Once we had returned from India, and hit the ground with a zenned out bump, over a glass of wine conversations turned to how we might go about creating a "London" Yoga studio.
We were fairly clear on our aim, to create a space that worked for City based professionals, we understood that it was hard leaving your desk in the City. For me heading out to a class in Primrose Hill meant leaving my desk at 5:45 to get to a 6:30 class made me feel uneasy and guilty (normally I didn't leave my desk until 7:30). The journey nearly gave me a heart attack as I rushed into class 5 minutes late before collapsing onto my mat in exhaustion (this was only at the beginning of the class!). Wouldn't the world be a better place if I could go to a class when I chose to, that was a walk away from my office, and would allow Yoga to fit into my life rather than shoe horning my practice in when I could?
Speaking to friends and colleagues who were experiencing similar situations we thought we were onto something and began putting together a more formal business plan, based on the conversations we were having. It soon became pretty clear that there were a number of common complaints that could easily be rectified through adopting a new attitude towards running a Yoga centre:
A twenty-first century take on Yoga, reflected in benefits not life style sacrifices. We wanted to create a space that appealed to people who appreciated the quality of mental and physical work out that they got on the mat, but equally appreciated a glass of sauvignon blanc at the end of a long day in the office (I said there was a theme).
This gave us the confidence that we needed, although perhaps less evidence than our parents would have liked, to take the plunge and gave up the security of well paid jobs!
One crucial decision still remained.... To name our business.
What does one call a Yoga Studio? We needed a name that was memorable, and stood for everything that we believe in, reflecting a contemporary attitude, whilst remaining faithful to the history and culture. A quick search on Google will show you that there are billions of studios out there with every name from Buddah to Lotus Flower and everything in between.
Blue Cow Yoga came from a discussion involving Sanskrit, a mix up between a cow and an antelope, a bizarre recollection of an image that didn't exist, and an appeal to our perverse sense of humour. But who knows? The great thing about Blue Cow is that it can be many things to many people. For some it has spiritual meaning, for others it represents something different. Ultimately we want Blue Cow to be a space shaped by you and our name is just the starting point!
Speaking to friends and colleagues who were experiencing similar situations we thought we were onto something and began putting together a more formal business plan, based on the conversations we were having. It soon became pretty clear that there were a number of common complaints that could easily be rectified through adopting a new attitude towards running a Yoga centre:
A twenty-first century take on Yoga, reflected in benefits not life style sacrifices. We wanted to create a space that appealed to people who appreciated the quality of mental and physical work out that they got on the mat, but equally appreciated a glass of sauvignon blanc at the end of a long day in the office (I said there was a theme).
This gave us the confidence that we needed, although perhaps less evidence than our parents would have liked, to take the plunge and gave up the security of well paid jobs!
One crucial decision still remained.... To name our business.
What does one call a Yoga Studio? We needed a name that was memorable, and stood for everything that we believe in, reflecting a contemporary attitude, whilst remaining faithful to the history and culture. A quick search on Google will show you that there are billions of studios out there with every name from Buddah to Lotus Flower and everything in between.
Blue Cow Yoga came from a discussion involving Sanskrit, a mix up between a cow and an antelope, a bizarre recollection of an image that didn't exist, and an appeal to our perverse sense of humour. But who knows? The great thing about Blue Cow is that it can be many things to many people. For some it has spiritual meaning, for others it represents something different. Ultimately we want Blue Cow to be a space shaped by you and our name is just the starting point!
Frances
ReplyDeleteHow's it going? I'd like to write a blog about you and this project. Would that be a good idea?
Steve