Today we’d like to introduce you to Cleve Willis.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Cleve. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
If you are an addict you know how constantly uncomfortable you are and how much your skin can crawl. You’re full of shame and guilt, never good enough– as if you are born this way. You have a hole that can never be filled. Then you find this alcohol substance, this drug: it’s a cure for not belonging, never fitting in– and suddenly you find courage. Unfortunately, it eventually stops working– that sense of worthlessness comes back with a vengeance. Now you’re constantly drinking– you can’t ever drink enough. You can barely even get drunk– but you keep trying. Only when you are truly ready, will you actually receive help. My life became a merry-go-round of downing bottles of vodka daily, 2 detoxing, and doing it all over again. Until it finally stuck. Until then, you just leave a trail of self-infliction and the many people you hurt or affect along the way…
Fast forward a few years… I had been clean (off drugs and alcohol) for a 3 while. I had a home group, was working with an AA sponsor, staying sober. However as a traveling musician and having that temptation on a regular day to day basis, I was not spiritually as fit as I craved to be.
Though I didn’t pick up or use, I had been in a pretty dark place. I started slacking on my meetings. The band I was working on was falling apart… I was just down. None of which is ever an excuse to drink, but it was a hard place and a lot of temptation. It’s always a choice until you actually pick up to use again, then your choice is taken from you. My roommate, Rick, also a musician, was touring a lot. A reminder to me 4 that I was not. And my other roommate, Tania, worked for 99x on the bricks; so she was also in the music scene. I say all this to set everything up: being sober can to be hard and being sober in the music industry as the talent is even harder. Around this time I was coming out of a bad relationship and was again in that dark place, you know THAT PLACE– the bottom. After a long night out I told a friend I thought I wanted to use or drink again. When I got home, Rick was there. When Rick was home from touring he would always let loose and party. That night was no different. Rick was on the couch, seemingly passed out. I wanted to be alone, and was irritated that he was in the living room. I tried waking him up but he just lay there, not budging. I didn’t realize yet what was actually happening.
I woke Tania up to help. She came in and touched him, then backed up 6 against the wall with her hands over her mouth and said to me, “he’s cold…” I didn’t understand what she meant, so I tried to wake him again. That’s when I saw the marks, and blood, on his arm. He loved heroin, but he never shot himself up. I didn’t see a needle, but I knew this was bad. I was confused, in denial, unable to comprehend what was happening. Then Tania was on the phone with a 911 relaying the operator’s 7 instructions to me to give mouth to mouth to Rick. CPR. My first, and only, experience with that. Though I felt he was already gone, I had to try or I’d regret it for the rest of my life– I had a false moment of hope when my breath was going into his lungs. I guess I was hoping for it to work. It was too late. Within minutes the paramedics showed up and took over. Still nothing. Rick had passed. And that was the moment I knew I couldn’t use any more. As much as I 8 wanted to, it was time for something different. I dug deep trying to find peace with meetings and support. A few of my music industry friends–
Nicole Jurovics especially– started taking me to Bikram Yoga. I remember Nicole coming to get me, or making me meet her there. I remember falling in love with the sweat. Which is kinda the main thing I remember… like detoxing from alcohol… it felt cleansing. It started to work. Day after day of taking classes I began to find a little 9 more hope. I gained a new found relationship with myself. It wasn’t overnight, it took time. I became addicted to simply feeling good. I was learning to be in my body and to treat myself with kindness and respect.
I began working through the mental challenges that had carried over to my sobriety. Music started doing better for me; things started taking off with a new 10 band– what would become a great adventure, and a hell of a dream realized. Eventually, I found a better AA program. I continued taking Bikram Yoga, which slowly began to change my life, to show me the way.
Little did I know I would one day become a teacher. Little did I know, how much it would change me as a person.
I had no idea what I could do for a living other than music but it didn’t 11 take too long to come to the obvious conclusion: it was time to go to Yoga Teacher Training, to give back and to be of service. In 2013, I became certified by Tony Sanchez’s Yogic Physical Culture Academy in the Ghosh Yoga lineage. I have also trained with Jared McCann in Vinyasa Yoga.
I love teaching and being a part of something positive in someone’s life. 12 It’s so rewarding to be able to work with those who first taught me and to hopefully be part of someone else’s healing, be it physical, mental or
emotional.
We all come to yoga for different reasons. But mine goes back to that 13 one night… when I could have fallen off the wagon again. Rick lost his life, but he literally saved mine.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
The challenges are to stay with a new habit after old habits. The new habits of staying teachable, and keeping awareness about trying to connect to your body. Like anything, it can be a struggle to keep up a good regular practice and allow the ego to go away during class is tough.
So let’s switch gears a bit and go into the Still Hot Yoga story. Tell us more about the business.
I am the new owner of Still Hot Yoga, the former owner Eric Jennings is still teaching and I started teaching there 5 years ago. The studio Eric Opened 15 years ago.
We teach and were one of the 1st two Bikram Hot Yoga studios in Atl. I am most proud that our studio offers traditional Bikram series including an hour version of the class as well as a class called Beyond Bikram we include some other options more Vinyasa.
Though we are and come from the Bikram Series we are a laid back (still challenging) studio and by laid-back I don’t mean within classes but our attitude Bikram was always pushing push we have policy that we try to encourage the listening of your body which sometimes might mean push and other times taking it easy.
We have a great community and a safe environment we are not fancy but we have longevity and the community. Emory students to people in their 70’s.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
The right time, music had ended or transitioned for me I moved back to Atl from Los Angeles and it was time to get certified. I believe its timing.
Pricing:
- We offer a intro deal 18 dollars for a week 7days
- We offer Intro 49 dollars for the entire Month
- After the intro deals we have packages you can buy or monthly or even yearly.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1549 Clairmont Road
Suite 206
Decatur ga 30033 - Website:stillhotyoga.com
- Phone:404-329-1006
- Email:stillhotyoga@gmail.com
- Instagram:instagram.com/stillhotyoga
- Facebook:https://www.facebook.com/stillhotyoga/
- Other:https://clevewillis.wixsite.com/mysite
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