Holding Heat in the North: What It's Like to Run a Hot Yoga Studio in Rural Minnesota

In northern Minnesota, where winter stretches long and the wind can sting your skin before you reach your car, warmth becomes sacred. It’s not just something we seek, it’s something we create. At Notice Wellness, our hot yoga studio hums with that kind of intentional warmth: the kind that melts away layers, steadies your breath, and makes you feel human again.

Running a hot yoga studio up north isn’t typical. It’s not nestled in a big city with a steady stream of students and wellness trends. It’s built right here, in the heart of a small community that knows what it means to endure through deep snow, quiet roads, and long stretches of stillness. And maybe that’s what makes this place so special. Because when people walk into our studio, they’re not just coming for yoga. They’re coming for connection.

Inside, the heat wraps around you like a weighted blanket. You can hear soft music, the whisper of movement, the collective exhale as everyone settles onto their mat. It’s real, human, and honest. There’s no performance here, just people finding their way back to themselves.

When I first dreamed of opening Notice Wellness, I imagined more than a yoga studio. I wanted to create a place where people could notice — their feelings, their breath, their thoughts, and what it is they seek. Some days that looks like a packed class where energy buzzes in the air. Other days, it’s one person rolling out their mat in the quiet warmth, taking time to simply be.

In rural Minnesota, community doesn’t just happen; it’s something we nurture. We wave to one another on the roads, shovel each other’s driveways, and wish each other well. This studio grew from that same spirit; a gathering space that says, you belong here.

And that’s really what running a hot yoga studio up north feels like: a mix of gratitude, resilience, and and a big heating bill! haha, but seriously, gratitude for every person who braves the cold to come practice. Resilience to keep showing up and keeping their fire lit. Presence to keep noticing the beauty in all of it; the sweat dripping on our mats, the laughter after class, the way the windows fog while snow falls outside.

If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to practice hot yoga in the middle of a Minnesota winter, imagine this: you're frigid and tense in the cold, but then arrive and walk into a space that feels like an embrace. The air is warm, your heart slows down, and suddenly, you remember you’re alive, you’re home, and there’s light inside you, even when it’s so dark outside.

So come hold the heat with us. Come meet the people who make this community what it is; resilient, kind, and full of heart.

Because here at Notice Wellness, we’re not just building heat. We’re building connection, one class at a time.

Photos- @rau_photo