Prompt: Yoga Practice as Community -Looking at Smith and building on Nevrin, does your practice space promote a sense of community? DEFINE this community and discuss its PURPOSE for both the studio and you. How much do you feel part of this community?

Response: The yoga studio promotes a sense of community in those that come to class routinely. It is a community defined by the particular style of yoga being practiced (in my case, it's power), and by the sincere belief in the benefits reaped by this yoga practice. There is a need for seeking happiness and spirituality outside of one's normal life in this culture, and for some, having a yoga community creates a sense of belonging and togetherness along with a sense of being a healthy, happy, and spiritual person. The power yoga community are often very passionate about health and other forms of self care and wellness. Daily power yoga practice may go hand in hand with a passion for essential oils and crystals, or with Hinduism, veganism, and even modern day witchcraft. In the studio, while actually carrying out the practice, I feel a part of the community as we are all gathered at the same time week by week to do this, and seeing the familiar faces and lithe bodies around me confirms in my head that I am a healthy person doing something good for myself just like all of these people I see every week. However, once the class is over and I hear these people talking about themselves and their lives, I feel less intertwined with them.