We cannot be more excited! It is yet to sink in that we have been around for 2 years already. Still seems like yesterday when we first opened our doors and a handful of people walked in. Today, we open our doors and there is a crowd walking in. I cannot be happier.
HOW IT ALL STARTED?
Since many of you are new, here is a brief history of how we got up and running. It all started with a dream and nothing more (literally). I have been in the US for exactly 3 years now, and we had a name, a website, social media sites and all before we actually had a physical studio space. We settled for a small space in an already existing studio in downtown Bellevue for the first six months. Only 7 practitioners could fit in that room at best. It was carpeted, noisy and people outside our class were loud and sometimes intrusive. We would often hear the pub downstairs during our shavasana or the toilet upstairs flushing. We were not allowed to leave any props in that space or have any signage up. So we were invisible until you actually came looking for us.
Those 6 months were precious. I know Yoga, but business (that too in a new country) was something I learnt along the way. I still had no clue where all this was going to go. Six months in, we could no longer afford to pay the high rent for a small space in downtown Bellevue so we moved to Redmond, and to what is now home for Aham Yoga. I must say this is the BEST decision we made. For all who have seen our studio, I need not explain why we love it so much. And if you are reading this and haven’t been there yet. You must come see us, the nature all around, the deer, bunnies and birds. It is like an ashram hidden in the middle of the city.
Once we moved to Redmond, things started picking up gradually! More people came through the doors. We learnt how to run a studio and how to do business, create a community space for everyone and yet stay professional. In doing all this, 2 years have passed and I still cannot believe it.
WHO WE ARE TODAY?
Today, we are a strong Yoga community with practitioners from all age groups and backgrounds. Some are very regular while others come and go. We have seen people grow and prosper in their Yoga journey these past 2 years. Aham Yoga has become a recognised part of the Eastside community at large and we are now happy to share that we are moving from a yoga studio to becoming a yoga school. Come January 2016, we open our doors to our first in-house Teacher Training Program. It is time to take Yoga in the community to the next level.
HOW YOU FIT INTO IT ALL?
We couldn’t have done it without each one of you, who walk through our doors day after day, week after week, month after month! We may not say it often but are so grateful to have you with us and to let us share our Yoga with you. We hope and pray that you are finding Yoga fulfilling and that you are truly making it a part of your life. We truly believe that Yoga can change the world for the better, one person at a time.
WHAT’S NEXT?
We are busy gearing up for our Teacher training program. Enrollments open this weekend! Open houses are later this month.
Our October challenge is geared towards making people do more Yoga in the weeks to come, to show them that it is not hard to make a permanent place for Yoga in our lives.
It has always been simple, just show up to class (regularly) and let us take care of the rest for you
Striving towards a better, healthier tomorrow
Arundhati Baitmangalkar
Founder
Aham Yoga
