A woman gave me feedback on the Yoga for Men flyer last week, and we shared a laugh about the photo I used. She told me that the photo wasn't quite appealing to her husband, but he WAS interested in the concept. 

Admittedly, I didn't know what the heck to use because there are SO MANY MEN I've spoken with about this! Do I put a shirtless guy on the flyer with rippling biceps who just got done working outside all day? Or a business-uniformed gentleman meditating on his lunch break? An older man needing flexibility? Zen hippie yoga guy? 

Guys. Regardless of the photo on our flyer, here's the deal:

1. I don't care what you look like, how flexible you are, or if this is your first time in a yoga studio. This class is to give you an idea of what to expect at Yoga Hive, and the class will be adaptable for all abilities!
2. Register in advance & pay $15 by clicking on one of THREE dates in the valley: 
   Yoga Hive Columbia Falls: Tues. June 12, 6-7pm
   Yoga Hive Kalispell: Wed. June 13, 7-8pm 
   Yoga Hive Whitefish: Thurs. June 14, 5:30-6:30pm
3. Wear some comfortable clothes you can move in, and a yoga mat if you have one. If you don't have one, we'll give you one to use during class for free!

That's it. No commitments. No membership. No catch. Just show up with an open mind and prepare to leave relaxed and ready to tackle whatever you've got going on in your life. 

(As always feedback is ALWAYS welcome!)

In light,
Mollie

Ahh the end of hibernation. This time of year, we see faces we haven't seen in a while. Our friends who winter elsewhere come back to town — like one of our favorite C-falls instructors, Debbie! And our friends who work summer gigs put their noses to the grindstone and wave goodbye till the fall. And... the sun is out! We're excited for outdoor yoga on the Firebrand Rooftop Saturday mornings at 9am, Yoga + Mimosas at Lodge at Whitefish Lake on Saturday mornings at 10am, Outdoor yoga at the Glacier Outdoor Center up the canyon starting June 12th, and SUP Yoga on Whitefish Lake starting in July in collaboration with our friends at Paddlefish Sports.

Just as prices and population rise for the summer around the valley, I wanted to be up front and let you know that Yoga Hive is following suit — we are raising our drop-in price for the summer to $17/class. BUT — locals, we've got your back. If you show a Flathead/Lincoln/Glacier county ID to our staff, you can always get our original $15 drop in price. We also have our Summer Special — only $210 for unlimited yoga for three months! 

Summer is also a time of growth for Yoga Hive, here in the valley and around the country. We have projects cooking up in more than one new location, and although we still cannot release the details publicly, know that my mission is to share this light we've created in Montana with other small towns around the world. Providing an approachable, easy-to-use, light-hearted business model for towns of our size is an offering that I am working hard to fine tune. And I'm telling you all this because I have you to thank. YOU who show up at our studios on a regular basis, email me feedback when you think we can do a better job, you who send me love notes about our incredible team, and you who send me the most incredible testimonials from your life-changing experiences at Yoga Hive. I feel motivated to share these words from Sarah S., one of our Fall 2017 graduates with you all: 

What changes have you noticed in your life as a result of completing our yoga teacher training program? 
Sarah: Where do I even start with this question? It is almost an understatement to say that this training has completely changed my life, for the better. I feel more at home in my mind and body than I ever have before. I have adopted a consistent yoga and meditation practice daily that I would be lost without, and always seems to give me exactly what I need in that moment. I genuinely feel as though I am a more compassionate being to everyone and everything around me. I treat myself better than I ever have, physically and emotionally. I feel a deep desire to grow as a person both academically and spiritually. I am consistently finding myself overwhelmed with immense gratitude for my life and the people in it. I am motivated to connect with nature and do anything I can to help the environment. I cherish moments more intensely and presently. I am constantly inspired by what I am capable of and feel as though I can feel my way through any tough emotion I may have. I have been able to accept and come to terms with many problems I had in my childhood and cultivate a better understanding to why things happen. And most importantly, I have developed a connection to myself that allows me to be present in every moment and live in more peace than I ever could have imagined.

