Hello Dear Ones,

Blessings and Happy New Year to All!! I’m reminiscing about my yoga teaching adventure. I began teaching yoga in January 2000. Oh my, that’s 25 years ago 😳!!! It first was in the empty home we were selling, then Fairview United Methodist Church, YWCA, Bloom at the Ice House on Walton Ave, Bloom Downtown Altoona and now Bloom on Union Ave. It’s been such a gift 💝 to share the practice of yoga with so many wonderful souls in our community. Some folks have joined me for most of this journey. Others have shared themselves for seasons in their lives. Whatever the case, Thank You 😊 🙏🏻 for enriching my life as we learn and teach this practice of gentle, mindful & accessible yoga …….together!!! Grateful Cristal joined me as a student and then as a teacher 💝.

I never dreamed it would be possible to have a full-time professional career teaching yoga in Blair County. That usually only happened in big cities and New England. However, I was drawn to continue my yoga education and the practice of gentle, mindful & accessible yoga while pursuing other work and a college degree as an adult student. Then “Vola”, with a multitude of miracles, Yoga as a profession came to “Be”😉. It has deeply nourished meaningful relationships and life experiences for me.



Throughout my career I have had the opportunity to teach in a wide variety of settings with various folks. To name a few that have profoundly impacted my life:

- Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction Program with Dr. Irene Calhoun and Dr. Julie Lambert
- Yoga for Anxiety & Depression with Dr. Mary O’Leary Wiley
- Mindful Yoga and other techniques for dealing with chronic pain and stress relief at Pyramid Healthcare inpatient facility 
- Mindful Movement and social emotional support techniques at the AASD with Tanya Lucas serving the high school and elementary students
- Specializations such as Prenatal Yoga, Yoga for Breast Cancer Care, Natural Health Sleep Support Retreats, Summer & Winter Solstice Retreats etc….
- Community service yoga, meditation & mindfulness with NAMI, AASD, Altoona Public Library, The Arc of Blair County, various support groups, Yoga On the Beach at Canoe Creek State Park (over 12 years now 😊) and a multitude of others. 

I was raised in the local Family business of McCartney’s Office Supplies/Solutions and learned the importance of giving back to your local community or why else be in business. Bloom is a very small business, however, the folks that find a home here…. have very big hearts 💗.



Bloom relocated in January 2020 due to the need for additional space, parking and creature comforts. Little did we know a pandemic was already brewing when we made this decision in late 2019. Due to the overwhelming generosity of the Bloom community, Chamber of Commerce, Central PA Accounting, DCA Union Ave, others and miracle after miracle, we survived while over 50% of the brick and mortar yoga studios permanently closed. Some found a home in the virtual world. Virtual yoga has its benefits and conveniences to supplement a community studio practice. However, there is nothing like coming together is a sacred space for self-care and well-being. 

Another good fortune touched Cristal & I during the summer of 2020, when we discovered Subtle Yoga with Kristen Kalvari Weber. It is a yoga practice focused on Nervous System regulation and Whole Health benefits. This has significantly enriched our in-person teaching & practice at Bloom Yoga & Wellness. I hope you or someone in your life joins us for gentle, mindful, & accessible yoga in 2025.

With Heartfelt Appreciation,
Sharon