What our Students Say

We are honored to share real quotes from our students about how yoga has enhanced and changed their life……

Please email us your yoga stories to info@InnerPeaceYogaTulsa.com!

Dear Meghan,

Just wanted to say THANK YOU for creating such a lovely yoga sanctuary in Tulsa! My sister and I so enjoyed Christine’s class Easter Sunday and were so appreciative that you all had a few scheduled. Here’s wishing you, your instructors and families continued success and happiness. Many many blessings!

Namaste,

–Chappell Westlake, Los Angeles

 

Being new to yoga I was considerably nervous starting out, but from my very first day Meghan made me feel very comfortable because of her uplifting, supportive, and gentle nature which inspires me to explore myself and my world through yoga. Practicing yoga on a regular basis has made me aware of the tension that I carry in my body and the importance of releasing it. Inner Peace Yoga is my safe haven. When I am in my yoga class, I can totally tune out the world’s demands and expectations of me and I always leave feeling invigorated and restored.

–Sasha, 31, medical sonographer

 

I love going to Inner Peace yoga classes, which are held in a beautiful new studio with windows overlooking a wooded creek. The instructors are competent, motivated, and fun. No two classes are ever alike, so students are constantly learning new asanas. These are the best yoga classes I’ve ever attended in Tulsa.

–Tamara Pittman, 47, Spanish Teacher Union High School
I originally tried Yoga to learn new stretching techniques (my body has taken a lot of wear the last 25 years on the soccer field, and stretching is a necessity now). I am very impressed with the results, which have all been extremely positive. There have been numerous times I’ve gone to class feeling sore or tired and out of sorts and left with a positive attitude, reinvigorated. A great deal of credit goes to the teachers at Inner Peace; they are energetic, positive, and pleasantly instructive. Their enthusiasm and support for each individual in the class is very evident. I wish I’d found this place 10-15 years ago!

–Byron Henderson, age 42.

 

What can I say? I have done yoga at other studios, the Y, etc. IPY is THE premier yoga studio in the State of Oklahoma … maybe even in the Southwest. All of the instructors are great. My favorite class is 7:10PM Tuesday Deep Stretch w/Meghan. I do cardio and strength training and find that yoga is the perfect balance to keep my muscles long and lean. It is also the best thing that I do for my mental health.

–Janet Guest, 49, CPA

 

A couple of winters ago, watching the professional golfers playing beautiful courses in Hawaii, I thought “what am I doing to improve my game”? It was cold and dark outside and I felt pretty out-of-shape. Being half-a-century old, I had an assortment of aches and pains and knew I wasn’t up to playing golf well enough to make me happy. A fellow at work suggested I give yoga a try. Ok, what the heck.

I went to a class and stretched out and it felt good. I went to another and the routine was completely different. Every yoga practice is a little different. One thing that is difficult to accept at yoga is that it is not competitive. Yoga stretches are to put you “in the moment” and that is what you need when you stand over a 20-foot snaking downhill putt. You have to make the next shot regardless of what has gone before or what is next.

My golf game has improved - not remarkably, but I do feel better on the course. I stand taller, my back does not ache on the 15th tee box, and disappointing shots don’t ruin the day. Since I started yoga, I did shoot a personal best 78. That score felt as good as the end of a yoga practice.

–John Turmelle, 49, Petroleum Geologist

 

Inner Peace Yoga offers skilled Yoga instruction and a comfortable, peaceful environment where beneficial physical and mental changes can happen. If you let it! As a more than three year student of Yoga with Meghan as an instructor, I have been impressed with her very excellent (Very, very excellent!!) teaching skills, abilities and Yoga knowledge. Her classes have evolved me, an aging male, unfortunately too near 60, into a reasonably flexible, athletic, balanced (OK, OK balanced is probably an exaggeration!) person. The other parts of Yoga, the breathing and the meditation, have given me a means to mitigate the affects of a very stressful career as an IT consultant.
Meghan’s a Stella teacher!

–Bob McQuarrie, 50+ (going on 16), IT consultant

 

My path of recovery from anorexia and bulimia led me to yoga. Eating disorders push passions, possibilities, and people so far from periphery, but the restorative asanas of yoga helped bring my broken body and spirit back to life in a way no therapy had before succeeded. Each pose still feels like a gift – a celebration of life. Holding a more difficult pose is comparable to sitting through an urge to act out in a self defeating behavior. When I pause and breathe through my discomfort, I am reminded that all difficulty will pass.

Encouraged by my yoga-savvy therapist, I found myself at Inner Peace Yoga. It has been a year now since I have been hospitalized for my illness, and yoga has been such a vital part of that. Coming to Inner Peace and stepping on my mat is like coming home. My hour of practice, relinquishing judgment and radically accepting what the current moment holds, serves as a model for the other 23 hours of my day. My body becomes beautiful not because of its size and shape, but because of the breath it sustains, the movement it makes, the life it upholds.

