SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES Business Spotlight
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PAGE 10 FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019 Business Spotlight SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES Wellness Sanctuary Greenheart Yoga & Meditation Center Offers a Variety of Private and Group Classes in a Serene Setting By Kamala Kirk Contributor After teaching yoga to friends out of her home for several years, Clarisa Ru realized that there was a growing need for a yoga studio in San Marino, so in 2017 she opened Green- heart Yoga & Meditation Center. She was inspired to practice yoga through her friend Gloria Holden, who was 40 years older and had incredible energy and posture. Ru took her first yoga class when she was five months pregnant and instantly fell in love. “I felt energized yet rest- ed after my first class,” Ru said. “I have a dance and ballet background, but what I loved about yoga was that it was so much more than just physical movement. The word ‘yoga’ means ‘union’ and it’s about being able to unify your body with your mind, spirit and breath. I started doing yoga when- ever it was convenient for me, then for my 40th birthday I signed up for a yoga teacher training to see what would happen if I took it more serious- ly. At first I wanted to quit but then it became nourishment for me. I’ve been practicing yoga for 21 years, teaching for 10, and still loving it. Now if I don’t practice yoga, my body and mind feel it right away.” After completing her first 200 hours of yoga certification, Ru sent an email out to her friends, letting them know when she would be practicing yoga at her house and invited them to join her. Things grew from there, and eventually Ru opened Greenheart Yoga & Med- itation Center, which re- cently celebrated its two- year anniversary. “I named Greenheart af- ter the heart chakra,” said Ru. “Chakras are energy centers and our prima- ry chakras run along the spine. The heart chakra is associated with the qualities of compassion, forgiveness, kindness, joy and love, and when we are all of those things with ourselves, then we can be all of those things with others. There are differ- ent colors associated with the various chakras—the heart chakra happens to be green.” In one corner of the yoga studio are the same white couches that Ru used to have in her living room when she taught out of her home. “People loved that they could just come in, remove their shoes and sit on the couches before or after sessions,” she said. “I de- cided to bring the couches into the studio to create a little lounge area—it feels like home.” Beneath the floorboards in the spacious studio, Ru lined the floors with crushed amethyst, rose petals, Neroli oil, rose oil and sandalwood oil to bless and energize the space. There is a garden out back where Ru grows fennel, tomatoes, basil, mint and sage, a room upstairs where she offers private lessons, as well as a rooftop deck where she hosts various events. In the reception area there is a retail section, where Ru sells all kinds of items in- cluding essential oils, can- dles, books, earth-friendly bags, clothing, and prod- ucts made by women in Nepal. Greenheart Yoga & Meditation Center is open seven days a week and offers a wide variety of classes that include guid- ed meditation, beginner’s yoga, Vinyasa and chair yoga, among others. Class- es start as early as 6 a.m. and go as late as 9:15 p.m., depending on the day. In addition to group classes, private sessions are avail- able for individuals and couples that are either starting out or want one- on-one time to enhance their practice. The studio also has an introductory “All-Four-One” Special for new students, which offers four weeks of unlimited yoga and meditation class- es for $41. “If students want to take a morning and af- ternoon class in the same day, they are more than welcome to,” said Ru. “The package enables them to sample our dif- ferent offerings, see what works with their sched- ules, what classes they gravitate towards, and which instructors they take a liking to. There’s something for everyone.” Ru teaches a handful of classes and has a large group of instructors for the rest. Julie Howard is one of the studio’s newest instructors, and she pre- viously worked as a phy- sician before deciding to teach yoga. “I’d been practicing yoga for 15 years and was al- ways suggesting that my patients try something like yoga,” said Howard. “Finally, I decided to quit my job and practice what I preached, so I started teaching yoga. This is a way that I can give back and it offers a much more holistic look at ourselves, starting with the physi- cal and emotional self. I love this space and atmo- sphere—the students are awesome. The beauty of this place is that depend- ing on how you feel on any given day, you can always find something that fits you here.” Attendees can conve- niently register for upcom- ing classes at the touch of a button via the website or the MindBody app. Green- heart Yoga & Meditation also works with various groups from corporate to charitable, offering special events and classes to help with fundraising and oth- er causes. In October, the studio hosted a goat yoga class with live goats to help Leela Anvekar from Troop 15121 raise funds for a wellness program that she wanted to create at Union Station Home- less Services for her Girl Scout Gold Award project. “Being a yoga instructor is one of the most reward- ing jobs on the planet, I often can’t believe that’s what I get paid to do,” said Ru. “Every single day someone says ‘thank you’ to me for opening this busi- ness. People tell me that they feel safe and relaxed here, their bodies feel so much better, they feel that they can live longer, and lead more peaceful, happy and mindful lives. For those that have never tried yoga, my advice is to not be intimidated by it. Take advantage of what our space and studio offers in terms of variety and come here to grow emo- tionally, spiritually and physically. