Carrie Voda has been practicing yoga for 13 years and has been teaching yoga for the past eight, mainly at the Linden Hills YogaFit and Blooma. Voda first became interested in yoga when a friend invited her to a class. “I was hooked from the very start,” she says.
This summer, Voda will be one of the instructors for the 50th and France Business Association’s Yoga by the Fountain. This free event gives Edina residents the opportunity to try out yoga “without committing,” Voda says.
The event is sponsored by the Linden Hills YogaFit for the second year in a row. “It’s a great outreach into the community,” Voda says.
Voda has continued with yoga for so long because of its benefits. The slowing of mind chatter is important to her. “It’s the only form of exercise that I’ve stuck with,” she says. “It resonates with me.”
Other benefits of yoga include increased flexibility, concentration and strength. These benefits are long-term. Voda says yoga is an activity that can be practiced for a lifetime. Though certain abilities may decrease, yoga is something that can always be done because there are so many different types of yoga and “it’s always accessible,” she says.
Voda believes that practice is the key to yoga. There is no end goal in mind because it’s an “ever-evolving practice.” She explains that there are always layers and variations to each pose.
Yoga by the Fountain started in 2015 as an effort to promote the district, says executive director of the 50th and France Business Association Rachel Thelemann. Local businesses stay open later for the event and exclusive happy hour specials are offered to Yoga by the Fountain participants.
Yoga by the Fountain is held Thursdays at 6:30 p.m. through July and August. Sessions last about an hour.
Happy Hour participants include:
- July 6 - Edina Grill
- July 13 - Beaujo's
- July 20 - Edina Grill
- July 27- Red Cow
- August 3 - Beaujo's
- August 10 - Edina Grill
- August 17 - Red Cow
- August 24 - Edina Grill
- August 30 - Red Cow
Other participating stores include
- Agra Culture Kitchen & Press - Delicious, healthy samples every Thursday
- Scout & Molly's Boutique - Every Thursday, if you come in with your yoga mat before the class, receive 10% off. On July and August 10, Scout & Molly's will provide swag items and water tumblers!
- Athleta - Complimentary tote bags with hair ties and a coupon for $10 off your $75 purchase!
- Title Nine - $9 off bra gift cards to all participants plus a 15% off purchase coupon that would be good through the weekend of the class.
