Business Spotlight Blue Nyla

Article by Emilee Hagewood

Stacey Reynolds was at a point in her life 25 years ago where her health was declining and felt as though something greater than her was calling her to yoga and her life completely changed. Reynolds began attending classes five-to-six times a week and studied under her instructor, who after a year asked Reynolds to teach. Reynold’s church reached out, and asked her to lead a “stretch and tone” class as a way to connect with the community and from there her practice took off. The older community members loved doing yoga and wanted to keep coming back for more classes. Within a year of teaching, Reynolds found herself with an advanced age-specific group that kept growing. Thirteen years ago, Stacy opened her studio and a lot of the same students like Bill Lesher are still practicing with her today. As Lesher practiced yoga more and more, his teachers and peers started to encourage him to take a yoga course, where he could be trained to teach. While Bill was taking part in his yoga training, Lesher’s wife contracted COVID-19 on two separate occasions, which eventually left her hospitalized for weeks. Lesher spent his mornings and evenings in the hospital with his wife, and his days training at the studio. Even suffering through a brain bleed himself, Lesher never missed a meeting and completed the 200hour course at 85 years old.

and pose for a picture at Blue Nyla after chair class. Lesher has been one of Reynolds’s students for years, and recently completed a 200-hour yoga course to become a certified yoga instructor.

Chair yoga is a modified version of regular yoga mostly used by senior citizens and people with mobility issues. It allows people confined to wheelchairs or beds the ability to stay mobile and keep their bones and muscles moving and healthy. Lesher said that without yoga, he wouldn’t be nearly as healthy as he is today. It’s a challenge to keep on going but Lesher remains steadfast in his practices and being a part of the Blue Nyle Yoga community has been a source of inspiration and encouragement for many years.

Anyone who is interested in strengthening their body and mind is welcome to participate. Senior chair classes are held every Tuesday and Thursday at 10:00 a.m. Blue Nyla is located in Park Hill at 3801 John F. Kennedy Boulevard.