Spotlight: Om Prana Yoga
There are truly no words to describe the belonging and feeling of love that I received when I entered Om Prana Yoga studio. I had the amazing opportunity to attend a prenatal yoga class at Om Prana Yoga and it was an absolute blast! The location is a mix of old world charm and yoga serenity with architecture that filled me with love for the beautiful little town of Parkville. It was such a cool location and I couldn't help but ogle!
I was immediately embraced by Wendy, the owner and founder of the studio and introduced to the class of very pregnant women! Tiffany, the prenatal yoga teacher helped us to feel relaxed, soothed and comfortable during the session and even though I'm not pregnant, I was able to refocus and become more grounded after a crazy week!
After the session I had the opportunity to sit down with Wendy and chat about where she has been and her hopes for Om Prana Yoga and prenatal/postpartum care in the Northland.
Tell us about Om Prana Yoga. How did you get started in the yoga world?
I started doing yoga 16 years ago, after the birth of my daughter. I experienced a bit of the “baby blues” after the birth. In response to this, a friend gave me a gift certificate for yoga classes. I had never done yoga before, but had always been curious. I took my first class and found it challenging and frankly wasn’t sure that gift certificate friend really liked me. I laid on the floor wondering if I would be able to move the next day. While pondering this, the woman on the mat next to me rolled over and told me, “don’t worry honey, you will be sore tomorrow but come back you will feel better.” And she was right. The more I went back the better I felt. I began to find some flexibility, could sleep better and after 6 months could touch the floor. I tapped into my sense of humor and began incorporate things I learned in yoga class into all aspects of my life. Eventually, I decided to deepen my practice and took a 200-hour teacher training program at Dallas Yoga Center in Dallas, Texas. That was the beginning of many awesome paths in my life.
Fast forward, we moved to the Kansas City area 4 years ago. After searching for a place that felt like home to teach and practice yoga, my husband and I took the leap and opened Om Prana Yoga in Downtown Parkville. We opened our doors in March of 2014 with no students. Since that time, we have grown from a 500 sq ft room to 2 studios, with a massage and reiki energy room, have multiple teachers, are a registered yoga school and won Best Yoga in the Northland in 2015 & 2016. Most importantly, we have the best community of yogis ever. It is not uncommon to come to Om Prana Yoga and make friends with people who genuinely care about what you are doing and how you are. Our class sizes are small so that everyone has the opportunity to get individual attention in every class.
Why did you choose to open your business in the northland? What do you love about the northland of Kansas City?
As a Northland resident, we are committed to supporting local businesses and it only made sense we would open our family business in our community. When we moved to the Kansas City area, my husband drove us down Hwy 9 into Downtown Parkville and I knew right then that was home. It also became the home to Om Prana Yoga. Parkville has a small town feel. I love that everything we need is within a 5 mile radius, but that we can get to more metropolitan areas in under 20 minutes. How perfect is that?
When and why did you start to incorporate pregnancy and postpartum classes to your schedule?
We have offered prenatal yoga since we opened, with a couple short breaks in between sessions. I know, without a doubt, if I had attended prenatal yoga while I was pregnant my delivery would have been different and I believe my postpartum would have been as well. The physical aspect of a yoga practice is important, but for prenatal yoga the community of mamas that is built is just as important. Mamas who are going through the same things in life, pregnancy, birthing options, and all that comes after the baby is born.
Our goal is to begin offering mommy & me postnatal classes soon. So many mothers of little ones lose themselves in motherhood and don’t take time to recharge and self-care. We hope to be able to offer a continuum of care for moms after they have their babies. A place they can come and take care of themselves and stay connected with the mama friends they made in prenatal yoga, as well as make new ones.
What is your favorite part about working with new and expecting mothers?
My favorite part of working with expecting mothers is giving them tools to help them feel better. I love hearing at the end of classes that their backs feel good, or they can breathe better. I also really love seeing the mamas hanging around talking with each other and exchanging info and tips on birthing topics, breastfeeding, doulas, etc. For me, this is an opportunity to help empower women to get the support system they need for birthing and beyond.
What are your hopes for the future for Om Prana Yoga?
Our hopes for the future of Om Prana Yoga is to continue to build a supportive community with passionate teachers and holistic providers. A one stop place for people to come and get many of their holistic healthcare needs met.
When does Om Prana Yoga offer Prenatal Yoga Classes? How much are classes?
Mystic Mamas Prenatal Yoga Classes are on Thursdays at 6 pm. We are proud to have Tiffany teach prenatal yoga with us. She was one of our Mystic Mamas when she was pregnant with her son. She later took teacher training with us and now teaches something she is very passionate about.
Prenatal Classes make GREAT shower gifts!
4-Week Prenatal Yoga Class Pass: $50 (plus tax)-Good for 5 weeks = $12.50 a class
8-Week Prenatal Yoga Class Pass: $80 (plus tax)-Good for 10 Weeks=$10 a class
Prenatal Drop In & Try It: $15 (plus tax)
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