I’m hardly perfect, but I accept that life is not going to be. Sometimes I still get anxious, and there are even days I have to forego going to class altogether. I don’t practice when my negative inner dialogue only wants me to go for “calorie-burning” purposes. The yogini within turns these voices off and knows that sometimes my best practice is done off the mat. I have found a new passion for life in yoga, and through Inner Peace. With the stillness I’m finding through my recovery journey, I will forever aspire to “Be The Change…”

-Christie C., 24, Actress/Singer/Yogini

 

To all the other warm and loving people of “Inner Peace”

I thank you…for introducing me to a new dimension of living. I am a Christian, who truly seeks to put Jesus first in all that I do. I have 10 children and I home school them. I have learned what it takes to live at peace, most of the time, in my somewhat crazy life. A dear friend gave me a gift certificate to try out yoga for 6 sessions. I was skeptical at first and didn’t know what I was getting into.

I loved it so much and immediately felt the benefits with the first class.

It calms everything and defuses all stress. It empowers one to a euphoric state of being, enabling me to return to the heavy load I carry - with complete peace and a strong sense of well-being and “all’s right with the world”. Primarily consisting of deep stretches and deep breathing, it is amazing to me how it enables me to truly focus my heart on all that matters most to my life - as it clears away the fuzziness and distractions of life.

An interesting note - As I began to do research into all that yoga is - I learned that over 25,000 Americans are now actively doing it and over half are Christians.

I would like to share with you a couple of quotes I found in my research –

“Yoga is the practice of disciplining the mind, body, and spirit to optimum capacity.”

“Yoga will enhance rather than interfere with your religious identity.”

“Yoga is the systemic method of joining all the powers of body, mind and soul to God.”

“Yoga provides focus and balance, allowing people to apply themselves more fully to all other facets of life.”

“Yoga is not a system of prayer, and practicing it does not conflict with anyone’s personal religious beliefs. Rather yoga complements a person’s faith system, by energizing the body and making space in one’s mind for focusing personal thoughts and prayers.”

And one last thought - I love the way every class ends - with the teacher saying “Namaste” and the pupils returning the greeting - which means “The Divinity in me bows to honor the divinity in you.” BEAUTIFUL!

-Toni Lee Fowler, Mother and Home school Teacher of 10

 

My name is Jan Calabrese and I am a “Meghan addict”. I keep busy with my 2 home based businesses “Total Care” and “A flower Fetish” in addition to staying very active with my 3 children and 4 grandchildren all of which live in Tulsa. I discovered Meghan by accident at St. Francis Health Zone years ago because her Saturday yoga classes started after my Pilates class. I decided to try it and it is exactly what my body needs. I can see the benefits and recommend it to everyone I see-everywhere I go!

–Jan Calabrese, 60, retired School Teacher

 

I have found Inner Peace Yoga of Tulsa to be a very ‘enlightening’ place to practice yoga. I have had the benefit of taking classes on many different levels from all of the instructors. All of the instructors make me feel very safe, in not injuring myself, but getting the most out of my practice, due to their training and focus on technique. The studio is a very ascetically beautiful and peaceful place…we are always surrounded by incense, candles, green plants, and fresh flowers, and we are fortunate to look out upon nature in each season…the snows, the squirrels and birds, and the trees. .. it is a retreat in itself. Most importantly, the practice has helped me focus on the “inner” self, not the “outer” and finding peace.

–Angela Summers, 51, Asst. Professor of Nursing

 

Over the years my doctor listened to my descriptions of pain and stiffness, but offered nothing other than various over-the-counter pills and lotions providing temporary, symptomatic relief. The pain and stiffness worsened over the years and I finally took a friend’s advice to try yoga. I met Meghan who talked about her new yoga studio opening in October 2005. I liked the idea of starting yoga in a brand new studio. But most of all I liked Meghan’s energy, commitment and vision. Earlier, I had the notion of trying out all the studios and yoga instructors. But, as I attended each class, I encountered one dedicated, seasoned, and professional instructor after another. My first notion soon gave way to a sense of having found a yoga home. Without reservation I recommend Inner Peace Yoga for the variety of classes and dedication in each to excellence.

