Roots by Lauren Znachko

I have been to Yoga classes in Australia, Chicago, Costa Rica, New York and Toronto. I have spread my mat on many lawns, beaches, porches, canyons and hotel rooms. I have sprung a down dog in gas station parking lots, buddhist temples, living room floors and yes, even in the shower. But no matter if I find the the most enlightened guru or the the most serene view, I will always say that my yoga roots started in a little studio in Bloomington, Indiana called Vibe.

Ignite Power. Infuse Energy. Inspire Peace. If you have ever read these phrases on the website or worn a tank top with a portion of it printed across the front, then you have participated in some sacred moments not only in my personal practice, but in the practice of an entire community. Laura Patterson offered me a job behind the desk at the studio before I even knew what Vibe was. In typical fashion of a recent IU graduate I was not quite ready to leave but not entirely sure how to stay in this magical little town of Bloomington. But behind the desk at Vibe I was given the opportunity have a stake in something I believed in, to invest in something burgeoning and to invite the many joyful and weary spirits that walked through the door every day for class. When Laura asked me to help create a tag line for what Vibe was as a community it was not difficult to find potent and true words to match my experience.

Although I spent many hours on my mat in the studio at Vibe, I also spent a lot of time sweeping the floors at Vibe. Although I attended my first teacher training at Vibe, I also observed every day the talented and compassionate teachers that came to teach class. While I lived in Bloomington, Vibe was more than just a place to practice, and it was much more than the place where I worked. My experience at Vibe ignited a power in my practice on my mat. It infused me with an energy to pursue that practice off of my mat. And it inspired with the peace that when it was time to leave and grow, I had what I needed.

So, maybe you can imagine how great it feels for me to come back to Vibe. After time away of travel, training, and practice, it feels like a true experience of yoga to return--the union of a dream and a manifestation of that dream. 

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