Gratitude by JJ Gormley
It's time to show my gratitude to so many of the people who have helped the Sun & Moon Studio become what it is today.
I'd like to thank my first yoga teacher, Gerta Goldberg, who guided and nurtured me and my tight body through movements I couldn't imagine doing back in 1979. I must also thank my then-roommate Kathy Cox, for signing me up and dragging a most reluctant participant along to my first class.
Stimulated by numerous sources my yoga practice slowly matured during the 1980s. New teachers, compelling books, yoga on TV, and a growing video collection all contributed. In person, on TV, and in her videos, Lilias Folan deepened my love of yoga. Still, I spent as much or more time running or jogging for exercise. Frequently, my yoga morphed into the stretching I did before and after running, but that couldn't prevent my leg muscles from tightening, as well as the occasional injury. In 1990 I ran my last race and became more devoted than ever to broadening my yoga practice.
My husband and I moved to Arlington in 1992 and I continued to teach yoga in my basement. With just a little bit of advertising, my little basement oasis turned into JJ's Yoga Studio. I trained and hired two yoga teachers to help with the growing demand: Susan Mason and Laura Erdman. We grew to 95 students before deciding that we should find some "real" space.
We opened in our current location in April 1995. My mother, Alice Johnson, was instrumental in helping me through the fear and challenges of starting my own business. I could always count on her wisdom, love, and sound business advice; I owe Mom an extraordinary debt of gratitude, not least for making the long commute and for the incalculable hours devoted to launching Sun & Moon Studio. So many others were instrumental as well: Beth Mannix, Anne Costlett, Laura Erdman, Julie Gifford and Tanya Roland come especially to mind.
Those of you who have followed Sun & Moon's frequent improvements to its look, feel, and creature comforts should know that they could never have been accomplished without enormous commitment of friends, relatives, and students. My father, Jack Johnson, and my brother-in-law, Greg Lannes, helped get me out of one construction mess after another. My father continues to help with numerous behind-the-scenes construction and maintenance tasks. And so many of my students, past and current, have contributed a helping hand as we've struggled through inevitable growing pains. Special thanks go to Annie Sullivan, whose interior design ideas are so amply reflected throughout the studio and to Karen Redfern and Peg Covello who have put in more than their share of elbow grease.
When I reflect on the differences between the studio's early days and today, it reminds me of how much gratitude I owe to our current business staff. They furnish the wherewithal for Sun & Moon Studio to provide our teachers and students with an exceptional yoga experience. Enormous effort goes into making the business side of Sun & Moon harmonious. For that, I am so grateful to Susan Mason, Mark Stevens, Alexandra Spaith Evans, Katie Banfield, Joy Balsam, and Justina Brewer. Sue Hodzic, too, has helped transform the look of the studio as we have integrated her retail merchandise from "Moonbeams" into Sun & Moon's everyday operation. Virginia Woodhead's creative talents have helped make our newsletter stylistically so appealing and readable. And a big thank you to all our work exchange volunteers over the years, especially Annie Olson for her enormous organizational skills.
I'm grateful to John Schumacher, who saw the need for several yoga centers in the area to come together and coordinate our disparate activities. John's advice, knowledge, openness, and willingness to share truly exemplify the yogic experience. Through John, I came to know Betsey Downing and Suzie Hurley, who have become kindred spirits. So inseparable have we become that we often refer to ourselves as the Three Yogateers. I thank them for their constant friendship, support, and love.
I've been blessed with so many exceptional teachers. These stand out: Patricia Walden, whose yogic grace and elegance are incomparable; Rodney Yee, whose poetic way of teaching has had a profound influence on my body; Richard Freeman whose use of metaphors and analogies inspires the right hemisphere of my brain while my entire body tries to follow, and John Friend, whose knowledge of the biomechanics of the body blended with an open heart and sense of humor is transforming yoga in this country.
And, finally, I am grateful to my husband, Dennis, for keeping our house and me together. He cooks for me, does the laundry, and walks the dog. It all started when I first opened the studio and was putting in long days. But I've let him continue even when my day is not quite as long as it used to be! He has been my rock when I needed stability, my ocean when I needed a place to put my tears, my lotus flower when I needed a lap to rest my weary head. Sometimes he's known as JJ's husband instead of Dennis; he's pretty cool about playing second fiddle to me! I love him and am grateful for all he is and does.
And of course, the studio just wouldn't be the Studio without all of you. I am so grateful to all the students who come in search of the same pleasures and happiness and inspiration that have kept me in the business.