Today we’d like to introduce you to Cindy Olah.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cindy. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I began my relationship with yoga about 20 years ago. In my mid-twenties, like a good girl, I had completed college and began my journey in the corporate world, blazing my trail in the mortgage and credit business. Life was unfolding just as it was supposed to be. I was making great money, was engaged to be married, had purchased my own home, paid off my debts and had a nice nest egg in my checking account, all before even turning thirty. The world was proud of me for being successful within the landscape of the American corporate dream. Everything was just perfect, so why (I just couldn’t understand) was I such a HOT MESS inside?
This is when I started asking the bigger questions and exploring what it REALLY means to be content, satisfied and fulfilled… thus beginning my winding, sometimes blissful and often terrifying road of self-exploration. Through the process, I became a certified yoga teacher and spent many years studying yoga along with other healing modalities, expanding my own awareness of body, mind and heart so that I could help others do the same.
When I opened Sacred Garden Yoga in the fall of 2003, I knew that I wanted it to be a sacred space for others to practice yoga in a holistic way. I love the physical practice and I love challenging my body but even more so, I love infusing the physical with the heart of yoga. There is so much more to the practice than making shapes with the body. The heart of yoga is infused with ancient wisdom that facilitates a more peaceful and open mind.
At Sacred Garden Yoga, our teachers beautifully incorporate this wisdom into the classes that they teach. We have brand new students as well as students that have been with us for many years so we offer classes for all different levels. I have also facilitated our Yoga of the Heart Teacher Training Program for 4 years and have lead several retreats in the states and abroad. As a matter of fact, I have an upcoming women’s retreat scheduled for September 2018 up in the North Georgia Mountains. Space is still available!
From my years of personal experience as a yoga teacher, energy healer and entrepreneur I have also put together a signature 90 day intensive for other teachers and lightworkers out there ready to ignite their personal magic. For more information, you can check out Sacred Alchemy {Live, Love, Thrive} on our website. It’s pretty much everything that I have learned, put together in a way that helps people get out of their own way.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
No, I can’t say that it has been smooth all of the time, but I don’t think that it was suppose to be… not for me anyway. My business has acted as one of the biggest catalysts for my personal growth. I strongly feel that SGY has reflected back to me all of my insecurities and magnified them in a way that was impossible to ignore. I knew that I couldn’t run from them (believe me I tried) and have a successful business so, out of my determination for success, I faced and continue to face my trepidation’s.
Sacred Garden Yoga has been a big magical mirror for me, giving me the opportunities to step outside of my self-imposed limitations and learn what it takes to expand. I’ve had to practice what I preach, you know what I mean? It If we are willing to see our obstacles as a reflection of our own selves, then there is a tremendous gift that is offered, but you have to be willing to do the work and brave enough to decide not to become a victim to it. It’s what I teach almost every day. Running the business has been as much of a yoga practice as stepping onto my mat each day.
Please tell us about Sacred Garden Yoga.
Sacred Garden Yoga is a yoga studio and healing center specializing in alignment-based yoga infused with lots of heart. We specialize in bringing forth the holistic aspects of yoga. We are not just going to lead you through a physical practice, we are going to teach you.
Our studio space is smaller than average so we are also going to give you personalized attention. The community of students is great so you won’t only get support from the teachers, but from the community as well. I have to say, if you like to hide in a corner without getting noticed, then we are probably NOT the studio for you. Not that we are pushy by any means, but we really want to support you in your practice.
We love beginners! I know that yoga can be so intimidating but giving yourself permission to be a beginner is part of the practice itself. We also love our more intermediate and advanced students because they are the way showers and are so supportive and kind.
What I am mostly proud of, as you may be able to tell, are the people. I am so thankful each day for the beautiful teachers and students that grace me every day. The integrity of the studio space is important to me so that we maintain a safe space for people to do their personal work.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I can’t think of one specific childhood memory that is a favorite but there is a feeling of wonderment that I can tap into every now again. It’s from a time that existed before my memories concertized. Before life got muddy and there was a sense of a united family.
I’m still living in Peru and I can feel my mother, my grandmother, my great grandmother and my grandfather all in one space, all of us alive together and it feels very special.
Pricing:
- Intro Offer for new students: 2 weeks unlimited yoga for $29
- Class Pass Summer Special: 11 classes for $111
- Class Drop-In $15
- Unlimited Yoga Monthly: $99
- 10% discount for students and seniors
Contact Info:
- Address: 369 Campbell Hill St. Marietta, GA 30060
- Website: https://www.sacredgardenyoga.com
- Phone: 770-421-9353
- Email: info@sacredgardenyoga.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sacredgardenyoga/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/sacredgardenyoga/
Image Credit:
Cynthia Belmer
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