Hope is #WhyIYoga

Everybody has their own reasons for making it to their mat. For CPY studio manager Liz Horen, yoga is her friend, her therapist, her medication — her hope.

In 2009, Liz found herself at crossroads. Struggling with a destructive lifestyle fueled by addiction, she knew that she needed to make a dramatic change in the direction that she was headed. With the support of her friends and family, she made the decision to enroll herself into a women’s treatment center. “The state of Minnesota paid for my treatment because, at that time, I had nothing. I was at rock bottom.”

Liz spent the weeks that followed recovering physically and emotionally. She was introduced to concepts that allowed her get past old destructive behaviors and enter a place of restoration.

Just four days after successfully completing treatment, Liz’s father passed away suddenly. It came as a complete shock to her. “I had just completed treatment and was readjusting to life outside of the women’s center when life hit me with this news.” Knowing that Liz was dealing with more stress than at any other point in her life, her sister invited her to yoga.

“My first class was a C1 class at the CorePower Grand Ave. studio in St. Paul.  I signed up for my free week, and I went to class every day during that free week.”

Diving into her free week allowed Liz to realize that yoga was about much more than just the physical practice. “The studio was a place that I felt safe. I realized that yoga paralleled what I had learned in recovery — balance, presence and permission to let go of my past lifestyle.”

After her second free week, Liz had a deep desire to continue building her yoga practice. “At that time, I was living in a halfway house with thirty other women. I heard that the studio had a program that would allow me to clean in exchange for a free membership. I joined the Studio Experience Team and was immediately immersed in the CPY community and in my yoga practice.”

“Yoga gave me confidence that I desperately needed at that time in my life. I latched onto the idea of non-judgment, allowing myself to let go of the shame of my past lifestyle. I felt safe to be myself, knowing that my feelings were valid.”

In 2010, Liz enrolled in Yoga Sculpt Teacher Training. “I saw firsthand that yoga offered something for everyone; each person is able to take something from it. I saw a career path in yoga and I wanted to introduce people to the practice that very literally saved my life.

Today, Liz is the manager of the CPY Grand Ave. studio — the same studio where she took her very first C1 class. “If there’s one thing that I want my students to take away from my story, it’s that behind everything, there’s always hope. Yoga taught me how to find the silver lining — how to get through the tough times. There’s hope, love, and acceptance on the other side.”

Liz Horen

Grand Ave. Studio Manager