Today we’d like to introduce you to DandeLyon Vredenburg.
DandeLyon was raised by a vivid red-headed Irish-Montana woman and an eccentric entrepreneur and musician just outside of Glacier National Park in the Rocky Mountains with her younger sister and brother on an intergenerational family ranch. She preferred horses vs. bicycles and the freedom to dance vs. the containment of rules. She will tell you that the non-traditional background of her parents was a tremendous gift as she had access to many different cultural influences (family friends such as Alan Watts, Rooshikumar Pandya, and Dave Brubeck, and Ravi Shankar).
DandeLyon left the small NW Montana mountain town immediately after high school, landing in Portland OR. In her early 20’s she had her first child (now 27), who she raised as a single mom until he was 12. DandeLyon moved and shifted through her 20’s and early 30’s, working, attending University, and traveling.
In 2004, she moved to Fort Scott, KS. There, single-handedly, she created a small equine breeding empire, selling her specialized reining horses around the world. Her devotion to the business allowed her to be present in the grace and beauty of her animals for most of the day. Her success was attributed to the emotional connections she had with both her stallion and her mares. She wrote about these relationships and connections on one of her stallion’s FaceBook pages. Her words and photographs created a FB following of over 500,000 people and later became a book.
On July 14, 2014, DandeLyon, seven days after publishing her book, had a massive hemorrhagic stroke and was life-flighted to Kansas City. The bleed lasted for 7 hours and her family flew in to say their good-byes.
During the death experience and coma that followed, DandeLyon experienced the universal energy and beauty that she still longs for today.
She attributes the return from death to the energy created by the hospital workers placing her daughter in the bed with her as she began to pass.
Wakening to complete bilateral paralysis, unable to think coherently, move, speak, produce hormones, regulate cold/hot, and all the other effects from a massive brain bleed, she began her new life. Her mother, refusing to let the doctors give her anti-depressants, because “being a victim of stoke is depressing and she will need to feel it heal”, took charge of her care-giving.
For a year, DandeLyon focused on her return to health through meditation, nutrition, and love. She refused the in-clinic treatment and sought her own path. She found balance and healing with a yoga practice in town led by a White Lotus trained yogini. She began well before she could maintain weight on her right side.
In November 2015 DandeLyon began collaborating with her business partner (and now life partner) on The Shiney project, and in March 2016, 20 months post-stroke, she gained her Registered Yoga Teacher 200 certification from the prestigious White Lotus Foundation in Santa Barbara with acclaimed teachers Ganga White and Tracey Rich.
Shortly after, DandeLyon and Carl began canvasing the Fort Scott Kansas area looking to purchase a suitable space to open a Yoga Studio and Wellness Center. On her first visit to an abandoned 1905 simple gothic church and parish house, she stood in the middle of the sanctuary; the epic architecture, breathtakingly beautiful stain glass windows and the calm feeling of the sanctuary spoke to her. “This place is a place for healing and sharing, built with care & craftsmanship, steeped with love & hope from 100 years of prayer and worship.” And the next chapter began.
The studio theme was The Art of Mindful Living! Countless hours were spent rubbing oil into the wood floors and ornate woodwork, cleaning and caring for the 1908 Pfeffer Organ and the priceless stained glass windows and little by little it came back to life. She repurposed furniture from the Parish House for The Shiney Studios to reflect the age and wisdom that the building possessed. It was a mirror of her own life and healing. The Shiney, named for her stallion Twice As Shiney, tells part of her story.
DandeLyon is still healing from her stoke and is the epitome of anti-fragile, more than a survivor, where catastrophic trauma has made her cellular genetics heal stronger. Micro-evolutionary, leaving her with unending reservoirs of compassion, non-judgment, and love.
She and her partner created The Shiney Foundation in 2016 (now DandeLyon Love Foundation), providing access to yoga, meditation and therapy to those with PTSD, or survivors of traumatic brain injuries or female survivors of abuse.
