Profile: Raisha Janet Love creates a “meaningful” practice at Purna Yoga Ann Arbor

For Raisha Janet Love, yoga was, is and forever will be personal.

“As I did the practice I noticed considerable changes for the better in my life,” she says. “I felt better in my body. I made better choices with my lifestyle and my relationships became more meaningful.”

And her relationship with her practice became more meaningful, more important.

“As I noticed the changes I wanted to learn more about why yoga was having such an effect on me,” Love said. “This led me to studying with the only yoga college in the country, The College of Purna Yoga. It was here that I learned the tools for transformation.”

That transformation eventually became Purna Yoga Ann Arbor. It’s not the only Yoga business in the area but it’s unique in many ways, says Love.

“In Purna Yoga the word Purna means complete in Sanskrit,” she said. “The classes are designed for the student to take a look at their life, along with addressing their physical body.

“Safety is one of our main objectives and because we are a boutique studio we can offer a personal touch. It’s a place where we know your name and care about your experience and your life. I hold the highest credentials in the yoga profession graduating from the only college for yoga in the country.”

Purna Yoga also is the only studio in Michigan to have a Great Yoga Wall, a system designed to assist one’s practice and traction the spine.

Love says she always wanted to run her own yoga business ever since she started doing personal training.

“I followed my husband on an assignment to Saudi Arabia and we lived there for three years,” she said. “When we returned, he retired and because we had both always loved Michigan, we decided the place we wanted to live was Ann Arbor. I knew I wanted a small, personally run business where students could come and feel safe and have a sense of belonging.”

Her students certainly feel that sense of belonging.

“The class sizes are smaller and Raisha truly provides attention to each student and their personal goals, restrictions and needs,” says Amber, a student at Purna. “Raisha immediately relieved the intimidation I felt walking in. You can really feel the devotion and love for the true practice of Yoga. The class age rage was between 28 and 65 and we were all doing the same poses at different levels with the use of props and the yoga wall. I’m so thrilled there is a studio and an instructor of this caliber in Ann Arbor.”

Marilyn, another student at Purna, says, “I appreciate her authentic practice, facilitative approach, her ever present loving-kindness, and sharing meaningful inspirations.”

Love, 60, is married to Brent Polak and they have four children. She was born and raised in Frankenmuth and attended the Interlochen Arts Academy and Ferris State.

She has started a business in and found a home in Ann Arbor.

“Having traveled to far-away lands we love diversity but both being from smaller towns in Michigan, we also like the feeling of community,” she says. “Ann Arbor and the Ypsilanti area were hands down the perfect blend.”

Purna Yoga offers monthly two-hour workshops, weekly classes and private instruction. For more information, log onto www.purnayogaannarbor.com