For an entire week Studio Upstairs Yoga in Sylvan Lake will be practicing the principle of karma in their studio.
From December 5 -11, all classes at the studio will be free of charge with the donation of items for the Sylvan Lake Food Bank as the studio kicks off their 7th annual Karma Yoga Week.
The term Karma, which refers to the spiritual principle of cause and effect where intent and actions of an individual (cause) influence the future of that individual (effect), is a practice which the studio regularly tends to implement in their Establishment. Owner of the Studio Upstairs Yoga, Carol Foy, believes there is perhaps no better time than the holiday season to remind residents of karmic power.
“There are so many different levels of karma - but ultimately, it’s about putting that good out into the world because it’s only going to create more good,”said Foy. “Since our studio opened we’ve placed an emphasis on community involvement, we try to inspire our students to change the way they think about giving back to their communities so instead of just putting a collection box in the front door we’ve decided to instead do a whole week of free classes in exchange for a donation to the food bank.”
She added so often individuals can neglect their yoga practice during the holiday season as schedules can become more hectic with more driving and social commitments. However, with the added stress Christmas time can bring in the weeks leading up to the big day, it can be an increasingly important time to remember self care, according to Foy.
“We all get so busy and this is just another way to inspire people to take care of themselves during the holidays when there can be later nights and more stress,” said Foy. “During this time of year we maybe don’t eat or drink as well as we should so creating that balance through yoga is fantastic.”
In past years the event has seen high success with many participants bringing in bags of food per class although only two items are suggested.
“We see so much generosity from our students and from people new to the studio,” added Foy.
For more information on Studio Upstairs Karma Yoga Week and for a full class schedule visit www.studioupstairs.ca.