Buried in the woods and just a 10 minute drive from Ohio University’s campus is Serenity Roots, a sanctuary where Athens residents can decompress and be free from the stress of everyday life.
Located at 8950 Lavelle Road, Serenity Roots is a yoga and wellness center founded by Carin Painter that offers a variety of classes, events and individualized sessions including yoga, qigong, reiki, meditation and massages.
The space was formerly home to Bodhi Tree, a yoga studio, but was replaced by Serenity Roots when Painter and her husband bought the land in 2024.
Painter and her husband, both OU alumni, lived in Broadlands, Virginia, but decided to move back to Athens. After exploring some properties in the area, they immediately fell in love with the space on Lavelle Road.
Painter decided to keep the existing yoga studio and renamed it Serenity Roots. In 2024, Painter reopened the center and many Bodhi Tree staff returned to continue their work.
“Health and wellness has always been important to me,” Painter said. “So just coming here and finding this (place) — they always tell you to look for something you love and do that. This was definitely a passion project.”
Serenity Roots offers classes in a variety of yoga styles, including vinyasa, hatha, radiant body, yin and restorative yoga. Some classes are designed for experienced practitioners, featuring more complex movements and poses, while others are tailored for beginners, focusing on foundational techniques and gentle stretches.
However, Painter wanted to add alternative options for customers, including different types of yoga and other non-traditional wellness exercises. One of these practices is qigong, an ancient Chinese practice that combines gentle, flowing movements and meditation.
C. David Russell, an associate professor of design at OU’s School of Theater, instructs qigong at Serenity Roots on Saturdays from noon-1:00 p.m. According to Russell, “qigong” loosely translates to “working with life force energy” in Chinese.
“It’s sort of a yoga format,” Russell said. “You get a set of movements that you’re doing over and over again to sort of balance the energy in your body.”
In addition to its other alternative wellness offerings, Serenity Roots offers reiki as a popular option. Julie Cain, a reiki master at Serenity Roots, conducts personalized reiki and healing touch sessions aimed at reducing stress and promoting relaxation.
“Reiki is a form of energy healing that comes from Japan, and it’s been around forever,” Cain said. “It’s based on the idea that there is (a) universal life force, and so my role is to tap into that life force and let it flow through your body.”
Cain discussed the broader scope of healing, explaining the benefits of alternative medicine for the body and soul.
“Traditional medicine has its place, but when paired with alternative medicines, you can really go far,” Cain said. “It's that deeper dive into something where you could go back and heal something from the past or at least shed light on it and maybe understand it.”
All of these options can be found on the Serenity Roots website, along with event scheduling and pricing. All drop-in classes are $15 and any workshops, events or individual sessions are priced separately. Open meditation sessions and larger events are donation-based.
“Just stepping onto the property, already creates the first sense (of) relaxation,” Painter said. “But then taking the class, whether it be yoga or qigong … it just helps take your mind off of everything else that's going on, so you can focus on you and your own well-being.”
