Yes! Om on the Range had it’s first “in-person” class in 3 1/2 months today and it was a yoga fundraiser for My Block, My Hood, My City. Our friends at Hexe Coffee provided the perfect patio and an Om Yogi family provided the inspirational dollar-for-dollar matching grant. What a morning of fellowship & support for our city! $2400 was raised to help underprivileged young Chicagoans & their communities address poverty and racial injustice.
#omathome
It’s been two months since we launched Om’s virtual zoom yoga classes. Who knew they’d be so beneficial to so many?!? While the grief and uncertainty of the pandemic & closing the studio doors in mid-March continue to ebb & flow, the joy of gathering up for weekly virtual yoga classes grows stronger. #stayathome with #omathome also has many yogis letting us know that Om’s free audioclasses options available for anyone/anywhere/anytime are also keeping them same. Mindfulness practices work! Our commitment at present is to be a free-of-charge resource for yoga & meditation practice & community. Please spread the word. Also, reach out if you help in any other way.
Om Yoga Teacher Training Graduation
When we started our 200 Hour Yoga Alliance Approved Training, we had no idea that COVID-19 would shift us to a solely on-line yoga experience. No public classes at 1751 W. Grace. No meeting twice-a-week with these budding teachers. No certainty about if/when/how we can meet up to share yoga side-by-side. But we were all a big YES for continuing what we started in December of 2019. Truly, it was a balm to zoom together, teach one another yoga & meditation, and dive deep into personal authentic inspirations. Cheers to today’s yoga graduates & teachers!
#tulum2020
Beth just arrived home from leading her annual winter yoga retreat in Tulum, Mexico. Can you tell she just loves teaching at Amansala? This annual getaway brought together yogis from Chicago, Philly, Italy, Texas, Canada, Minnesota, Connecticut, Australia, California, London & more ports of call. There’s something special that happens when you bring together humans who just love mindfulness and the moment at hand.
Happy Om Day!
It’s Om’s 18th Birthday today! The celebration lasted all weekend long with lots of yoga, plenty of love and our big annual fundraiser. Om’s Teachers-in-Training were co-hosts of the Annual Partner Yoga Valentine’s Workshop and they selected two local charities: Mission of our Lady of the Angel’s work to serve the community in West Humboldt Park and Chicago Canine Rescue’s work to help dogs get a second chance. The goal was to raise $1000 and the final tally came in at $1903! What a way to roll merrily into Om’s 19th year.
Kicking off 2020 with the Om Teachers
Our annual tradition to break bread, have some laughs, swap crazy white elephants gifts, and simply enjoy each other’s company has been going on for almost two decades. Being together always feels good!
“I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou.
Bienvenidas Amigas de ALAS!
That Liz Vitell just can’t stop sharing her love of yoga around town! Whether it be police officers, firefighters or her special class yesterday for the ALAS Wings community. This charity’s mission is to enhance the quality of life for the Latino community by providing breast health awareness, education and emotional support programs for Hispanic/Latina women and their families. It was the first class taught in Spanish at Om and we are in awe of Liz as an Om teacher and fine human who leads by example in giving back and sharing the health, calm and fun that is yoga. This was a special Thanksgiving class, indeed!
Esa Liz Vitell no puede dejar de compartir su amor por yoga a lo largo de la cuidad. Ya sean oficiales de policía, bomberos o su clase especial de ayer para la comunidad de Alas. La misión de Alas es mejorar la calidad de vida para la comunidad latina, elevando su conciencia sobre la salud y cancer de las mamas, ofreciendo educación y programas de apoyo emocional para mujeres latinas/hispanas y sus familiares. Fue la primera clase enseñada en español en la historia de Om y estamos orgullosos de Liz como profesora de Om y como buen ser humano quien guía por ejemplo devolviendo y compartiendo la salud, la calma y la diversion que es yoga. Esa fue un clase del Día de Acción de Gracias por cierto!
Coffee & Conversation
Good morning, pelvis! Our fall Coffee & Conversation with Om yogi & Physical Therapist Christi Christian focussed on the pelvic diaphragm. Christi is a font of knowledge and founder of MEE Time Physical Therapy for Women. She arrived to meet with the Om teachers anatomical model in hand along with a presentation on the pelvis. It reaffirmed the healthy (and enjoyable) relationship between your breath and your pelvic floor. We love bringing the coffee & Om’s teaching team together & thank Christi for bringing everything else!
Warriors for Lane
Our inaugural yoga fundraiser to support Lane Tech College Prep was a healthy hit! Raising $1,140 for the largest Chicago Public High School in the city, the night brought together dozens of neighbors & parents.
We had the best yogi co-hosts for this yoga party including Angie Allen, KJ Bradley, Colleen Contreras, Maureen George, Angela Hunsicker, Robin Karlov & Jeff Hansen, Erin Krasman, Maren Korellis, Tracy Portnoy, Ellen Rosenfeld, Rosalia Scholle & Judy Sickle.
We are grateful to Lane & love that our son Will enjoys his school.
Super Soul Sunday with Seane
She’s on a mission from God! Seane Corn, that is. And we co-hosted her Chicago visit & book tour in partnership with fellow local indie businesses — Book Cellar, Kal-ish Vegan & Ravenswood Event Center. Seane weaved an invitation to breathe and offer prayers to ourselves & to those in our lives. A surprise vegan birthday cake baked by Gina of Kal-ish Vegan was a sweet addition to the book signing. We loved helping bring together 115 yogis to welcome this amazing human & master yoga teacher while also raising money for Seane’s yoga activism charity, Off the Mat/Into the World. A tip of the hat to our yogi friend Anne Hellman who planted the first seed to make this celebration & a yoga fundraiser happen. It was a Super Soul Sunday IRL (in real life)!
