Pranam Yoga Shala is a donation-based, ‘pay-what-you-can’, neighborhood yoga studio in Blackstone, Omaha. For 7 years, they’ve offered accessible & affordable classes & trainings, and hundreds of free community classes both inside and outside the studio. They teach yoga as a way to inspire others to heal, serve and navigate life. The owner also started a nonprofit to keep the circle of giving going. The nonprofit, Pranam Seva (Seva, in Sanskrit means selfless service), awards yoga training scholarships to people who cannot afford, rehomes refugee families, provides monthly meals for the homeless, and is hard at work on 2 new community projects that are aligned with their mission to “Make yoga and mindfulness available to everyone, and create a circle of giving that dissolves barriers and unites people”. They believe in taking the goodness of giving outside the walls of the studio, to affect greater healthful transformation in Omaha, with intentions that it ripple out into the world.
When COVID hit, due to having downsized less than a year before, they had a small financial cushion, were able to cobble together a virtual studio, and moved their trainings to Zoom. Now, close to a year later, without a full class schedule & teacher trainings, and with such limited space in classes due to social distancing, it has become impossible to cover overhead.  As of this month, they are considering closing their doors. Due to the pandemic, countless yoga studios far and wide have permanently closed their doors.  We are dedicated to keeping this one open!