Written by: Michele Lyman, 500 RYT
(with contributions from our teachers and staff)

According to Merriam-Webster, the definition of community is, “a unified body of individuals: such as a group of people with a common characteristic or interest living together within a larger society”. In 1986, social psychologists McMillan & Chavis developed the definition of community as, “a feeling that members have of belonging, a feeling that members matter to one another and to the group, and a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together.”

Personally, I like the definition, “a shared faith that members’ needs will be met through their commitment to be together” when I think about our Serenity Yoga Community.

As humans we are not meant to live in isolation - we are hardwired to participate in communities. Back in our cave-person days, your tribe was your survival. If you separated from your tribe, there was a good chance you’d be eaten. And although we have evolved beyond our cave-people days, the importance of community is still very much part of our DNA. Communities help us feel a stronger sense of personal identity as well as offer a sense of connection, empathy and mutuality.

For me, some of the benefits of being part of a community include:

Support and Safety
This benefit became very apparent to me on March 15, 2020 when Serenity closed its physical doors. If it wasn’t for the support of the students and teachers at Serenity, I would have felt scared and hopeless that Serenity would not have survived the COVID-19 global pandemic. Everyone rallied to share their support, gratitude and patience. I felt a sense of certainty thanks to the people in my community, even when things felt incredibly uncertain.
Sense of Belonging
A huge part of yoga is finding compassion for yourself and others. What inspires me each day is seeing you trying to better yourself, share an experience and find strength in each other. It’s the feeling that I’m part of something bigger that keeps me coming back for more.
Influence
Sometimes we all need a little “push” to create health habits for our lives. I can’t tell you how many times I have taken a yoga class simply because a fellow student would encourage me to show up and practice together. The Serenity Community motivates me to invest in my own health and well-being!
Learning
I learn something new every… single... day from the students and teachers in our community. We all have different experiences, views and beliefs that help each of us reach a new level of understanding every time we interact.
Acceptance
The one thing that I am most proud of is how we accept each other for exactly who we are. We may not agree with each other’s viewpoints or opinions, but we hold each other in high regard so that everyone feels heard, valued and loved.

If it’s not obvious yet, the Serenity Community means the world to me. You give me a purpose and in turn make me proud to be part of such a loving, caring and kind group of like-minded people, all trying to get through this thing called life with a little more ease and grace.

Our community is also important to our teachers and staff!

Here’s what a few of them had to say when I asked them, “Why is Community important to you?”

Steve Sampson

When I sat down to write a few words on community, the first lines of Danna Faulds’ poem “Sangha” came to mind: “Teach me what I cannot learn alone. Let us share what we know, and what we cannot fathom.” To me, one of the most inspirational aspects of a yoga sangha (the Sanskrit and Pali term for community) is how the collective energy of our practice helps to support and enrich one another. Whether we travel together on the path for years, or roll out our mat next to each other for just one class, we add a perspective and presence that helps others explore their own unique journey. And through that journey, perhaps coming to understand that while we may seem separate, we are in fact one.

Karen Sheingold

Early on in my life as a yoga student I was self-critical about my many imperfections. I was older than almost everyone. I was short. My short, dark hair was neither long nor blond (I thought it should be both.) Even worse, there were poses I couldn’t do!!! Still, the practice and some wonderful teachers drew me in, deeper and deeper. And eventually I became a yoga teacher.

Decades later, those physical realities haven’t changed, except for the hair—now gray! Now I am part of a community of yoga teachers and students from many places. We share our engagement in yoga practices that help us to be healthy, accepting, curious and caring. We discover who we are and what matters. In every class I teach, I feel a deep connection to this amazing community.

Returning to the Serenity studio is bringing us together in person once more. As grateful as I am for the virtual yoga that has kept some of us in touch during the pandemic, it is thrilling to practice again with you in person, to see each other again, to smile. And my hair? Well, I kind of like it.

Emily Salnick

Community allows us to learn from one another, relate to each other, appreciate each other’s unique differences, and create brave spaces where we feel comfortable and safe to be who we are.

Bethany Haller

Yoga is all about connection - a joining of the body, mind, and spirit…cultivating an awareness of the energy, the prana, that joins those layers and then recognizing that energy in others. Being back in the studio with members amplifies the effects of my own shift back to non-judgmental present-moment awareness when I step off the mat. Community is a powerful thing, for sure, and I believe the community at Serenity is the most beautiful example of the people living the lessons of yoga! I love seeing you support each other and laugh with each other. I always leave feeling ready to take on the day!

Emmie Stamell

This pandemic and forced isolation highlighted the importance of community for me in ways I hadn’t previously identified. Namely, my spirit and my heart, as it turns out, crave the connection that comes with being among other humans. I wouldn’t have been able to articulate how my spirit feels malnourished without being in others’ physical company, seeing people’s smiles, and feeling the energy that a room full of others brings.

Bryn Galuska

Community is all about having a safe space to go. Where do I want to go if I’m having a rough day? Where do I want to go if I’m having a good day? You want to surround yourself with people that make you feel like you are a part of something and that no matter where you are in life; you belong.

I think one of our students said it best …

“Serenity is a home; a yoga home.”

Thank you so much for being part of our community and sharing your journey with all of us! If you haven’t had a chance to check out our summer in-studio class specials, be sure to grab them soon! The 3-month unlimited membership offer ends on June 30th! We hope to see you soon!