At Sanara we offer love and acceptance to everyone that finds their way to into our space. Whether you are a beginner, finding deeper meaning in your practice, or a seasoned yogi, we strive to offer hope. Hope for belonging. Hope for acceptance. Hope for peace. Sanara is a beautiful community of inclusivity. We welcome everyone, regardless of race, gender, culture, religion, or politic preference. In this space, we have the opportunity to be united. United in grace, forgiveness, and personal growth. All of us have challenges and difficult experiences. When this happens… can we allow ourselves to sit with our experience for a minute before we react from our own place of pain? Can we ask ourselves the question… How can I aide in the healing of this situation and bring people together instead of continue to create a bigger divide? These questions have us look deeper into who we are, who we want to be, and how we want to show up for ourselves, our families, and our community. If you know me at all, you know I have given my entire heart and soul to Sanara and making it a safe and loving space for everyone. Every choice is thoughtful, prayerful, and from a place of love. Love for this practice, love for each of my teachers and each member of our Sanara family, and love for the entire community. It is my promise to you, that I will continue to create the most loving and nurturing sanctuary for you to seek refuge and peace in. It is something you will feel when you walk inside our front door. Many people wonder why I chose the sketched black and white elephant to represent Sanara many years ago. I didn’t choose it, it chose me… and this is why… Elephants represent strength and good fortune. They also symbolize health and happiness and are thought to promote spiritual wellbeing in our daily lives. Elephants are strong and nurturing, they are loyal to their family and are determined and protective. All of this represents our space and our community and it is simply majestic and palpable. Let’s break it down a little bit more… Elephant head: a symbol of strength and power. Trust that you can do the tough stuff in life. You can move slowly and be gentle, but you know your inner strength and what you are capable of. Large head: a symbol of intelligence and thinking ability. How can you approach your yoga practice, and life for that matter, with an open mind? Can you engage in conversation and do research that grows your knowledge base each and every day? Be curious and always be a student to learn something new. Large ears: a symbol of the power of listening. Some of the most important messages are delivered quietly. A cry for help from a friend. Your body aching because it needs a healthy lifestyle adjustment. Or your intuition whispering to you to follow the nudge you feel in your gut to go after that goal. Listen intently. Small mouth: a symbol of talking less, and listening more. How can you be more intentional with your words? Will the words you use bring joy to someone or hurt? Can you be concise and deliver impactful messages effectively to people you are around regularly? This also ties back to the power of listening and always being a student. Speak wisely and with compassion. Small eyes: a symbol for a single-focus. There are many distractions the world places in front of us daily. The saturation of social media and the inherent comparison of ourselves to others that it creates. The opinions of family and friends who push you toward what they think is right, but you know that you need to do your own thing. The real struggle of finding a work-life balance. Practice letting the distractions fade away and focus in on what matters the most to you. Be real with yourself and breath by breath you’ll let go of the unnecessary noise that surrounds you. One broken tusk: a symbol of keeping the good and getting rid of the bad, as well as connectedness. It’s a simple reminder that if something isn’t working, let it go and find another way. We can still be strong with less. A single tusk also represents that we are all connected, and because we are different, doesn’t make us less of an “elephant”. We are not our possessions; we are all people and we’re in this together. Large stomach: a symbol to digest all the good and bad in life. Simply put, we don’t know the good without the bad. We can appreciate happiness when we experience lows. Often times we find ourselves growing through the tough moments, take it all in and know that good will be entering your life again soon. It is said that challenges are put in front of us in order for us to grow. Yoga has given me the ability to know my own inner strength and has allowed me to practice grace not only to myself but to others. The black and white elephant was selected intentionally to represent to our community that we all have inner strength and grace. And it reminds us of beautiful life lessons to carry with us as we live our real and messy lives. I am so proud to walk this journey with you. We are a tribe and I am so thankful that you are here. Sincerely, Allison