The EverydayYoga Blog features a different Studio of the Month each month to acknowledge the great spaces around the country where we practice, share laughs, make friendships, and build community through yoga. Local studios create so much positivity and empowerment within their neighborhoods, so they deserve to be celebrated! If you have a studio that would like to be featured, please email: blog@everydayyoga.com. 

Studio Name: Tahoe Yoga Shala

Location: The Shala is located in the Tahoe Keys neighborhood of South Lake Tahoe, CA.

When did the studio first open? The Shala was originally called Mountain Yoga, which opened its doors to the community in 2000. I (studio owner, Laura Josephy) moved to South Lake Tahoe in 2011 and began managing the business when the orginial owners relocated to Sacramento. In October of 2015, I purchased Mountain Yoga and, as a part of that transition, the name evolved to Tahoe Yoga Shala (nicknamed "The Shala").

What types of classes are offered? Tahoe Yoga Shala specializes in Flow Yoga, Ashtanga Yoga, Yin Yoga and Sanskrit Chanting & Philosophy. We offer classes for all-levels, from the brand new beginner to the seasoned veteran yogi.

In the Ashtanga Yoga Mysore Style tradition, students are given individual instruction and hands-on assists within the group setting. Those in attendance are introduced to the Primary Series, a sequence designed to align and detoxify the body, beginning with the Sun Salutation and Standing Poses. Instructors adapt the Series to support the needs of each student, allowing them to move at their individual pace while following the unique pattern of their breath. Through repetition, students gradually commit the sequence to memory and are empowered to take the first steps in establishing a personal practice.

At the Shala, we cater to a wide range of experience, including therapeutic classes accessible to beginners and athletic classes for veterans seeking to advance their practice. Be it stress reduction, fitness, self-awareness or like-minded community - the Shala's 35 weekly classes offer something for everyone.

How many teachers work at the studio? 9

What are some unique aspects about your studio that set it apart from other yoga studios? The Ashtanga Yoga Mysore Style program (run by owner, Laura Josephy and instructor, Kacey Davy) is unique to the Lake Tahoe region. Also, The very name, Shala, meaning "home place," invokes the power and kindness that can be found at the studio.

Nestled into a corner space at the Tahoe Keys Village business complex, those who come will cross over from the external world to internal resonance of a true yoga space. Locals and visitors alike are awed by the view of the boats swaying in the marina, a view which is only enhanced by the shelter of trees which wrap around one side of the building.

The intimacy of space, diversity of classes, and generosity of the teachers create an opportunity for practitioners to breathe deep while moving in concert with the environs around them. There, they can meet and greet the full spectrum of sensations, emotions, thoughts and beliefs that arise in the body-mind during their practice.

What do you love most about your community of yogis? I love our community's devotion to the practice itself and to one another. There is a felt sense of compassion, presence and mutual support within the Shala's four walls. These qualities are a result of the many dedicated teachers and students who have called the Shala home over the years. It is this cumulative dedication that transforms what would otherwise be an ordinary space into it a potent environment in which self-awareness and freedom from conditioned existence occurs.

If you have a studio that would like to be featured, please email: blog@everydayyoga.com!