The finest recommendation of all…years of chronic pain have begun to melt into days without pain. Best of all, I rarely awaken with chronic pain. Namaste

–Barbara Branstetter, 67, retired UCLA administrator after 28 years. Barbara holds a PhD in Mesoamerican Archaeology with a specialty in ancient ceramics. Now, she is a full time yogini

 

About 18 months ago, I had a running/stair-climbing injury - the first real pain in my 30+ years of vigorous exercising. I decided to try yoga, as I had heard it could be therapeutic and healing for injuries. Admittedly, in all my previous years, I had neglected two very important aspects of working out - stretching and strengthening. Now I had what doctors were calling a possible “overuse” injury as a result. I tried several yoga classes at the health club where I was a member, but noticed quickly that my favorite class became Meghan’s. She was so helpful with pose modifications so as to help my injury and not make it worse. Her energy, style of teaching, and overall knowledge of yoga prompted me to follow her and continue to attend her classes when she opened Inner Peace. These things, along with the beautiful setting she has created in her studio have become something my body and mind have started to crave. Too many days without her classes, and I realize something’s missing - I just don’t feel right. Yoga has become and important part of taking care of myself; it is a total workout experience.

I have recommended Inner Peace to many friends who are “thinking of trying” yoga. Though my yoga experience is limited, I am confident there can be no better studio to attend, and that there is no better instructor to introduce them to than Meghan. She is a beautiful, successful, happy, confident, soulful young woman whose enthusiasm and energy radiate to everyone around her. Thank you Meghan, for helping make me better!

–Sandy Huber, 53, Proud mother and yogini

 

Dear Meghan and Inner Peace Yoga Studio,

I would like to thank you for volunteering your expert instruction for the children and teens of South Broken Arrow! This was such a wonderful experience for the children of Broken Arrow to Relax and have their horizons expanded while having fun. You have such rapport with young people.

Maintaining order in a crowd of 35 kids is no small task and you accomplished it with grace and serenity. The animal poses and salutes were both fun and beneficial for the kids. Your yoga instruction teaches strength and discipline and the children responded with curiosity and respect. I know the children in attendance were a test of your serenity, but you rose to the challenge beautifully.

Teenage girls have their own intricacies in order to maintain a balance of fun and learning and you were truly an inspiration! Our teens were impressed with your strength and flexibility, plus having a great body did not hurt either! Marilyn wanted to add: I am trying to be strong and tall as a tree (although a short and stubby one) since I realized age has diminished my balance. It was an eye opener for me.

We truly admire your professionalism and flexibility! You have such a good message of centeredness and relaxation to share with young people. The world is a tough place for kids and knowing how to relax is essential for their well-being. Libraries and books feed your head and yoga feeds your body and soul.

You and your family are good friends to South Broken Arrow library - thank you for making our summer oh so yoga!

Best of everything!

–Kristen Gettys, Children’s Librarian & Marilyn Bentley, Young Adult Associate; South Broken Arrow Library

 

I like Mary’s yoga class because she always starts the class with a theme or subject to ponder (if I can) while trying to forget that my muscles are moaning. It also makes me go inward and think. She coaxes us into difficult poses with her smooth, soft voice while at the same time reminding us to ‘do what we need to do to take care of our body.’ I also like the way she works the room and interacts with us to help get a pose correct. And just when I think I’ve got it right, she raises it to another level. She definitely provides us with a good workout.

–Vivian Snoddy

 

I have been practicing Yoga at your studio since Jan. of this year (8 months now), and not only do I feel so much stronger, but the calmness in my body is so much more pronounced. Coincidentally, I have been taking a class at my church on being a Mary or a Martha in today’s world, and I know that Yoga has definitely helped move me in the direction of being more of a Mary.

Also, coincidentally, the classes I attend are taught by Mary. Mary knows how to challenge us to our capacities, all the while keeping our bodies in safe places. I wish I had discovered Yoga years ago. But, now that I have, I am in it for Life. Thanks for making your studio such a professional, clean, friendly atmosphere where I truly can discover my “inner peace” through yoga.

-Nancy Pilcher, (age 50 as of yesterday!)

 

Yoga at Inner Peace has changed my life. I was advised to practice Yoga for stress relief, and have found so much more. I have learned to breathe

(finally!) at the age of 52 and am learning to be mindful and in the moment.

I love the feeling of strength and power that flow through me as I work through the poses. After spending the past five years going to physical therapy, visiting a chiropractor and going to the gym for strength training in order to relieve the pain in my lower back, I found that strength and pain relief within three months at Inner Peace. I shed 20 years every Saturday between 10:30 and 11:30 am! I’m afraid I have been spoiled though - I have never encountered instructors as knowledgeable, professional and caring as those at Inner Peace. Each instructor and each class truly has its own flavor. The instructors work to create a feeling of non-competition and bring the focus to exploring and observing what your body can do. The spiritual aspects of Yoga are what really have been amazing to me, however.

Freeing one’s mind from daily busy-ness really results in some wonderful experiences. In closing, I say ‘thank you, Megan and staff’! You’ve become a part of my life, and a better life it is!

