Last week I got a chance to take 4 classes at Sol Yoga Collective in Rapid City, South Dakota. I am very excited to tell you about this wonderful and unique studio. 
My husband and I did some camping outside of Rapid City last week. We ended up in a Starbucks so that my husband could use the internet and I spotted a flyer for Sol Yoga Collective. I know right away when I started reading through their website that it was the location that I wanted to practice yoga at while on this vacation. I was drawn to the fact that all, yes all, the classes are donation based. They want to make sure that yoga is accessible to all. How amazing is that? It also made me very happy to see that some of the classes are taught by new teachers. This is what they say about it:
It is important to us here at Sōl to provide a platform for teachers to get out there and begin teaching. The biggest hurdle that a new teacher faces is to simply begin! Sōl Yoga Collective is unique in their support of new teachers by removing the obstacle of “auditioning” before being allowed to lead a class. True learning comes from doing. This is our aim here. We hope you will come to show your support and cheer our new teachers on. Every talented and impactful teacher was once brand new.
I love that they support those who are new to teaching!
Staff
When I first got to the studio I was greeted by one of the instructors. She was very welcoming and made me feel like I had been going to the studio for years. In fact, all of the teachers that I had over the week were beyond kind. Each one wanted to stay in contact with me in some way. One wanted to be friends on Facebook to stay in contact, one sent me an email with some resources that she got during her training, and one emailed me a book recommendation about a topic that I mentioned I was interested in. I was blown away by their kindness and welcoming spirit.
Physical Space
Once I got into the yoga room, I couldn’t help noticing the beautiful ceiling. In yoga, you look up a lot, and I really appreciate the high ceiling with the ornate pattern and lack of fluorescent bulbs. The wood floors and the big windows just added to the beauty of the space. I also noticed immediately that there were no mirrors. I initially thought that this would bother me, but honestly, I was fine without them.
Classes
I took four classes at Sol Yoga Collective and I loved each one. Below is a list of the classes I took along with the description of the classes from their website. I was very impressed with the uniqueness of each teacher. They offer restorative classes and challenging classing classes (we did crow and headstand in one course). Some of the teachers really focused on the spiritual side, some on using essential oil in your practice, and some focused on challenging your physical practice. There truly is a class at this studio for everyone.
Balancing the Energy Body
This class will be an ever changing opportunity to come together as a community of humans to do our own soul work. By using asana practice with a focus on balancing and unblocking our body’s energy centers and pathways we can bring personal and collective transformation to our lives. We will utilize a variety of practices including yin yoga, mantra, Kundalini yoga, pranayama, meditation, traditional asana and gentle self-healing techniques to access grounding and liberation in both our physical, and energy bodies.
Real Evolution Yoga
REY is a unique yoga methodology that builds power through flexility and strength. This practice incorporates an invigorating vinyasa flow in a warm environment, human development principles and somatics to enhance vitality on every level. A 75-90 minute class, accessible to all levels of practitioners.
Yoga
This was a basic Hatha practice, there wasn’t a description for this class. I loved how the teacher integrated essential oils into the beginning and end of the class.
Yin Yoga
A slow and deep practice perfect for anyone seeking balance in a constantly moving, multi-tasking and fast paced world. Yin yoga is a practice of floor work, fewer poses, held for a longer duration of time to target connective tissue and facilitate deep release. It is also based on the philosophy of using compression and gentle therapeutic stretch to allow free flow of movement of energy through the organs and energy meridians in our body. Using the combination of Traditional Chinese Medicine and yoga asana to work with balancing and unblock our energy meridians. Find relaxation, stress relief and a deeper connection to your authentic self and the subtleties of your physical and energy body.
Overall Thoughts on Sol Yoga Collective
I cannot say enough about Sol Yoga Collective. From their wonderful philosophies to their beautiful space, and welcoming teachers. This is definitely a place that you should check out if you are ever in the area. I would even recommend planning a trip to Rapid City just so that you can practice yoga here, it’s that good.
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