Why Yoga?
I truly can say that yoga saved me. I turned to yoga in one of the most difficult times in my life. I sought it out to strengthen my body, but what I found was that it provided so much more. It brought me strength, it brought me solace, a healthier mind, a community and a space to be seen, and ultimately led to a new passion. Yoga also taught me that perfection, in the yoga room, and in life, is not required. So much more to Inhale…Exhale.
I am forever grateful to the people that lifted me thru this difficult season, not only of course my three amazing daughters (Abby, Audrey & Adelyn), family and close friends that stuck thru the hard times and continue to celebrate the wins with me, but also yoga teachers that inspired me thru their grace, patience, and passion and dedication for yoga.
I became certified to teach yoga to learn more about it, but also to return to my first love, teaching. I love to teach and connect with others, and now Yoga allows me to do just that. It also became a way for me to see more of the world with a like-minded community while embarking on a yoga retreat to Sardinia, Italy.
-Sharon
Why Free Spirit?
While most would think that I named the studio Free Spirit Yoga because I consider myself a “free spirit” which I guess you could say is partially true, however the name was inspired by the flower, the Free Spirit Rose. I frequently visited a local flower shop that showcased this particular flower, and I fell in love with the beauty of the flower, its color, and how it transformed itself from a closed bud into an amazing rose. It became the flower I would stop and buy myself when I needed a mood boost, and it became the
flower by my daughters’ bedside EVERY time they came home from college, to celebrate a success, get through a hardship, return from a trip, or when they lived away and came home to visit. Also little did the shop owner know that when I stopped in the flower shop, and they knew my name, and knew what my favorite flower was, how much those interactions and their kind words helped me through that day. It is a wonder what a single rose with all its beauty and interaction, and kind people, can do.
Why the Studio? Why Now?
When the universe opens up, you must read the signs! When the same exact location of the flower shop I frequented opened up for rent, I knew it would be the spot for the yoga studio. And so…Free Spirit Yoga became a reality. I became even more inspired and touched when I learned that the owner of the flower shop had recently passed. She will never know that she, and her friendly staff and most importantly the Free Spirit rose, inspired me to open the studio in that exact spot.
I hope that you join me and start or continue your own yoga journey, and that Free Spirit Yoga can be part of it! Peace & Power to all those that choose yoga!
-Namaste, Sharon
​A Practice Built on Acceptance, Healing, and Coming Home To Yourself
Kylie's Story
I took my very first yoga class right here in Canton while visiting my grandma one weekend, alongside my childhood best friend. We made silly faces and laughed our way through the class, but it sparked something deeper in me.
At the time, I was living in a small town in Virginia where yoga studios were hard to come by. Years later, when I finally found one nearby, I jumped in wholeheartedly. As a competitive cheerleader, I loved the balance and flexibility found in these classes. But, during my junior year of high school I became seriously ill and was hospitalized, spending months with a PICC line. I was told to rest. Life changed. I stepped away from the practice. It wasn’t until my family moved back to Canton that yoga found me again.
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I was struggling with severe scoliosis and surgery being the only solution offered. I was desperate for another path. I returned to yoga, this time with my cousin Gia, and we began going to classes every day. That daily practice became my lifeline. My pain began to subside. I remembered why I loved yoga in the first place: it met me where I was and offered real relief. I knew I had to go deeper.
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I completed my first teacher training here in Canton and walked away with even more questions than when I started. But I followed that spark to Yin Yoga Training, and eventually all the way to Bali, where I trained in Tantra, Meditation, and Kundalini. That immersion was life-changing, some days spending upwards of ten hours seated, silent in meditation. I developed a self-practice that made my back pain virtually disappear, and more importantly, helped me feel more myself.
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Since then, I’ve continued studying and sharing what I’ve learned:
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Reiki Energy Healing in Indonesia
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Thai Massage & Sen Line training in Thailand
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Retreats with Two Yogis & a Chef
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Sound Healing
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And currently, a four-year Yoga Therapy Degree that I began last fall
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My teaching style has evolved and is rooted in the energy of a pose rather than strict alignment. I believe yoga isn’t about how it looks—it’s about how it feels.
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Today, I lead classes, workshops, retreats, and one-on-one sessions. I’m passionate about building a community where everyone feels safe, seen, and accepted—no matter their age, background, or experience.
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This studio, Free Spirit Yoga, is by the community, for the community. It’s a place where you can come as you are and move in a way that honors your unique story. I believe deeply in the power of showing up for yourself and finding stillness in a very noisy world.
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And for those wondering about the scoliosis? It’s gone. After years of intentional movement and self-study, a physical therapist confirmed what I could already feel: my spine is straight, my rib cage is aligned, and I've grown almost three inches taller. I am back in my body and feeling free.
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