By Scarlett Constand ’16 & Lily Kubek ’17 | Staff Writers

Yoga changes lives. It takes mere breaths and simple stretches to rejuvenate your body, mind and soul. Yoga incorporates strength, controlled breathing and balance to shed toxins of body and mind, to rid people of anxieties and work towards inner peace.

During finals, students need an outlet, a way to relax and release stress from their bodies. Yoga delivers. Students can sweat bad vibes out of their system in a room upwards of 80°F and emerge feeling cleansed, refocused and more in touch with their abilities.

Located in Grosse Pointe Village, Yoga Shelter’s studio is spacious, warm and aesthetically friendly with teachers who bring their own perspective to the yoga practice.

Connection, Yoga Shelter teacher Michael Castile explains is the point of the soothing habit. What Castile loves and believes about practicing yoga is the increase in connection to oneself. He said unknown parts of oneself are brought to life during yoga. Yoga is an adventure into one’s inner being, Castile said.

South students use yoga as a way to release the stress and pressure derived from final exams. Addison Enders ‘17 considers herself a yoga enthusiast, she said. She has attended the yoga shelter since last December and said she has loved every minute.

“Yoga is very calming and relaxing,” Enders said. “It really helps me to clear my mind and just focus on the present.”

The main point of yoga is to let go of any stressors affecting one’s state of being, she said. Enders goes to the Yoga Shelter frequently during final exams to “be in the moment” and forget about her responsibilities.

Health teacher Nicole Westfall supports the notion that yoga contributes to a healthy and stress-free lifestyle, she said. Westfall incorporates yoga into her curriculum in terms of how students should cope with daily mental and physical challenges, she said.

“Yoga is a good stress management activity because it is easy to do,” Westfall said. “You can take a class or watch it at home and just take some time out for yourself during final exams.”

The Yoga Shelter offers a wide range of classes for all levels of experience. For first time yoga-goers, the shelter provides 10 days of unlimited yoga for $10.

For a change in scenery and a psychological break from final exams, Westfall said, yoga is the perfect solution for students to connect their mind, body and spirit.

“I like to have a carefreeness, but still very focused,” Castile said, “but also being able to let loose, close the eyes, have some fun–do it (yoga) a little bit differently. Explore into yourself.”