Every time I read her words, I get goose bumps. And whether it's a teacher training program, or just a single class or workshop you've taken with Yoga Hive, we aim to make that impact in your life because honestly? It impacts ours, too. When we shine, you shine — and when you shine, we shine. Yoga is a two way street... and we're so honored you're walking with us!

Last thing (if you're still reading, I love you!)... scroll down to read out first TEACHER SPOTLIGHT, as well as upcoming workshops — monthly unlimited members get exclusive discounts! Chakra Flow with Essential Oils, Gentle Aerial Silks + Essential Oils (space is limited!), and my personal favorite: 

​Yoga for Men. Ladies and to the men that frequent our studio, I need your help! Lets make Yoga Hive even more approachable for our male audience... I will personally be teaching each one of these classes, suited for all abilities, and geared at showcasing a general understanding of what yoga is, we will do a class, and attendees will learn what to expect from a class in a studio. Flexibility and experience are NOT required, and the cost is only $15 per person: June 12, 6-7pm (Cfalls), June 13, 7-8pm (Kalispell), or June 14, 5:30-6:30 (Whitefish).

Thank you thank you thank you — and wishing you all a happy, healthy start to summer in the Flathead!
​
In light,
Mollie

May 08, 2018 at 2:45 pm | By Daniel McKay
Mollie Busby started Yoga Hive three years ago and recently relocated her studio to the retail space in the parking garage downtown.

​At Yoga Hive, Mollie Busby’s goal is to get those interested in yoga out of their living rooms and into a studio.

“There’s a lot of people in this Valley doing yoga on DVDs at home. And I felt that there was an easy, fun way to get them in a studio and help them kind of develop their practice and see how yoga can benefit their life,” Busby said.

Busby started Yoga Hive in 2015 and now has studios in Whitefish, Kalispell and Columbia Falls. Her Whitefish studio opened in its new home in the retail space of the city’s parking garage in March. Previous studios were located in the alley behind the Stumptown Marketplace and upstairs above the Toggery on Central Avenue.

Busby said so far the new location has been working out great for Yoga Hive.

“It’s just an upgrade from both of our last studios,” Busby said. “Now this studio, the look and feel of it is very much like our Columbia Falls and Kalispell studios, so everything feels really synergistic.”

Busby and her husband Sean moved to Whitefish in 2013. She is a graduate of the University of Wisconsin-Madison and also ran Riding on Insulin, a nonprofit organization started by her husband that empowers kids and adults with type-1 diabetes through action sports, which he now runs as executive director.

Accessibility is a key focus at Yoga Hive, Busby says, with the goal of reducing the intimidation factor for newcomers.

“We love the tradition of yoga, it’s so important and it goes back so many years, but to get people acquainted with the practice we try to make things a little bit more accessible,” Busby says. “Instead of using words like ‘vinyasa’ or ‘ashtanga,’ we use Hive Flow and Honey Flow, just to get people acquainted with the practice and then we give them opportunities to dive deeper with workshops and teacher trainings.”

Classes at Yoga Hive are organized by pace, with slow classes like Gentle Yoga, and medium and faster classes like the Honey Flow and Hive Flow.

Yoga Hive also offers aerial yoga classes at their Columbia Falls and Kalispell locations.

Busby said the instructors at Yoga Hive aim to create a special vibe for their classes.

“We have low lights, twinkle lights, good music — teachers can incorporate whatever they want into their practice. Some of them will do crystal bowls or will pull cards, we’ll do a lot of essential oils as well,” Busby said. “It’s just those things you won’t find at other gym-type yoga places. So we really go for the vibe and I think people love coming here because of the peaceful atmosphere and just being able to zen out and escape for a little bit.”

Busby knows how it feels to have less-than-ideal experiences at a yoga class. Her own first class was off-putting enough to make her consider never trying yoga again.

“I actually had vowed never to do yoga again at that point, because my first and only class was awful. The teacher was very weird and I did not connect with him and I vowed never to do it again,” she said.

