Jiva Yoga, founded three years ago by Palisadian Christy Eichler because she ‘wanted to see a dedicated yoga studio in the Palisades,’ has been purchased by Yoga Works, the national yoga school with studios in New York, Los Angeles and Orange County. The demands of motherhood (Eichler has six children) that seemed to preclude her taking Jiva ‘to its full potential,’ plus a chance meeting with Yoga Works President Phil Swain, persuaded Eichler to hand over the reins this month. ‘I didn’t want my commitment–what I built with blood, sweat and tears–to stray from the community yoga studio that it is,’ Eichler said. ‘I had been approached by a few people who wanted to buy Jiva, but I didn’t feel confident that it would remain true to my intention. I felt that Phil understood that.’ Jiva was the brainchild of Eichler, who, with financial backing from her husband Peter and Roger Peikin of Santa Monica, designed it specifically according to feng shui principals. The Sunset studio (just west of Swarthmore) includes one large, airy 1,000-sq.-ft. space in the front and a smaller 300-sq.-ft. ‘healing room’ used for smaller classes and one-on-one lessons. But more than purchasing a facility, Yoga Works’ Swain intends to build on the community ‘that’s already here,’ while offering more programming, especially to beginners. ‘We didn’t just pick up 2,200-sq.-ft. on Sunset, we picked up some very talented instructors and a strong community,’ Swain said. Jiva instructor Kent Harding has taken on a new job as yoga advisor, to help students settle in and find the right classes to suit their individual needs and goals. ‘Our goal is to bring more yoga to more people, so we’ll offer classes for level 1 and 2 students, with the idea that we can refer the advanced students to our Main Street studio,’ Swain said. Other Yoga Works locations include Main Street and Montana in Santa Monica, Westwood, and Larchmont. Swain plans to open a new studio in Westlake Village next month. With a modified schedule for January, Swain said that Yoga Works Palisades will launch a new schedule in February with a broader assortment of classes tailored to the demographics of the Palisades. There will be prenatal and children’s classes and classes for beginners and seniors. While about ’99 percent of the Jiva staff will remain,’ Swain expects to meet the projected expanded programming by providing trained Yoga Works teachers, who currently outnumber existing jobs. ‘We’d like to create a career for teachers and to be able to build courses based on teachers’ specialties,’ he said. Specialties might include Lift Your Spirits, a Friday evening restorative yoga class developed by Yoga Works teacher Julie Kleinman, or Partner Yoga, a Valentine’s Day evening developed by Jiva yoga teachers William and Patti Asad. Yoga Works relies on consistent, quality teachers, who are all required to complete the company’s training, consisting of more than 200 hours and a certification process. Yoga Works belongs to the Yoga Alliance, a national self-regulating standards organization. Swain’s idea is that no matter what class a student attends, he or she will find quality, safe and attentive instruction. Yoga Works is a Hatha Yoga school that focuses on the physical, integrating the thousands of Yoga postures and poses, known as asanas, with movement and breathing. Jiva drew mostly from Pacific Palisades, with a smattering of students from Malibu and Topanga, and focused its programming on morning and evening classes, closing in mid-afternoon. Swain hopes to offer continuous programming by adapting classes to business schedules by providing early morning and luncheon classes. Individual classes are $18, with varying discounts for students and seniors, and for series packages. In addition to classes and special programs, Yoga Works Palisades will continue its retail shop, offering clothes, yoga props and gift items. Although Eichler will no longer be proprietor, she beams with the prospect of staying in touch by continuing her yoga practice. ‘There’s nothing like it in terms of exercise, health, relaxation and stress reduction,’ she said. Contact: (310) 454-7000 or yogaworks.com/losangeles. —————– Reporting by Senior Editor Libby Motika. To contact, e-mail: lifestyle@palipost.com
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