"Spirit of Shakti" brings Ashland the clothing, props, books, DVD's, music and accessories needed to accompany a yoga lifestyle. Store visitors will revel in the experience of walking into the store and being able to discover quality products relating to yoga, along with many fun, spiritual and gift items.

Shakti in the Hindu concept is the active and dynamic principal of feminine power sometimes referred to as the Divine Mother. Shakti is the mother goddess, the source of all, the universal principal of energy, power or creativity.

The Sri Yantra, or Yantra of Creation, is one of the most powerful and dynamic of all Yantras. Worship of the Sri Yantra bestows peace, prosperity, power, protection, health, wealth, courage, bliss, wisdom and Divine Grace upon you. Sri Yantra takes away all kinds of physical, mental or spiritual ailments.

The Sri Yantra is constructed of nine intersecting triangles. The five pointing upward represent Shiva, the male energy, and the four pointing downward represent Shakti, the female energy. The upward triangles represent fire and the downward triangles represent water. Here the male and female and the fire and water overlap and unite and become one. The beautiful Yantra is encased in lotus petals symbolizing a fulfilling of hopes and materialization of expectations.

People often ask me why I decided to have all the clothing made in the U.S. I've had customers say to me, "People need to eat in China too." What I say to this is "Yes that's true but the economy in China is thriving right now while the economy in the U.S. is floundering and there's a great deal of pollution created by shipping things back and forth halfway around the world." I came from Santa Barbara CA one of the most beautiful places in the world. The climate is perfect with a cool breeze blowing offshore from the ocean during the hot summer days. What most people don't know about Santa Barbara is that it has one of the worst air qualities in the country and not because of automobiles. The air pollution in Santa Barbara is caused by the freight ships that go along the coastline there.

Another reason for buying U.S. is that if something is made in the U.S. we know that it has been held to a certain environmental standard where in other countries, such as China or Thailand, there are little or no environmental regulations. It's true that the U.S. hasn't always had the highest environmental standards and we can do much better than we are but we are way ahead of many other countries as far as what chemicals are used and how they're disposed of. One thing we cannot do is regulate other countries to meet our environmental standards.

I believe that one day people will care as much about where and how their clothes are made just as we have become more aware of where and how our food is grown. The skin is the largest organ on the human body. Whatever we put on it is absorbed into the bloodstream. We don't know yet what the effects of putting petroleum based products or chemically laden fabrics on our bodies and then working out and sweating in them will have, or is already having, on our health not to mention the health of the planet. Cancer is an epidemic in this country. It's so common now it's almost like having the flu or a common cold, only it's fatal. Every step we take towards awareness will help to lessen our chances of getting cancer and hopefully begin to decrease the amount of cases we are seeing now.

The reason I'm doing my best to have all clothing made from organic or recycled materials and made in the U.S. is to be in the true Spirit of the "Spirit of Shakti". When I bought this little Yoga shop many people thought I should change the name because most people don't know what it means and it doesn't say what the shop is but I think the name "Spirit of Shakti" is the perfect name because that is exactly what we are and what we are supporting, the Divine Mother of Creation.