by S.L. Jordan
“Flying starts from the ground. The more grounded you are, the higher you fly.” ― J.R. Rim
When my high school graduating class [Cass Tech c/o 01] announced we were doing a joint celebratory 40th Yacht Dinner Cruise, I knew then I wanted to plan my second pop up in Detroit.
My family and friends have been watching my yoga journey online for the last five years and have witnessed the evolution of me as a student and a teacher.
I like to be intentional about the themes and correlating scents. For my 40th birthday in February, I picked Restore. We were coming off of the Holidays and that can be a stressful time, the New Year had just started, and I know the expectation to START the year off right can make people feel anxious. The scent I picked was a relaxing scent. When deciding on the theme for my second Pop-Up of the year, I wanted my yogis to go OUT in nature. I picked Ground Down as the theme and paired it with an earthy scent that also acted as a bug repellent. More encouragement to be outdoors. Fresh air and vitamin D does wonders for the mood.
Using Peerspace, I found the cutest little spot in the Northend of Detroit called, North Detroit. This space was created with yoga in mind and the owner was a DELIGHT. Aum Yoga has found its home-base for Detroit Pop-Ups. That's your hint to make sure you have subscribed with us to stay up to date on our Pop-Ups.

I brought a sampling of my products, that I am HOPING to release by the end of the year, along with the amazing Gift Bags I put together for the attendees. I am not an interior designer or have the eye to set things up in that IG Content esthetic that is so popular, but I was proud of my display.
I taught a Gentle Flow for 75 minutes followed by 30 minutes of a Sound Bath by Miss AJ Williams. Connecting with Miss AJ is a perfect example of how small Detroit is. I really wanted my friend and fellow Cass Technician to come to Detroit with me from Houston and play like she did for my 40th birthday at the Restore Pop-Up. Circumstances wouldn't allow for that, and I had decided to forgo the Sound Bath.
A WEEK before my event, a friend contacted me and told me about Miss AJ. As fate would have it, she was free to perform at my event.
Coincidentally, my maternal side of the family was having a Sibling Reunion and some of them decided to spend their Saturday Night with me. I was honored to share my passion with them. My mom and some of my aunts have never done yoga before, and it wasn't until I started my practice that they even thought to try it. I love that my yoga practice has jumpstarted their routine for physical exercise later in life. That is a major guiding force behind the philosophy of Aum Yoga, to find joy in moving your body in ways that will improve the quality of your life as you age.
Of course, I had to get some shots with my family.
Afterwards a few friends stayed for a Kick-Back. The owner was so gracious and FUN!! He literally gave everyone in my family a tour of his hut. Before the event he called to let me know that the place was "Smoke Friendly" as marijuana is recreationally legal in Detroit.
As you can see, the whole place is a vibe, and we had a time!!

I am extremely proud of myself for taking a chance with doing ONE Pop-Up, let alone two in a different city. But this is my dream and PART of the vision I have for Aum Yoga Around the World with S.L. Jordan.
I am just a Girl from Detroit [eastside] asking you to Meet Me on the Ma'at.
Namaste.
This pop-up was SUCH a joy to witness and be a part of! I'm so blessed by your passion and drive, AND you got another black man (my husband) to be open to yoga! Yay! I love this and you!