From Wax on the Floor to Owning the Shala: My Journey with Yoga Yoga
Twenty years ago, I scraped wax off the floors.
I started teaching at Yoga Yoga in 2005. Wednesday night flow was my class, and I cherished it deeply. But my journey with this studio began 2 years earlier when I first moved to the SCV. One evening I drove to the studio after dark and looked through the front window. I felt something stir inside me. A quiet knowing. This place was special.
At the time, I had been teaching at the Santa Clarita Athletic Club for two years. I wanted to build my experience before I approached Linda and Blaire about joining the Yoga Yoga team. Teaching in a studio felt sacred, and I didn’t want to take that lightly.
From the beginning, I took excellent care of the space. I would bring in little tea lights in glass holders to create ambiance during class, but every now and then I’d knock one over and spill wax. After class, I’d stay late scraping wax off the floors with my debit card. I loved that space. I respected it. I never wanted to leave behind even a trace of carelessness.
One night, I lit an incense stick and hung it delicately off the wooden shelf at the end of class. I completely forgot about it. When I turned around after everyone had gone, I saw the tip of the shelf had scorched. Naturally, I panicked! But by some miracle, I found a gallon of paint in the closet and was able to touch up the burn perfectly. No one ever noticed, but I never forgot.
Over the years, my teaching journey took me down many different paths, but Yoga Yoga always stayed close to my heart. In 2007 I opened Just Breathe Yoga Center in Newhall, but YogaWorks invited me to join their team and closed me down just 18 months later. That chapter left a deep wound…it was painful and disheartening. Still, I kept teaching, kept healing, and kept dreaming.
When Danica was the owner, I found myself back in the space after COVID as a student…admiring the way she nurtured the studio, noticing all the little details. I remember longing for the chance to create a space of my own. Then YogaWorks made the shocking announcement they were closing their world-renowned teacher training department; something I had been part of for 16 years. I knew I had to pivot…and I began to soul search. For two weeks I got quiet. I listened. One morning, as I was walking into my bathroom, I heard a voice loud and clear say: “Call Danica about Yoga Yoga.”
I knew she had been looking for someone to take it over months earlier, but I never imagined it would be me. Once I heard the message, I couldn’t text Danica fast enough! Two hours later, we met at the Corner Bakery and I said yes to the call. It wasn’t until the YogaWorks door closed that the Yoga Yoga window could fly open! When the opportunity came to become the owner of Yoga Yoga, it felt like a full circle moment. But it’s been more than that.
It’s been healing.
It’s been homecoming.
I haven’t looked back since.
This space has held my heart for decades. Now, I get to hold it in return…with love, care, gratitude, and lots of plant babies.
Forever.
If you’re ready to begin your yoga journey, explore the studio below: