Gather Together Yoga - Eugene, Oregon

yo·ga
ˈyōɡə/
noun
noun: yoga

1. a Hindu spiritual and ascetic discipline, a part of which, including breath control, simple meditation, and the adoption of specific bodily postures, is widely practiced for health and relaxation.

Origin
Sanskrit, literally ‘union.’

I believe people enter our lives when we need them.  We are meant to form relationships and patterns with others at specific times during our time on this Earth.  Deidra, owner of Gather Together Yoga in Eugene, is one of these people who came along just when I needed her.  However, I didn't know it at the time.

I've known Deidra since middle school & we went to high school together too.  We knew each other & liked each other but didn't really hang out together.  She was the blonde bubbly cheerleader & I was the introverted drama nerd.  She's blonde, adorable and tiny & I'm brunette, dramatic and a size 16.  On the surface we appear totally opposite but this is where things get weird!

Fast forward to 3 years ago, after 10-15 years of not seeing each other.  Deidra saw a photo of our daughter on her preschool's Facebook page and sent me a note.  Her daughter was enrolled there too, one year behind our daughter.  Neat!  Oh...and we only lived one mile apart.  Crazy!   We decided to get all our kids together to swim in the summer heat & catch up on 15+ years of life.  Here's what we soon discovered; our kids are all similar in age, our own birthdays are one week apart, we both have black lab dogs, we both worked as graphic designers and have similar work experience, we are both awesome photographers & both spend time in central Oregon where...get this...our houses are only a few miles apart!  What?!  This was just crazy!  Mind blown!  POOF!

I was very stressed and had overcome some health issues not long before running into Deidra.  Life just felt...stressful.  Hard.  Exhausting.  I was doubting my photography business and abilities and was just sort of...meh...about life.  When Deidra told me she was opening a yoga studio down the street I thought....okay...but I'm not a yoga person.  I mean...isn't yoga just for tiny bendy people?  But, Deidra gave me a free yoga pass and I went...and I was hooked!   Yoga was what I needed to calm my body and nerves and center myself at this time in my life.  It's been a game changer.  Mind blown again!

Now, I go 1-2 times a week.  Am I super tiny and bendy?  No.  Do I love yoga?  Yes!  I am strong!   I can hold poses like a rock star!  My flexibility has improved in these 10 months and more important, my mind is more relaxed.  I don't stress out as much.  I slow down and enjoy the little things.  I take time for me.  I am grateful.

So join me and Deidra, as well as her amazing staff at Gather Together Yoga, for your own journey.  You'll love it.  I promise.

-Lynn Marie