Luckily a friend convinced her to give yoga a second shot, and soon she was hooked.

Busby said she’s been lucky to have the support of the various other yoga instructors in Whitefish and the Flathead Valley since starting her own studio.

Whitefish has a strong yoga scene, and she’s thankful she was able to fit into that and find her place on the mat.
​
“I’m just really grateful for the Whitefish community, being welcomed by all the other studios, the other teachers, there’s no way we could do this without the teachers that work here,” she said. “They are a huge piece of what we do, and I’m just really grateful to be here and be able to do this.”
For more information on Yoga Hive, visit www.yogahivemontana.com.

We are so excited to offer our annual Yoga Teacher Training this fall! Yoga Hive is a Registered Yoga School with Yoga Alliance (the governing body of yoga instructors), and upon completion of the 5 weekends, yogis will be able to register with YA and being their teaching career!

​BY DILLON TABISH // OCT 27, 2017

COLUMBIA FALLS — The prominent hotel and convention center.

The lineup of renovated and emerging storefronts and apartment buildings populating almost half of Nucleus Avenue.

Even the aerial photo of the “Gateway to Glacier” placed front and center on the city government’s website.

All courtesy of Mick Ruis.

It’s impossible to walk through Columbia Falls these days and miss the influence of its benevolent serial investor.

Ruis has invested more than $15 million in local redevelopment projects in the last two years.

First and foremost, Ruis built the $10 million Cedar Creek Lodge, which he then sold to Xanterra Parks and Resorts for the same total price it cost to build.

Along the downtown thoroughfare of Nucleus Avenue, Ruis bought up empty lots and blighted buildings. He constructed the three-story retail and apartment building next door to the Columbia Bar, and it’s now open alongside the former antique store that Ruis renovated and leases to O’Brien Byrd’s fitness and exercise center, named JIM.

Across the street, Hellroaring Crossfit is moving into another of Ruis’ revitalized properties, the former First Citizens Bank. Nearby, the 18-unit apartment complex known as Glacier Courtyards has broken ground and is surfacing in place of the former DaVall Building.

Down the street, local restaurateur Pat Carloss has bought the former Bandit Bar and Saloon from Ruis and is retrofitting it into a new family-friendly bar and grill slated to open in spring.

“Three years ago it was doom and gloom,” Byrd said. “Now there’s so much going on.”

Byrd, a Columbia Falls native who owns O’Brien’s Liquor and Wine and The Coop, which now hosts weekly community markets in summertime along U.S. Highway 2, said a noticeable optimism has sprung up throughout town, driven by entrepreneurial spirit and excitement.

It also helps to have someone like Ruis spearheading instrumental investments.

“The guy is moving and shaking,” Byrd said of Ruis. “His heart is in the right place, and he has the money to back these projects for our town.”

Ruis, a high school dropout who became a millionaire in the scaffolding industry and is now a part-time resident in the valley, told the Beacon that he and his wife, Wendy, have been happy to help the town, whether it’s creating new economic opportunities or creating new places for people to live downtown.

“All of my investments in Columbia Falls are about the people and creating jobs,” he said. “We just feel fortunate to be able to help the town we live in and love so much.”

Indeed, Ruis has been a major community catalyst and set the stage for several upstart businesses of all types that have followed suit as Columbia Falls enjoys growing economic liveliness.

Downtown is lined with an assortment of new family-owned businesses that have recently popped up: Over the Mountain bike shop, North Fork Pizza, Uptown Hearth, Azul Coffee Bar, Glacier Nutritionist, Berube Physical Therapy, Odd Fellow Coffee House, Yoga Hive. A traditional mainstay, Los Caporales, has new owners and is poised for a sizeable remodel and rebranding.

To help maintain the momentum, the city of Columbia Falls is investing in streetlights through downtown, while the Columbia Falls Community Foundation is building a prominent monolith that will sit at the corner of U.S. Highway 2 near the entrance to the heart of town, declaring “Adventure Lives Here.”

