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Mohalu Wellness finds new home for yoga classes and wellness workshops

By Tabitha Johnston - Chronicle Staff | Oct 18, 2024

Mohalu Wellness owner Lona Lozinski, right, chats with Shepherdstown resident Shannon Thomas, as 12-year-old Mocha gazes around the new studio space on Oct. 6. Tabitha Johnston

SHEPHERDSTOWN — Over the past two weeks, Mohalu Wellness has been settling into its new home at 126 West German Street in Shepherdstown.

The business, which was formerly located at 207 South Princess Street, provides yoga classes, special events and workshops for those of all ages, genders and experience levels. It specializes in providing trauma-aware yoga to military service veterans and first responders, under the knowledgeable oversight of Air Force veteran and Warriors at Ease certified 200RYT yoga instructor Lona Lozinski.

“We’re here for the long haul!” Lozinski said. “There are so many advantages to being right here on German Street that we didn’t have before. We’re ready to invest in this space and invest in the community.”

Lozinski, who founded Mohalu Wellness in 2022, describes her business as a yoga studio and teacher collective. Because of this, she consulted with the five other yoga teachers who regularly teach out of the studio, when searching for a new location after the lease on the old location was unexpectedly terminated.

“Teaching yoga can be very personal. We wanted to create a space where people could be vulnerable,” Lozinski said. “Especially for people who have experienced trauma, they want to come into a space that they recognize and that is familiar and looks the same all of the time.”

The new yoga studio is set up for a class on Saturday. Courtesy photo

According to Lozinski, the new studio has been renovated to ensure clients feel comfortable enough to immerse themselves in their experiences — whether that be chair yoga, Hot Yin yoga, partner yoga, Fire Flow Yoga, kids yoga, floating sound baths or even yoga combined with acupuncture.

“I heard that this space was available, even before it had been put on the market,” Lozinski said, noting this discovery could not have come at a better time, as finding an available and appropriate yoga studio space in Shepherdstown had proven to be a challenge. “When I first saw this space, it was nearly perfect. The only problem was that there were these two knee walls that came out into the middle of the room. Thankfully, when I mentioned that to the landlord, he said immediately, ‘Let’s take them down!’

The business officially opened in its new space on Oct. 6, with a yoga class scheduled for that morning, followed by an open house. This location change led to a secondary change being made — this time, by choice, and to the business’ branding.

“We have refreshed our logo — an elevated image to match our elevated space,” Lozinski, who noted that she is half-Korean, said. “The logo has been a labor of love with elements that are symbolic of our studio. The lotus is a symbol of Asian culture and a nod to my roots, as well as the roots of yoga. The crescent moon represents the word ‘Mohalu,’ the 12th phase of the Hawaiian Lunar calendar, which also represents the beauty of all bodies in every phase of life. The colors are reminiscent of Hawaiian sunsets, an homage to the home of my heart and where I began my teaching practice.

“Welcome to the new Mohalu Wellness!” Lozinski said, in a Facebook post.

Mohalu Wellness is located at 126 West German Street in Shepherdstown. Tabitha Johnston

To learn more, visit Mohalu Wellness on Facebook or at https://www.mohaluwellness.com/.