A new non-profit opened its doors earlier this year in Bemidji. The twist? This non-profit is a yoga studio centered around health equity through community outreach programs.

In a dimly lit room and led by a single instructor, people from different walks of life come together in The Yoga Studio of Bemidji to take part in the practice.

“Our mission is to tear down any of the barriers, the economic, the social, the cultural, that we have in making yoga available to people who need it,” explained The Yoga Studio founder Marnee McCormick.

“There’s so much more than just physical practice to it,” said instructor Laura Carpenter. “There’s a lot of mental [practice] going on, a lot of learning how to just focus inside.”

The Yoga Studio in Bemidji opened its doors about six months ago. They recently started to offer classes seven days a week at different levels of experience, making the practice available for everybody (and every body), especially as a non-profit aimed at making health equitable in Bemidji.

“Yoga should be accessible to so many people. And I think a lot of people, when they come into a studio, can be afraid to try,” said Carpenter. “‘Non-profit’ to me makes it seem a little bit more accessible. Not as intimidating.”

“The non-profit part of it came into being because it makes us eligible for grants and funding so the people that can afford to be here and can afford to take yoga help us pay it forward,” said McCormick.

Being a non-profit, The Yoga Studio looks to be open to different sorts of groups. And it’s not just their own doors they open, but those of the businesses they partner with.

“We’re fairly new and so our outreach is just starting,” said McCormick. “We have lots of groups of people that we’re planning on reaching out to … Our goal is to make the health equity that comes from yoga available to everyone.”

The Yoga Studio will hold a session at Bemidji Brewing this Saturday, June 17 at 10 a.m. There are also sessions for kids held this summer.

More information can be found on their website or Facebook Page.

By — Mary Balstad