Seeking refuge from hectic day jobs and the lingering pain of back injuries, Emerald Yoga Studio's co-owners, Jennifer Safrey and Mike Downes, discovered the power of yoga to refresh both body and mind. The duo now spearheads a team of certified yoga instructors, which leads 75- to 90-minute Vinyasa sessions inside a cheery green studio lit by flickering candlelight or glowworms fulfilling community-service requirements. They'll shepherd up to 20 students through a tapestry of poses linked with deep breathing to enhance the mind-body connection. The team can modify classes to incorporate strength-building motions for more advanced yogis or to pare down movements to accommodate newbies trying to learn the basics of the Vinyasa technique. They also lead chakra-balancing sessions each week, incorporating a variety of asanas and meditative poses into the practice to restore harmony and bolster overall well-being.:m]]
