Photo by Hilary Schleier
These days the word “yoga” usually conjures up images of young women in tight pants twisting themselves up like human pretzels. It’s chic, sexy and full of estrogen. But in March, Lakewood’s Lotus Yoga began teaching a free one-hour class every Wednesday that’s hardly your girlfriend’s yoga — although it could be, if your girlfriend is a badass. In January, Lotus partnered with the Florida-based Connected Warriors program and committed to a full year of free classes for U.S. veterans and their families. The price of admission is service to the country. The rest is Lotus’ service to veterans. Believe it or not, yoga practices actually lend themselves to veterans, particularly veterans battling post-traumatic stress disorder, says owner Jennifer Hensley. “Yoga is about the mind-body connection, understanding that the emotional body affects our physical body. That’s why breathing exercises are so important,” Hensley explains. The Connected Warriors program is a nonprofit created as a joint effort between yoga instructors and war veterans to help service members embrace the healing power yoga can offer. The program has become nationwide since it began in 2010. Last year, the founders reached out to several Dallas yoga studios, hoping to bring the program to the Big D. When Hensley learned about the program, she knew it would be a perfect fit for her studio, so she and her staff took the training in mid-January and began the class in March. In today’s world, people are used to giving 110 percent, Hensley explains. That’s the kind of mindset she hopes people will check at the door. “Our big thing is health and wellness. I tell my students all the time, ‘Use this as a time to give back to yourself,’” Hensley says. “To actually mindfully give back to ourselves, we don’t always know how to do that.” This class is an hour of doing exactly what you want to do, she says. “My goal is that when they leave, they feel better than when they started. Period. Whether that’s from lying on the mat or trying out some poses. It’s about teaching yourself balance.” For those interested, the class is every Wednesday at 4 p.m. at Lotus Yoga at 6337 Prospect. It’s for service members and their families.