Downdogs4Dignity
We raised the roof & philanthropy on the mat again this summer with this second annual yoga benefit to support Designs for Dignity. The Falanga Home in Logan Square was the perfect setting for yogis to raise their vibe and over $2400 for this charity that transforms non-profit environments through pro-bono design and in-kind donations. We loved partnering with our D4D colleagues to create a one-of-a-kind Sunday morning healthy, yoga party
Beth & Terry’s European Yoga Tour
First stop: London and teaching at Lumi Power Yoga in Hammersmith. Our fellow yoga-couple colleagues Ari & Elina were the most gracious hosts and these Lumi yogis were ready to rock. Terry’s class was actually on the 4th of July, which was a bit of a twist on how we typically celebrate Independence Day in Chicago. Beth’s class on Saturday morning was bumpin’ and local teacher Naomi was there assisting, too. We had such a great time. Cheers to the "special relationship" between the UK and the US...yoga-style!
Second stop: Paris and an outdoor, pop-up yoga fundraiser in the Champs de Mars. Our young friend Torin Ravi introduced us to the teenage tutors at Koh-Ed in Paris & €200 raised that day in front of the Eiffel Tower. Merci to The Ravi Family for coordinating a beautiful morning of yoga. Our hearts and practice were connected with local Parisiennes and expats there. Plus, it was rather extraordinary when an Om yogi’s Mom (who happens to live in Paris) arrived along with a Chicago student in Paris on business. The world is so big yet so connected.
Om in Montana
"I’m in love with Montana....it's difficult to analyze love when you are in it.” — John Steinbeck
Our pal Gwen recently opened LIV Yoga in Livingston, Montana. You might have met Gwen as a yogi friend from way back; she taught at Om when we first opened and also founded Tadasana Yoga Studio in Park City, Utah. Beth just returned from LIV, where she was a visiting teacher for several days. Beth brought the universal power of yoga, her gift for building community, a bit of Baptiste yoga spunk and some midwestern Om spirit on the road.
Yup, she’s in love. (Reminder: Beth to plan a Fall Montana Yoga Retreat with Gwen & LIV in the future)
Kundalini Yoga & the Gong
Our neighbor, friend and fellow yoga teacher Shiva Singh taught his second workshop at Om on the Range today. It was a cosmic & energetic experience to raise the Kundalini energy in our bodies. Chanting, new breath rhythms, seated body movements and the gong made for a spirited introduction to the traditions of this yoga practice. His studio, Spirit Rising, is in our building and he runs it with his wife Shabad Kaur. We love that our work neighbors are another yoga couple! Like us, Shiva Singh and Shabad Kaur are committed to sharing the transformative power of yoga while also living the householder life of raising a family and being active in the community.
Always Learning
Om teachers love to refine their understanding of the body, movement, and functional fitness. Our Coffee & Conversation morning with Om yogi and seasoned Physical Therapist Maureen George was all about that. She brought her life-size human skeleton model from her office at Athletico, along with a presentation/primer on the shoulder. We brought the coffee and breakfast treats along with questions and specific poses to discuss. It was an illuminating, interactive morning. Thanks, Mo!
#tulum2019
“The best part of the retreat was like-minded, yogi-loving, easy, unpretentious, curious, friendly, spirited, zestful peeps coming together from all over the world. Your yoga instruction is the bomb. The place (facilities, beautiful beach, lovely rooms, Tulum location, fresh food) is ideal.” DeDe F.
“It was a magical week. Time, space and place for quiet, supported healing and renewal.” Beth G.
“This week was an opportunity to really take care of myself; to stretch out a bit into uncharted territory. It’s a bit scary but so rewarding. But it’s also a week of indulgence: amazing food, the ocean that offers a cool breeze & endless entertainment, great yoga and new approaches. And no judgements! I find myself quieting my criticism and I am working towards listening more actively.” Judy S.
Ending 40 Days...Starting Year 18
Love & yoga are in the air! Valentine’s Day, the 40th Day to Personal Revolution Culminating Class & Om’s 17th Anniversary are all today! We’ve been sharing the healthy & transformative power of yoga for a long time and this is a day to celebrate that! The foundation of the studio’s staying power is this vibrant Om community combined with these mindfulness practices for good health, sanity, possibility & transformation! We are grateful to every person who has made these 6,205 days (and counting) possible!
Starting the New Year with Friends
It’s a new year and we all had a fresh experience with Molly Cofman of Inspiration Heals who led a Bhakti Flow Master Class on Friday. She also taught a Yoga & Chinese Medicine Workshop on Saturday. Everyone loved it! Molly’s been a friend & student at Om for a decade so it was a sweet twist to be her student as she wove her studies in Oriental Medicine, Evolutionary Biology, Dance and Yoga into classes this weekend. Molly’s a world traveler leading retreats & trainings all over the globe…fingers crossed that she will visit Om again in 2020.
Mindful Moms (and Dads) and Kids Yoga Class
We offered this new program at the studio today and it worked! You know something kinda magical has happened when the kids ask to come back again. Maybe it was Lindsay with her yoga poses, games and holiday craft in the reception area. Maybe it was Nina sharing a strong, clear class with the Parents in the practice room. Maybe it was the coming together at the end to enjoy yoga together. What is for certain is the sweet delight in having two generations of yogis in the House of Om!
Love Your Local
They say that small businesses add character to local communities. We believe that Om does just that...plus we attract the local characters!
Built on Passion. Committed to Excellence. Mom & Pop. Local. Brick & Mortar Studio with Service at our Heart. We check all the boxes! We are part of the 28 million small business in America. And we are fulfilled and fortunate to be able to open our doors every day (except Christmas Day) for the past 17 years to share yoga, connection & mindfulness in our community. Thanks everyone! #smallbusinesssaturday