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because that’s where the growth happens.” Greenheart Yoga & Meditation Center is lo- cated at 2260 Hunting- ton Dr. in San Marino. It is open Monday from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tues- day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 9:15 p.m., Thursday from 6 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., Fri- day from 6 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call (626) 234-2059 or visit thegreenheartlife.com. ROLEX, BREITLING, OMEGA, TAG HEUER, CARTIER, BALL, MOVADO, HAMILTON, LUMINOX, VICTORINOX (SWISS ARMY), CITIZEN, SEIKO Watch, Clock, Jewelry Sales and Service Certified Watchmaker • Watch Repair • Watch Bands • Watch Batteries 1401 Mission Street, Suite C • South Pasadena • 626-799-9919 Monday - Friday 10am - 6pm • Saturday 10am - 5pm Bring in this ad for $5 off any item. One per customer, One per visit. Casual restaurant offering a menu of traditional Chinese fare, including seafood specialties. OAK TREE INN Chinese Seafood Restaurant 1315 Fair Oaks Ave • South Pasadena • (323) 682-2882 11AM–10PM • menu: oaktreeinnpasadena.com Lunch • Dinner • Cocktails Daily lunch specials Free delivery, minimum $40, within 3 miles SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES Clarisa Ru Photos by Kamala Kirk
Transcript of SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES Business Spotlight
PAGE 10 FRIDAY, AUGUST 9, 2019
Business SpotlightSUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES
Wellness SanctuaryGreenheart Yoga & Meditation Center Offers a Variety of Private and Group Classes in a Serene Setting
By Kamala KirkContributor
After teaching yoga to friends out of her home for several years, Clarisa Ru realized that there was a growing need for a yoga studio in San Marino, so in 2017 she opened Green-heart Yoga & Meditation Center. She was inspired to practice yoga through her friend Gloria Holden, who was 40 years older and had incredible energy and posture. Ru took her first yoga class when she was five months pregnant and instantly fell in love.
“I felt energized yet rest-ed after my first class,” Ru said. “I have a dance and ballet background, but what I loved about yoga was that it was so much more than just physical movement. The word ‘yoga’ means ‘union’ and it’s about being able to unify your body with your mind, spirit and breath. I started doing yoga when-ever it was convenient for me, then for my 40th birthday I signed up for a yoga teacher training to see what would happen if I took it more serious-ly. At first I wanted to quit but then it became nourishment for me. I’ve been practicing yoga for 21 years, teaching for 10, and still loving it. Now if I don’t practice yoga, my body and mind feel it right away.”
After completing her first 200 hours of yoga certification, Ru sent an email out to her friends, letting them know when she would be practicing yoga at her house and invited them to join her. Things grew from there, and eventually Ru opened Greenheart Yoga & Med-itation Center, which re-cently celebrated its two-year anniversary.
“I named Greenheart af-ter the heart chakra,” said Ru. “Chakras are energy centers and our prima-ry chakras run along the spine. The heart chakra is associated with the qualities of compassion, forgiveness, kindness, joy and love, and when we are all of those things with ourselves, then we can be all of those things with others. There are differ-ent colors associated with the various chakras—the heart chakra happens to be green.”
In one corner of the yoga studio are the same white couches that Ru used to have in her living room when she taught out of her home.
“People loved that they
could just come in, remove their shoes and sit on the couches before or after sessions,” she said. “I de-cided to bring the couches into the studio to create a little lounge area—it feels like home.”
Beneath the floorboards in the spacious studio, Ru lined the floors with crushed amethyst, rose petals, Neroli oil, rose oil and sandalwood oil to bless and energize the space. There is a garden out back where Ru grows fennel, tomatoes, basil, mint and sage, a room upstairs where she offers private lessons, as well as a rooftop deck where she hosts various events. In the reception area there is a retail section, where Ru sells all kinds of items in-cluding essential oils, can-dles, books, earth-friendly bags, clothing, and prod-ucts made by women in Nepal.
