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| Kyla Rose Maher |
Kyla Rose Maher is a bright soul that moves forward with enthusiasm in all she does. We chose September to share her story in honor of National Yoga Month, but her path of surrender to joy is one that anyone from any walk of life can learn from.
Kyla practices and teaches Kundalini Yoga, a unique kind of yoga that raises and focuses the body’s inherent energy to stimulate spiritual and personal growth.
One of the teachings of Kundalini yoga is to wear white, and since teaching this form of yoga is one of her favorite things to do, a few years ago Kyla started a clothing line of white yoga clothes called Long Time Sun Apparel.
Kyla’s goal in creating Long Time Sun Apparel was “to present this sort of odd, esoteric kind of yoga in a way that's approachable, fun, modern, and cool.”
She began with an online store and by vending at yoga festivals. Her goods were packaged and shipped from a humble little office in a Newport, RI church.
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| Kyla teaching Kundalini at Long Time Sun Yoga |
“Then I started to get busier and busier, and the operation became a tad noisy,” Kyla said. “Boxes, tape, and tissue paper. All day. Mid-summer of last year, the cute old church manager finally kindly asked me to leave because my growing business was getting too disruptive.”
This was the push she needed from the Universe to open a storefront.
“As a traveling hippie chick, I didn't have much start-up capital, but I knew I could make it happen somehow,” Kyla said. “In about 2 weeks, I had filmed a video, launched a Kickstarter, and then raised $13,000 to open a spiritual/yoga lifestyle boutique and event center in downtown Newport. It was pretty exciting.”
Today, Kyla owns two yoga apparel stores/studios in Rhode Island. Long Time Sun Yoga has become a Newport epicenter for health and spirituality, raising vibration of this bustling town, simply through its existence and the support of its patrons.
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| Kundalini Apparel available at Kyla's store |
But the story doesn’t end there--Kyla continues to branch out--selling her apparel in boutiques across the country, and continually working with others to share their wisdom and work. The process isn’t always easy, but Kyla believes in following those things which bring her joy.
“As soon as something doesn't bring joy into my life,” she said, “I think it's time to make a change.”
Sometimes the Universe will push her to the next level, as it did when she opened her storefront on Thames Street.
“Every step along the way has felt like a push from the Universe--outside of my comfort zone!”
This strong, glowing woman has an incredible ability to create community--something quite obvious in her Kundalini yoga class or in one of the workshops she hosts. She is an out-of-the-box thinker, and her community rallies around her to support her and her work.
It’s no surprise that one of Kyla’s favorite things to do is socialize. Whether running, meditating, cooking, traveling, or hanging with her man, Kyla’s favorite hobbies revolve exclusively around things that inspire her and feed her soul. She believes her greatest weakness is believing she doesn’t have any… Then again, maybe she’s right--after all, someone who follows their joy in each moment follows a difficult path, but one that is fully supported by all she touches.
Kyla has been a huge supporter of the Mind Key Project. Stay tuned as she barrels forward with her dreams of doing retreats, possibly opening a second store, and ultimately, following the Universe’s plan for her.
This week, we’ll be sharing her take on the Thames Street Yoga instructors that teach out of the Long Time Sun Apparel location in Newport, RI. Stop back each day to learn more!
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