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As I was walking up to the unassuming four-story building on Allegheny Avenue that is home of Life Line Power Yoga, I was a bit nervous. My only experience with yoga was at a different location (Charm City Yoga) about one hundred feet down the same street. There was a time when I considered myself a near “regular” at Charm City, attending one class per week. I confessed this to Life Line owner Sid McNairy before asking him to explain a little bit about his studio. He was completely understanding and stated he wished Charm City Yoga of Towson and its customers all the best.
It didn’t take long for me to understand the reasons why he remains so unthreatened by competition. What sets Life Line apart from other yoga studios in Baltimore is that it is donation-based—though after spending a short time with Sid in his studio one can tell it’s much more than that. It is his vision for his studio; a place where people of all ages, races, from all different backgrounds, professions, and walks of life, come together for one reason: to improve the quality of their life and to get help.
This was the driving factor that pushed Sid into this path to begin with. He started moving in this direction around 1996 , when he coached college football and used yoga to help a particular student heal from physical injuries. He repeatedly found himself in the position of helping people improve their lives, be it recovering from injuries or in the gym getting fit. He recalls the gratification he felt in being able to help just one individual, and see them improve. The donation aspect of his studio goes along with his belief that all people need help, and nobody should be unable get help because they can’t afford it. Likewise, Sid acknowledges that what one person is used to paying for yoga sessions may be much different than another person, so he trusts everyone to pay according to what they can give and what they consider fair. Sid agrees this is a step of faith on his part. As he puts it, it’s a lesson for everyone, “By doing things this way there is a more spiritual space to be held. It is truly building a community, and people feel that energy, and they spread it.” Sid and our community have created a special place, one open to anyone and with the potential to improve participants lives innumerable ways.
LifeLine Power Yoga
111 Allegheny Avenue
Towson, MD
410.627.5219
Tags: Life Line Power Yoga, Sid McNairy, Towson, yoga
Filed Under: Community Feature
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