Holding Space for Wellness:

How One Stillwater Instructor is Connecting with Her Community

By Corinne Stremmel

Photos by Paul Dols

When it comes to wellness we typically think of eating right or exercising, but Kali Higgins knows there are other ways to be well.

“When I think of people starting their wellness journeys, they think 'oh I need to go to the right studio or take the right class'. Just remember it’s all inside you, and if you hold that pure intention in your heart, you’ll find that sense of wellness,” Higgins explains.

Higgins' career has been centered around helping others in their wellness journey. She worked as a doula, herbalist, and yoga instructor and eventually wanted to create her own space for wellness.

“At a point I had a dream of opening a Korean spa, and I’d always loved going to K spas.”

Higgins was asked by a property owner in Stillwater if she was interested in taking over a former yoga studio space as a studio of her own in order to revive the community. It was the community aspect that stuck with Higgins, who saw this as an opportunity to create her own wellness center.

Finding the perfect space turned out to be a challenge for Higgins. After going through the process of finding two different locations to run her business, her second space flooded.

But Higgins is the type to know that when something doesn’t work out, it must lead to something better.

“I remember when the second studio flooded, one side of me was just like ‘this is so crazy,’ but my spiritual side told me to go with the flow,” Higgins explained.

Ever since her studio flooded in February 2022, Higgins has maintained her commitment to helping folks on their wellness journey all over the Stillwater area. Now Higgins has taken up a spot in the St. Croix Art Reach office space, offering astrological readings and flower essence readings.

“These practices can be good for emotional blockages. Doing something that can clear your head is good for the rest of your body. I really believe the state of your mind informs the rest of your body,” Higgins explains.

That’s how Higgins runs many of her yoga sessions. Her students come for both the physical aspect of class as well as the spiritual element, which is what Higgins does best.

Though losing her space made Higgins pivot the way she practices wellness, she knows there is still a need for her teaching.

“With the pandemic a lot of things changed. Some people started taking classes online, and now I can do stuff over Zoom. I can still reach a lot of people even if I don’t have that physical space,” says Higgins.

Higgins has been showing up all over the area, leading her winter retreat at Dunrovin, teaching Girl Scout troops at the library, and running a prenatal yoga class at Yoga Fresh in Woodbury. While it’s taken some time for Higgins to adjust to what is next, the most important thing she’s held on to is her connection with others who are seeking spiritual wellness.

“When I’d have breath work events, I’d have people come in from Menominee, Madison, Maple Grove, and Minneapolis. It’s like people were coming together energetically for a reason,” Higgins says.

As for what’s next for Higgins, she’s still settling on what feels right for her, whether it’s a new space or a new chapter of her spiritual journey. She just knows she doesn’t want to do it alone.

“I really feel like collaboration and working together is what’s next for me. I’m really open to working with other people who want to provide a space for people to heal, connect, and feel human again.”