Montecito Meditation
A tranquil space located upstairs at the Las Aves complex across from the bird refuge is expanding its offerings next month; Montecito Meditation will now add yoga classes to the schedule, in addition to guided meditation sessions. The business, owned by Tina Lyn, opened shortly before the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and is now making a comeback as new offerings are added. A community celebration and open house is happening this Friday, June 2, from 5 to 6:30 pm.
“This is my way of giving back to the community,” Lyn told us about her free meditation sessions during a visit to the studio earlier this week. After a career as a personal trainer, Lyn learned how to meditate, and saw how the mindful practice enhanced all aspects of her life. She was trained to teach meditation, and set out on a mission to help more people become mindful and gain the benefits of a regular meditation practice. “I wanted to elevate the experience of meditating. It’s changed a lot of lives, and I’m proud of that,” she said.
The twice weekly free meditations are just 25 minutes in length, and begin with a body scanning portion and lead into mantra meditation. “You will feel different when you leave here, I promise you,” said Lyn, who dubs herself the “Montecito Hippie.”
Last year, Lyn partnered with local massage therapist Sierra Bingham, owner of Montecito Body, who now utilizes a room at the studio for her massage business. Bingham has worked with both private clients and in local spas for 15 years, including the Four Seasons Biltmore. She holds an additional certification in Manual Lymphatic Drainage, which helps her clients detox and recover from trauma and surgeries. Ionic foot detox is another service offered.
Kate Wysocki, a yoga instructor from Yoga Soup, Power of your Om, and Montecito Club, will be joining the studio, offering an array of yoga classes starting in June.
There is also a small gift shop on the site filled with unique items not found online, including Montecito Hippie merchandise, sage bundles, essential oils, plant-able greeting cards, candles, books, mugs, and more.
Montecito Meditation is located at 1801 E. Cabrillo Blvd, Suite G, in the Las Aves complex. The complex is undergoing an extensive overhaul in the coming years, with the majority of the tenants said to be vacating when their leases are up after news of the sale of the complex last year to a Los Angeles-based investment firm. As we reported in October last year, the property sold to the Runyon Group, who had most recently completed a popular shopping, eating, and lifestyle destination in Culver City in Los Angeles, called Platform LA. It’s rumored the shopping and eating destination at Las Aves will be called The Post Montecito, with developers hoping to bring in a fresh group of tenants to appeal to a younger demographic, according to a source close to the transaction.
Lyn, the owner of Montecito Meditation, tells us she hopes to relocate her studio elsewhere in Montecito when her lease is up next summer.
Visit www.montecito-meditation.com for more information about the meditation studio.
