Aerobics

Yoga

Barre

Anonymous

IP location

A mind that needed to settle, a heart and body that needed to heal…. Eric came to Yoga, in the summer of 2013, after the sudden and tragic loss of his wife and life partner of 28 years. Becoming a single father of five children and having a highly stressful career in law enforcement, he began to draw upon his previous athletic endeavors, running and weight lifting, to fill the space. Being somewhat competitive, by nature, this quickly led to extensive effort and resultant injury from overuse and fatigue. A close friend and yoga instructor, Kim Quinn, suggested to Eric try yoga. With One Love Studio, being only a vision and in the planning stages, she took him to meet Charry Shakti Morris, who was doing a small group yoga class, in the studio above her garage in Hudson, Ohio. Yogarage, as it would be called, would be his first experiences with what would eventually become a lifelong journey of yoga. When One Love Studio opened, in the fall of 2103, Charry and Kim encouraged Eric to join the studio to further his experience and practice. Eric found One Love Yoga studio to be an amazing collection of yoga instructors who had a passion and commitment to teaching and bringing yoga to everyone they met. Of his initial One Love Yoga experience, Eric would say, “If it had not been for the wonderful, caring and nurturing experience of the One Love teachers, I likely would not have stayed with the studio. I was at a tipping point in my life and seeking a new normal. Their dedication and commitment to teaching their students was nothing short of amazing!” Prior to yoga, Eric was always doing something athletic. An avid runner and weight trainer, he continues these activities with a balance of yoga to maintain overall fitness, flexibility and strength. In his twenties, Eric became a student of martial arts. He studied under the styles of Tai Chi Chuan and Northern Shaolin Kung Fu. When he started yoga, Eric noticed the overlap of these ancient art forms in many of the yoga poses. Some of Eric’s flow, in classes, infuses these styles to link breath with movement. “Learning to be able to breathe and move again, was critical for me. This was one of the most amazing things yoga has taught me.”, Eric would say. Through Charry Shakti Om, Eric was introduced to Hatha yoga, in the lineage of Sri Dharma Mittra. Eric learned from several of his master teachers in seminars and retreats that Charry hosted. He has learned and studied the chakras, yamas and niyamas and pranayama (breath). He also learned fundamentals of Thai Massage. For her guidance, friendship and mentoring he is eternally grateful. Eric tries to incorporate these teachings in to his classes and focuses on meeting the student where they are at. “I know firsthand how hard it can be for someone to come into a yoga studio and try to settle the mind and practice. We all carry so much. I like to meet students where they are that day, this week, in life and on their mat to help them discover the benefits of yoga. Eric recently completed his 200 hour YTT training with One Love Yoga in April 2016. It was an amazing experience and opportunity for which he is eternally grateful. Eric’s final advice to any new student of yoga, “Be receptive, yoga has much to offer.”

Eric Dreger

Instructor at One Love Yoga