Last night, a sea of people gathered in the beloved downtown studio space one final time. This was an opportunity to move together, breath together, and hold space for all the memories that live in the walls. An opportunity to honor where we’ve been and to open space for where we are going. It was a chance to root down to rise up. Last night was not just another class—it was a closing ritual.

In this corner of the Fremont community, yoga still carries a lot of assumptions. Since the studio’s inception, I’ve spent much of my time gently shifting that narrative—inviting people in, educating with care, and showing what yoga can truly be. I hear these misconceptions often—from new students, curious neighbors, even longtime locals. So, let’s clear the air... because what happens at The Yoga Haven surprises people in the best way!

At The Yoga Haven, inclusivity isn’t just a value—it’s a living, breathing practice. It’s woven into every class we offer, every policy we revise, and every conversation we hold. As our studio continues to evolve—through relocations, new partnerships, and booking platform transitions—one thing remains constant: our commitment to creating a space where every student feels safe, seen, and supported.

Change is rarely convenient. It doesn’t wait for the perfect moment or ask if we’re ready. It arrives—sometimes gently, sometimes like a gust of wind—and invites us to respond.

At The Yoga Haven, we’re in the midst of a season of transformation. Our physical space is shifting, and due to construction delays, we’ll be relocating temporarily—details about our interim home will be announced soon. In addition, our teaching team is evolving, our schedule is being thoughtfully reimagined, and our website and booking system are receiving a much-needed refresh. Each of these changes holds promise, but together, they can feel like a lot. Overwhelming, even.

We see it.
We feel it too.

The time has come for the big reveal—and I couldn’t be more thrilled to finally share what’s been blooming behind the scenes. What began as quiet reflection and resilient hope has now blossomed into something truly exciting… *drum roll please* 🥁🥁

If you’ve ever stepped into The Yoga Haven, you’ve felt it—that quiet hum of belonging, the gentle invitation to breathe, and the sense that this space was created with deep intention. What you may not know is that this studio was born not just from a love of yoga… but from a life that’s anything but conventional.

Downtown Fremont is blossoming—and we couldn’t be happier to witness it. The energy on Front Street and the surrounding blocks is electric. With new shops, restaurants, and community-driven events, it’s become a vibrant hub where people gather to live, work, and play. The foot traffic alone is a testament to the incredible momentum building in our town, and we’re genuinely thrilled to be part of this exciting chapter.

But with growth comes change and sometimes change invites us to pause and realign.

When we first transitioned the studio to the second floor of this charming downtown Fremont building, we were drawn to its light, its energy, and the sense of possibility it held. What we didn’t fully grasp at the time—what we couldn’t have known—was how much those 24 stairs leading up to our space would shape the journey.

Change is never easy—but it’s often the doorway to something beautiful.

That’s how we began our recent message to our community, and it’s a truth we’re holding close as we prepare to close the doors of our downtown Fremont location at the end of September. While transitions can stir uncertainty, this one is rooted in clarity, excitement, and a deep belief in what’s possible.

I can’t even count the number of times I’ve heard students say, “But, why aren’t you doing the postures, too? … Why aren’t you on your mat practicing with us?” We constantly are asked the question as to why we don’t demonstrate during classes; and quite frankly, our yoga teacher trainees were very intrigued at first, too. If you attend a yoga class at The Yoga Haven or you’re interested in participating in our upcoming yoga teacher training program, one of the first things you’ll see or hear is we do not demonstrate nor practice for the entire duration of our classes. We utilize cues through words and walk around the room watching and supporting students as though we are just another prop in the room. But, why?

Yoga is about connection. Not connection to the outside world. Not connection to the stimuli that electronics create. It’s not about social media and self-promotion. Yoga is about connecting, intentionally to the mind, to the body, to the breath... to the individual. Yoga is about creating a safe space for students to put down the armor, soften the grip on the sword, and to really explore as it serves the student on any given day. How can we expect students to feel safe and to explore the teachings of yoga if we don’t support those efforts?

