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It’s all flowing on the Leland River this season: beauty, fitness, community, and a deep appreciation for the natural environment that surrounds and supports Leelanau County. This August marked the one-year anniversary of Leland River Studio, a boutique yoga and pilates center nestled into charming downtown Leland. The tranquil space, formerly home to an art gallery, still embodies beauty and art with its striking design. Clean white walls and a simple, modern aesthetic cultivate a deep sense of calm, while abundant windows showcase the colorful and ever-changing scenic views surrounding the studio. M22 passes in the front, the Leland River flows in the back, and skylights bring in the blue skies floating above. Natural light floods the space and comfortable seating on front porch and back deck invite lingering connections before and after class.

Yoga is a popular pursuit these days. Once perceived as an obscure or esoteric practice, the millennia-old science of yoga has become mainstream in our Western world. Here in northern Michigan, we enjoy a vast array of yoga and meditation offerings to serve various interests and lifestyles. There are daily fitness-style yoga classes at luxury studios, and weekly free community yoga sessions in local churches and halls. Traditional practices focused on breath and energy provide a quiet contrast to modern flows with music and dance mixed in. Summer brings yoga outdoors with seasonal classes at wineries, meditation along a river, and yoga in the park or on the beach. The traditionally Indian practice of yoga is now valued by people from all walks of life for its physical, mental, and communal experience.

In this essay published in our late August edition of the Sun, Empire native Jessica Sharry reflects on moving from Northern Michigan to Finland and back, on practicing yoga, on immigration, on food, and on nature.