DandeLyon has now redirected her passion to expand in Dallas. The studio is located in the HEART of the Design District! The vibe of this new location aligns perfectly with DandeLyon Love Yoga Studio. They celebrate the creative spirit of humanity! The studio was built with our own hands and we had added our personal artistic details, like a living wall flower garden (by Dande) and a full wall mural of the Rocky Mountains (by Carl). It is also filled with the art and photos of our world travel. Our desire to offer Yoga as a Healing Art to our community. Our mission statement includes LOVE + YOGA ~ the Art of Mindful Living”, and our experience has taught us that health and wellness is unique to every person.
It was also our deep desire to offer a platform for ARTISTS and WELLNESS practitioners to acknowledge their powerful impact on mindful and healthy living. It is my firm belief that there are no “absolute” formulas for wellness, and that it takes a combination that is ever-changing because we are EVER changing. We recognize crucial ingredients for healthy living as art, music, yoga, laughter, meditation, animal companions, being present, emotional safety, massage, grace, pranayama (breathing) wholesome nutrition, water, acupuncture, love, spirituality, kindness, and compassion.
Now spending her time between Texas, Montana, and Bali, she is an artist with a camera, a magical writer, a beautiful yogini, a devoted mother, and a lover of people. She fills the room with her energy and the world with her love. It is no accident that DandeLyon Love Yoga has become her next big project and the DandeLyon Love Foundation her next big passion.
What else shoud we know about you and the DandeLyon Love Yoga Studio story. Tell us more about the business.
We are known for personal attention to our students~ our deep understanding of the body in conjunction with the psychological effects of alignment, breath and internal dialogue on the student, with the mind, body, and heart. ~ We create a safe space for everybody~ to heal, celebrate, strengthen, explore or deepen your body, mind, and heart. We come to the table with such a well-rounded staff: Carl’s background as an NHL player Canadian Olympic program and a master’s in Physiology and biomechanics, combined with my deep dive study in Neuroplasticity and healing modalities in Yoga, Pranayama and meditation are a great balanced combination. We believe strongly in the three-part approach~ Asanas, pranayama and guided meditation supported by science and tradition. Our lead instructors were trained at the renowned White Lotus Foundation with Ganga White and Tracey Rich.
We also believe that yoga is for EVERY BODY~ We have classes in Spanish twice a week to serve the underserved communities. We believe healing should be available in people’s native language. We also have classes for ASL (hearing impaired). Every detail in our Yoga Studio and boutique was placed with great intention. From our Rocky Mountain mural to our 12 foot living plant wall, our goal was to delight your senses. ♥️ Our boutique echoes this intention. We have art pieces from Bali, handmade silver jewelry from Bali, handmade malas blessed by a female shaman.
Has luck played a meaningful role in your life and business?
Laughing, Is this a trick question? I am not sure about luck. I am sure about our philosophy: Do no harm and do the next best right thing. Those two rules are our compass with both personal and professional dealings. We have sustained hard lessons in life, as all people do. I think we all come to the table a little broken. It’s how you use those experiences to deepen, to gain wisdom and gratitude that count. We do a lot of work around antifragility and the application of that in life.
Pricing:
- Om 1 $18 Single drop-in fee ~ free smiles
- Fab 5 $85 Pre-purchase 5 classes ~ save $5
- Zen 10 $160 Pre-purchase 10 classes – save $20
- Mindful Month $108 Mindful Month (AutoPay) $99 Unlimited classes 10% off all boutique purchases**
- Balanced Year $1089 Save $99 Unlimited classes 15% off all boutique purchases**
- Students (with ID), Seniors (65 and over) & Military (Active/Veteran) 20% Discount
Contact Info:
- Address: 1400 Hi Line Drive Suite #122
Dallas, TX 75207 - Website: dandelyonloveyoga.com
- Phone: 620-215-2890
- Email: dandelyon@dandelyonloveyoga.com
Image Credit:
DandeLyon Vredenburg, Carl Repp, Jonas Park
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