Yoga and Wellness Studios Abound Central New York

Region is rich with yogis and yoga centers

By Megan Plete Postol

Yoga is a healthy practice that has been used for generations. The Central New York community is rich with yogis, yoga centers and the practice of regular yoga has numerous health benefits.

No Mud No Lotus Holistic Wellness
8388 Elmer Hill Road, Rome
315-723-9813

No Mud No Lotus Holistic Wellness Center and Yoga Studio is the labor of love and healing of owner Sandy Quattrociocchi.

Her business features offerings that support mind, body and soul. These include yoga, fitness classes, reiki and other healing energy sessions, meditation, aromatherapy, custom herbal blending, workshops, and more. The center also includes a shop filled with a variety of locally made products from different vendors, such as essential oils, jewelry, concrete Buddha statues (check contractors for remodeling projects from here), herbal tea bends and natural remedies.

Quattrociocchi, of Westernville, is a registered yoga instructor, Reiki master and a certified aromatherapist. Her own experience with medical issues led her to practice yoga and pursue natural wellness methods.

She strives to create an inclusive and welcoming environment at her wellness center.

“Yoga is for every body,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if you can do the pose perfectly. It’s that you can come in and do the class. I think a lot of people are afraid of it because they see the pictures of the beautiful girl who is lean and toned, in the perfect pose. You don’t have to be that.”

Once she retired from a career as a respiratory therapist with Bassett Medical Center, she redirected her attention towards the wellness center.

At No Mud No Lotus Holistic Wellness Center and Yoga Studio the philosophy is that wellness starts within and every person is capable of transformation.

“A lot of people have disease,” she said. “But if you look at the holistic aspect, it’s not called disease; it’s called dis-ease within the body. Medically we are trying to treat that with pharmaceuticals; holistically we are trying to treat that with natural methods. The two can combine. There are certain things that you need to have medicine for. But you might be able to decrease your need for medication if you increase your holistic wellness. Perhaps you change your diet and it improves your diabetes or you limit inflammatory foods and pair that with yoga to decrease inflammation in the joints.”

Eventually Quattrociocchi wants to add even more services to the mix, including acupuncture and nutrition counseling.

“My ultimate goal is to be able to offer a variety of different programs to different clientele,” she said. “To have something for everyone, so that more people can be introduced to yoga and the overall wellness aspect.”

They have a website where people can find a good teacher and information about pricing, schedules, and online booking.

No Mud No Lotus is cultivating a network of return clients and it is gratifying for Quattrociocchi to see the center grow.

“A lot of people like the environment here, the ambiance,” she said. “It’s a comfortable feeling for them.”

Just Breathe Yoga Studio
1918 N. James St., Rome
315-337-4860

Just Breathe Yoga Studio, Inc., is a yoga studio and school that was established in August 2005. 2021 is the 16th year in business at the Rome location.

The studio operates from the iconic stone building on the corner of North James Street in Rome. Nicole Hayman-Sherman, current owner and president, purchased it in January 2013. She and her husband, Just Breathe Yoga Studio’s vice president, Ray Sherman, manage the day to day operations of the studio and the registered yoga school division with the help of their “keeper of sanity and organization,” studio and registered yoga school manager, Gabby Griffin, and the support of the JBYS board of directors.

Just Breathe Yoga Studio is a registered yoga school with the Yoga Alliance. Just Breathe Yoga Studio offers 200-hour and 300-hour yoga teacher training programs as well as continuing education (YACEP) classes.

Just Breathe Yoga Studio offers in-person, virtual/online classes and hybrid classes which is a combination of in-person and online. The studio even has its own YouTube Channel. The registered yoga school division offers teacher training, workshops and continuing education programs for teachers needing continuing education credits.

More information about offerings, pricing and schedules can be found at justbreatheyogastudio.com

Other Local Yoga Centers

In Bloom Yoga Studio
163-181 Kenwood Ave., Oneida
315-790-5481

Universal Yoga and Massage Center
3985 Oneida St., New Hartford
315-210-6333

The Yoga Studio
216 Dominick St., Rome
315-240-3075

Bloom Yoga & Wellness
163 Kenwood Ave., Oneida
315-363-5258

Move Breathe Live
1307 Champlin Ave., Suite 9, Utica
315-507-4422

Some of the Benefits of Yoga

1 Yoga improves strength, balance and flexibility.

➜ Try it: Tree Pose
Balance on one foot, while holding the other foot to your calf or above the knee (but never on the knee) at a right angle. Try to focus on one spot in front of you, while you balance for one minute.

2 Yoga helps with back pain relief.

➜ Try it: Cat-Cow Pose
Get on all fours, placing your palms underneath your shoulders and your knees underneath your hips. First, inhale, as you let your stomach drop down toward the floor. Then, exhale, as you draw your navel toward your spine, arching your spine like a cat stretching.

3 Yoga can ease arthritis symptoms.

4 Yoga benefits heart health.

➜ Try it: Downward Dog Pose
Get on all fours, then tuck your toes under and bring your sitting bones up, so that you make a triangle shape. Keep a slight bend in your knees, while lengthening your spine and tailbone.

5 Yoga relaxes you, to help you sleep better.

➜ Try It: Legs-Up-the-Wall Pose
Sit with your left side against a wall, then gently turn right and lift your legs up to rest against the wall, keeping your back on the floor and your sitting bones close to the wall. You can remain in this position for five to 15 minutes.

6 Yoga can mean more energy and brighter moods.

7 Yoga helps you manage stress.

➜ Try It: Corpse Pose (Savasana)
Lie down with your limbs gently stretched out, away from the body, with your palms facing up. Try to clear your mind while breathing deeply. You can hold this pose for five to 15 minutes.

8 Yoga connects you with a supportive community.

Source: Johns Hopkins School of Medicine