Greenheart Yoga & Meditation Center is open
seven days a week and offers a wide variety of classes that include guid-ed meditation, beginner’s yoga, Vinyasa and chair yoga, among others. Class-es start as early as 6 a.m. and go as late as 9:15 p.m., depending on the day. In addition to group classes, private sessions are avail-able for individuals and couples that are either starting out or want one-on-one time to enhance their practice. The studio also has an introductory “All-Four-One” Special for new students, which offers four weeks of unlimited yoga and meditation class-es for $41.
“If students want to take a morning and af-ternoon class in the same day, they are more than welcome to,” said Ru. “The package enables them to sample our dif-ferent offerings, see what works with their sched-ules, what classes they gravitate towards, and
which instructors they take a liking to. There’s something for everyone.”
Ru teaches a handful of classes and has a large group of instructors for the rest. Julie Howard is one of the studio’s newest instructors, and she pre-viously worked as a phy-sician before deciding to teach yoga.
“I’d been practicing yoga for 15 years and was al-ways suggesting that my patients try something like yoga,” said Howard. “Finally, I decided to quit my job and practice what I preached, so I started teaching yoga. This is a way that I can give back and it offers a much more holistic look at ourselves, starting with the physi-cal and emotional self. I love this space and atmo-sphere—the students are awesome. The beauty of this place is that depend-ing on how you feel on any given day, you can always find something that fits
you here.”Attendees can conve-
niently register for upcom-ing classes at the touch of a button via the website or the MindBody app. Green-heart Yoga & Meditation also works with various groups from corporate to charitable, offering special events and classes to help with fundraising and oth-er causes. In October, the studio hosted a goat yoga class with live goats to help Leela Anvekar from Troop 15121 raise funds for a wellness program that she wanted to create at Union Station Home-less Services for her Girl Scout Gold Award project.
“Being a yoga instructor is one of the most reward-ing jobs on the planet, I often can’t believe that’s what I get paid to do,” said Ru. “Every single day someone says ‘thank you’ to me for opening this busi-ness. People tell me that they feel safe and relaxed here, their bodies feel so
much better, they feel that they can live longer, and lead more peaceful, happy and mindful lives. For those that have never tried yoga, my advice is to not be intimidated by it. Take advantage of what our space and studio offers in terms of variety and come here to grow emo-tionally, spiritually and physically. Don’t be afraid to step out of your comfort zone because that’s where the growth happens.”
Greenheart Yoga & Meditation Center is lo-cated at 2260 Hunting-ton Dr. in San Marino. It is open Monday from 6 a.m. to 8:30 p.m., Tues-day from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m., Wednesday from 6 a.m. to 9:15 p.m., Thursday from 6 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., Fri-day from 6 a.m. to 8:15 p.m., Saturday from 8 a.m. to noon, and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. For more information, call (626) 234-2059 or visit thegreenheartlife.com.
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1401 MISSION STREET. SUITE C6 • SOUTH PASADENA, CA 91030 • 626.799.9919MONDAY-FRIDAY: 10AM - 6PM • SATURDAY: 10AM - 5PM
VanaWatch&Jewelry
G R A N D O P E N I N G
ROLEX, BREITLING, OMEGA, TAG HEUER, CARTIER, BALL, MOVADO, HAMILTON, LUMINOX, VICTORINOX (SWISS ARMY), CITIZEN, SEIKO
Watch, Clock, Jewelry Sales and ServiceCertified Watchmaker • Watch Repair • Watch Bands • Watch Batteries
1401 Mission Street, Suite C • South Pasadena • 626-799-9919Monday - Friday 10am - 6pm • Saturday 10am - 5pm
Bring in this ad for $5 off any item.
One per customer, One per visit.
Casual restaurant offering a menu of traditional Chinese fare,
including seafood specialties.
OAK TREE INNChinese Seafood Restaurant
1315 Fair Oaks Ave • South Pasadena • (323) 682-288211AM–10PM • menu: oaktreeinnpasadena.com
Lunch • Dinner • Cocktails Daily lunch specials
Free delivery, minimum $40, within 3 miles
SUPPORT LOCAL BUSINESSES
Clarisa RuPhotos by Kamala Kirk
