Pure Yoga Celebrates 15 Years of Business and Community Service
Johanna Beekman onstage at the Granada Theater. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
By Cole Goodwin
Pure Yoga, a yoga studio in The Dalles known for its free community classes for youth and adults, work with local schools and libraries, and its passionate instructors, celebrated its 15 years of business and service to the community on Friday March 31, 2023.
Festivities began at noon and stretched late into the evening Friday night and included free yoga classes for the community followed by dinner at the Granada Theater and a yoga, mantra, and meditation class led by Johanna Beekman, an internationally known soulful vocalist, conscious music artist and yogini.
Pure Yoga Instructors Amie Digennaro, Samantha Whitley, Addie Gosson, and Shannon Red Cloud were all present at the event.
Shannon Red Cloud, who founded the business in 2008, gave a heartfelt speech about her dream to bring Yoga to The Dalles and brought both tears and laughter to the audience.
Shannon Red Cloud speaking to the crowd at the Granada Theatre. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
Red Cloud had lived in The Dalles until age 10 when her family suddenly had to move to Portland.
“My heart always longed to come back to The Dalles,” said Red Cloud.
But for a time it was not possible.
Then one day, while practicing Yoga Red Cloud heard that words in her head that changed the whole course of her life.
“I was in my third yoga class, I was in savasana and I literally heard these words: You need to bring this to your community. And it was probably the first time in my life that my mind was not thinking about anything. I wasn’t reviewing the past, I wasn't planning the future. I think it was the first time that I ever felt present. I was 24. And I immediately started to panic, becuase I thought I’m not a teacher, I don’t even know what I’m doing, I’m just trying not to die in this hot yoga class,” ” said Red Cloud, receiving laughs from the audience.
“And so it became my dream, and as much as I wanted to shut it down, the request the prompting. I couldn’t. There was something in me that couldn’t.”
“I was a single mom, I was living on housing assistance, with food stamps, Oregon Health plan, I was still working two jobs,” said Red Cloud.
Going to teacher training seemed impossible.
“It was ten thousand dollars nearly I needed to have to move to Los Angeles for two and a half months with a three-year-old and go through this teacher training,” said Red Cloud.
It was a hard road but Red Cloud said she has nothing but gratitude for the journey.
Shannon Red Cloud with her sons.
“I’m grateful to God for putting that seed in my heart…Secondly, I’m grateful to my family,” Red Cloud paused, and tears filled her eyes, “Because a lot of time they got what was left over of me as far as my energy…When you own a business you’re on 24/7 a lot of the time. So thank you for always being there for me.”
Red Cloud also offered copious thanks to Pure Yoga’s teachers, staff, and students.
“Thank you to each and every one of you in the Pure Yoga community that are of the past, the present, and future. You all showed me that my dreams could come true. And I will forever be in debt to you for that,” said Red Cloud. “And thank you for trusting Pure Yoga, with your Yoga Practice, it’s very intimate, it’s very personal and I appreciate the trust.”
Red Cloud sold the business to Samantha Whitley in 2022.
Samantha Whitley is a yoga instructor and the new owner of Pure Yoga.
“I’ve often referred to Pure Yoga as my second baby. And we know as parents that there comes a time in our lives when we have to let our baby go,” said Red Cloud. “And there isn’t anyone better that I can think of that will approach the business and personal side with the ethics and commitment that I know Sam will.”
“So thank you for taking care of my second child,” said Red Cloud, turning to Whitley, who was sitting on a Yoga mat in the front row of the Granada theater.
Whitley thanked Red Cloud for starting Pure Yoga and for her trust. She then invitied the crowd to participate in sharing their stories about how Pure Yoga had impacted them.
Once the microphone had made it’s go around, it was time for Oregon born world traveler and musician Johanna Beekman, to take the stage.
Beekman, orignially from the Willamette Valley, OR, shared that she has always had a soft spot for rural based Yoga studios and was sad to have seen that so many of her favorite studios had shuttered their doors during covid.
While Beekman was taking the stage, the Pure Yoga Community unrolled their mats in the area in front of the stage.
Johanna Beekman on stage at the Granada Theatre. Photo Credit: Cole Goodwin
Beekman says that her Yoga class is a culmination of her love for music and her love for yoga. The class mixes the singing of mantras, aromatherpay, and yoga poses to create a relaxing, cathartic, and transformative experience.
When the class wrapped, the group disseminated, sharing their last congratulatory greetings with Whitely and Red Cloud before heading home for sleepy eyed from their experience with lullaby yoga.
For more information about upcoming Pure Yoga classes and events visit PureYogaTheDalles.com.
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