One of the things that makes Kenosha a city that locals call the “littlest-big city” are the businesses owned by some of our very own. Each has a unique history and story, and Santosha Yoga is one of those businesses.
Upon entering Santosha, one can, at once, feel the “come as you are” spirit that Joya and her team have worked so tirelessly and intentionally to create. Owner, creator, and visionary Joya Santarelli is passionate about Santosha not just being a yoga studio, but an experience where each person finds a home inside themselves as well as within the Santosha community.
Little did Joya know that a frightening diagnosis 12 years ago would be a major catalyst for what Kenosha knows as Santosha today. She vividly recalls being unable to envision her life after receiving the devastating news of multiple sclerosis. When she asked her neurologist about the prognosis, his response surprised her. He told her to join a yoga class. She signed up for her very first class the next day.
Yoga changed Joya’s life so much and she fell so deeply in love with the practice that she decided she wanted to take it further. She spent over 200 hours practicing the craft of being an instructor, but as fate would have it, soon after she was licensed, a worldwide pandemic changed everyone’s definition of “normal”. So many variables could have stopped Santosha from ever forming, but instead, the challenges became seeds that were planted. Armed with the desire and passion to help our community, Joya opened up her backyard and loved on the people that came to each practice.
Even the name Santosha is not only a clever mix of Joya’s last name and Kenosha, but more importantly, it’s a word from the yoga practice that means content and happy with who you are and where you are. The epitome of the Santosha community. Over the next couple of years, Joya decided she wanted to give this community a permanent home, so she did what she does best, and gathered a team of creatives and started building. The vibe and the energy in this building are only symbolic of all the things she fell in love with years ago and you will see some of the same loving touches from when it started in her own backyard.
Book your first class now through Santosha’s app. Walk-ins are welcome if space is available.
Santosha Yoga
9809 39th Avenue, Suite 3
Pleasant Prairie, WI 53158
(262) 705-3861
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