Hello! As the new Wellness Resident, I’m thrilled to introduce myself. It’s been a joy to meet many of you already, and learn more about what is so special about this thriving and supportive community.
What is the “Wellness Resident” you ask? In addition to leading our yoga studio programming, I collaborate with our instructors, the other residents and The Meetinghouse leadership to explore how wellness perspectives can enhance our mission and programs.
A bit about me: first and foremost, I am a neighbor and live just around the corner in Ridgebury with my family. I have been a certified yoga teacher for 15 years and certified mindfulness teacher for about 10 years, with experience teaching students throughout the entire lifecycle. From prenatal to chair yoga and everything in between, I am a firm believer that yoga is for everyBODY, and what happens on our mats can teach us so much about our own lives. I have helped open a yoga studio, taught classes and workshops for all ages, led learning groups, created mindfulness curricula for schools, and inform classes with a wide range of my experiences in restaurants/hospitality, writing, education and community-building — and plan to bring it all into action at The Meetinghouse.
My first task is to work with our wonderful teaching team to create the Fall schedule (coming soon!). We will absolutely continue current favorite classes such as Slow Flow/Yin and Vinyasa (soon to be Meetinghouse Flow) — and have ideas for new additions such as a community-focused Class & Coffee, prop play in Align + Flow, Monthly Restorative, a 45-minute Meetinghouse Lunchtime Flow, Meditation explorations and session-based programming to extend our program to families like Prenatal, Postnatal Baby + Me and Family Yoga.
My goal is to also broaden our wellness offerings to bring us together for self-care beyond the yoga studio. Think medicinal herb workshops, reiki, cooking, meditative walks and more. Anything that brings connected mindfulness to the forefront is a possibility! If you have an idea — or a passion you’d like us to explore — please don’t hesitate to reach out, introduce yourself, and share. This community is here for you, and we want it to always reflect that intention.
This seems like the perfect time for change as Fall soon arrives. No matter how far away we are from our school days, September always feels like a new beginning. Routines shift, the air gets heavier, red and gold foliage emerges, and we witness nature’s reminder to shed what no longer serves us. This will all happen while we begin the journey of evolving the studio that Claire so lovingly created and nurtured, and we wish her and her family much luck in their next phase. I am incredibly honored to continue on the path she built, and look forward to helping this community thrive, alongside all of you.
I’ll leave you today with a thought from BKS Iyengar, the founder of the alignment-based lineage of Iyengar Yoga. His concept of welcoming change always offers me ease in times of transition (despite my tendency to hold on tight in life and in asana!) and it is a reminder that we are invited to reflect on ourselves in every moment.
“Change is not something that we should fear. Rather, it is something that we should welcome. For without change, nothing in this world would ever grow or blossom, and no one in this world would ever move forward to become the person they’re meant to be.”
Well, here we go…let’s take this moment to grow and blossom — together. Namaste.
In Gratitude,
Questions or want to introduce yourself? You can reach Kate at kate@meetinghouse.life.
