Hot House Yoga

Integrity, Mindfulness and Community Spirit

The Hot House Yoga was founded in 2006 by Shelly Kwiatkouski aka Uma Dasi with an intention to create a spiritually aware and socially active environment centering around one of the most ancient practices available to the modern world, Yoga. By offering a variety of Yoga and movement classes, we hope to create a space for practice that embodies integrity, mindfulness, and community spirit. As we see it, the practice of yoga challenges individuals to lend attention to the continual dialogue existing between body and mind, thought and feeling, awareness and action. Thus, in a world that continues to draw us out of our bodies and toward the external, the practice of yoga works to integrate and align the demands of daily modern life with the quiet truth of who and what we really are.

At Hot House Yoga, we believe that it is the connection to ourselves, to each other, and to our local and global communities that enables humanity to move towards the greater awareness that can inspire a spiritually-based social activism. In offering a space for daily yoga with teachers from a variety of traditions, we strive to honor the roots and origins of the practice while at the same time building a meaningful framework for doing this practice today. Along with a full schedule of yoga classes, lectures and workshops, Hot House Yoga has developed an Advanced Study / Teachers Training Program, a comprehensive, on-going educational program designed to offer students a setting to explore and experience the depth and breadth of the practice.

About Hot House Yoga

Hot House Yoga is a unique yoga studio and lifestyle center dedicated to the complementary practices of Bikram (the original “hot yoga”) and Power Yoga (a heated style of Vinyasa yoga). Hot House Yoga draws aspiring or continuing students from North, Central and West Volusia County, Orange City, Deland and beyond.

We were the first yoga center in Northern Florida to offer a combined program of both Bikram and Power Yoga classes varying in length from one hour to 90 minutes in a heated studio. The heat warms tight and tense muscles, coaxing them to safely move into new levels of flexibility. Some of our students find that one style suits them better, though most enjoy the benefits of integrating both yoga styles into their regular practice.

Hot House is a diverse yoga community you’ll soon be warmly welcomed into whether you’ve just walked in the door for the first time or have been practicing for decades. New students are often surprised to see that the ‘average’ hot yoga devotee is anything but typical here. Professionals, soccer moms, spunky seniors, mid-life movers and shakers, tattooed college students, recreational athletes and lifelong yogis and yoginis all supportively share studio floor space at one of our 20 weekly classes led by an inspirational team of instructors. Why would such a diverse cross section of ages, sexes and sizes willingly gather for regular practice in our 98-degree studios? The short answer is: hot yoga helps everybody feel good and look better. Come join us.

Want to know a little more about us?
We are not owned by or affiliated with a larger entity (as many studios are these days). Hot House Yoga is owned and operated by one small, dynamic entity - our own Shelly Kwiatkouski her personal practice began in San francisco with Meditation in the early 90’s. Shelly dabbled in the physical practice but never took it too seriously until much later in life and pretty much plays in all styles of yoga today.

Shelly purchased the then known as Ormond Beach Bikram Yoga Studio, and transformed it into what we know today as Hot House Yoga. The studio rapidly grew in numbers of classes and in reputation. Shelly developed her own yoga programs integrating Vinyasa Flow, Yin Yoga, Core Meltdown, and Sacred Music. Hot House Yoga teacher training, built around the idea that teaching yoga is itself a practice and that Hot House yoga is a seamless integration of vinyasa, precise alignment , meditation of mindfulness and compassion.

Through all the growth and change of the studio (and the yoga world) that has happened since Shelly Kwiaktkouski started hot house yoga, one phrase -- "Be the change, you wish to see in the world.” -- still drives the behavior of all the teachers and staff.
When you come to Hot House Yoga, you'll feel it.

Common Styles of Yoga
Gentle Yoga: Gentle yoga can be as dynamic as some of the more vibrant styles, yet is gentle on the body. Classes are often multi-level and do not assume prior yoga experience. They include breathing techniques, warm-ups and basic postures to increase mind-body connection, self-awareness and self-confidence.

Yoga Flows: Yoga flows are more invigorating. Postures are linked in a flow and provide some aerobic components while also improving strength and coordination. The classes assume a participant begins with a certain degree of strength and endurance.

Power Yoga: This dynamic yoga style includes specific sequences designed to build strength and stamina. These classes are often recommended for people with some familiarity of the basic postures.

Fitness Yoga: Fitness yoga is a newer expression designed to incorporate traditional yoga postures in a form common to most fitness clubs. Students warm up, practice more strenuous postures and then cool down. They tone the body, especially the core, and increase flexibility, balance and mind-body awareness.

Specialty Yoga: Yoga can also be customized for the special needs of a broad spectrum of groups including expectant mothers, seniors and children, as well as for those battling life-threatening diseases or debilitating chronic conditions. Specialized training is important for teachers who work with these groups.

Spiritually-Oriented Yoga: Originally, Hatha yoga was primarily a tool for spiritual growth as well as for physical well-being. Modern styles that emphasize the spiritual dimension of yoga practice tend to involve slower movement and often include meditation practice.

Therapeutic Yoga: Yoga therapy is the adaptation and application of yoga practices and techniques to help those facing health challenges manage their condition, reduce symptoms, restore balance, increase vitality and improve attitude.