Essential Yoga Studio

03/13/2026

Start the weekend right with Candlelight Flow with Ashley tomorrow night at 6:00 p.m. Drop in $10.

– Michele 🌷

03/13/2026

We can’t wait to host Darnell soon! This is one of those rare events that’s held at Essential but booked through the facilitator’s site. Confused? Just message us and I’ll make sure you get a link! 💜

Join Darnell for a Breathwork Journey at Essential Yoga Studio this Sunday! If you’re craving space to quiet the mind and reset your nervous system, this is the perfect event for you.

Or… if you’re wanting to explore the potential altered states of conscious, emotional release, and powerful insights that Breathwork can offer, there is so much opportunity to press into the depths and intensity of this journey.

Come as you are, take what you need, and leave more connected & refreshed than when you arrived ☺️

Details and tickets:
https://www.lighthouseeventsandretreats.com/events-1/p/breathworkandpotluck-dx34j-shzxn

Shoutout to .photo for the incredible photo ✨

03/11/2026

I’ve never been happier to be late to a trend (and probably do it wrong too) because look how precious our baby teachers are! 🥹

I sent them springfieldgreenecountylibrary’s post the other day and said “ok, guys, I don’t usually follow trends but who wants to send me baby pictures so I can make this one happen?!” 😂

So this is round 1. Enjoy these angels!! 👼💜

03/10/2026

Sending you all the love in the world as you navigate your Tuesday. 💜🤗

Thank you, jivanaheyman, for supporting my practice today! 🙏

03/10/2026

Yoga is kind of like a superpower. 💫

It helps you slow down, breathe deeper, and handle whatever the day throws your way. A little time on the mat can turn stress into calm and remind you how strong you really are.

Not a bad superpower to have. ✨

– Michele 🌷

03/08/2026

It’s International Women’s Day and I hate to make it about me 🫠 so let’s start with:

Did you know that Essential has ALWAYS been woman-owned? What began in a different iteration some 18 or so years ago by Denise & Michelle, became Essential Yoga with Shari - who I’m FOREVER grateful for as she was my yoga teacher too!! After more than a decade, Shari sold Essential to Miranda - I often share my gratitude and admiration for the two of them navigating COVID together and Miranda’s grit and grace in keeping the doors open through the pandemic. TERRIFYING. 😅

And then there’s me. 👋 On what was the most impulsive and spirit-led move I’ve ever made, I purchased Essential in November 2022. I am in awe constantly that I’ve gotten the chance to learn, lead, and grow this community for almost 3.5 years now. 🥹💜

I obtained my yoga teaching certification in 2021 and, once I stopped saying “oh, I don’t want to teach yoga - I just want to know what teachers know…” (story of our lives - getting out of our own way!), I realized I could support folks’ mental and spiritual wellbeing by being a supportive and inclusive yoga teacher. I’ve leaned into slower, more supportive practices and certifications over the last few years - Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, Chair Yoga, and Prenatal Yoga. Working with beginners, folks navigating grief and trauma, older folks, and pregnant humans is MY JAM. 🙌

I’m your “Start here, go anywhere” gal! Think you can’t do Yoga? Let me change your mind. 🙏

I’ll wrap up this spotlight by saying: THANK YOU for celebrating the women leaders of Essential with me today and for cheering me on! I literally couldn’t do this without you (even though I am a strong, brave woman who gets s**t done! 😉).

(Oh, and I’m cheering you on too! 🤗)

XOXO!! 😘

03/08/2026

We had a phenomenal time diving in to Tarot with Julia Gordon Bramer today! ✨

Thank you for joining us! I’m excited to plan Part II on readings & spreads! 😍

03/07/2026

If you’ve been hanging around here long, you know how big of a heart I have for nonprofits in Springfield - as a human and as a small business owner. 😍

Recently, our friends at On Angels’ Wings shared with me the opportunity for Essential Yoga Studio to be a Guardian Angel - supporting awareness of OAW and helping them reach more families.

