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Yoga studio coming to West Main
Yeka Yoga
Turlock Resident Yesenia Beckes hopes to share her love for yoga at her new studio in west Turlock, Yeka Yoga. - photo by Contributed

Name of business: Yeka Yoga

Type of business: Yoga studio

Location: 1097 W. Main St., Turlock

Hours: 9 a.m. to 8:30 p.m. Monday-Friday; 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday; 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday

Contact information: 209-648-9853

Specialty: Hot yoga

History of business:

Yoga has helped Turlock resident Yesenia Beckes overcome both physical and spiritual barriers, and now she hopes to share her passion for the practice with the community thanks to her new yoga studio on the west side.

It’s been a long journey for Beckes, originally from Colombia, to open her own studio, Yeka Yoga. She first became interested in yoga as a workout form just under a decade ago but was pushed to take her practice more seriously in 2013 when her husband fell ill. Her back began to ache from being on her feet all day, but soon, it went away thanks to her diligent yoga routine.

“It wasn’t so much the physical that it helped with but the spiritual aspect, which above all was what helped me cure the pain,” Beckes said. “If your mind and your spirit aren’t right, then you’ll never be able to maintain yourself physically. Your mind works with your body.”

Four months ago, Beckes lost her husband to his illness. That motivated her to open up Yeka Yoga, she said, so she could help influence the community to lead happier, healthier lives with the help of yoga. Located on West Main Street, Yeka Yoga will cater to a largely Latino community.

“I want to help everyone, but especially the Latino community because as a whole, we really don’t know much about yoga,” Beckes said. “I want them to know that it can transform your life because it is a magical practice.”

Yeka Yoga will offer classes including hot yoga — like regular yoga, but with the room’s heat turned all the way up — aerial yoga, hatha yoga and vinyasa flow at different class times throughout the day. She even hopes to add special classes where participants can sip on wine or enjoy salsa as they stretch, she said, and wants Yeka Yoga to be affordable for all, offering unlimited classes for $80 a month.

“A lot of people make a yoga studio because they want money, not because they love yoga,” she said. “I’m doing this because I truly love yoga.”

Yeka Yoga will celebrate its grand opening from 4 to 7 p.m. June 28, with a ribbon cutting ceremony and party, kicking off a week of free classes. Beckes is happy and excited to begin her new endeavor as a female Latina business owner in Turlock, she said.

“The truth is, I’m a little scared…but I’m very happy,” Beckes said. “Anything can be achieved in life if you have love and passion for what you want to do…nothing is impossible.”