Desert Song Spotlight
What our community has to say about yoga and Desert Song
student spotlight
Lyssa Hall & Erik Huntsinger
Lyssa: What advise would you give to beginners?
Dive in; try a variety of classes and teachers to discover what instructors and levels work best for you. Don’t compare yourself to other classmates; there are beginners and experts in every class. Some individuals have been practicing yoga for decades.
Yoga is a practice and it takes time to cultivate. Explore the entire practice of yoga, go beyond the physical asanas and discover the depth of the practice.
How does yoga affect your life?
Yoga has affected my life in profound ways. I’ve seen physical benefits like a slimming of my waistline and increased muscular tone, but I’ve also experienced decrease in stress and anxiety. The practice of yoga has cultivated peace and happiness in my life.
What does Desert Song mean to you?
It is a place where I get the opportunity to get to know a diverse community of individuals. It is an oasis of peace and knowledge.
Erik: What advise would you give to beginners?
Don't judge yourself or compare yourself to the person next to you! Your classmates can be helpful as models, but be aware that there is a vast span of experience and abilities in your class, and that's great. Just enjoy yourself, laugh when you fall, and know that nobody is keeping score.
How does yoga affect your life?
At first, I enjoyed yoga mainly for its physical benefits- greater strength, flexibility, and balance. It was a relaxing part of my day. After a few years though, I understand more of what it means to "live the yoga.” I'm a calmer, happier person at work and play. I more easily find humor in situations. I don't get upset as much when people cut me off on the freeway.
What does Desert Song mean to you?
Desert Song is my refuge from the fast-paced, manic world we live in. It gives me an opportunity to renew and grow with friends.
Therapist spotlight
Peggy Stewart
MC LPC LiSAC Licensed Psychotherapist
When I start any project/program I start with enthusiasm and effort. This was particularly true of my beginning yoga practice, which I thought would be easier and less intense than working out in a gym. DO NOT BE FOOLED. As I quickly learned it is important to start slowly and with teachers you can trust. Unlike my first experience with a yoga practice, at Desert Song I found those teachers. They give all their students (no matter the level) the individual help and attention as needed. This enabled my physical practice to grow in a safe environment. Then a second unexpected thing happened, my yoga practice became more than and different from what I had originally expected. I knew by regularly practicing Yoga I would experience a stronger body, improved health and relaxation, but it was the side benefits of the concepts of acceptance, staying in the now, grace and skillful action that made such a change in my personal and professional life. Yoga does not take me away from my life; it has become a way of “showing up” in my own life and therefore being more present in the lives of my family, friends and clients.
Through my yoga practice with the guidance of Desert Song , I have become physically, emotionally, mentally and spiritually stronger. The teachers, under the guidance of Mary Beth, are professionally trained. They care about their students and are excited to pass on what they know. They are teachers that you like and trust. Desert Song provides an atmosphere that is unlike any other yoga studio I have experienced and for that I feel blessed.