about us

Welcome to Spirit House Yoga, Oklahoma City’s premier yoga studio, proudly standing as the city’s oldest establishment since our doors first opened in 2004. Founded by Ted Cox and Martha McQuaid, two seasoned experts with decades of teaching and life experience, Spirit House Yoga has become synonymous with longevity, integrity, and a steadfast commitment to our community.

yoga classes & trainings

Our classes are welcoming for all levels of students – our highly experienced teachers instruct to who is in the room, and teach off the mat in order to allow students to feel seen and well served. We offer safe, functional movement classes, providing individualized instruction and modifications. Our classes are body-positive and inclusive of all ages and abilities. Classes are free of the distractions of heat, music and fast pacing, giving students the time and space to direct their focus inward with movement meditation.

Our trainings include comprehensive 200-hour Yoga Teacher Training, Advanced 300-hour Yoga Teacher Training with two highly experienced 500- hour level teachers with over 2 decades of teaching expertise. We also offer Level 1 and 2 Thai Yoga Bodywork training, taught by Martha McQuaid who has been practicing this work for over 2 decades.

MEET OUR

fully qualified instructors

Martha McQuaid – Owner, E-CYT 500, C-IAYT

Martha McQuaid C-EYT 1,000, C-IAYT Martha’s impressive credentials showcase her extensive expertise in the field of yoga and holistic wellness. As a Certified Yoga Therapist with the International Association of Yoga Therapists, she possesses a high level of proficiency in applying Yoga as a therapeutic tool for health and well-being. Her certifications in Anusara Yoga and the Thai Yoga Method further highlight her dedication to diverse and comprehensive approaches to Yoga practice and bodywork. Martha’s extensive experience of over two decades in teaching Yoga and practicing Thai Yoga Bodywork underscores her commitment to helping others on their journey to physical and mental well-being. Her Advanced Practitioner status in Integrative Restoration® (iRest®) Yoga Nidra offers proficiency in guiding individuals through deep relaxation and meditation practices. Furthermore, Martha’s background in Music Performance, along with her impressive tenure as a professional symphonic musician and University instructor for 20 years, adds a unique dimension to her teaching. This combination of expertise in both Yoga Therapy and music provides a rich and multifaceted foundation for her approach to wellness and transformation.

Ted Cox, E-CYT 500 – Owner

Teacher, Musician, Author, Yogi, Entrepreneur, and Wellness Professional

Ted Cox’s life and work reflect a rich and diverse journey, blending over four decades of expertise in teaching, music, yoga, and wellness. A passionate educator, dedicated musician, and spiritual guide, Ted’s influence spans multiple disciplines, each rooted in a deep commitment to personal growth, transformation, and holistic well-being.

A distinguished musician, Ted is a graduate of the Indiana University School of Music, where he earned the prestigious Performer’s Certificate. For forty years, he has shared his talent as a professional symphony musician, earning recognition for his skill and artistry. His musical versatility is further showcased in his solo CD, Bach to Bix (2009), a project that blends classical and jazz influences. The album is available for streaming on platforms like Spotify, reflecting Ted’s creative range and love for musical expression.

Ted’s entrepreneurial spirit took root in 2004 when he and his wife, Martha McQuaid, founded Spirit House Yoga, Oklahoma City’s oldest operating yoga studio. For over twenty years, Ted and Martha built a thriving community of practitioners and teachers, offering intelligent, sustainable yoga practices. Under their guidance, Spirit House Yoga became a cornerstone of wellness in the city, and in 2014, they began certifying yoga teachers through their Yoga Teacher Training program. Over the course of eleven years, they certified more than 100 yoga instructors, instilling a philosophy of mindful teaching, self-awareness, and personal transformation.

In 2015, Ted and Martha expanded their vision with the opening of YogaLab, a second studio designed to offer apprenticeship opportunities for aspiring teachers and a low-cost, pay-it-forward approach to yoga for the wider community. This initiative provided accessible, inclusive wellness options for all, regardless of financial resources. Building on these efforts, in 2024, they launched Conscious Living, a global mastermind program focused on personal and spiritual development through yoga, mindfulness, and conscious living principles.

Ted’s work as an author further reflects his dedication to the spiritual and philosophical aspects of Yoga. His two books, Warrior Self – Unlocking the Promise of the Bhagavad Gita (2014) and Warrior Truth – Discovering the Power of the Bhagavad Gita (2016), offer profound insights into the teachings of one of Yoga’s most sacred texts. Through these works, Ted explores the intersection of philosophy, personal growth, and the practice of true Yoga, guiding readers toward deeper self-awareness and inner peace.

Ted Cox’s legacy is one of lifelong learning, artistic expression, and a deep commitment to empowering others to live consciously, authentically, and with intention and purpose.

Holly Ely – E-RYT 200

Holly began practicing yoga over ten years ago as a way to manage chronic pain from a back injury. She quickly fell in love with the practice, and the physical and emotional benefits she saw emerge led her to begin teaching in 2012. Holly received her 200 hour certification in 2013 at Yoga Life in Norman, OK. Her passion is teaching proper modifications and alignment to make yoga accessible to everyone. When she is not in the studio, Holly is usually busy in the kitchen or her backyard raising her two daughters, a large vegetable garden, and a flock of chickens. – https://hollylove.yoga/

Jackie Ellis – RYT 200

Jackie attended her first yoga class some 20 years ago with the intent of teaching her hamstrings a lesson. What she discovered was a lifetime practice of learning how her body, mind and spirit work. Several years ago, Jackie started her journey towards becoming a Hatha yoga instructor. She received her 200-hour Yoga Certification from Spirit House Yoga in 2018 and has been teaching steadily since then. Jackie’s special interest lies in the therapeutic applications of regular yoga practice and teaching her yoga students how to apply the lessons learned on the mat to their everyday lives. Along with her yoga practice, Jackie is an avid skydiver, hiker, mountaineer, Jeep fanatic, and is a certified Thai Yoga Bodywork practitioner. Jackie and her husband Alan are freelance writers and bloggers, who have many published articles in these fields. When not practicing yoga or one of her many hobbies, Jackie spends time with her husband, her children and grandchildren, and her active Labrador Retriever puppy, Tucker.

Rachel Yates – RYT 200

Rachel completed her 200 hour certification in February 2016 with Spirit House Yoga. She believes everyone can experience deeper awareness, empowerment, and self-love through yoga. Rachel’s teaching method focuses on breath, muscle engagement, and alignment. She integrates yoga philosophy into her classes to facilitate deeper learning for transformation on and off the mat. Rachel holds a Bachelor of Arts in Liberal Studies and a Master of Arts in Administrative Leadership and has previously worked in suicide prevention.

Angela Rose, CYT 500

Angela is passionate about practicing and teaching yoga.  After stepping on the mat for the first time, she realized that it wasn’t just about movement, but so much more.  Consistent practice began the desire to learn more, so she joined the Spirit House teacher training program.  Then, teaching and sharing the practice became her passion.  After completing teacher training, she started her own mobile yoga studio, The Yoga Tag, LLC, to offer classes wherever there is space and a need.  Her focus is to provide sustainable, functional yoga to all ages, all bodies.  After her 200 hour teacher training she began Thai Bodywork training and is Level II certified and then completed her 300 hour yoga teacher training in 2024.   She believes in providing movement solutions in each class while experiencing a community feeling.  Fostering a sense of belonging while leading a class of movement and breath work. Besides yoga, her life is filled with work in insurance, a large family, lots of pets and a general approach of doing all the things as much as time allows and being as unpredictable as possible.