Growing up, she said she tried multiple ways to get a “perfect body.”
“I graduated from high school and decided I would learn to love myself for who I am,” Maxwell said.
She also spent time attending psychic fairs with her grandmother, who she said was a palm reader. Over time Maxwell said she became knowledgeable in intuitive arts.
Her love of yoga began in 1992 when she committed to doing 30 days of teachings. That experience ignited a transformation that went beyond the physical, she said.
Her jobs over the years ranged from waiting tables to writing horoscopes, reading tarot cards and doing telemarketing for dating services, she said. Maxwell also worked as a loan officer and yoga instructor.
In 2015, she purchased Studio Samadhi in Roanoke.
In the last six years, she said her client list has doubled, and the number of classes has increased. In 2019, Maxwell rebranded the studio to make it more her own. She tweaked the ambiance and changed the business name to Zen Yoga Roanoke. In 2020, she moved to a larger location within Roanoke Center.
The classes at Zen Yoga Roanoke are for people of varying fitness levels. The most popular options are gentle yoga plus mediation and slow flow, according to Maxwell.
The gentle yoga plus meditation class is for those looking to re-establish healthy movement patterns, stretch and relieve stress, she said.
Slow flow attendees will actively hold poses for extended periods.“This is the hardest class on our schedule,” Maxwell said.
Over the years, Maxwell has earned certifications that allow her to train yoga teachers, including most of those she employs at her studio.
First-time clients are attracted to Zen Yoga Roanoke because it is a nonintimidating environment, Maxwell said.
“When you come in here, you see my teachers, and I have just regular people,” she said.
Beyond the yoga mat
Workshops and private sessions include:
- Discover Your Magic: In this hands-on experience with tarot cards, pendulums, tuning forks, crystals and more, attendees also receive a space-cleansing ritual kit to take home. $75 (four-hour workshop)
- Cultivate Your Magic: With this hands-on experience with crystals, trees, stones, tuning forks, herbs and essential oils, attendees create their own personal protection potion, make a wand and learn how to cast a circle of protection. $75 (four-hour workshop)
- Tarot/energy reading (private session): $75 (per hour)
Zen Yoga Roanoke, 610 E. Byron Nelson Blvd., Ste. 105, Roanoke. 817-371-8821. https://zenyogaroanoke.com Hours: Mon.-Fri. morning and evening classes, Sat.-Sun. morning classes.
Check website for class schedules.
