When Effort Becomes Calm: 108 Sun Salutations in Continuous Yoga Flow

Every time I’m at The Factory in Franklin, I walk past a yoga studio that has quietly pulled at my curiosity. I’ve noticed it for months — the light, the calm energy, the way it feels grounded without trying too hard.

As 2026 approached, I wanted to begin the year in a way that felt intentional but also enjoyable. About a week ago, I found myself Googling sound healing and yoga flow, and I was surprised by how many thoughtful, creative offerings were happening locally. I’ll be sharing my sound healing experience from New Year’s Eve in a separate piece, but while this one is still fresh in my body, I wanted to write about a class I attended just a few hours into the new year at Ground Floor Yoga.

The yoga workshop was called 108 Sun Salutations & Kirtan, taught by co-owner Katherine.

Entering the Space

The moment I walked through the door, I felt at ease. Incense gently filled the space, and the colors were warm and inviting. The studio itself reflects the classic Factory architecture — high ceilings with exposed wooden beams, expansive mirrors, smooth wood floors, and ballet barres lining the walls. Everything felt intentional, clean, and calm without being sterile.

Because I had signed up online, I slipped easily into a charming nook where shoes and belongings are tucked away, and I was immediately greeted by Katherine. Candles and fresh flowers softened the room, and the overall atmosphere felt welcoming rather than performative — very much my cup of tea.

The Rhythm of 108

Before we began moving, Katherine explained what the class would entail. We started with musical oms, accompanied by her playing the harmonium. In many yoga classes, chanting can feel flat or purely symbolic, but this felt different. Katherine sang, and we sang along. It was melodic, grounding, and surprisingly joyful.

She then demonstrated Sun Salutation A and reminded us that we would be repeating it 108 times. She put on music that immediately resonated with me — rhythmic, flowing, almost trance-like. (If you know the group Above & Beyond, it carried that same expansive, uplifting energy.)

What followed was an hour of continuous movement. Katherine guided every inhale and exhale, each transition from one pose to the next, creating a steady rhythm that made it easy to stay present. This is my favorite kind of yoga — flowing freely with guidance, moving continuously without frequent pauses, allowing the body to settle into repetition.

There was no external heat in the room. The warmth came entirely from the movement itself. The repetition built heat gradually, not frantically — effort without chaos.

There were moments when I felt challenged, moments where stopping crossed my mind, but I didn’t. The collective energy of the room, the steady breath cues, and Katherine’s calm leadership carried me through.

The Quiet After Effort

After completing the sun salutations, we transitioned into stretching and savasana. From there, we ended with kirtan — musical chanting accompanied by Katherine’s beautiful voice and the harmonium. It felt like a soft landing after sustained effort, a reminder that stillness doesn’t have to come before work — sometimes it arrives because of it.

I left feeling grounded, clear, and steady. Not depleted. Not overstimulated. Just calm in my body in a way that lingered.

What Stayed With Me

This experience reminded me that repetition can be meditative, that effort doesn’t have to feel aggressive, and that thoughtfully guided movement can regulate the nervous system just as effectively as stillness.

It also reinforced something I often see in my massage practice: the body doesn't always relax by being forced into stillness. Sometimes it needs sustained, intentioanl effort first. When the nervous system feels safe enough to let go, recovery happens more naturally.

This is why stress-relief work (massage), movement, hydration and sleep all support each other.