Esta “Seva” Herold strives to improve the Austin community with the help of yoga and meditation.

Herold’s new yoga center, Seva Yoga, offers locals a way to do yoga and contribute to the community.

Seva Yoga allows people who desire to take these yoga classes pay whatever fee they can afford, and all proceeds go to a charity of the instructor’s choice. Herold’s business partner, Carlos Martinez, came up with the idea to offer yoga classes to the community as a way to serve.

Herold started teaching a single yoga class to faculty, staff and students in the gym at St. Edward’s University in September 2005.

But Herold wanted to expand the experience beyond St. Edward’s and to use it to influence a much larger group of people. She still holds her informal classes on campus in addition to those at Seva Yoga.

The studio’s official opening of Seva Yoga, which is located in the Austin Yoga School on S. Lamar Boulevard, took place March 19. The event consisted of a day of free classes, silent meditation, a vegetarian potluck and live music.

“We have had such great experiences practicing [yoga] ourselves,” she said, “we wanted to include others.”

The classes at Seva Yoga feature 27 teachers that teach 60 classes with differing approaches to yoga and meditation. Herold attributes the success of her yoga classes to word of mouth.

“We teach anything from beginners, intermediate and special classes to help people with hips and lower back pains,” she said.

Leslie Davies, a freshman, took yoga in high school and first started attending Herold’s on-campus yoga classes before getting involved with Seva Yoga.

Davies said that yoga helps her grow as a person.

“I need yoga,” she said. “The idea of Seva Yoga is wonderful and a great way for people to get involved.”

Davies believes in the effects yoga can have on people’s lives, and said it is a way to stay in touch with one’s mind and body.

“It helps people open their minds, which is very healing,” Herold said.

Herold is thrilled to be teaching the classes Seva Yoga is offering. The main point of the studio is to promote service and unity in the community, she said.

“It’s wonderful to be able to offer these classes,” she said. “It lets us come together as a community and meditate. It’s all about serving individually and as a whole.”

Herold said getting the project off the ground was “remarkably easy.” She started with an ad on the Web site Craigslist. She had lists of people who were interested in the project and about 20-30 people decided they wanted to participate.

According to Seva Yoga’s official Web site, the suggested donation for a class is $10. Participants are asked to donate more if they are able to, or less if they cannot afford it.

Like she did with her St. Edward’s classes, Herold said that no one would be turned away if they were not able to contribute a donation.

Herold said it is rewarding to get to teach these classes to the community. Davies said she enjoyed being able to be a part of it.

“I feel like a stronger member of the community,” Davies said. “I have something to offer.”

“[Yoga is] a natural expression of my heart,” she said. “It’s an honor being able to give back. It’s my devotion.”

 

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