Published on Monday, October 15, 2007
By Semhar Debessai
You can barely turn a corner in this city without passing a fancy yoga studio. But walk into a yoga class on the third floor of Santa Monica's Step Up on Second, and the scene might surprise you.
The mats, music and poses are all the same. But many of the students are dressed in regular street clothes, and some suffer from debilitating mental illness and homelessness.
"I was married for 20 years, and my wife passed away," explains student Thomas Judd, 54, who is currently homeless and struggling to deal with his grief.
He describes yoga as "the last piece of the puzzle" in getting back on his feet and achieving his ultimate goal: a return to playing the drums.
"The way (this class) teaches it, you have to move slowly, with grace," explains Judd. "That is probably the main thing in playing the drums, (and developing) strength in the core."
Santa Monica is known for its chic beachside bungalows, eateries and recreation
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