OF COURSE I said yes!! 🙌

On Angels’ Wings does seriously BIG incredible work for families experiencing the loss of a child from labor and birth to medically fragile children - they offer support groups and grief therapy, photographs of littles that families couldn’t get anywhere else or any other way, and a sharing of hardship and grief these families literally can’t find anywhere else - from the birth of their child through age 18. They serve much of the Midwest, including Springfield, St Louis, and Oklahoma City. It’s AMAZING! 🤩

Last night, I had the privilege of attending a wine tasting in support of OAW. Here, we got to hear from Adam and Haleigh about the stillbirth of their precious daughter Asali and from Ashley and Kalen about the passing of their sweet girl Annabelle as well as their vibrant but medically fragile daughter Jamysen - the grief these folks are experiencing and the courage they exhibited to share their stories with us and help ensure that the community knows how significant OAW is in the lives of these families was truly inspiring. 🙏

OAW’s Founder & Executive Director is one of the coolest humans I know (thanks, Michelle, for being you!)! I’m so grateful for the opportunity to promote OAW as a Guardian Angel - and, soon, to support their mommas with Gentle Yoga at their upcoming spa day in May. 💜

If you’d like to learn more about On Angels’ Wings - especially if you’re a photographer willing to volunteer your time or looking for a great opportunity to put your money where you’re heart is - DM me or head to their website!

www.oawphoto.org

Photo credit: Michael Scharpf (fuzzfallsforward, inmovingmemory)

03/06/2026

I am TRULY terrible at taking photos of students no matter where I’m teaching. 😂😂

This morning, I had the VERY best time leading Chair Yoga at Schweitzer Brentwood Library. 🧘‍♀️

Extra special thank you to Toni, Julie, James, Christine, Karen, Dave, Camille, Cheyenne, and Shelly for trusting me with your hearts, minds, and bodies this morning! I am so grateful for your presence! 🥰

Join us at the Schweitzer Brentwood Library the first Friday of every month at 1030a to move and breathe in community. No cost. No registration required. 💜💜

03/06/2026

March is Women’s History Month - a time to honor the brave women who came before us.

Their courage and determination helped create opportunities that many of us benefit from today, including the ability to lead and build businesses rooted in purpose.

At Essential Yoga Studio, we’re proud to be a woman-owned business supported by an incredible community of women who uplift and encourage one another.

This month, we encourage you to support women-owned businesses and continue the legacy of women supporting women.

03/05/2026

This week has been flying by and we’re getting so excited for this Saturday’s Tarot workshop with Julia Gordon Bramer! 🎴✨

Listed as one of St. Louis' Top Ten Psychics (Psychic St. Louis) and St. Louis' #1 Fortune-Teller (CBS Radio), Julia has regular clients around the world. Julia’s unique tarot readings draw on A Course in Miracles, Buddhism, the Tao, the Bible, teachings of Neville Goddard, Mythology & Qabalah for wisdom and guidance in any situation. She is the author of Tarot Life Lessons (2023, Inner Traditions/Destiny Books) and The Occult Sylvia Plath (2024, Inner Traditions/Destiny Books), and other works. Julia has appeared on MTV, Nickelodeon, Gaia Network’s Beyond Belief, George Noory’s Coast to Coast AM, Next Level Soul, and many television, radio shows, and podcasts. We're so excited to host Julia!

Julia brings almost 50 years of tarot experience to answer all your questions, offer demonstrative readings, and help you understand how tarot is a toolbox to answer questions and help with life direction. A copy of Julia's book, Tarot Life Lessons, is included in the workshop!

Cool, yeah?? We’ve got a spot for you! Head to the Events page of our website or Facebook to grab yours!

See you there!! 🤗

03/02/2026

If you follow me (Sunni!) on my personal page, you might have seen that I recently (and truly randomly) won a drawing for a garden kit from The Backyard Pantry - From Ours to Yours. This was serendipitous as I had JUST agreed a few weeks prior to represent Essential Yoga Studio as a vendor at Backyard Pantry’s All Natural Festival coming this summer. 🤗

This morning, Backyard Pantry’s owner Cassi and I met to connect and collab in support of the Festival - and I got to pick up my garden kit too! 🌱

Cassi was so kind - she’s so driven and ambitious and it was clear from the start that her heart is in COMMUNITY and in helping people do less of the hard stuff alone. 🥰Leading happier, healthier lives alongside other humans is a shared goal of ours and it felt SO COOL to start my week off with this connection! 🙌

If you haven’t checked it out yet, do yourself a favor and make room for the All Natural Fair on 6/27: a one-day vendor fair chock full of folks helping you lean into health and wellness naturally. Plus, I’ll be offering THREE opportunities to join me for gentle yoga under the trees too! 🧘‍♀️

Save the date! 🗓️ June 27; 9a-4p