A physical therapist and business owner, Yvonne Lowery, 56, had always valued staying active. But in 2013, a herniated disc and debilitating severe sciatic nerve pain forced her to rethink her approach, especially as she strived to maintain her stamina while raising her two daughters. In searching for relief, she discovered yoga and was able to avoid surgery and remain pain-free. Now, regular classes at Hot Yoga Plus and at her home studio have brought Yvonne an invigorated sense of purpose and playfulness, especially in her transition to an empty nester. “Becoming an empty nester was not easy. It brought a mix of emotions and a sense of change I wasn’t fully prepared for. But through it all, my yoga practice, especially inversions, has helped to carry me through,” she says.
As a physical therapist, Yvonne has always been an advocate for movement and has encouraged her loved ones to make time for exercise. “If I could do things over, I would have incorporated a yoga practice much earlier in my life,” she says. “It’s something you can continue well into older age. It supports longevity and fits even the busiest schedules.”
Today, Yvonne’s yoga practice is disciplined and dynamic, and includes early morning Ellavate Yoga and Yogi Flight classes online at home. At the Hot Yoga Plus studio, Yvonne dabbles in all their offerings, including Vinyasa, Yin, Ashtanga, Handstand, and Aerial classes. Her focus on her inversion practice keeps her pushing to accomplish new goals, while steady flow classes demonstrate t
he power of a well-balanced body and mind. “Every new balance feels like a goal achieved, and I hope to pass this on to my children, who’ve already embraced it. For me, yoga is something I can do forever,” she says.
While time was once her biggest challenge as a working mother, her current season as an empty nester has forced Yvonne to face the emotional adjustment of change, but through it all, her practice helps her to remain steady. “Small wins in yoga keep me going, and provide inspiration and a healthy distraction,” she says. For Yvonne, her practice and fitness are about growth and possibility, whether that means mastering a new inversion or staying active enough to explore the world alongside her family.
By Zoe Harrison
Photo by Tindall Stephens
