Meet Bibi Lorenzetti | Yoga Studio Owner, Yoga Teacher & Birth Doula

We had the good fortune of connecting with Bibi Lorenzetti and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Bibi, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
Community is of outmost importance for me. It always has been. Moving from Brooklyn to upstate NY made it really clear to me that I wanted to create a close knit Yoga community with people of all paths of life. Giving birth to my first child during the beginning of the pandemic made that calling even more important. I felt a need to connect and provide community for myself and others who like me thrive in being in community, helping each other out and inspiring each other along the journey of life.

What should our readers know about your business?
Becoming a yoga studio owner has been the culmination of years of practice and teaching all over NY and Europe. I had promised myself I would never own a studio but when the opportunity presented itself it was very clear to me I had to do this. I could not imagine another person taking on that space for a yoga studio, I truly felt the space itself wanted to thrive as a yoga community hub. I dabbled with the decision for a while or rather, I tried to find reasons why I should resist the easeful presentation of the opportunity, but it all just unfolded pretty effortlessly. The main challenge was to believe in the vision I had in the space and to overcome my fears of failure. To really see all the things that presented themselves including a newly met business partner who believed in my vision to make it all align, listen deeply and trust.

The biggest lesson I’ve learned this far is to receive. I’ve never been good at receiving, and this project has been nothing but allowing, listening and receiving. The more I can get out of my own way and allow the more things flow. I notice when I try to force or impose it doesn’t work. This awareness has been a huge lesson in trusting myself and the good forces of the universe. Yoga wanted to be here in Newburgh, I just showed up for it, it may sound crazy but it truly is what happened and what keeps happening.

I hope we all learn that sometimes good thing lie where we don’t want to do the work because we are scared we are not enough. When we get the opportunity to do something for ourselves and for our community it is our duty to step up and rise to the occasion. this is what Newburgh Yoga Shala has been for me, I now have the opportunity to bring traditional yoga practices to an area of the Hudson Valley that did not have this value. Everyone who teaches in our studio is there because they understand it’s not about them but about the tradition of Yoga. Our mission is to deliver that as purely as possible. Yoga doesn’t need any help being yoga, it just needs clear vessels to express itself out of and keep the flame alive. That is what we do at Newburgh Yoga Shala. Newburgh has a dark history, and our hope is that through our non-profit ‘Newburgh yoga & wellness project‘ we will bring the yoga to all communities, including those that would otherwise not have the opportunity to.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We would dine at the following places: Bistro, Lodger, Ms. Fairfax, Soul Kitchen, Krishna Kitchen, Hudson Taco

Listen to music at:
The Falcon and at The wherehouse

Stay with:
https://www.staydreamburgh.com

Practice yoga at Newburgh Yoga Shala

Experience sensory deprivation tanks at Mountain Spa in New Paltz

Hike in Minnewaska State Park

Have a drink at Newburgh Brewery, Spirits lab and Mama Roux

Get a portrait done at https://www.beacontintype.com/

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I could not be where I am today with my yoga career had I not had amazing mentors. My teachers Barbara Verocchi and Kirstin Leigh of The Shala Yoga House in NYC for mentoring me for years and being great examples of what it is to lead community without trying, but by listening and leaning into. Eddie Stern for giving me amazing teaching opportunities such as teaching Madonna and being featured on the Netflix documentary ‘On Yoga: The Architecture of Peace’ by Michael O’Neil.

Website: www.newburghyogashala.com

Instagram: @newburghyogashala

Youtube: Newburgh Yoga Shala

Image Credits
David Lamer Sneha photography