Featured Studio: Lynden Yoga Collective
Lynden Yoga Collective is a beautiful space in the heart of downtown Lynden, WA. If you have never been to Lynden, it’s a cherished town closer to Canada in north Whatcom County. Heading North, you travel along I-5 until Bellingham, WA and then head Northeast. Google will get you there. The drive is beautiful and picturesque with green trees hugging the sides of the mountains – it’s worth the drive if you don’t already live in the area. Pro tip: Take Chuckanut on the way South for sweeping views of the Salish Sea.
Lynden Yoga Collective caught our attention for a reason that might surprise you: childcare. On Tuesday and Thursday mornings, childcare is available for all of you caregivers that want to take time for your own self care. Pay a small drop-in fee and your little one will be watched while an instructor guides you through a hot vinyasa flow.
Additionally the studio is connected to a boutique with organic essentials for your practice. There are unique treasures for both the yoga practitioners in your life and you. See below for a few questions answered by Co-Founder Kyle Kloostra to learn more about this studio.
Owners: Kyle Kloostra and Claire Stetina Zurbrugg
Location: Lynden, WA
Parking/closest public transportation?
There is ample public parking in front of the yoga studio and one block down the street.
What was the inspiration behind the studio?
There were three inspirations that led to the opening of the Lynden Yoga Collective: First, the re-enchantment of the ordinary and personal healing that I continue to experience through the practice of yoga, vipassana meditation, and the wisdom found in the Advaita Vedanta philosophy.
Second, deep-seated love and appreciation for the Bellingham Yoga Collective. I began practicing at this studio in 2019 and immediately felt at home with the studio's sincere devotion to the eight limbs of yoga. It was here that I also met my business partner, Claire Zurbrugg, the founder and owner of the Bellingham Yoga Collective. She is an inspiration both on and off the mat. Ultimately, there was a sense that this studio was such a special sanctuary that Claire and I were inspired to expand its reach into North Whatcom County.
Finally, a love for the Lynden community. Lynden is a small town located in North Whatcom County that has roughly 16,500 residences. Until the Lynden Yoga Collective opened, there had never been a yoga or meditation studio in the town. LYC, then, became a way to serve this community by offering a local option for people to both be introduced to the beauty of the Yogic path and practice this path in the community together.
Do you have a mission at your studio?
Put into a blurb, "Our locally-owned yoga studio & wellness center in downtown Lynden is a sanctuary to find balance, community, and connection in North Whatcom County. From daily yoga classes and guided meditation sessions to therapeutic massages, we're here to support you on your journey toward becoming fully awake while living.”
I'd say that the last line of that blurb is the fundamental mission of the studio—"We're here to support you on your journey toward becoming fully awake while living."
What style of yoga classes are taught at your studio?
We are fortunate enough to have two spaces to practice at LYC. One is a non-heated studio (Yin Studio) where we offer restorative, yin, gentle yoga, and hatha flow classes. The other is a hot studio (Yang Studio) where we offer Hatha flow and vinyasa flow classes. A further unique element is our therapeutic yoga classes, which are guided by Dr. Bailey.
Do you offer meditation classes?
We offer meditation workshops where we break down and introduce the fundamentals of vipassana meditation, as well as meditation sits. The weekly sits focus on one particular aspect of meditation so the practitioner can learn all the various nuances and subtleties of the practice. This past summer, we hosted them every Wednesday evening.
Do you have a teacher training program at your studio? If so, tell us a little bit about the training.
Our teacher training program runs through the Bellingham Yoga Collective and consists of both 200-hour and 300-hour training.
Do you offer special events or workshops?
Yes. This fall, we have held a Beginner's Yoga Series, as well as a workshop on Somatic Breathwork. Our upcoming workshops are Body Psychology: An Introduction to the Chakras, as well as The Nourished Life, which is focused on sustainable food preparation and gut health.
What kind of students would resonate with your studio?
Being the first yoga and meditation studio in Lynden, WA, beginners find themselves in good company, but we also cater to seasoned practitioners. Our diversity in our class styles (from Hot Vinyasa to Therapeutic Yoga) reflects how there is something for everyone at LYC.
What is your favorite quote?
A favorite quote is tough; here are a few that I have sat with over the years:
“Love alone is credible”
“If you love everything, you will perceive the divine mystery in things. Once you perceive it, you will begin to comprehend it better every day, and you will come at last to love the whole world with an all-embracing love. Love children especially; they live to soften and purify our hearts and, as it were, to guide us.”
“To pay attention, this is our endless and proper work.”
Website: lyndenyogacollective.com
Instagram: @lyndenyogacollective