Our Story —

Richmond has an abundance of wonderful, traditional yoga studios. However, our focus is different. Our goal is to make yoga accessible and affordable to practitioners of all abilities, which we make possible through the spirit of giving. Every time you unroll your mat with us, you help us unroll the mat for someone else. By drawing from the existing yoga community and support of the Greater Richmond area, we are able to provide access to yoga via our community classes and outreach programs. We are incredibly grateful for the constant support of instructors from nearly every local studio, our volunteers, and to you for making PYR possible!

History —

Project Yoga Richmond originally evolved through five dedicated yogis and students of Arlene Bjork: Jonathan Miles, Dana Walters, Michelle Martello, Pam Cline, and Wendy Warren. Upon the sudden death of their beloved teacher in 2009, these five yogis came together to establish PYR as a non-profit organization in 2010. We’ve provided affordable access to yoga through our pay-what-you-can classes in the community and outreach programs. From the students that we serve to our staff, board, ambassadors, and volunteers, our impact and reach is vast. We have temporarily shut down our operations as of October 2022 in order to re-imagine an organization dedicated to creating more self-awareness, more compassion, and more mindfulness throughout Richmond and beyond.

Vision —

We envision a future in which anyone, anywhere, has the ability and the opportunity to tap into the power of yoga, thus transforming lives, communities, and - ultimately - the world. By striving to make yoga and mindfulness practices accessible to our own communities, Project Yoga Richmond will create a stronger, healthier world.