Kaizen Yoga plans free summer solstice classes in Amarillo

Kaizen Yoga will turn its Amarillo studio into a free, all-levels summer-solstice stop on Sunday, June 21, with a one-evening mix of yoga, breathwork, tai chi qigong and dance at 720 SW 6th Ave. The gathering, called Gather in the Light, runs from 4 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and gives newcomers and regulars a low-pressure way to sample the studio without signing up for a full class series.

Organizers say the classes will be free to try, donations are welcome but not required, and the schedule is built around reconnecting the body, mind and breath. Josh Goheen will lead Tai Chi Qigong at 4 p.m., Rachel Smith will follow with Vinyasa Yoga at 5:15 p.m., Shannon Giles will teach Breathwork at 6:30 p.m., and Didi Hansen will close the evening with Ecstatic Dance at 7:30 p.m. Every listed session is suitable for all levels.

The lineup fits the way Kaizen talks about itself. The studio says it is rooted in continuous improvement and that yoga is “so much more than just a workout.” Its regular offerings stretch from restorative and hatha classes to vinyasa, yin-yang and yoga sculpt, which makes a solstice sampler feel like a natural extension of what is already on its calendar. Kaizen puts it plainly: “From slow, relaxing, restorative yoga to sweaty yoga sculpt, there’s something for everyone.”

Kaizen also says the studio is not very big and recommends booking classes ahead of time through Vagaro, a detail that makes the free event even more useful as an introduction. On its fundraiser page, the studio says it wants to expand equipment and team members so it can offer more classes, workshops and events, another sign that Gather in the Light is part of a broader push to widen its reach in Amarillo.

The studio has been showing that public-facing approach for years. A June 1, 2023 segment on KAMR/KCIT featured Rachel Smith demonstrating basic yoga techniques and talking through the studio’s classes, and Kaizen’s Nov. 3, 2024 blog post, “Small steps, big changes: the kaizen philosophy,” keeps the same message in focus. With a fixed address, a set evening window and a class-by-class schedule, Gather in the Light looks less like a standard studio hour and more like a summer-solstice ritual built for people who want to spend the evening moving, breathing and celebrating together.