Monroe Yoga is approaching its one-year anniversary. The studio, which will open on July 19, 2023, was created as a place to take hot yoga classes without having to drive to Toledo.
The Monroe News caught up with owner Delinda LaGuinness to learn more about the place’s history and what it has to offer yoga seekers.
Q: Where are you from and what inspired you to start this place?
answer: My background is in chemical sales. I retired from BASF. I was in sales for 27 years, and I decided to retire in 2019. And I wanted to do something else. I’m not from here, but my husband is from here. I wanted to create a community. So we moved to Newport. There weren’t a lot of places around here that offered hot yoga. So I decided to start looking for a building, and I found this building. And that’s how Monroe Yoga started. What we’re really about is the community. That’s what I really want. I want everyone to walk through that door and feel welcomed, regardless of age, race, body type. I want everyone to come and feel welcome and have an equal opportunity to practice yoga.
Q: You’ve always been interested in yoga. What made you decide to turn your hobby into a career?
answer: “After I retired and moved away from the community, the community is so ingrained. The people are great, but it’s a big family, they’ve been here for generations, and I felt like I was missing a community. That’s what really sparked it.”
Q: Have you always thought of yoga as a great way to build community?
answer: It’s a great way to build community, but also a great way to grow as an individual.
Q: Why start a yoga business to grow your community?
answer: The decision to open a yoga studio for my community, rather than joining a club or pursuing other avenues, was born out of my desire to create a dedicated space for holistic wellness and personal growth. By establishing a yoga studio, we are providing a welcoming environment where people can come together to practice mindfulness, cultivate physical health, and foster a sense of community.
Q: What is the focus of yoga?
answer: Our focus here is hot yoga. We also have power vinyasas (classes) where we move pretty fast. Most yoga connects breath with movement, but with power we move a little faster.
There are a variety of classes, including Yin and Restorative Yoga. In Restorative Yoga you can hold the pose for 6 minutes, and in Yin Yoga I think it’s about 3 minutes. I don’t usually teach Yin Yoga, I teach Power Yoga and Vinyasa Yoga.
But we also offer Pilates, so we have a couple of Pilates classes every week, we have Pilates hip workouts, we have all the weights, it’s really quite varied, but initially the focus was on yoga, and somehow Pilates just came naturally.
question: Is there a spiritual element to it for you?
answer: No, but there is a spiritual component. Do I identify with my Buddhist or Hindu or yoga roots? No, not at all. But for people who come here, there is spiritual growth, whatever it may be. When we meditate, it’s no different than saying the Hail Mary in a Catholic church. You’re meditating while saying the Hail Mary, right?
But there is no religious connection to the studio at all. Everyone who comes here is here. For me, this (the tattoo) is a reminder of “Om.” It means “Om” in Sanskrit, and when we chant “Om,” we all connect vibrationally. We become one. And the mandala is the perfect form of the universe. For me, I feel that when we unite, when we don’t judge, when we love everyone no matter where they come from, no matter where it is, no matter their religion, no matter their background, no matter what it is, we can come together and create a perfect unity.
Q: What are the benefits of hot yoga?
answer: One of the big things that Red Heat does is warm you up. Not only does it warm you up, it also has a detoxifying effect. It can also help you sleep and burn calories and lose weight from that standpoint. We’ve seen a lot of things happen with it.