Get ready to relax at a new place in Binghamton when the stress of the semester hits. The Collective, A Space for Growth, is a new yoga studio on Clinton Street that aims to create a place of acceptance for everyone.
Owner Lindsey Aingworth, ’15, said she created the space with her partner and co-organizer Trey Davidson with the mission of making a space that is affordable and accessible.
“Our space is different because it creates a sense of not just inclusion and ‘fitting in,’ but true belonging, acceptance and peace,” Aingworth said. “We’re focused on how our space can benefit individuals and create a sense of community, bridging individuals of all backgrounds.”
Aingworth said she created the space because yoga helped her throughout her life and she hopes to similarly impact others. She started practicing yoga in 2012, but found it was something she couldn’t regularly afford, depending on discounts and gift cards to access studios. After graduating from Binghamton University, she moved abroad to China and traveled throughout Asia, eventually training to be a yoga teacher in Sri Lanka.
The Collective plans to offer Asana yoga classes, which focus on body posture for exercise. It will also hold classes and workshops focused on awareness, self-regulation and higher consciousness.
“The various physical poses [of Asana yoga] are a great way to exercise the physical body, but they are also a means of preparing the body for long periods of meditation,” Aingworth said. “We hope to offer tools and methods that encourage a focus on mental and spiritual peace and facilitate growth that is respectful and inclusive of all belief systems.”
The studio had soft openings on Jan. 19 and Jan. 26, offering free classes with a donation of cash or winter clothing. It will continue to offer donation-based yoga classes up until its first week of official classes. Aingworth said the Small Business Development Center (SBDC) provided major support during the opening process.
She hopes that the space brings a sense of connection to BU students and the Binghamton community, inspiring them to try new things and create a life they love.
“We want people to feel a weight lifted as soon as they step in the door and provide tools to keep that light feeling when walking out of the space, too,” Aingworth said. “Yoga has been something that has moved me through a feeling of being stuck and stagnant and helped me manage my mental health. We hope to offer a space that can do the same for the community.”
The Collective will officially open on Feb. 16. On Tuesday, Feb. 3, the studio will host a community yoga class in exchange for donations. The 75-minute class will be at a beginner level for Vinyasa and Yin yoga techniques. Saturday and Sunday community yoga classes will also be offered weekly.