August 03, 2017 at 12:16 pm | Daily Inter Lake

BY AMANDA RUBANO // JUL 20, 2016

Yoga Hive and Exhale Pilates are finding ways to take their respective fitness disciplines outdoors on Saturday mornings at City Beach in Whitefish. While stand-up paddleboard yoga and stand-up paddleboard Pilates are different workouts, they are both designed for all ability and fitness levels.
“SUP Yoga is approachable for everyone – it is totally based on fun,” Mollie Busby, owner of Yoga Hive, said.

Unlike yoga in a traditional setting, SUP yoga allows its participants to enjoy nature.

“The added element of being on the board can be liberating and challenging,” Busby said. “There is intense concentration on all parts of the body.”

SUP Pilates incorporates strength and fluidity, with the added elements of balance and tranquility from being on the water.

“SUP Pilates is not as intimidating as most people might think,” Delia Buckmaster, owner of Exhale Pilates, said. “Most of the work does not require standing on the board. They are done kneeling, sitting, or lying down.”

Both workouts present different challenges, but offer the pleasure of being outside on Whitefish Lake. Both business owners say that their SUP activities wouldn’t be possible without their partnerships with Paddlefish Sports, which provides the paddleboards.

The yoga class is offered at Whitefish City Beach from 9 – 10:30 a.m. on Saturdays, while SUP Pilates is offered immediately afterward from 10:30 – 11:30 a.m.
​
Find more information at www.yogahivemontana.com and www.exhalepilates.com.

As I rolled into the airport a few weeks ago, my eyelids were still heavy with sleep. The Delta attendant grabbed my bag and affixed a luggage tag to the handle, and kindly asked to see my ID. As I opened my wallet, dread crept over my body and I froze. 

My ID wasn't there.

The piece of information that would allow me to get through security, fly on a plane, and rent a car at my destination was sitting in a coat pocket 22 minutes from the airport. 

I called Sean—my husband, who was driving home by this point, as I was trying not to panic. When I told him my dilemma (after a brief interlude of well-deserved wife-shaming) he sped up his pace, and set out to accomplish what would be a miracle. Forty-six minutes later, after a full body pat down and an in-depth search of my carry-on luggage, the TSA officer from the front counter sprinted to me with my ID and I ran to the gate with only minutes to spare before my flight took off.

Luckily, the gate is about 10 steps from the security checkpoint. (I love you, Montana.)

Sitting in my seat, wide awake and pumping with adrenaline, I texted Sean a handful of thank you statements that didn't do the moment justice. What I really meant to validate was the fact that we make an incredible team. (And on that day, Sean was the shining star. Me? Not so much.) During the times when I need him the most - and even during times when I don't - Sean is my constant, as I am for him.

And for all the times we want to smack one another, the benefits always outweigh the drawbacks of being on a team and being able to lean on one another during this giant Hunger Games we call life. 

As the holiday season is upon us, I wanted to take a moment to show some gratitude for another incredible team I have the opportunity to lean on this winter. 
​
The women who have gathered to teach at Yoga Hive are one of a kind. Or rather, ten of a kind. ​

Alexis, Ayme, Ryan, Cat, Christiane, Caroline, Frances, Nancy, Cyndy and Avis. Some teach more than others — some you may just see subbing from time to time. But as winter sets in and my schedule ramps as the Executive Director of Riding On Insulin—running ski/snowboard camps for kids living with T1D, life and yoga will continue to thrive here at Yoga Hive.

Keep an eye out for our new schedule (starting Dec. 14th), which will include a few new classes, as well as aerial yoga in silk hammocks! We pride ourselves on offering a safe environment for yogis of all abilities—so please feel welcome to attend any and all classes! In fact, I encourage you to take a class with one of the instructors you haven't met yet. Each with their own style, they each bring a unique contribution to our community worth your time and consideration.

So as the holidays set into full swing and the snow (hopefully) starts to fly, look around and have gratitude for the teams in your life. As I recently read in, "The Law of Divine Compensation," by Marianne Williamson,