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Yoga Classes, Pilates, and Wellness for the Self-Propelled

OmTree Shala @ Sunflower Wellness Studio on the Second Floor

The Sunflower Wellness Studio is designed to fully support your love of the outdoors with more indoor activities, focusing on your flexibility, strength, mental well-being, and more. These classes are brought to Sunflower in partnership with OmTree Shala, who has moved to our second story! 

Our lineup of class options is geared toward the self-propelled, including:

  • Yoga classes, including Yoga Sculpt, Power Vinyasa, Yin Yoga, Sacred Flow, Lunar Flow, and, of course, OmTree’s signature Sun Flow.
  • Pilates classes, including options for all skill levels
  • Myofascial release classes
  • More wellness options to come!

How to Register for Wellness and Yoga Classes 


Register and purchase: The Sunflower Wellness Studio makes use of a shared Omtree @ Sunflower MindBody account platform. You'll be able to create a free account, browse classes, sign up, and pay securely all through the MindBody platform. If you already have a MindBody account with OmTree Shala, your account details remain the same. You can browse all the individual class listings and choose to register as a drop-in or select a subscription package for multiple classes. If you're new to OmTree, you can sign up for 30 days for $30 here (select "Classes")— offer is for 30 consecutive days.

Park: We recommend you park in the free 2-hour parking lots on New Hampshire; there is one between 7th and 8th Streets and another between 8th and 9th Streets. The parking garage on New Hampshire between 9th and 10th has levels with 2- or 10-hour free parking, as does the parking garage on Vermont between 7th and 8th Streets (by the public library).

Check-in and attend: You can enter Sunflower Outdoor and Bike from the doors on 8th Street or on Mass. Head up the main stairs on the bike shop side, turning right to go up the second flight toward the front of the store. The Sunflower Wellness Studio will be through the doorway on your left at the top of the stairs. (The Studio is accessible: Ask any Sunflower staffer for access to the elevator to get upstairs.) A teacher will check you in to the class using the MindBody registration details.

Meet the Sunflower Wellness Studio Teachers


You’ll find high-quality, customized options in our wellness offerings and yoga classes because of the skilled and trained teachers. Allow us to introduce several of the teachers who will be leading classes and guiding your practice at the Sunflower Wellness Studio:

Sharyn Harley, OmTree Shala owner and teacher + Hospitality and Events Manager at Sunflower: Sharyn has explored a wide variety of lineages and styles of yoga, including Iyengar, Kundalini, Forrest, and Anusara. She completed her first teacher training under Bhavani Maki of Yoga Hanalei in 2009, received her 200-hour certification from Yoga Pod in Boulder, Colorado, and completed her 300-hour certification with Gina Caputo's Colorado School of Yoga. Sharyn began teaching yoga in 2009 and opened OmTree Shala in September 2012. She been leading 200-hour teacher trainings since 2014. Her classes blend the rich philosophy and dynamic sequencing of Ashtanga with modern alignment knowledge.

Maria Elena Cuevas, Teacher: Maria  began her yoga practice in 2006 and has been a devoted student since she stepped on her mat. In January of 2015, she obtained her 200 RYT while studying with Anna Laurita at Davannayoga in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. After several years of teaching, Maria began exploring other types of movement to incorporate into her classes, including Pilates, HIIT, and resistance training

Ambika Selvan, Yoga Teacher: Ambika offers structural bodywork and cranial release for acute and chronic pain and overall balance throughout the system. She has been training and treated in the John Barnes, PT method of myofascial release and soft tissue mobilization for the last four years and has found the technique transformational in her clients bodies and her own. This type of bodywork reduces restrictions in the fascia, the connective tissue that surrounds every organ and muscle in the body, to create and maintain the length-tension of the muscles and keep the organs mobile and healthy. Ambika has been intensively studying, performing and playing in the movement world for over 35 years.

