Our yoga studio is going BIG and we need your help!

I started my studio journey in 2020. I had heard the call to serve in my own studio space and knew I wanted to bring the power of yoga to those who may not otherwise seek it. My goal was to create a space that felt safe and welcoming to those who are yoga curious but feel intimidated by large studios or fitness style yoga.

I moved into my studio space during a time that no one could physically attend a yoga class. Studios and gyms were closed, but I started anyway. I began offering discounts to school staff, medical personnel, and first responders to help them navigate the challenges they face. For the first year, I continued to work full time in my nonprofit role leading fundraising efforts to support older adults in our community. And, when other studios began to close – I held strong. This resilience has paid off.

Over the past five years I have built more than a yoga studio – I have built a community. Through my other venture, River Valley Yoga Festival, I have built relationships with other yoga teachers, healers and wellness professionals throughout Minnesota and beyond. Through my work in our community, I have built relationships with our high school staff and other nonprofit organizations to educate students and older adults about ways to use yoga to reduce anxiety, heal injuries, and find more joy in their life – even during the toughest of times.

Since beginning this journey I have deepened my education, becoming a RYT 500 with a focus on SomaYoga, meditation, restorative yoga, and level one yoga therapy. I am recognized through the Yoga Alliance as an E-RYT 200, RYT 500, and Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider. In addition to leading weekly classes, I offer essential oil treatments and private SomaYoga therapeutic sessions.

For the past five years I have shared space with a dear friend, supporter, and powerful healer here in our community. I love my space and the people in it and consistently receive recognition for the warm, welcoming community we have created. In fact, in 2023 we were voted "Best Yoga Studio" by our community!

People say this is not an ordinary studio – it’s truly a community. A place where people enter laughing and greeting each other. A place where people linger after class to get caught up on each other’s lives. We worry when someone is absent for too long and support each other during times of grief, transition, and celebration.

And now, the time has come to go BIGGER. Our community has grown and we have more healing work to do.

We are moving into a larger space in our community. A space of our own. A space that offers us room to grow and expand to create a true yoga collective. A space that will continue to offer all that we do now and hold space for more teachers, healers, and like-minded organizations to support our community too.

The time is NOW! Our community is asking for this, excited for this, ready for this!

It feels vulnerable to ask for support and yet it is needed. To build this space in a way that meets our needs and carries the same warm, welcoming atmosphere we have now, we need your support. We invite you to help us build a community space for healing and happiness to grow together.

UPDATE: We have been in our space for 8 months. We see new people every week. People who are seeking community. People who don't seem to "fit" at other studios in our community. People who value the gentleness and care of what we have to offer. And yet, the growth isn't as fast as we need it to be to be sustainable. We appreciate anything you can offer to support us as we continue to serve our community.

Thank you for your consideration, from the bottom of our hearts.

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Mudita Wellness is a boutique yoga studio located in Stillwater, Minnesota that offers weekly classes, workshops, essential oil treatments and private SomaYoga therapeutic sessions. Learn more at www.MuditaWellnessMN.com.

River Valley Yoga Festival is a four-day, outdoor event that features yoga, meditation, forest bathing, sound healing, and other workshops designed to support a healthy lifestyle. Learn more at www.RiverValleyYogaFestival.com.

This new space will serve as home for both Mudita Wellness and River Valley Yoga Festival.