Written by Susie Kramer
'May you be at peace. May your heart remain open. May you awaken to the light of your own true nature. May you be healed. May you be a source of healing for all beings.’
- Tibetan Buddhist Prayer
I am entering Red Brick Yoga’s Ligonier studio for the first time with my dusty yoga mat slung over my shoulder and a notebook stashed in my tote bag, prepped to document my experience as a virgin yoga class attendee. I shyly remove my shoes, exposing feet that are in bad need of a pedicure, and settle on one of the benches in their front boutique space. It’s stocked with products that are in line with their philosophy. There are colorful yoga mats and accessories for sale, a collection of deliciously-scented organic East Mtn Candles lined up across the front desk, and T-shirts proclaiming ‘Do What Makes Your Soul Happy’, and their slogan, ‘Connect To Your Foundation.’
I was signed up to take Tracy Tryall’s Gentle Mindful Movement class that morning. Tracy arrives, and after corresponding through email during the prior weeks, we happily meet in person. She’s friendly, casual, soft-spoken. She’s greeting everyone coming through the door with sincerity while she’s telling me her story.
In a previous life, she worked in the Virginia System of Corrections, first as a counselor, then as a probation officer. I was shocked at the contrast. “I was 36 before I ever set foot on a yoga mat,” she said. “I was going through a divorce… Sometimes big heartbreak can propel you to seek something spiritual.” She signed up for a year-long intensive yoga instructor training in Blacksburg, VA in 2004, and then made a huge career change. Four years ago she moved to Ligonier and connected with her friend Angela Merendino, the owner and creator of Red Brick Yoga. The gentle ‘heart-centered’ yoga she teaches provides a mind-body balance that is a necessity in her life.
She asks me about my (non-existent) level, and I tell her about my occasional awkward moves to Rodney Yee’s Power Yoga DVD at home (only when no one is watching). Tracy explains that the magic happens here, in a classroom full of students at all levels of practice, because of the energy that everyone brings.
I walk through the sliding reclaimed barnwood door into a narrow room with gleaming organic bamboo floors. There are two high rectangular windows that emit natural light, mixing with soft lighting from Himalayan salt lamps in the room. There’s an aromatic mixture hanging in the air - a diffusion of bergamot, peppermint and lavender essential oils trails out and mingles with the scent of a flickering candle. Classmates are whispering greetings, but soon it becomes quiet as everyone gets into a comfortable position and seems to retreat inward. There’s music playing at a low volume - a humming of voices with guitar and cello notes.
Tracy begins a litany of soft descriptions and directions, urging us to “engage that golden thread, the one that runs through your core, the one that’s being pulled up and out of the crown of your head.”
(Above photos: Jessica Vogelsang)
I straighten my back like an arrow and feel my muscles awaken. (I"m trying sooo hard to feel that metaphorical 'golden thread'!)
“Breathe,” Tracy reminds us.
I relax.
“Everything that happened before this class - breathe it in, and let it all go…”
As I'm breathing, this strange calm is coming over me. If this is that thing they call 'centered', I'm liking it. I'm focused, relaxed, and breathing deeper than I have in quite a while.
I mingle with the students when instruction is over, and one tells me that her chronic hip pain (that doctor visits and medication could not seem to heal) was finally over after she started coming to yoga class consistently. Another student, a recent retiree, raves about Red Brick’s bellydancing class.
After my very positive experience in the studio, I feel ‘zen’ for hours. I’m excited to speak to the owner, Angela Merendino, about the evolution of Red Brick Yoga.
‘Ange’ began her professional life as a graphic design graduate of Seton Hill. She worked at Kennametal in their creative marketing department for 15 years, and then opted to stay home when her son Ian was born. She was busy with her son and doing freelance design work from home when life took an unexpected detour. Ange’s mother had a stroke, and she and her husband assumed full-time care for her at their home. While she navigated this new role, she felt like something in her own life needed to change.
