Today we’d like to introduce you to Nicole Swainson.
Hi Nicole, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I landed in the Phoenix Valley in 2012 after leaving a Yoga Community & an off-grid living situation on the northern California coast where I trained with a master teacher of Hatha yoga in the lineage and teaching of Paramahansa Yogananda. I received my 1000-hour certification through their “Synergy“ yoga program.
I meditated the 2012 new year at the Self-Realization Fellowship temple in downtown Phoenix where I also began teaching and being of service to my community. I had several teaching gigs around town and in 2015 bought a small ranch and opened up the property for outdoor yoga on our back lawn. We Call our property Mesquite Meadows. We say come to Mesquite Meadows to “Connect with your Spirit in Nature”.
We started offering Baby Goat Yoga in 2017 when a friend of mine asked if this was something I would be willing to do… Originally it was not my idea but I am a Yogi and we need to be like a reed and not an oak tree right? Initially, I was resistant to the idea but after thinking about it for a short time I decided why not?! We now have made a name for ourselves in the West Valley for Baby Goat Yoga.
It’s a little bit different than regular “Goat Yoga” … we are at the mercy of Mother Nature as to when we practice with the kids but they are super sweet and love to hang with us and share in some snuggle ~asana moments… who wants a full grown goat with horns jumping on them? Not quite the same experience! Typically every five months we can offer this memorable experience and it is also a way to bring new people to the yoga space. When Covid hit I was laid off from all of my teaching gigs and so we decided to build our enclosed yoga studio and created the Spirit in Nature Club.
We are a multi-generational club based on yoga (yoga means union of body, mind, and spirit) Whether you are doing a yoga class, meditation, playing with donkeys or grooming horses, going on retreat, doing art, going for a hike, growing food, drumming around the fire, or any other activity that falls under connecting with your spirit in nature we can do it! We want to bring commUNITY of like-minded humans together and ultimately play and enjoy what life has to offer to create PEACE within and feel so FULL that you share this PEACE.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Of course, there are struggles but we see these as opportunities and hidden blessings.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
2023 is our first official year of the Spirit in Nature Club being open. We offer a variety of yoga classes, meditation, workshops, local & international yoga retreats, horsemanship classes & more! We are known for Baby Goat Yoga which is a seasonal practice but hope that you will join the club to receive all of the benefits of a consistent yoga practice.
We are a grassroots establishment and welcome opportunities to grow and continue being of service to our community. In addition, we offer team-building opportunities, a ranch hands program after school, kids yoga, birthday parties, mentorship, teacher training & more!
What’s next?
Looking forward to our next yoga retreat in Patagonia in November 2023. We have a great connection in Argentina so that everything is taken care of and all we need to do is show up in Buenos Aires. This 10-day retreat can be available for as little as $3200 per person with four-person occupancy sharing a cabin.
Earlybird pricing is right now. 50% down can book your spot and the total due by the end of September. This retreat is called the five elements yoga retreat… This is considered the last frontier! We will be visiting Butch Cassidy’s hideout, immersing ourselves in the elements. Yoga can be optional if you wanna come for the ride!
Pricing:
- Spirit in Nature Club $15 one time drop in
- BABY GOAT YOGA Drop in $25
Contact Info:
- Website: mesquitemeadows.com
- Instagram: @Mesquite Meadows
- Facebook: @Mesquite Meadows
