O2 Yoga Studio owner finds peace of mind in a busy world

MOSES LAKE — Her livelihood is teaching the children, yet her passion is educating herself and others through the 26 postures of Hatha yoga.

O2 Yoga owner Kristin Burke has found a balance here in Moses Lake, transitioning between teaching fourth grade at Midway Learning Center and Hatha yoga instructor. The ties between a healthy body and healthy mind lead to a better way of life said Burke, who received her bachelor’s degree at Indiana University and her master’s at Ball State University.

“A healthy mind and a healthy body do go hand-in-hand,” she said. “Obviously being active leads to being healthy, feeling good and being happy.”

The journey began nine years ago when she started practicing yoga in Chicago. As she developed personally, Burke found a lifestyle she wanted to share.

“I healed some injuries and addressed some diet issues though my own yoga practice and learned how powerful this is,” she explained. “A yoga class is 26 postures, done in the same order every single time. The sequence is scientifically proven to begin healing, whether it’s regenerating tissue in the joints or stimulating your hormones, increasing your immune system. All of these things happen in the course of an hour doing this Hatha practice. The beautiful thing about this practice, if you’re doing it right, it will never get easier, so you always have a challenge.”

Burke opened O2 Yoga Studio on East Broadway in November and has steadily built a clientele and interest in the yoga lifestyle. Both men and women are involved in the sessions. They offer Hatha Hot classes, which are done with the studio temperatures between 95 and 105 degrees. They also offer a blend of yoga styles also done in the heat called Fusion.

“Being in the hot room creates the environment for anyone at any level to build strength by stretching,” Burke said. “It also helps with detoxification because you’re sweating and cleansing the pores. It’s the perfect recipe to begin healing in that hot space.”

Burke splits her time between the classroom at Midway Learning Center and O2, but she has put together a staff of instructors with like mind and a variety of experience. Benjamin Hughey is also certified in Hatha. Libby Sullivan teaches Flow yoga. Annalee Courtright is another instructor and Vanessa Aubart is the studio manager. Burke said they will be adding two more instructors next month.

Where is seems like a time management crunch from the outside looking in, Burke said it’s all a matter of blending balance with a healthy lifestyle.

“I can take strengths from my teaching career and transfer over to what I do in the studio,” she said. “There are those days when it’s non-stop. But when I walk through these doors, it’s like nothing else matters. This really is a passion, but my team is what makes it all possible.”