Iyengar Yoga Kauai was born one rainy day in Lawai, while Ellen & I were practicing. We talked about opening a studio, "someday" when I returned home from my sojourn in California (2011-2016). At the point of our discussion, I was still fully committed to being in CA for some time. However, we discussed our devotion to the practice and understanding of Iyengar Yoga, and what a benefit it could be to our community here on Kauai. I expressed my belief that teachers from elsewhere would also benefit from coming, teaching in the studio, and experiencing the mana of our island.
We discussed the studio idea pretty specifically, even up to deciding Koloa was the ideal location. Later that same day, while surfing, I asked a buddy about commercial real estate in Koloa. Although it wasn't commercial, he told me about a house in foreclosure. I got out of the water, and went to see the house - which had at one point housed a coffee place I really liked. The house was almost hidden by overgrown bushes. 4 ft high grass filled the courtyard, the windows were boarded up and doors stood ajar. The house appeared to be abandoned, so I wandered hesitantly through the open courtyard, around the perimeter, toward the back side of the house. When I saw the 600 sq. ft. lanai, I got chicken skin (goosebumps). Here was our future studio.
In that moment, the vision manifested itself - I knew the house would become mine, and that we would open our studio there. It took another long year to purchase the house, and another 2 and a half years to remodel it, but the studio birthed itself the day Ellen and I imagined it. The process has taught me to trust the process - even when the goal seemed impossible, or out of reach.
“Until one is committed, there is hesitancy, the chance to draw back, always ineffectiveness. Concerning all acts of initiative and creation, there is one elementary truth, the ignorance of which kills countless ideas and splendid plans: that the moment one definitely commits oneself, then providence moves too.
All sorts of things occur to help one that would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events issues from the decision, raising in one’s favour all manner of unforeseen incidents, meetings and material assistance which no man could have dreamed would have come his way.
Whatever you can do or dream you can, begin it. Boldness has genius, power and magic in it. Begin it now.”