The other day, a student said to me she visited the studio’s website for the first time and was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to navigate. This turned into a conversation about what small business ownership entails and who is behind all of the administration portion of The Yoga Haven. Sure, you might go to class and see the teacher at the front of the room, but what about the other stuff?

I have been blessed with the incredible privilege of protecting your time and space for a measly one hour per week. Four percent of a single day. You carve time out of your busy schedule to reconnect with yourself… to deliberately and intentionally craft a practice meant to balance the frenetic pace of daily life. I cannot tell you as a 'teacher' [when in all reality, I'm just a fellow student] how precious that is - to watch you enter the studio with the weight of the world on your shoulders… only to witness you melt into your body during savasana… only to reenter the world more evenly distributed and serene.

”Say what you mean, and mean what you say.” These words ring deeply into my ears. Some days, I wake up and wonder if I’ve thanked you enough. Some days, I go to sleep and wonder if you truly understand how humbled I am to be in this community. Some days, I ponder over my morning cup of joe wondering if I’m merely a robot and the words aren’t resonating. Some days, as I lay my sweet girls down to sleep, I wonder if I’m living in a dream. But above all, every single day, I see you. I see you on social media commenting and interacting. I see you in the studio inbox inquiring about how to get started. I see you showing up for classes and special events. I see you bringing more ideas and plans into my giant binder of future opportunities. I see you chatting with friends about your experience. I see you waiting for class to begin as you mingle with everyone around, and I see you waiting while merely observing the crowd. I see you. Every single one of you. I see you, and I’m slowly realizing that if you say what you mean and you mean what you say… the words resonate.
… and because of you, we have ….. Exciting news….

It has taken quite some time for me to process my recent trip to Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, MA. However, due to increased requests, I decided laying out my experience would be beneficial not only for me, but hopefully for some of the readers. I keep circling back to these two very specific words when I process my experience. Received and Validation. Received…. and Validation. What does that even mean?

Nothing irks me more than coming up from savasana at the end of the yoga class and hearing the teacher at the front of the room say, “So, how was it?” Ok, maybe that’s a bit of an exaggeration; but, ugh does that phrase get under my skin. How often do you attend a new yoga class or a class you’ve been regularly attending that the teacher switched up a bit, and you hear them ask how it was at the end of class? Are you one of those students that feels obligated whether the teachers asks or not to comment on the class? Where does that stem from and why does it need to change?

As I’ve said in other blogs before, one of my most used taglines is “…. if it serves you today.” I find myself in every single class repeating this phrase over and over again. Sometimes I worry I’m coming across as a robot saying the same thing, trying my best to see it resonate in each and every student within the studio walls. But every time those words come out of my mouth, chills go down my spine. It’s resonating. It never gets old. I will never stop saying it. But, what does it even mean?

In this moment, no words of my own encapsulate the humbled, healing feelings I hold within my heart in this very moment. I merely come to you today to share an excerpt written by Corina Luna Dea as a call to action in Archaeology for the Woman’s Soul. I invite you, today, to open your own heart to these words and breathe it in.

The more I get the opportunity to guide students through this beautiful movement piece of the practice, the more opportunities I get to see and watch people explore the body. But, it seems no matter how many times I fight the narrative, I still hear people use the phrases, “Am I doing this right?” “How do I get my body to move like hers?” “What’s the advanced version of such & such pose?” “Is this how it should be?” As a society, we’ve been trained to wait for people to tell us what to do and to reinforce if what we are doing is correct. We’ve been trained to be creative, but in the sense of following rules or adhering to a specific need. We’ve been trained to recognize if something is right or wrong.

When I finally decided I was in a place in life able to open and maintain a yoga studio, I pulled out my computer and frantically started writing out my business plan. That was the easy part. I had been inspired by many mentors in my teaching experience, and I knew exactly how I wanted my own studio to operate and function. I breezed through the business plan deciding when to hold classes, when to offer special events, pricing options, payroll for teachers, everything business was typed out in a six-page document ready for my husband and business partner to edit and approve. “But, what are you going to name it?” Um what?