Today we’d like to introduce you to Sophia Ludyjan.
Sophia, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I opened the Shanti Kitti Yoga studio in an effort to combine my love of cats and passion for yoga. Inspired by my own cat Alyssa (who actually loved whipped cream more than yoga or anything else), I always admired the way Alyssa would luxuriate in a deep peaceful stretch and fully enjoy the present moment, with no thought given to her whip cream belly or any other worries. As Eckart Tolle says, “I have met many Zen masters, all of them have been cats. Cats really are the original masters of being Zen, completely at peace and fully present in the moment.”
Connecting with the beautiful energy of cats and practicing yoga are two wonderful ways to add more peace and joy to your life. To facilitate that, we offer special yoga events that include adoptable and adorable cats from the Oceanside Humane Society and SPOT to help them find forever homes. We also have a Cat-of-the-Month Club, so if chosen, a picture of your special feline friend is featured and adored all month while you enjoy a gift certificate for our lovely boutique.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
We really opened the studio on a wing and a prayer, meaning very little capital. We had just enough to redo the flooring and buy some yoga props but we were convinced if we offered great classes, people would show up. And some did, but not enough to be profitable until our third year. I also tore my rotator cuff teaching all the classes myself. By the second year, we weren’t sure we would be able to stay open but we hung on and it slowly started to get better. In retrospect, we should have invested more in marketing initially.
Please tell us about Shanti Kitti Yoga.
We are committed to making our yoga classes inviting to all, not just the young and fit. We encourage a non-competitive atmosphere and we have a very friendly, welcoming community of students.
We are most proud of our efforts to help shelter cats find forever homes by raising awareness and money to support that. We have Meowga events, yoga plus cats up for adoption) to foster that.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
The freshly baked cheese danishes my mom would bake.
Pricing:
- 3 Weeks of Unlimited Classes $49.00
Contact Info:
- Address: Shanti Kitti Yoga
3365 Mission Ave., Suite I,
Oceanside, CA 92058 - Website: www.Shantikittiyoga.com
- Phone: 760-717-7535
- Email: info@shantikittiyoga.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shantikittiyoga/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shantikittiyoga
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/ShantiKittiyoga
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/shanti-kitti-yoga-oceanside
Getting in touch: SDVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
