Nestled in a small river town just over the Wisconsin border, Bodhi Studios is a brand new, state-of-the-art yoga studio that just opened in October of 2022. I sat down with owner Cortney Franklin to learn a bit more about her new studio.
Tell us a bit about your background and how you came to yoga and teaching yoga
I spent the last 10+ years in the financial services industry. I have a bachelor’s degree in biomedical science and a master’s degree in healthcare administration. I started teacher training at the end of 2019. I was not 100% sure where it would lead me, but something inside of me called me to take the leap. So I did. I envisioned a yoga studio in my mind for several years, but was not sure I would or could ever make it a reality. Starting to teach was the first step for me.
I practiced for several years and always loved the energy instructors brought to others. The ability to help them through the day-to-day, to inspire, to take care of them in a way I could 100% relate to spoke to my soul about teaching. I know the impact it had on me. The strength I need to handle life’s ups and downs is fueled by the strength I gain and the release of emotion I experience on my mat. I can’t imagine not practicing. It changed my life.
What inspired you to open (and literally build) a yoga studio in Prescott?
When covid hit in 2020, I was actually anxious about the studios closing. As a single mom, I felt a lot of fear around the shut downs, my kids getting sick, me getting sick, my family getting ill, and on top of it not being able to do something that was my outlet, stress relief, and reprieve. I continued to practice at home but it just isn’t the same as coming together with others. The support you feel in person is irreplaceable.
I started teaching in June of 2020 at Freedom Park. I offered class on Tuesday and Thursday evenings. I started at the park because it was the safest place for us to come together, we could social distance and be outdoors. The community just really embraced the classes. When it started to get too cold to practice outside I searched for a commercial space to rent. I knew our community needed more. There was absolutely no way at that point I could stop teaching or shut down Bodhi. I knew in my heart it was the right time.
Since then, I have hired 5 instructors. We teach class 7 days a week and offer several formats. My finance background really rejected the notion of paying rent for a space I knew would be higher than if I owned a building. As Bodhi grew, the vision for our space also developed in my mind. Realizing that if I wanted to truly represent the brand, the aesthetic, and the feel in my mind I would have to build it. I will say, my professional background really prepared me to have a good understanding of what would be needed to secure financing, be fiscally responsible for the business, and logistically make it a reality.
How did you come up with the name Bodhi Studios, what meaning does it have for you?
Bodhi studios is named after the Bodhi Tree. It means to be awakened or enlightened, which is what I hope for all humans that walk through our doors!
What is your mission at Bodhi Studios?
My number one mission at Bodhi is to break the notion that you have to “be” something in order to practice yoga. I often hear people say “I am not a yogi” , “I am not flexible”, “I can’t do yoga for reasons X, Y, or Z”. While I disagree, I absolutely understand where that feeling comes from. Yoga can be intimidating. Some studios do not feel super welcoming or accepting. It’s not exclusive, it is not elite, and it is not something that you have to be anything other than YOURSELF to practice. I want to make sure anyone walking through the doors of Bodhi feels that.
The theme of this issue is energy. What does energy look or feel like to you?
I talk a lot about energy in class. I believe one of the most beautiful things about the practice of yoga is the sharing of energy. Sometimes you need to receive the positive energy and sometimes you give the energy. I love that there is no “end point” with yoga. Different formats and styles will call to you at different points in your life depending on the energy you need to create and absorb. It’s definitely a feeling. Good, bad, and indifferent, yet all important!
Bodhi Studios is located at 1125 Henry St, Prescott, WI
www.bodhistudios.co
