A beautiful space where life force thrives and people heal, strengthen and glow.
Shawn Harrison is a special yoga teacher. She has an amazing way of offering up her in-depth knowledge of yoga wrapped in kindness and beauty. At Yoga Lab, she has created a beautiful space where life force thrives and people heal, strengthen and glow. Shawn guides us through with lightness, humor, wisdom and love.
I used to crave the full-on aerobic quality of a vinyasa yoga class or flow class where I would leave sweaty and feeling like I just had a strength-training session at the gym. I can still enjoy a class like that from time to time, but I understand now that yoga is designed for a slightly different purpose. At Yoga Lab, Shawn is careful to include the other important aspects of yoga (i.e., breathing, meditation, relaxation, form, focus, etc.) that help us to find balance along with strength. I appreciate this as it reminds me to be respectful of my body and allows for a more well-rounded yoga experience. – Jennifer McKinley
One of the things I love best is that we have a focus each month that we discuss and explore at the beginning of each class before delving into the asanas.
When I moved to Kingston last year from NYC I didn't know a soul here. Needing somewhere to go and something to do,I looked online for a yoga studio and decided to take advantage of this amazing deal I found at a little spot down the street-$20 for 2 weeks of unlimited classes! I felt welcomed from the moment I walked into the warm environment of the studio; it was so different from the classes I'd visited in the city which were often aloof or cliquey. At Mudita, people introduce themselves and I quickly found community there. I went every single day for 2 weeks and got hooked.
Grounded and graceful, Shawn Harrison is a wonderful teacher. She is knowledgable, genuine, intuitive, conscientious, kind AND funny and has a great gift for holding space for others. Shawn likes to try new things too so it's never boring! I have enjoyed taking classes with the other teachers there as well, all of who have been trained by Shawn and bring their own unique talents to the schedule of classes.
One of the things I love best is that we have a focus each month that we discuss and explore at the beginning of class before delving into the asanas. It's always thought provoking and really complements the practice on and off the mat. We explore a variety of topics through our book club too and I feel that all these elements create a strong and supportive community that truly sustains me. I am so grateful to have found the gem that is Mudita! – Kate Skwire
I have practiced yoga most of my life. It has always been a home-base of sorts as I moved from place to place. Once I was introduced to Shawn and Yoga Lab, I knew that I could feel at home in Kingston and find a pivot point to be part of the community here. For me, yoga is a form of exercise, both mental and physical. My practice at Mudita has expanded my ideas about yoga and life in general; as I have honed my practice of the asanas, I have also been enlightened by the discussions; the mental exercise has equaled the physical. – Deborah Franklin
My practice at Yoga Lab has expanded my ideas about yoga and life in general.
I can’t overstate the benefits that the yoga classes at Yoga Lab have brought to my life. Shawn’s mindful approach is deeply transformative in a gentle and nurturing way. She has guided me to notice and direct muscles and parts of my body I had never really thought about. A Yoga class at Yoga Lab is not just a stretching and exercise class—though it certainly can be!—but a holistic practice of movement, breath, and conscious awakening that ripples out into all the ways I interact with my body, my mind, my family, my community. Shawn has taught me that the smallest, subtlest shifts can have significant and far-reaching effects. – Karen Levine
I can’t overstate the benefits that the yoga classes at Yoga Lab have brought to my life.
The community that surrounds mudita is such a warm, smart, accepting, thoughtful, progressive group of souls, and its always a pleasure to enter into this welcoming space.
There aren't really even the proper words to explain how lucky I felt to have found Shawn and the Mudita yoga community. Shawn is such an authentic person and teacher, always pushing conversations and so effectively bringing our minds back into our bodies. She is embodies joy and thoughtfulness in her practice and it is infectious. The community that surrounds Yoga Lab is such a warm, smart, accepting, thoughtful, progressive group of souls, and it's always a pleasure to enter into this welcoming space. – Jennifer Lynn Morse
Shawn has a grounded connection to the material she teaches, along with an ability to think outside the box—which I profoundly appreciate because of my physical limitations.
I look forward to spending time with Shawn at Yoga Lab every week and have for many years. Shawn’s depth of knowledge and warm, compassionate presence keep me excited about returning every week. Shawn has a grounded connection to the material she teaches, along with an ability to think outside the box—which I profoundly appreciate because of my physical limitations. She also fosters a sense of community and sharing that creates a connection to the broader world, making my yoga experience more than a private, self-investigation. She’s a treasure. – Rev Diane Epstein
These classes really offer an amazing blend of introspective thought, self care, and bringing awareness to our minds and bodies not only in practice but in our everyday lives.
