From yoga classes to meditative and therapeutic services, the Bodhi Tree Guesthouse & Studio, 8950 Lavelle Road, is one of Athens' hidden gems. Located only a few miles from Ohio University’s campus, Bodhi offers something that seems to be increasingly harder to find: an opportunity for one to focus on oneself.
Students and locals can participate in not just yoga classes but many unique experiences, such as a Qi Gong class or even a Thai massage. There are benefits to attending classes with Bodhi, as guests receive a far more intimate and personal experience as opposed to taking classes at the gym.
Bodhi’s setting helps create a far different experience than what could be offered at a gym or recreation center. Surrounded by nature and many gorgeous plants, the location is also home to both a farm and a guesthouse, which is available for rent as a whole-house rental.
“Right now, we are requiring pre-registration for all classes,” Erin Pfahler, an instructor at Bodhi, said. “It’s just like anywhere that you sign up for something. You just create an account and then show up for the class.”
It’s easy to get involved at Bodhi because a full schedule of classes offered and the class sign-ups can be found by visiting the website. The option to purchase class passes is also available, allowing students to enroll in a block of classes.
“We try to keep our prices pretty affordable,” Liz Chamberlain, a co-owner of Bodhi, said. “Anybody can go online and sign up for one of our yoga classes, and the drop-in rate for that is $10.”
Making classes affordable is important to Bodhi and, because of the lower prices for group classes, many students have started to consider signing up for classes they would not have otherwise considered before.
Ethan Olack, a freshman studying molecular biology, said he finds importance in the affordable classes.
“To me, that’s like a big deal actually, especially for a college kid,” Olack said.
Although close to OU, not being located within walking distance from campus poses a big challenge for attracting prospective guests. This issue has helped set the way for potential future improvements to the Bodhi experience for students.
“I would love to somehow create a rideshare system for out there, so people can actually get out there and check it out,” Pfahler said.
For now, classes are offered not just in person but also virtually through Zoom. The option to participate in classes online not only helps combat the distance problem but provides an alternative to those worried about in-person interactions due to the ongoing pandemic.
“We are requiring masks and vaccinations,” Pfahler said. “We usually limit the classes right now to about 10 people, so we have space for everyone to move around.”
Despite the many challenges faced due to the pandemic, Bodhi is still continuing to expand its class offerings. In fact, a big goal all at Bodhi share is to continue to grow the organization.
“We certainly hope to increasingly grow the community here and add more classes, figure out what people are wanting from our studio and be able to offer that,” Chamberlain said. “We’re certainly hoping, as we establish ourselves here over the years, to really continue to diversify our staff, the kinds of classes that we’re offering and the kinds of communities we’re able to reach through those offerings.”
A great way to get involved with Bodhi is by checking out its monthly class, “Meditate with Us.” The class will be offered Saturday. More information about Bodhi and its upcoming classes can be found on its website.
