Blog

January 27, 2026

As many of you know, the current climate in the world feels heavy. Even when we limit what we take in, we still sense the impact through one another. In moments like this, I find myself returning to the yogic teaching of ahimsa.

Ahimsa, non-harming or nonviolence, is the first of the yamas in Pantanjali's eight limbs of yoga. It invites us to meet ourselves and others with care, restraint, and compassion. This does not require us to have answers or take a stance. Sometimes ahimsa simply asks that we pause, soften our inner dialogue, and hold space for what is present without adding more harm to ourselves or to one another.

At Iron Zen Yoga, the studio remains a place to land. A place to breathe, to move gently or strongly, and to reconnect with what steadies you when life feels uncertain. As we often close class with a metta prayer, I will offer it here as well:

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​May your life be free of struggles.
May your heart be open.
May your body be filled with joy and ease.
May you know your truest self in this lifetime.

I also want to share a few upcoming updates with clarity and care.

I am three weeks out from beginning a medical leave. I will be taking a minimum of four weeks away from the studio, and class schedules will be lighter during this time as I navigate treatment decisions and necessary travel. Sara and Jen will be continuing to offer classes in the studio, and I trust them deeply. You will be well supported in their care.

To help maintain continuity while I am away, I am currently recording a library of classes that will be available for purchase around the middle of February. This will be an online library with full access to all new classes. More details will be shared soon.

For those of you from the senior center and my chair yoga community, I do not yet have a solid return date. I will be recording several chair yoga classes that will be included in the online library to help bridge the gap while I am away.

Thank you for continuing to show up with kindness, for yourselves and for one another. Your patience and understanding have meant more to me than I can easily put into words. Practicing Ahimsa in times like these matters, even when it looks simple and quiet. Especially then.

WIth gratitude, 

Hope

January 8, 2026 

It has been quite a while since I've written here. Probably because  2025 was a rollercoaster of events and emotions. I won't go into details here, but please know that I gave it all that I had and rolled with the punches to the best of my ability.

 This past fall, I enrolled in the massage therapy program at Belmont College. Things have been going amazingly well! I have enjoyed learning and applying new concepts into my class offerings. And just as I thought things were going to settle, I received a breast cancer diagnosis. I am scheduled for surgery on February 17th and will have a period of recovery followed by radiation treatments. There is still some uncertainty around the full timeline, and I won’t know whether chemotherapy is needed until the pathology results are complete after surgery.

Right now, my health must be my primary focus. I’ll need to step away from teaching for several weeks following surgery. I imagine I will need to adjust my teaching schedule and step back from some classes as treatment unfolds and navigate my health more in the moment for a while. All of this is, of course, dependent upon so many factors.

The studio will remain open and active. Now, more than ever, the time we spend together in community feels even more important. I’m grateful to have two trusted instructors, Sara and Jen, who will cover a few classes per week while I’m away from the studio. The schedule will be more condensed and intentional during this time. I will ask for your flexibility and support as we adapt week by week.

I’ll continue to share updates as I’m able. Thank you for your understanding, your steadiness, and the way this community shows up - quietly, genuinely, and with heart.

For now, January is business as usual.

I have made a small shift to the class schedule to accommodate my massage therapy program schedule. 

Our annual BINGO game is in full swing! Amie P. has already claimed the first BINGO of the game and won a t-shirt. Each BINGO earned adds you to a drawing at the end of the month for a 10-class pass. 

Speaking of class passes, I have extended the 10-class pass to a 6-month expiration rather than 90-days.

I'm excited to welcome Sara and Jen into the studio ahead of my scheduled leave and hope that you will join me in welcoming them back into the studio space. Registration is open now!

Jen Williams will be teaching a Spinal Health Yoga class beginnin next Wednesday, January 14th, from 6pm - 7pm.

Sara Flood is teaching All Level Flow on Saturday mornings beginning Jan 17, 24, and 31st.I am

 I am very optimistic about the future of the studio and my completion of the massage therapy program. I have an amazing medical team taking care of me, and the amazing support of this community.

With deep gratitude,

Hope

February 9, 2025

I thought it might be nice if I took time to make updates here on the studio website. There is a lot of chatter about people moving away from social media and perhaps this will be another way we can stay connected. You are always welcome to send an email to ironzenyoga@gmail.com

At the studio, we are halfway through the Beginner's Series. My new baby yogis are doing amazingly well!! I have had a few people inquire about the next session. Last year I only offered it one time, but it seems like we may have enough interest to host a second training this year. Would this be a class series you would be interested in attending? It's 8 weeks of breaking down sun salutations, common poses, and learning about the 8 Limbs of Yoga. If so, please send me a message and let me know you are interested! 

The days are beginning to grow a bit longer and that makes me feel better. I am longing for sun and green grass. We are in the thick of S.A.D. season and we have to do all that we can to combat it! How do you keep your spirits lifted during this season? I have been looking over seed catalogs and trying to jusitfy purchasing pink dandelion seeds. ;) Can you imagine my neighbors faces as the seeds land in their yards and they have pink dandelions too???  I jest. Mostly. I have been thinking about what I can grow that we will use and I can preserve successfully. Do you plant a garden or are you considering a patio planter of tomatoes and green peppers? There's something to be said about growing your own food and knowing where it came from! 

I wish you well and hope to see you out and about soon. Keep your chin up and know that you are loved! If you feel compelled to respond, send an email. I'll write back! 

With much love,

Hope