She was studying for her Master of Fine Arts design degree, raising her son, taking care of her mother, and wondering if there would be anything left of herself after all her energy was spent. Then, a yoga teacher training program caught her attention. She attended, did the work, and her passion for yoga grew. She revitalized herself in ways she had never imagined. Five years ago, her mother had another stroke, and sadly, she passed away. Ange was grieving, struggling with the pain of such a loss, and found that her yoga practice helped bring the peace she desperately needed into her life. She realized that she could use her knowledge of yoga to help people have a better, healthier, more fulfilled life.
One day as she was driving while seeking a home for her studio, she caught sight of the brick building that used to house Red Barn Books in Greensburg, and she had a lightbulb moment. She remembered what a yogi had said on a recent podcast, a phrase that really stuck with her - ‘...Connect to your foundation…’ A brick is a piece of a foundation. She wanted her studio to be a place where people could come and rebuild themselves from the inside out. The metaphor of the brick was perfect, and Red Brick Studio’s concept was born.
Ange and her husband Michael, who manages the financial side of the business, opened the Greensburg studio (143 Hartman Road) in May of 2014, and the Ligonier location (235 West Main Street) in January of 2015. The Ligonier studio offers Yoga & Barre Mix, Gentle Mindful Movement, and Warm and Hot Vinyasa Flow classes.
(Photos: Jessica Vogelsang)
Not all their classes are heated, but yoga practice in a heated environment is touted for its many benefits. It is said that it aids in deep muscle tissue repair, decreases joint inflammation, increases collagen levels to improve complexion, and causes a detoxifying sweat that helps in weight loss. In contrast to other studios, where forced air heat (along with allergens) is blasted into the room, Red Brick uses an infrared radiant heating system to bring the room temperature up to 80-82 degrees for warm classes and 88 degrees for hot classes. Ange calls this her ‘fountain of youth’, telling me the story of a client in her 70’s who was convinced that new wrinkles popped up after taking a short hiatus from her hot yoga practice while on vacation.
In addition to their regular classes, unique workshops are always being added. (Red Brick has its own downloadable app that makes it easy to schedule classes and keep up with all the latest news at the studio!)
“Let’s talk about these ‘Yoga Myths’”, Ange says... “One: you have to be Flexible. No, Yoga is great for inflexibility. Two: you have to be vegan or vegetarian. Wrong. Three: you have to have some kind of spiritual experience while meditating. No! You can practice mindfulness in many situations. It’s just a practice! You come from where you are! And as you practice, you’ll grow in your experience, and you’ll do things that you never thought were possible.”
(Above photos: Jessica Vogelsang)
If you’re a yoga novice, don’t be intimidated. You won’t be asked to contort your body into a pretzel shape! I’m betting your experience will be similar to mine. I was so refreshed upon leaving that studio. I felt proud of myself for trying it. And I will be going back very soon.
* Namaste. *
Upcoming Ligonier Studio happenings:
- SOUND HEALING: A Deep Sonic Journey On A Wave Of Sound: Sunday, November 18th, 2-4pm $30. A rare appearance from guest teachers Dan and Laura Martier, who travel country-wide bringing people back into a true state of harmony using a variety of gongs, Tibetan singing bowls, voice, and stringed instruments.
- There are two more American Tribal-Style Bellydance classes left: Tuesday, November 20th, and Tuesday November 27th, 12-1pm $15. World dances such as Spanish Flamenco and Indian Classical are combined to celebrate the strength and beauty of women.
- Holiday Healing Circle: Wednesday November 28th 12-2pm $40. Aromatherapy, yoga, and mindfulness techniques will help you combat the stress of the season. Includes essential oil make-and-take roll-on.
- Aroma-Acupoint Therapy (AAT) & Restorative Yoga: Tuesday, December 4th at 7pm. An intro class on marrying essential oils with AAT and yoga. One or two drops of an essential oil are lightly applied to an acupoint. The oils and acupoints are carefully selected to create a resonance between the two and bring you back to a state of balance.
- Raghunath (Greensburg Studio): three 2-hour classes in this traveling yogi's popular, powerful and playful class called 'Flight School'. Sunday, December 9, 2018, 9am - 4pm
- Red Brick is RYT-200 Yoga Alliance Certified, and they offer teacher training courses! Classes will run for 14 Wednesdays starting in February.
- Excela Health employees receive 10% off!
- New Student Special: $30 for 30 days!
コメント