A 30-day yoga challenge hits west Edmonton

By Cheryl Walsh

EDMONTON— Prana Yoga Studio on the west end is hosting a sunrise yoga challenge where students commit to waking up very early for an entire month to practise yoga.

With intricate curtains, a pillow-strewn bench and ethnic wall coverings, Prana, located at #203, 18332 Lessard Rd. in Hawkstone Plaza, prides itself on making guests feel comfortable and at peace when they enter through the front door.

Not only is Prana a place to practise yoga, it’s also a community. Prana holds many exciting events including their 30-day Sunrise Challenge, which is scheduled to begin on Monday, Sept. 26.

Students register to participate in an hour-and-15-minute yoga class at 6:15 a.m. every day for one month. So far, 36 students have registered, but owner Leala Enfield is expecting 20 to 25 more to join the challenge.

There will be a variety of yoga types practised each day, and because so many students have signed up, Prana has opened up an additional studio room to accommodate them and provide a wider variety of classes.

Participants are scheduled to begin the challenge with an opening ceremony designed to teach methods for remaining energized and healthy throughout the month as well as to provide tips on nutrition and supplements from one of the studio’s partners, Health Matters.

Participants are encouraged to arrive each morning in silence to partake in the scheduled class. Once class has finished, chatter around the studio can begin.

“It’s amazing to feel the amount of energy in the room even though no one is speaking,” Enfield said.

Prana held the same challenge earlier this year. Of the 35 participants that began the challenge, 28 completed. Enfield and her staff were surprised with how many people stayed committed throughout the month.

“It was the best thing I have ever done,” said Caroline Haverkort, a previous challenge participant. “Not only did I feel energized every morning after practice, but it also helped me form and maintain a habit of waking up earlier.”

There are incentives for students along the way as well. The studio has partnered with local companies to provide discounts during the challenge. Prana will also have a prize draw at the end of the challenge, along with an entire month of free yoga, for those who complete it. Enfield also says that judging from the spring challenge, the group will be strong and peers will help to motivate each other.

“It takes three weeks to start a new habit, so students can really fast-track healthy habits during the Sunrise Challenge,” Enfield said.  “Yoga is detoxifying, energizing, improves concentration, clears the mind, elevates moods and of course creates flexibility and core strength.

The studio itself is very authentic in terms of Indian décor. Prana also has a wide range of instructors with extensive backgrounds in yoga and incorporates many traditional moves in each class.

“We also add philosophy in ways that are more pertinent for modern western lives,” said Enfield.