Since opening Westchester’s LiveYoga Wellness, Teri Roseman’s mission has been to unite the community through a holistic education of yoga–teaching the practice as a lifestyle that incorporates physical, mental and spiritual components to promote health and wellness.
Roseman participated in her very first yoga class in the 1980s in Baja California, piquing an interest that led her to continue to attend classes from time to time.
But after Roseman endured an extremely stressful chapter in her life, with the ending of a long-term relationship, the passing of her father and the diagnosis of breast cancer, what started out as a casual endeavor into yoga eventually became her saving grace.
“Yoga saved my life,” said Roseman, who will celebrate the tenth anniversary of owning and operating LiveYoga Wellness this May.
During that difficult time, she decided to earn a yoga teaching certificate, but it wasn’t until she was let go from her long-term corporate sales position that she was truly ready to make the move from just practicing yoga to sharing her knowledge with others. Courses at LMU– Prime of Life Yoga and the Yoga Therapy Rx Program—were also helpful in shaping her vision for opening her own studio.
“I wanted to bring the idea that self-care is health care to our community,” Roseman says.
Roseman fortuitously learned that a room at Holy Nativity Church on 83rd Street was being remodeled into a yoga center. She met with the church’s pastor at the time, Peter Rood, with whom she shared a similar philosophy for offering new wellness options to Westchester and a space where people could grow and learn.
Her goal was to open a community-minded studio where people would be able to do yoga, and develop their practice, on their own terms and pace.
“Peter Rood always said, the idea is for people to find their spirituality anywhere—not necessarily in the pews, but in a yoga class, an art class or in the garden,” Roseman said. “The energy in the studio is so lovely, and it has truly grown as a community.”
When Roseman first opened her studio, she offered 25 yoga classes per week, ranging from prenatal to seniors. Over the years as the studio has found its niche, however, she’s honed its offerings to several yoga and tai chi classes each week for a variety of skill levels.
“Our classes are made for every type of body,” Roseman explains. “There are many ways in which to modify poses, so that each body gets the benefit.”
Until recently, LiveYoga Wellness offered 16 classes per week, but as businesses have had to close their physical doors due to the coronavirus pandemic, Roseman and her teachers shifted to conducting classes virtually. Thankfully, Roseman easily transitioned to teaching online since she has worked with clients remotely for several years. Her efforts these days have been geared toward ensuring that all of her teachers and students are successful as they use Zoom to participate in live-streamed yoga comfortably from home.
During a time of stress and anxiety, Roseman emphasizes the importance of maintaining the tight-knit community that she has spent the last decade fostering.
“We are dealing with an unusual and surreal situation, and yoga has been proven to help reduce stress levels,” she says.
For longtime LiveYoga Wellness student Mary Ann Bell, online classes have been invaluable during the recent Stay at Home order.
“These classes are something to look forward to every day,” she said. “Being able to do virtual yoga has kept my sanity at a good level, and my stress level has really improved.”
LiveYoga Wellness teacher and yoga therapist Elyse Lauren says that what really sets the studio apart is the quality and investment in the education of yoga and the emphasis on the studio as a space for personal growth and development rather than a retail space.
“When our industry moves away from the quality of teaching and more into an economic opportunity, a lot of corners are cut,” Lauren says. “This studio is a gem of a place in the community because through and through, it’s a holistic approach to what yoga is all about.”
LiveYoga Wellness will celebrate its 10th anniversary on May 2. The studio plans to reschedule “Yoga Day,” to a future date to celebrate. Roseman’s plans for the free all-day event include 30-minute yoga and tai chi classes, wellness and self-care information booths and a book signing with Dr. Larry Payne, the Executive Director and founder of the Loyola Marymount University Yoga Therapy Rx and Prime of Life Yoga programs.
For more info about LiveYoga Wellness and online classes, please visit liveyogawellness.com.
By Sarah Ahern.
Posted April 2020.