Here's How Forever Om Yoga Is Heating Up the Yoga Studio

Forever Om Yoga is an Illinois-based yoga studio that specializes in hot power vinyasa yoga. That means they believe in heat! The studio is 93 degrees with 60 percent humidity, allowing a safer way to practice vinyasa. The heat makes it easier to stretch, detoxes the body and creates a more athletic and powerful practice when compared to traditional yoga. According to manager Kelsey Stoll, Forever Om Yoga believes that by pushing yourself to the edge, you are able to grow and show yourself that you are stronger than you imagined.

Patch: What attracted you to the business you’re in, and how did you get started?

Stoll: I first started practicing yoga when I was a sophomore in high school. My mom opened Forever Om Yoga in Lake Forest, and I was immediately hooked. She had suffered from two slipped disks in her back, and I could remember her staying in bed, unable to move from the pain. When she started practicing hot yoga, it was the only permanent cure. Her pain went away, and all of her symptoms disappeared. I noticed with myself that my anxiety decreased, and I gained more confidence in myself. Yoga has always been about connection. It provided a platform for me to listen to myself and develop a stronger identity.

Patch: What’s the most satisfying part of your job?

Stoll: Teaching kids and teens is an amazing experience. You are able to provide your students with positive coping mechanisms to deal with the stress they will encounter for the rest of their lives. You teach them that the tools that are necessary to slow down, focus, and be successful are already inside of them. It all starts with breath. Watching all of the students fill up their bellies “like balloons” and then deflate them has an immediate affect on their attention. We keep them engaged by making the practice fun and connecting the poses to things they are familiar with, such as basketball or animals or plants! I have worked with children from ages 3-12 years old in the South Side of Chicago, North Chicago, and Lake County, and yoga has shown all of the same effects for all of them. Each child feels more relaxed, responds better to instruction, and treats their peers with more kindness after their yoga practice.

Patch: What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given when it comes to success?

Stoll: The best advice that I ever received was from my father. He always stressed an importance on the effort we put into sports, school, or clubs rather than the outcome. He was never hard on us about grades but was always noticing the amount of time we put into something. He wanted us to try our best without any attachment to the final product.

Patch: Do you have any recommendations for those new to yoga?

Stoll: The first book that I would recommend would be The Fifth Agreement by Janet Mills, who takes you through a journey of understanding how to be the best version of yourself. This book is one you can visit many times, and it will always have a different significance in your life. Her writing is clear and easy to follow, which makes it a quick read. The second book I would recommend would be the Power of Now by Eckhart Tolle. This book opened my eyes to the importance of being present and listening to your intuition rather than trying to search for something in your future. This book is especially comforting for those who feel it overwhelming to understand their purpose. Finally, I would request Big Magic. This book was suggested to me by two of my students at Forever Om Yoga. It discusses the empowering nature of letting go of fear. Fear binds us to our own boundaries. Without those boundaries, anything is possible.

Patch: What role does flexibility play when it comes to practicing yoga?

Stoll: Trust me, I have had the conversation, “I can’t even touch my toes,” more times then I can count on my fingers. Yoga isn't about flexibility. It is a practice. The practice is listening to yourself in order to self heal, freeing yourself of fear and experiencing the exact moment we are in. As much of a physical practice, yoga is spiritual and mentally healing. Our teachers are all supportive and trained to teach you variations of poses that work for your body and your practice. We are a community at Forever Om Yoga, and you will never feel left behind or out of place in a class.

Patch: You’re not the only person in this business. How do you distinguish yourself from the others?

Stoll: Forever Om Yoga is different from our competition because of our three pillars. We believe in Flow. Each class is authentic and creative. We never plan our classes before we teach. It is all authentically based on what we see in the room and the movement of energy. We also believe in Community. Forever Om Yoga feels like a family. Everyone is at different levels and with different backgrounds, but everyone is in support of one another, the teachers, the students and our front desk staff. We also connect with the greater community. We have raised money for four different local charities through donation classes. We are currently hosting a Mindful Eating Series, which connects our students to four local farms in the area who come in to discuss their produce and their benefits. We also believe in Love. Yoga is a practice of loving yourself and loving your neighbor. We support one another in their practice and their goals.

Patch: What are some ways that your practice helps injured athletes?

Stoll: Athlete’s Recovery is a class that focuses on preventing common injuries in athletes. Our teachers are trained to understand anatomy and speak to how different yoga poses can stretch the body in a way that will support various sports. For example, tabletop pose with your toes curled under is an awesome stretch to avoid plantar facetious (a common injury in runners). Most of our teachers are also athletes and understand the mind and body of that population.

Patch: How can Patch readers learn more about your work and business?

Stoll: If you are looking to learn more about Forever Om Yoga, please contact Kelsey at managervernonhills@gmail.com. Or visit our website to find our schedule!

Image Credit: Forever Om Yoga

This Patch article is sponsored by Forever Om Yoga.