Meet Chelsea Winters! The owner and founder of Anahata Yoga & Wellness in Minturn, Colorado, a mindful yoga studio with heart. 500 E-RYT she received her teaching certifications at Yandara Yoga Institute and now leads 200hr teacher trainings in her studio. Chelsea is a reiki practitioner and enjoys all aspects of meditation, breath and Kundalini, and is especially intrigued by the elements, chakras and energy flow.
Anna Helmin: Tell us about your studio, class offerings and the energy it brings to the Minturn, Colorado community. What is your goal or mission for Anahata Yoga?
Chelsea Winters: Anahata is a yoga and wellness studio based in Minturn, Colorado founded by Chelsea Winters. With emphasis on offering mindful movement, breathing techniques and meditation for all levels and all bodies, Anahata practices thoughtful yoga to promote both physical and mental well-being. A true wellness studio- offering in house massage and energy work, as well as traditional yoga. Anahata is a place of heart, where all are welcome and a place of connection. At Anahata we really strive to create a sense of community not only through our weekly class offerings but through various all levels workshops and trainings, including sound healing, energy work and acupuncture. While our asana based classes certainly have a physical benefit, our goal at Anahata is that you always leave feeling better than when you walked in, not only on a physical level but on a mental, emotional and energetic level as well.
Anna Helmin: What tips can you give us on how to market your yoga studio on social media?
Chelsea Winters: We like to spread awareness that we are a yoga and wellness studio where all are always welcome. Offering a variety of classes ranging in levels from a mindful but more athletic solar energy flow, to a lunar slower paced vinyasa, a flow to restore format and our fireside restorative which is a feel good, cozy offering for all. Not only is it important to market your classes, but also your mission and vision. At Anahata Yoga, all classes always have an emphasis on mindfulness and breath work. We connect with our community and offer a plethora of workshops- many down tempo and energy based where we explore sound healing, reiki energy & acupuncture. Anahata has a collaboration with the Shaw Cancer Center and works to offer healing sessions to Shaw Patients & Survivors. Since covid, all of our classes are offered in person, but we also live stream all of our classes on zoom, so that yogis both local and far can practice with us. This has been huge for marketing and bringing awareness to our brand! We also share our small retail section, where all Manduka mats and props, and all other retails items are hand made locally so that we can help support local artists in the community. Overall, the best way to market your yoga studio on social media is by not only sharing what type of classes you offer, but how you are involved with your local community, and what your vision and purpose is.
Anna Helmin: How do you attract new students to join your yoga classes?
Chelsea Winters: We offer several introductory offers to clients upon their first visit with us, from discounted punch passes, discounted month membership and a week unlimited membership so that you can try us out! The week unlimited is a great option for yogis new to us, or yogis visiting the area who would like to practice while on vacation! We also sometimes offer existing client specials, as we just celebrated our 3rd year anniversary and offered several discounted enrollment options. The first time that you visit us on the MindBody app, you will have several intro offers to choose from.
Anna Helmin: What are some other key elements of your studio that enhance the practice of your students?
Chelsea Winters: The big stone fireplace is certainly the focal point of our studio, creating a cozy vibe, especially when the snow is falling outside. Anahata is located in a historic downtown Minturn, Colorado building- Minturn originally being an old mining town, now just minutes from Vail ski mountain. We have beautiful dark, wide plank hardwood floors, high vaulted ceilings and a beautiful chandelier that hangs above. There are so many natural textures inside Anahata, from the wood to the metal and the stone- it creates a really grounding, healing vibe. All of our classes are taught with music, whether it is a curated playlist, or live sound healing- the acoustics in the building are really good. When you walk into Anahata, it feels like you are entering that heart energy- you can smell palo santo and essential oils, feel the warmth of the fire, and it allows your nervous system to calm after a long day.
Anna Helmin: Chelsea, is there anything else about your journey that you want to share with our readers? Can you share your weekly yoga routines with us?
Chelsea Winters: Yoga is a lifelong journey and I feel fortunate to be able to offer this practice to others every day, whether it is in an hour format inside the studio, or in a week long yoga retreat format somewhere beautiful. Yoga and life is a practice, we need to show up for ourselves every day, and for me, showing up takes place on the mat, in my breath, in my meditation practice and in nature. Breathwork, mantra and kriyas are some of the fastest ways for me to get out of my head and into a place that is more present and while some days it is easier than others, it's important to practice everyday to stay grounded, connected and open. Everything is energy and self care is no longer a luxury but a necessity in these crazy times. The more we can slow down and connect to ourselves, our breath, and find that deeper connection to everything around us, the more equipped we are to handle the challenges of day to day life.
Come practice with me at Anahata in person, on zoom or join me on retreat!
