Welcome to Circle Yoga Shala!
May your days be filled with curiosity, your nights restful, and your hearts at peace.
We are thrilled to have you on the property and we wish you a wonderful stay.
We hope you feel respected, nourished, and have your needs met. You are on healing land.
We’d like to remind you that you came to a farm and to a place that values community. What this means is that you are never not in practice. So,
Be kind and respectful to one another. Can you listen more than you speak?
Recognize when your own “preference” arises and inquire into the possibility of becoming ok with reality. Can you relax deeply and open to wonder?
Be on time for all aspects of the training and meals. Get familiar with the daily schedule.
Take care of your needs without being disruptive to the group.
Clean up after yourself, keep your space tidy throughout the day, ask how you can be of service.
Help us meet your needs without policing other people’s behavior.
If you’re unclear about your role, ask a resident!
Below is some information about the property. You can access this information anytime using the QR code on the letter you found on your bed.
Shala Staff
There are usually several Shala staff members around. Don’t be shy about introducing yourself.
Matthew Krepps and Holly Krepps, founders and owners
Caitlin is in the kitchen
Stela and Jayme, trainers
Our Environmental Focus
Electricity: While you’re here, you’re invited to get in relationship with all your actions. This means, close the doors behind you, turn lights (and other electronics) off when you leave a space. These small but important actions help conserve our resources and also keep your spaces more comfortable. Doors open let flies in and the cool AC air out.
Water: Saving water is also very important to us. We have several compost loos on the property as well as a “regular” toilet in the dining hall. The compost loos are safe, beautiful, and they have save hundreds of gallons of drinking water. Moreover, all organic matter “deposited” becomes compost that feeds the orchards, pasture and the flower beds. To use the outdoor loo, just cover up all elimination with saw dust. Dispose of all plastics and other non-biodegradable matter in the bin provided. Let a resident know if the bucket is more than half full.
Our Composting Practices
We strive to live in harmony with the land and minimize waste. If you’d like to contribute, we invite you to bring your old food and food scraps to donate for compost! Your waste will be transformed into nutrient-rich soil that supports our pasture, orchard, and flower beds. We compost all biodegradable matter including fruits, vegetables, meat, and dairy. Please keep all plastics and paper out.
Upon arrival, you can ask a resident to take your compost donation. Thank you for joining us in this small but meaningful practice of sustainability!
The Kitchen
Meal times are posted on the schedule in the dining hall.
Please be on time to get your plate each time, as this helps the kitchen stay efficient.
When you’re done with lunch or dinner, please wash your dishes following the staff’s instructions. For breakfast, please leave your dishes in the caddy.
If you signed up for special meals, please remind the kitchen staff.
Please don’t go into the kitchen, unless invited or when doing your dishes. This applies after-hours as well.
The kitchen fridge is not available for storing guest food.
The Animals
We have some quirky animals on the property.
The dogs are all very friendly:
Cooper is catahoula mix dog who follows Holly around. If he approaches you and barks assertively, you must pet him. He is just wanting your attention.
Newt, red heeler dog, will try to herd you with his mouth. He is very affectionate and shows it by putting his mouth on you. He does not bite.
Dottie and her daughter Feather love being petted and enjoy playing fetch. They are both very sweet.
Most of the horses on property are rescues in different stages of recovering from neglect.
Please don’t feed the horses.
Don’t go into the horse pasture, unless invited or instructed to do so.
Ask a resident if you’d like to learn how to introduce yourself to them.
The Barn
Heat and A/C: The barn has heat and A/C from 2 mini split units, one downstairs and one upstairs. There are remote controls that can used to change the temperature. Only use the + and - buttons to increase or decrease the temperature.
The downstairs also has a stove that is used during the winter. A resident will keep the stove running and we ask that guests don’t touch it. Please don’t leave any objects on the stove, as that is a fire hazard.
Showers: The hot water for the shower is “on demand”. It requires that you turn the shower on all the way until the water gets hot (10-15 seconds), then turn it down to the desired temperature. If you don’t do this, the shower may not become hot.
During the winter, we may need to “drip” the faucets and showers to avoid the pipes freezing. A resident will set this up in the evening so the drip continues overnight. If the pipes freeze, there will be no more running water in the barn. :)
After-hours: The barn is a labor of love that was built with many up-cycled materials. For this reason, it is not sound proof. The upstairs acts like a drum, magnifying each and every sound for the downstairs residents. So, we ask that everyone in shared spaces observes lights out by 9 PM.
If you’d like to stay up past 9 PM, you may do so in the dining hall. There are board games, puzzles, music, and a TV that you can enjoy. Please don’t go into the kitchen space. We ask that you turn the lights off on your way out.
Cell Signal & Wifi
Cell signal is hit or miss on the property, although that is quickly changing as cell phone carriers are expanding their network. Verizon and T-Mobile have good service. AT&T has spotty signal, but folks can usually make a call while standing near the Virgin Mary statue in the garden.
There is wifi in all shared spaces. There is no password. Our wifi network has modest speed, so we ask that you don’t attempt to upload videos or large files while you’re here, otherwise you may slow down the internet for all.
Free time
Dirt Road: If you just want to talk on the dirt road, turn RIGHT out of the shala driveway and walk as far as you please. Do not turn left, please, as you will encounter the neighbor’s dogs, who are not always friendly.
Water Hole: In the summer, you may also go to the water hole at Steel Creek. Search for “Steel Creek Campground” on Google Maps. It takes about 15 mins by car (one way).