding where the area teachers are has been challenging for people, so The Yoga Room was born out of the necessity to make it easier to find a class at pretty much any time of the day in one location. Yoga is not a “one-size-fits-all” practice. It comes in a variety of ways and flavors. Yoga is something very different to everyone. Some people find their yoga while moving through the postures in a 100-degree room, building physical strength, balance, and flexibility, while another finds it in a seated meditation with calming poses. The intention with The Yoga Room is to create a space where people can practice a wide variety of yoga styles with a unique variety of yoga teachers. This enables the students to find a class and a teacher that works for them. We have fifty-two classes a week on the regular schedule. We have some signature classes called the YogaRoom Flow, and we have several specialty classes, including Prenatal, Yoga Sculpt, Yoga for Runners, Easy Does It (for seniors), Yin, Tantra, AcroYoga, kids, and Power, to name a few.
Finding Balance and Peace Yoga is a science of linking breath and body movements (yoga poses) to create a positive change. The best part of a yoga practice is the only thing you have to do to start seeing the changes is simply show up! The yoga will do everything else. Harvard has a recent study showing how yoga helps rebuild your brain’s gray matter. There is a reason that yoga has been around for over 5,000 years. It works!
What If I Am a Beginner? Yoga is the MOST accepting practice. We were all beginners at one point, and what is hard today will be easy tomorrow. You will actually start to feel and see the changes very fast. You are never meant to do anything perfect in yoga. It’s all about the process. My favorite quote about starting a practice is from T.K.V Desikachar in The Heart of Yoga: “We begin where we are and how we are, and whatever happens, happens.”
How Often Is Needed to Get the Benefits? One yoga class can change your life. That sounds a bit dramatic, I know, but it’s true! Just like anything, once you make a commitment to something, you will reap the greatest benefits. If you can make it to your mat two times a week, you WILL feel the difference.
Trained, Experienced Teachers The tribe of teachers at The Yoga Room is simply unbelievable, and the experience they bring to this space is a dream come true for yogis. All the teachers are at least 200-hour trained through accredited Yoga Alliance schools. Several have additional specialty certifications and training. They also have deep backgrounds in areas outside of yoga that complement their understanding of the body and allow for a richer yoga experience in a safely guided class setting. The Yoga Room tribe is made up of several teachers, including massage therapists, nurses, physicians, and occupational and physical therapists. It is a kind-hearted group of teachers committed to bringing more joy to people.
Advice for Yoga as a New Year’s Resolution Keep your goals bite-size. They are easier to stick with than the really big ones. I feel that two classes a week is a perfect place to start. Be kind to yourself and just keep showing up, even if it’s been “too long” since your last class. Every time you get on the mat, it’s your chance to reinvent yourself, wipe the slate clean, and start over.
Our Mission We have one very solid mission at The Yoga Room. We want to make it as easy as possible for everyone to practice yoga. The Yoga Room . . . Room for Everyone. Be Happy, Be Healthy, Do Yoga!
For more information visit theyogaroomec.com.