“I have the great fortune of owning a family yoga studio,” shares Hartofelis. “I get to know beings before they even enter this Earth; I’m sure the babies of carrying mothers at my prenatal classes have heard me ‘om.’ I get to know young children as well.” Hartofelis recently led 100 third-grade students out in the sun in a “humongous” circle through breathing, flowing and having a lot of fun together.
The oldest yogi she has taught was 83 years old; a woman Hartofelis describes as “a cute little southern belle just coming to enjoy her yoga.” People come into her studio with health issues and chronic pain, while others are very vibrant, healthy and strong individuals with absolutely no flexibility. Some have tons of experience and others have none. “Every day someone walks into my life and it is a whole new experience. There is one big huge personality here that is all spectrums and welcomes all ages, shapes, sizes, genders and races. It does not matter, so that speaks to this path—it is united; it is every one.”