-Barbara DiFazio, 52

 

I love coming to Inner Peace Yoga because the experience allows me to practice living in the present. So often during my everyday life I find my mind “sleeping” in the past or the future while the present is not experienced. My experience of the present begins at Inner Peace Yoga when I walk in the door and Sunny’s smiling face and bubbly energy connects with me. I experience the often exotic scent of beautiful candles and hear the soothing sound of the waterfall. The light streaming in through the windows casts a soft glow across the corridor that leads to the space where I loose my shoes and hang my mat cover. My feet feel the comfortable texture of the carpet that leads into the studio. A buttery cork floor greets me as I scan the room and notice a foray of greenery outside the numerous windows making it appear as if the outside is coming in with me. I grab some props as I am captivated by the calming music. I stretch out on my yoga mat and begin to observe the flow of my breath and the presence of my body. I am aware of the delightfully sticky sound of bare feet traversing the floor as others enter the room and assume positions on their mats. Meghan’s comforting voice guides me through meditation, breathing and body position which all converge as one as I discover that I am in the present. Seventy minutes later I float out of the studio and into the outside world, better able to meet the challenges of my busy life in the present.

-Betsy Moore

 

Dearest Meghan,

I have had these words in my head and in my heart for a long time so decided it was time to put them on paper.

I want to thank you for everything that you and all the teachers do at Inner Peace Yoga.  First of all, thank you for having the courage to go out on a limb to start Inner Peace.  I went out on a limb once when I started a business and fell off.  So I know how everything can fall apart with just a couple of wrong decisions.  You make it all seem so effortless and easy but  it takes a tremendous amount of hard work and stamina to create such a wonderful facility.

And to all the teachers……thank you.  For your dedication to teach and the commitment you made long ago to persevere and learn this extraordinary practice (even when you hurt your back) so that others, like me, could enjoy the benefits.

Since I have been doing yoga I sing more; I don’t have to take those antidepressants that I have taken for the last 12 years; my body is stronger, and I remember to honor all beings everywhere everyday.  If I’m cranky when I come to class, I’m happy when I leave.  Sometimes in shavasana I cry but am not sad.  If I could have just 2 whishes I would wish for world peace and that everyone could receive the joy that I have received from Inner Peace Yoga.

-MB

 

To Meghan Donnelley and Inner Peace Yoga:

The day that CHANGED and SAVED MY LIFE: During March 2006, I made a phone call that saved my life. For YEARS dating back to age 14 (I am now 29) I suffered from alcohol / drug addiction and anorexia. I was a very functional addict (as functional as you can be on various chemicals). I graduated from college with a Master’s degree, obtained employment from one of the most prominent firms in the world, and was on a downward spiral that could have led me to “Skid Row.” My boyfriend, now fiancé, the love of my life, suggested trying a form of Eastern philosophy as a possible way of healing and dealing with all of my issues. He saw where I was headed and was afraid I wasn’t going to be around much longer, if my life continued as it was. He has a black belt in Tae Kwon Do and was familiar with different eastern healing systems. He mentioned trying yoga, as he and I both realized Tae Kwon Do probably was not for me J. I am SO VERY GRATEFUL that he did. I Googled yoga studios in the Tulsa area and Inner Peace was one of the three studios that popped up on my search. I made phone calls to the other two studios in Tulsa, besides Inner Peace and was kind of “led around” so to speak. My last call during March of 2006 was to Meghan Donnelley, and she answered the phone, I THANK GOD AND ALL ABOVE THAT SHE DID. We set a date for a private lesson, as I am the kind of person that doesn’t like to go into anything new with a lot of new people if I don’t know what I’m doing. The first night Meghan and I met she asked the question, “why do you want to try yoga?” I spilled my guts to her about my years of struggle with addiction. She was so comforting and non-judgmental and told me I was not the first to try yoga for those reasons, and that many more had come before me. That day began my road to healing. It was not easy and did NOT take place all at once, but for the first time since age 14, I found something that gave me a better “high” so to speak than chemicals. Being able to master a forward fold, headstand, handstand, etc. provided me with again a “high” better than I ever got from alcohol / drugs or starving myself for the perfect figure. It is now 2 years later and I am happy to say that I have not had a drink of alcohol or a drug for over a year and a half and I do NOT even attempt to starve myself any longer. I also practice Ashtanga and Vinyasa flow yoga 5-7 days a week. This practice under Meghan’s instruction has given me a life I never thought I’d have. I now have a healthy relationship with my own body, realizing that if I want it to do certain things, I have to give it the fuel it needs. And yoga has become my new and “healthy” addiction. Meghan Donnelley is one of my dearest friends, counselors, and the yoga teacher of my heart. Once again, I THANK GOD AND ALL ABOVE THAT SHE ANSWERED THE PHONE.

Ex-Addict & Yogini