Brenda Ross, owner of WHoly Formed Yoga & Wellness in downtown Garland, suffered excruciating back pain until she discovered chiropractic adjustments and yoga about 10 years ago. Her chiropractor suggested yoga to improve flexibility and it helped her immediately. Brenda no longer requires chiropractic care and continues to be pain free because of yoga.
“I don’t know how to describe the difference it has made,” she said. “Just the fact that I’m walking without pain is incredible.”
When Brenda discovered how much yoga improved her life, she decided to earn her certification and share her knowledge with other people. Her classes combine the love of God with a passion for yoga.
“To me it’s a ministry,” she said. “I’m not happy if I don’t feel that people leave here feeling better than when they came in. It’s more than yoga. It’s about helping people.”
Brenda is aware that some yoga classes can be intimidating for new students and she is careful to make everyone feel that they belong. Having attended classes where there were cliques or where the instructor obviously had favorite students, she understands the importance of welcoming everyone.
Some of the numerous and varied benefits of yoga include improvements in flexibility, balance, sleep, mood, bone health, muscle strength, blood flow and posture. It can also help lower blood pressure, help with relaxation, strengthen the immune system and help with weight loss.
“It also helps you get to know your body,” she said. “You feel it when something isn’t right.”
The classes are great for all ages and Brenda is able to modify the classes, as well as the poses, for everyone. Additionally, the classes are unintimidating and relaxed.
Classes currently available include:
Gentle flow class – Continuous flow from one pose to the next.
Back to basic class – Poses are broken down for beginners.
Therapeutic class – Participants can sit in a chair or on a mat; helps with mobility, balance, stretching and strength; is for students who have trouble getting up and down from floor or standing for long periods.
Power flow class – Participants move through different poses at a more vigorous rate.
Student Fay Cocke has noticed a significant difference since she started attending classes. Her back is damaged and yoga helps minimize the pain and keeps her walking.
“If I don’t keep stretching, it gets stiff and I can’t walk,” she said. ‘I really enjoy it and I can tell that the pain is worse when I can’t go to the class.”
She described the class as “laid back” and said that Brenda is great about helping everyone.
“She’s really kind and sweet and cari
ng,” Fay said. “And there is a spiritual atmosphere so you can concentrate on God.”
Janet Black, another of Brenda’s students, is happy with her progress since she started attending yoga classes. She said that it has helped improve her balance and strength.
Peggy Marshall has also noticed positive changes.
“It’s been wonderful for me,” she said. “I could barely get up without holding on to the arms of the chair before I started the class but that has changed now.”
Brenda described her choosing downtown Garland for the business as a “God thing.” She and her husband had looked at other locations, but they didn’t feel right. One afternoon when she brought her granddaughters to Breitling Youth Theater on Main Street, she walked around and realized that she loved the feel of the downtown area.
She checked on available properties, met Peggy Marshall and her son Darrell and said that she “found her home.”
Brenda offers a complimentary first class. For more information, visit www.wholyformed.com or call 214-793-1717.