Yoga has been a way for people to feel more relaxed, both for their body and their mind. It can give people a sense of calmness that can help them get away from day-to-day life.
According to the Mayo Clinic, doing a relaxing activity can help reduce stress levels and can improve physical and mental health.
Sacred Steps Yoga Studio opened in Muncie, Indiana, July 15, 2023. Studio owner and teacher Laura Mickler was a mortgage lender for several years but wanted to leave because of the stress.
In 2015, Mickler underwent surgery and needed to stretch to help the recovery. This led her to try yoga and discover her love and passion for it. Eventually, she had the opportunity to open up her own studio.
“I started Sacred Steps as a place of rest and relaxation for busy people (specifically women),” Mickler said via email. “I also wanted to create a space for people who wanted to explore the mental and metaphysical properties of yoga in addition to the physical practice.”
Sacred Steps teaches three types of yoga. The first type is vinyasa yoga, which focuses on getting breathing to match movements. During vinyasa yoga, infrared panels heat the room to help sweat out any toxins in the body. Sacred Steps is not designed to be a studio with heat, so it does not include infrared panels in vinyasa yoga.
Yin yoga allows the body to stretch for a longer period. Restorative yoga uses props, such as pillows, blankets and blocks to help the body feel supported.
Mickler enjoys practicing restorative yoga to feel calm and relaxed. She likes to teach restorative yoga, but she really enjoys teaching vinyasa yoga because of the movement and the cleansing experience the body goes through.
“The breath work and movement of yoga can help to regulate our nervous systems, which can be overwhelmed by our everyday lives,” Mickler said via email. “Yoga also builds strength in our muscles, joints and bones, which is especially important as we age. The mental benefits of mindfulness are fantastic for our overstimulated everyday lives.”
Studio manager and teacher Martina Richter has been teaching classes at Sacred Steps since January.
“I passionately want to help others find peace in this world that can be so stressful and fast-paced,” Richter said via email. “Yoga has been an adventure for me that helped me learn patience, peace, relaxation and overall body health. I hope I help spread as much love and joy through yoga that it has brought to me.”
Richter said she likes to practice restorative yoga, but she likes to teach vinyasa yoga.
“I love the meditation aspect and slow flow of restorative, but I love the sense of accomplishment I have after a vinyasa flow class,” Richter said via email. “You feel the workout, sweat and faster pace, then have this beautiful savasana at the end that heals your soul. It's an incredible mind-body connection.”
Cheyenne Reed has been taking classes at Sacred Steps since August 2023. She first heard about the studio from Mickler, who is also her friend. Reed enjoys the restorative yoga classes to help relax her mind and control her breathing.
“We all kind of get to make friends,” Reed said. “You meet people you would not normally get to meet. I really like that the environment allows for that.”
