Mohalu Yoga opens for business in downtown Shepherdstown location | News, Sports, Jobs

Lona Lozinski, a Warriors at Ease licensed 200RYT yoga teacher, poses on the ground of her studio house final week. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — “It smells like bitter milk and there’s bits of french fries on the ground, and also you’re like, ‘I’ll attempt to ignore all of that,’” mentioned Mohalu Yoga founder Lona Lozinski of her first time training yoga, again in 2001. The Berkeley County Parks & Recreation grownup training class on the Rosemont Elementary College cafeteria flooring could have been a humble starting for a 21-year journey, however in line with Lozinski, it didn’t cease her from instantly recognizing the profit it may very well be for her, as a Shepherd College undergraduate scholar and 167th Airlift Wing — West Virginia Air Nationwide Guard member.

“It was remodeling, for me, to be on this place the place I’m within the cafeteria, however I’m additionally on this actually calm house in my physique,” Lozinski mentioned. “I picked it up as a non-public observe for me and would take a category in it, wherever I might get it.”

Her journey led from her taking yoga courses each time attainable, together with at two yoga studios in Shepherdstown, to her opening up her personal yoga studio as a 200RYT yoga teacher. The studio house for the 2 Shepherdstown studios she previously practiced at is now, sarcastically, the house she is now utilizing to show from — 211 East New Avenue.

“Being linked to Shepherdstown as a scholar right here, I discovered Concord Therapeutic Arts, which was proper right here, on this house, and started training there — right here. Once I had my youngsters, I did my prenatal yoga right here, 15 years in the past, so this house, to me, was residence,” Lozinski mentioned. “I used to be making ready for delivery on this room! I used to be managing a really younger army profession out of this house. After which Jala Yoga took it over, and I began training with them, after Concord Therapeutic Arts had closed.”

In response to Lozinski, although she at the moment shares the house with Jala Yoga, she does supply her yogis a singular ability set — one they may not get anyplace else within the Jap Panhandle — certification as a Warriors at Ease teacher.

Mohalu Yoga shares its areas with Jala Yoga, at its remaining location on New Avenue, which was previously the house to Concord Therapeutic Arts. Tabitha Johnston

“About 13 years into my army profession, I turned a primary sergeant,” mentioned the Shepherd College alumna. “It’s this job the place you handle disciplinary actions, however you’re additionally form of the assist system for members of the unit: they get in hassle, you ensure they’re getting the care that they want; they’re going by way of a divorce, you ensure the folks get the care that they want; or they stroll into your workplace and their lives are falling aside, and also you assist them discover the sources to repair it, principally. The job, it was like a lightbulb second for me, the place I’m like, ‘We’re lacking one thing, on the subject of how we handle look after army personnel.’

“I believed, for me, my resilience was born out of my yoga observe. It helped me really feel grounded, helped me really feel centered, helped me really feel like, ‘I can do that, no matter it’s.’ So, in some unspecified time in the future, I made a decision my longterm objective was to change into a yoga trainer, as a result of I wish to educate yoga to veterans,” Lozinski mentioned. “I stumbled throughout this program, Warriors at Ease. It’s this worldwide program that teaches yoga academics methods to educate yoga to veterans. It’s the one considered one of its form.”

As of when she opened her studio at 211 East New Avenue three weeks in the past, Lozinski holds one-on-one courses with army members, to assist them extra straight deal with the trauma they’ve skilled within the army. She additionally presents a month-to-month Warriors at Ease group class that’s free to army personnel and open to civilian yogis, who’re inspired to provide a donation to assist cowl the category prices. The schedule for that class and others, in addition to the place to ebook a one-on-one class with Lozinski, may be discovered at https://www.mohaluwellness.com/.

As for the studio title’s origin? Lozinski mentioned it’s linked with the truth that her first title is Hawaiian; that she, as a half-Korean girl, feels at residence there due to its excessive Asian inhabitants; and that she accomplished her yoga trainer coaching there, throughout the COVID-19 Pandemic.

“In Hawaiian tradition, the twelfth section of the cycle of the moon known as ‘Mohalu,’ and in that cycle the Hawaiian god Kane planted flowers. He believed this may be crucial time to plant flowers — it was proper earlier than the moon turns into full. Once I was taking a look at Hawaiian tradition and what I needed Mohalu to symbolize, I came across the Hawaiian calendar and I noticed this phrase and all of the descriptions of it. It means ‘to bloom,’ the precise phrase, ‘Mohalu,’ does,” Lozinski mentioned. “It’s consultant of that second proper earlier than we bloom, proper earlier than the moon will get full. And I believed, ‘How stunning is that?

“Even once we get to that time the place we really feel we’ve achieved all of it, we’re at all times discovering one thing else that we wish to accomplish,” Lozinski mentioned. “It’s form of a reminder, by calling it ‘Mohalu,’ that we’re by no means ever actually achieved. We might at all times bloom just a little extra.”