The moment you step into the Yoga Den World Golf Village studio, in St. Augustine, you’re immersed in a nurturing, friendly, soul-soothing atmosphere. And that’s exactly what studio owner Jennifer Williams envisioned when designing the aesthetics. “I call it my Pinterest studio,” she says. “I absolutely love being in the space.”

The studio, which has been offering classes to World Golf Village and surrounding St. Johns County neighborhoods since 2016, is an inviting neighborhood business. “The vibe is there. Everyone feels it the moment they walk in. All of the tribal energy of our community is infused into every element.” 

 

Williams, a passionate yogini, couldn’t imagine a more suitable career for herself. “I began my relationship with yoga in 2001 when one of my friends kept encouraging me to go,” recalls this charismatic practitioner, who eventually took that first class. “I loved it the minute I stepped into Yoga Den Mandarin. However, as a young mom with three kids, I had a hard time committing to a practice at that time.”

Although Williams intermittently popped into the Mandarin studio for classes, it wasn’t until 2013 that yoga truly began transforming her life. “When I found yoga again, everything in my life flipped,” she explains. “Being back on the mat was so therapeutic. I wanted to share the benefits of yoga with others, so I signed up for the teacher training course.”

Williams said she learned a lot about herself during that training. “It was interesting to watch the evolution of my yoga practice. Initially, I was attracted to power yoga classes. Over time, I began having a greater appreciation for restorative-style classes. They’re so good at grounding and soothing the nervous system.” She also notes that the teacher training transformed the way she related to yoga. “It really opened my eyes to so much. I remember when it clicked just how important the breath is in yoga—even more important than the pose. Once you discover the breath patterns in a pose, so much more opens up to you. It’s magical!”

After graduating from teacher training, Williams taught yoga at the Fleming Island Yoga Den when a Yoga Den franchise opportunity for the World Golf Village studio dropped into her lap. “The studio location was ideal. Plus, the Yoga Den family and philosophy resonated so much with me; it was a perfect fit,” she recalls. “For me, it’s always been Yoga Den.”

According to Williams, there are eight limbs to yoga, and each of her classes focuses on several of the guiding principles—especially asanas (or poses), pranayama (breath patterns) and pratyahara (the art of letting go of outside influences so we can focus on our inner selves). “We also laugh a lot in my classes,” she enthuses. “Why always take life so seriously? Laughter is so healing. Plus, it’s just plain fun.”

Williams and her team of Yoga Den-certified instructors are all passionate about providing a safe space for students to experience yoga. “Our studio is a place where people know that they can show up, no matter how they are. There are no expectations,” she affirms. “Yoga is your practice. Your mat is your safe space. If it’s not a down dog day, and it’s more of a child’s pose day, great. Just show up as you are.”

Whether you’re seeking a restorative mind-body class, a mixed-level yoga sculpting class, or an intense power flow class, Yoga Den World Golf Village has something for everyone. “Our classes are amazing, and our instructors are so passionate. They really put a lot of thought and attention into their asana choices, music playlists, and the vibe for each class,” explains Williams. And for those that still mistakenly believe that you can’t get a beneficial cardio workout with yoga, think again: “We have plenty of classes geared toward working up a sweat.”

While Williams finds the day-to-day business operations of running a yoga studio invigorating, there’s something that lights her up even more. “What gets me out of bed every day is knowing that I’m helping others improve their lives in so many positive ways. I’m always humbled when one of my students tells me how much coming to the studio has changed their life. It’s an amazing feeling. We have such a wonderful community of teachers and clientele here at our studio. Whatever you need for body, mind and spirit, you can get here. And you’re always welcome to come as you are.”