Reisterstown Embraces the Power Within Using Yoga

In and around Reisterstown there stand a handful of warm, welcoming and open-minded yoga studios available to the public.

From the very private to the high-powered commercial, venues around town range in class size, price, school of teaching and specialization.  

"Yoga is very open to ideas, exploration--new ideas that may come from other traditions by its very nature," said Joe Hahn, a Registered Yoga Teacher. 

A teacher for almost a decade, Hahn sees yoga as a way to communicate with your body.

Hahn holds classes at the Cedarhurst Unitarian Universalist Sanctuary in Finksburg. He has introduced a donation-based class structure. "Pay what you can afford, based on the value you receive from the classes," he writes on his website.

"Yoga makes me feel relaxed, peaceful and like I've done something good for my body, mind and spirit," said yoga therapist Paula Berzanski of Auragami Yoga.

"Depending on the practice, it can also make me feel physically strong and stretched," she said.

"I work with individuals with health needs and mature bodies to design a personalized practice geared to their individual needs." Her home studio is geared toward helping people heal.

Certified in both Viniyoga and Kripalu, Berzanski began practicing yoga in 1997. She now offers private lessons from her home and teaches at Ojas Wellness Center in Owings Mills.

Hahn's teaching is greatly influenced by the founder of Anusara Yoga, John Friend. This style of yoga blends a Tantric yoga philosophy and the Universal Principles of Alignment, Hahn explained.

His school of Hatha Yoga allows for the physical movements and postures to be incorporated through breath work.

Hatha yoga is one of the most popular schools practiced in the United States, according to the American Yoga Association.

 "It acknowledges a very strenuous and very challenging practice. You're going to affect more than just the physical body. You work with the heart, work with the mind, and the spirit in more of a complete way," he added.

According to the AYA some classical techniques date back more than 5,000 years. "In ancient times, the desire for greater personal freedom, health and long life, and heightened self-understanding gave birth to this system of physical and mental exercise which has since spread throughout the world," the AYA says.

At Trinity Lutheran Church on Main St, Vikki Wallace, an integrated yoga therapist, teaches a class of 5 to 8 students every Tuesday night at 6:30 p.m. Her students love the small class size and the attuned guidance Wallace gives to their bodies.

"What are our bodies feeling tonight?" Wallace asked, opening her Hatha class recently. The respondents noted body areas ranging from the lower back to the feet. Wallace geared the class to the needs of the students in attendance.

"As a teacher it's really rewarding because you can see the difference," she said.

From M.S. patients to senior citizens, Wallace enjoys sharing her knowledge. "It affects their lives and brings balance back to the Earth," she said.

Wallace emphasizes to her students that they should also use Yoga off the mat. Suggesting poses they may try while vacuuming, shoveling, brushing their teeth or gardening, her incorporation of different postures helps them avoid hurting themselves.

The purple barn nestled just off 317 Main St. in Reisterstown, is the welcoming new home of Mindful Freedom Yoga Studio.

Owner and instructor Jennifer Heinstadt offers a slew of classes ranging from the most relaxing Yin to restorative and therapeutic yoga.

Specializing in Yoga for back care, Heinstadt brings her personal struggle with scoliosis to her practice, guiding students in a most hospitable manner.

Heinstadt wants to revitalize Yoga in the community, noting that she sees an outcry for a reliable studio in the area.

In their recent opening, members of the Reisterstown community expressed to both Heinstadt and partner Heather Marchese a need for their style studio.

Many are looking "for a place to explore something new and try something new," said Marchese.

Complete with mats, blocks, blankets and straps, the freshly laid hard wood flooring, classes are ranged from the most basic to advanced. Cost ranges from per session rates, drop-in prices, and they even offer some free events. Registration can be done by phone.

Hahn sees yoga as a "unique and beautiful manifestation of the Divine."

Through community encouragement, spiritual or physical attachment, yoga is centered around you, she said.

"Use [Yoga] as an opportunity not to compete with yourself or others," stated Berzanski. "Just meet yourself where you are on that day and foster self-acceptance."

Whether you're blessing the Earth, stretching your hamstrings, or escaping your daily routine, yoga unrolls into a connection that extends into bliss, Marchese concluded. Inhale deeply and try it for yourself. 

Joe Hahn, RYT can be reached at 410-299-3671 or www.joehanhryt.com.

Mindful Freedom Yoga Studio can be reached at 410-900-3381. The studio is located at 317 Main Street in Reisterstown.

Vikki Wallace, RYT can be reached at 410-356-9672 or via email vikkiwallace@comcast.net.

Paula Berzanski, CYT can be reached at her in-home yoga studio, Auragami Yoga 410-833-5119, by email at yogaaa21117@comcast.net.  For more information check out her website. 

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