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A new yoga/meditation studio opened in LaGrange Friday.

The Center for Mindful Exploration opened on Garfield Street, right in the heart of the historic Hillside Community.

The studio offers meditation and yoga classes on top of workshops on skills such as balance empathy. The studio’s owners, Susan Marshall and Joanne Rogers, are looking to help their clients use yoga and meditation skills to improve their mental and physical wellness, they said.

They have been hosting yoga classes in various locations, including St. Mark’s Episcopal Church and Beacon Brewery before it was established, for several years as they attempted to establish their own base of operations. The two have taught aspects of yoga and mindfulness at their counseling office on Mooty Bridge Road but began moving around as space and COVID-19 issues arose.

“We haven’t been able to have a full-time studio before,” Marshall said. “It’s always been when [and where] we could find a space.”

Rogers grew up in the Hillside neighborhood for over 30 years and has watched the changes, noting the efforts of DASH, a neighborhood revitalization non-profit in LaGrange.

“A lot of the things have been going on since DASH came in,” Rogers said. “It was my dream to have this business here. I didn’t think we’d get this space or that there’d be a space in Hillside.”

Customers can register and pay for yoga and meditation sessions online at https://mindfulx.site/mindfulness-based-workshops-and-classes/.

Pre-registration is required. Online classes and private sessions are also available. In June, Marshall and Rogers will offer free, community-wide meditation once a month.