Where to even begin…I have been coming to Yoga Lab for several years now. Something very individual about Shawn’s yogi approach is just that; approachable. Never have I ever felt so comfortable to be myself, gain insight, and practice yoga in a community setting such as in Yoga Lab’s space (which in its own right is very special, spacious, and beautiful.) The studio is used by several teachers who each have something very unique and kind to offer so there is a variety of methods and teaching styles within the studio itself. Shawn is consistently extending herself to meet any needs, including offering a sliding scale community class several times a week, gentle yoga, a children’s class and more. The studio has even hosted special classes on occasion that will donate proceeds to important causes. I truly feel as though I am a part of an enriched community since i have become a regular at Yoga Lab. I always feel relaxed leaving my ritual Tuesday night community class, no matter how intense or stressful of a week I have had. Shawn is always willing to give gentle reminders; whether to continue to breathe, to be kind while we challenge ourselves or simply to laugh. These classes really offer an amazing blend of introspective thought, self care, and bringing awareness to our minds and bodies not only in practice but in our everyday lives. It is a special experience that I am very thankful to have incorporated in my life. – Ariel Helman
I have quickly come to realize that the busier my schedule is, the more I need to make time for myself, and those minimal tweaks in my posture and breathing can have a monumental impact.
I was introduced to Shawn through the Yoga program at my son's school. My 5 year old son began seeing the benefits of yoga a few weeks into his program, so I decided to give it a try. Having very minimal time for myself, (okay, no time) coupled with the embarrassment of being in the worst shape of my life, I contacted Shawn for 1:1 sessions. I was surprised at how quickly I too was reaping the benefits of practicing. Shawn has helped me be more cognizant of balance, patience and has helped me reconnect with my self. I have quickly come to realize that the busier my schedule is, the more I need to make time for myself, and those minimal tweaks in my posture and breathing can have a monumental impact. – Melissa Skillman
Yoga Lab is on the third floor of the lovely old Burgevin building. As I ascend each flight of stairs my spirit seems to elevate as I look forward to spending an hour caring for my well being. Many large windows fill the studio with warm natural sunlight with the high ceiling creating an open, airy spacious feeling.
I have been practicing yoga with Shawn for many years. She has created a space open to everyone, lovingly encouraging us to unite movement and spirit. An attitude of acceptance permeates the studio creating a relaxed atmosphere. Whether it be a gentle, vinyasa flow, or a restorative yoga class, Shawn guides our movement with patience and knowledge, fostering a safe practice that does not depend on endurance or speed. The ability to breathe is a strong concentration and meditation a supportive staple. My life has truly been enhanced being a student of Shawn nurturing my mind, body and spirit.
I love what Shawn have given me (us) at Mudita! - Marion Boxer
As I ascend each flight of stairs my spirit seems to elevate as I look forward to spending an hour caring for my well being.
Yoga Lab is an important part of my ongoing efforts to learn to "live life with ease" as I work on my physical and emotional well-being.
Yoga Lab is an important part of my ongoing efforts to learn to "live life with ease" as I work on my physical and emotional well-being. I have been attending classes since shortly after the studio opened. The variety of teachers and classes give me the tools I need to regain the strength and flexibility lost to a paralyzing illness. The workshops, focus of the month and connection to the community that Mudita offers is very helpful to me. - Carla Lesh
The first time I attended a class at Yoga Lab, as I walked in the door, a father pushing a small child in a stroller passed by. I heard the child asking, “What does competition mean?” And the father answered, “It’s when someone is trying to be better than someone else.” This little overheard exchange resonated with me in that moment of stepping back into my yoga practice, offering me an opportunity to be conscious of my attitude and desires. So it was that I entered Yoga Lab.
I brought everything in with me; my drive to excel, a body I could scarcely feel, and a craving for the sense of freedom, well being, and contentment I’d experienced practicing yoga in the past. Each of these has been touched and transformed here in ways I had never imagined possible.
First, to soften and shift my harsh demands for excellence and achievement: gentleness. I was invited through Shawn’s teaching to become gentle to myself, and to find an internal direction. She provides suggestions in place of strictures, using phrases such as, “You might want to…” “See if…” “Try…” “Check in with yourself and…” “If it feels right…” “If you need to…” “If it’s useful…” The expansiveness of this guidance was at first profoundly unsettling and confusing to me. Gradually I found it to be a doorway, and I stepped into the uncertainty to find a vast realm of possibility.
Next, to my numbed, disjointed, unbalanced body: sensation and connection. Through the asana practice, I have discovered things which might seem obvious to others, but which I never knew. It almost seems ridiculous that I had to learn that my legs are connected to my body, but it’s like they were just floating somewhere off in space before. It seems I had always been at war with my body. When the monthly focus was on Ahimsa (nonviolence), this began to shift. In a way that has little to do with my own choosing, at my most central level I found that I accepted this principle. What followed immediately was a reorganization of my relationship with my body, and I began to be at home in my physical form.
Finally, to the hunger for the sense of liberation: fulfillment in each step. In the past, I strove to reach each sublime moment in my practice, to bring my body into a certain shape, to attain the summits and pinnacles, the consummate experiences. I pursued my idea of success and enjoyed the accomplishments as they came. Yet one day Shawn talked to me about standing on my feet, and the depth and richness of that posture. Perhaps this is when I began carrying my practice out beyond the mat. I found I could practice everywhere! Since I loved doing yoga so much, this was initially thrilling, and ultimately a realization of the essence of the practice - to bring attention and awareness into each moment, so that each step of the way is equally valuable, be it standing on the mountain peak, on a rough, steep climb, or meandering through a valley.
Through the gifts given to me at Yoga Lab - the asana practice, pranayama, meditation, and discussion - I have discovered a haven which I continually return to with gratitude and joy. - Clara Diamond