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Healing Through Community - September 2001

This past summer, my daughters had a revelatory experience at The Power of Hope summer camp on Whidbey Island. The primary focus of their sojourn was in building community. They returned home changed, having been touched deeply by the connection they established with a group of 70 teens in the space of one short week. They both felt they had made friends for life. I asked my oldest, age 17, to articulate what it was that created such a communal feeling, so different from any of her other camp experiences. In part, she said, it was the magic of having no outside distractions, but the real magic was the spirit of the camp which established an attitude of tolerance, reciprocity, and caring among all participants. Music and art provided a backdrop, but the true intention was for the kids to develop a sense of kinship with one another, through the sharing of life stories and in celebration of the wellspring of diversity represented there.

Community is a powerful healer. We live in such isolated times, racing from one appointment to the next in our SUVs, connecting through electronic devices which beep and buzz at us. We call our loved ones when we know their voice mail will pick up, so we can leave a quick message and not be delayed by friendly chit-chat. Yet, we also live with a longing to be known and touched in a heartfelt way. Our souls are hardwired from the pre-electronic age to seek out others of like mind and interest and to build together something that transcends the individual self.

Until The Yoga Barn, I hadn't had a personal experience of community first hand. Friends and family gatherings lacked purpose beyond the recognition of a birthday or special event. When I opened the studio in Fall City, there was an overwhelming response from the people in the Snoqualmie Valley to finally having a place in their own backyard to gather. Although I initially felt like a citified outsider, I was warmly received -- and the trades began. Home canned beets and spicy pickles were exchanged for classes, along with haircuts, massages, baskets and pottery. I quickly came to understand the nature of the glue that has held communities together for centuries.

Over the years, The Yoga Barn has become a gathering place for people seeking connection. We've hosted potlucks, chanting marathons and lively philosophical discussion groups. Those who were around at the beginning may nostalgically remember the weekend retreats held at the Fall City studio. There, while we studiously sweated through our asanas in the Barn, my husband Peter would be cooking a potpourri of delightful goodies to send our culinary senses into samadhi (ecstasy). Scrumptious spanakopita and hearts of palm salad would precede chocolate fondue petaled with an array of fresh melons and berries for dipping. He'd all but ruin my ability to hold class in the afternoon, but happily fulfilled, we'd waddle back across the driveway and drape ourselves over bolsters until our tummies had settled. I used to joke that the first time students came for the yoga, and after that they came for the food.

So much growth has transpired in the past nine years. The expansion to Issaquah heralded a whole new era, exposing many more people to the transformational effects of yoga and the open hearted spirit of the teachers and students who make up The Yoga Barn community. Now, we're growing again. We've acquired an additional site, directly across Gilman in a lovely little building on Locust St. This new studio will allow us to stretch out, without bumping into walls and elbows unlike the smaller room in the Gilman studio which has been cramping our style.

The combination of the two studios in Issaquah will provide us the additional space needed to join in partnership with many wonderful friends in the Healing Arts. It is my intention that together we can truly build a Center for Wellness. Yoga is such a powerful tool for awakening the mind and revealing the necessary direction of our own healing. Practiced in conjunction with the support of bodywork, massage and movement therapy, the process accelerates immeasurably. I'm thrilled to be able to offer our students so many new options to support their growth, and which pique their interest in establishing a healthy relationship with their bodies and ultimately their whole being.

So, I invite you all, old friends and new friends alike, to come and join in our community and celebrate this new incarnation. Within the safe haven of The Yoga Barn, outside distractions are minimized. There is an ability to connect with others who are seeking respite from a world of beeps and buzzes. There's a willingness to share life stories about the things that truly matter and a feeling of tolerance, reciprocity and caring. Most importantly, there is permission to take that internal sojourn and connect with the spirit within your own heart. You are all welcome. And, who knows, you may even find yourself going home feeling that you've made friends for life.

The Yoga Barn, Inc.
Robin Rothenberg, Certified Yoga Instructor
660 NW Gilman Blvd., Suite C6, Issaquah, WA  98027
Studios located in both Issaquah and Fall City
Phone: 425.427.0038  -  Fax: 425.427.0613
E-mail: info@yogabarn.com  -  Web: www.yogabarn.com

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