January 18th 5:30 -6:30 PM Yoga Class
I'm subbing my first ever class at Mother Yoga! Let's fill the space with moving breathing bodies. See you this Thursday.
Let’s try something new in 2024. I’m teaching at Mother Yoga for the first time, and my goal is to fill the space with moving breathing humans. It’s a trial run class to see if my community is open to practicing in a new location. Are you ready to try something new?
Rewind for a moment with me; I remember finding and interacting with my beloved yoga community in Milwaukee, WI. Every time I stepped foot in the Historic Third Ward Yama Yoga classroom, it felt like I was coming home. I was always eager to see who would be there, engage in before and after class conversations, catch-ups, and discover new lessons on my mat. This feeling of home is what motivated me to pursue my 200hr yoga teacher training at Yama Yoga in 2017. I knew this feeling of home was important and I was inspired to share that feeling with others. I graduated my training in May 2018 and I’ve been teaching yoga classes ever since.
Flash forward to 2023, I found Mother Yoga Studio right as they were celebrating their two-year anniversary in an alleyway in the International District. The community welcomed me with open arms, and I left my first class feeling inspired with a spark of creativity, and it felt like something within me was lit. As a yoga student and teacher in Seattle, I’ve tried most studios in the greater Seattle area. Unfortunately, I’ve struggled to find a yoga studio that felt like home.
From the warm humans that practice at Mother Yoga to the incredible owner who is actively teaching weekly classes at the studio and is invested in creating community, I was in awe. Mother Yoga is located in the heart of the International District, one of my favorite communities to visit in Seattle. There is so much history, culture, amazing food & connection here. It’s an area of Seattle that has also endured a lot of suffering, especially through the pandemic. This area is in desperate need of the light from our community to illuminate a path forward. Engaging in yoga in the alleyway of the ID feels like a courageous endeavor to illuminate a part of Seattle that often goes unnoticed.
The Mother Yoga studio sets itself apart from any other studio where I've worked. It marks the first time I've encountered a studio genuinely prioritizing the assurance of a livable wage for yoga teachers. In Seattle, many yoga studios mandate that students pay $20-$30 per class to attend.
Most studios in the Seattle area compensate yoga teachers in the range of $35 to $60 per class, offering little room for negotiation or additional earnings. However, receiving $35-$60 per class does not constitute a livable wage. Teaching a yoga class involves nearly three hours of work, covering planning, playlist creation, transportation, studio setup, attendance tracking, actual teaching, and studio closure. Since 2018, I've grappled with the inequality present in the field of teaching yoga. Despite these challenges, I've persevered because yoga has been a lifesaver—an integral practice that defines who I am.
In contrast to the prevailing model in Seattle, where studios offer payments with limited negotiation opportunities, Mother Yoga takes a different approach. The studio model allows me to pay for a weekly time slot on the calendar, contributing $35 to secure a class on the schedule. Students reserve their space through the website and make individual payments directly to me via Venmo @haleyraemoves.
The studio operates on a sliding scale of $15-$25 per class for students, with the entire amount dedicated to compensating the teacher for their time. After seven years of grappling with the Western traditional model of yoga studios, I'm eager to explore something new. I'm reaching out for your support. If you've been yearning for a sense of community or seeking a way to move your body in this cold weather, this space is designed for you.
For any inquiries about Mother Yoga or teaching yoga in general, I'm always available to share my honest experiences. This Thursday class is a pivotal moment for me to assess if my community is prepared to back me in this new venture. I encourage you to challenge yourself, embrace something new, and join me on your mat in the alleyway of the ID.
In addition, my role as a yoga teacher significantly influences and intertwines with my work as a realtor in the Greater Seattle Area. The support for my realtor work is crucial, especially considering it’s impossible to sustain oneself on a $35-per-class income. The numbers simply don't align. To explore how I incorporate yoga into my real estate transactions, please visit my new website. If you're contemplating buying or selling real estate, I urge you to reach out to me first.
If you're exploring real estate beyond Washington state, I can work as a referral agent, connecting you with a local realtor in your desired market. Through this connection, I can earn a portion of the commission from your transaction, which directly contributes to the success of my small business.
Having worked as an agent for two years, navigating a market with high-interest rates has been challenging. Your support through word of mouth is the most effective way to bolster my small business.
Thank you for cheering me on! I’ll see you on the mat this week.