Tricia Rock, Yoga Teacher: Tricia began her transition into a yogic lifestyle in 2010. She received certification in 2014 and continues to study yoga, ayurveda, holistic health, and energetic healing with her teachers. Tricia’s class honors tradition while embodying creativity in order to break patterns. Her centered presence can be attributed to her own practice, and is a quality she hopes to share with her students.

Elizabeth Lee, Pilates and Barre Teacher + Personal Trainer: Using graceful, dynamic movements that incorporate angles, utilize gravity, and stretch the muscle through the natural range of motion, these workouts can transform the body with less stress and less pain in less time —with greater results. Elizabeth has worked in the fitness industry for over a decade. Through her work as a personal trainer and group fitness instructor, she has been inspired by the transformation of dozens of clients. Elizabeth is certified through the American Council on Exercise, YogaFit, and Practical Pilates.

Rylee Flint, Yoga Teacher: Rylee began her journey with the Costa Rica School of Yoga via a 200 hr teacher training under Peggy Kelly and Krista Kamborian Baldini. She has received training in Iyengar, Vinyasa, Yin, and gentle styles of yoga as well as meditation and breath work. She believes that our yoga practice begins with a deep connection to our breath, which results in an incredibly grounding experience for the students in her classes. Rylee also enjoys studying nutrition, health and wellness, and holistic medicine and holds a Nutrition and Healthy Living certification from Cornell University.

Jennifer Nelson, Yoga Teacher: Jennifer received her 200 hour teacher training at Om Yoga with Cyndi Lee in NYC in 2012. She began her teaching career at Harlem Yoga Studio before moving to Kansas in 2015. She began teaching at KU Endowment, Haskell Indian Nations University, RydeBarre, Jayhawk Club, OmTree Shala and continues to lead an amazing yoga community via Zoom. She continues to study Katonah Yoga NYC under the guidance of yoga pioneers Abbie Galvin and Navine Michaan.

Melinda Ball, Yoga Teacher: Melinda began her yoga journey over 20 years ago while exploring forms of physical modalities that would help her recovery from running injuries. Melinda quickly noticed how the yoga postures made her feel deeply connected to her body as well as alleviate the pain of past trauma. After moving to Lawrence, Melinda found a yoga community that enabled her to grow her practice. In 2014, she earned her 200 RYT and began instructing. Since then, she continues to deepen and expand her practice from the physical postures to studying the philosophy of yoga.

Wan Wan Tsai, Yoga Teacher: 15 years of ballet and Chinese classical dance led Wanwan to yoga after graduate school. Wanwan believes yoga, combined with traditional Chinese medicine can make the body stronger and healthier. This has helped her have more balance and “Yang Sheng” in her life. Wanwan completed her 400 hour senior yoga instructor certification at the Tianjin Gufan Yoga Studio in China in 2015 and her 200 hour Yoga Alliance certification at OmTree Shala in 2016.

Casey Emmerich, Yoga Teacher: Casey completed her RYT-500 Teacher training in the Bhaktivana tradition through Gopi Sandal's Yoga with Heart Program. She has been teaching since 2017. Casey loves teaching, primarily Yin classes, as well as Yin/Yang Flow classes, Yoga Nidra, and meditation. She particularly enjoys Yoga philosophy and incorporates this into her classes, sharing what she has learned with others. She has also studied with Balarama Chandra, Yogi Charu, Maria Garre, and Edwin Bryant, deepening her studies in yoga philosophy and Ayurveda.

Julia Pilant, Pilates Teacher: Julia is a Power Pilates certified instructor and taught studio classes and private sessions in Austin for 8 years before moving to Lawrence. Julia's intention is to create an environment where students can connect with their bodies, learn to move with intention, improve posture, and increase energy levels overall. Julia's classes are a supportive and fun environment, but you will feel your muscles working and strengthening! Pilates (or core work) is very effective for toning and lengthening while being gentle on the joints. Julia wants everyone to feel very welcome even if they are brand-new beginners and she offers modifications for all levels.