FARMINGTON — Believing people are waking up and realizing the need to do things for themselves, Sara Mulvey and Sarah Daigle have recently reopened the Source 365 Living Arts Center.

“People are always coming in and saying, ‘thank God you guys are here,'” Daigle said of the yoga classes taught at the center. Daigle’s own experience with yoga brought changes within her body, less stress, relaxation and less food but better eating habits.

On 10 acres, the center at 365 Clover Mill Road, provides opportunities for all levels of yoga classes, including a heated yoga class, one done in a 90-degree room, massage, meditation, cooking classes and sustainable living instruction.

Mulvey, originally from Massachusetts, and Daigle from Rhode Island have found a niche here and each said they fell in love with the area and the people.

“Since the reopening, the center is taking on a life of its own. It’s really exciting,” Mulvey said of the good response to yoga and massage.

Mulvey came to Farmington as a community health student at the University of Maine at Farmington. In high school she enjoyed competitive sports but became interested in some yoga materials and started practicing on her own before joining a yoga class. 

While at UMF, she took a strength and conditioning class held at the Fitness Center.  During the class she worked on yoga and soon had requests from other students for her to teach them. Wanting a quiet setting, she chose to teach a 6 a.m. class at the Fitness Center and soon had a mixture of 30-40 students and community members, she said.

A family investment in the Clover Mill Road property helped her stay here and continue on to be certified in yoga instruction.

“I didn’t want to leave,” she said of her founding of the center.

Daigle, a musician, was going to school and working nights with victims of domestic violence in Rhode Island. Tired and stressed, she was advised to try yoga.

It wasn’t easy but soon pain, anxiety and depression were relieved. People began to notice a glow of happiness about her, she said. She was more relaxed and began to eat less but better foods.

Each decided to take a 200-hour yoga instruction course where they met and Mulvey helped Daigle gain even more knowledge.

Mulvey then decided to attend nursing school and finished last summer. Daigle traveled to India and Thailand. She learned Thai yoga massage, a method just coming to the Portland area but now offered in Farmington.

During the massage, there are no oils used. People remain dressed. The full body-massage uses yoga moves to stretch the body and acupressure points.

“It’s very active yet passive,” she said. “Founded in Thailand, it’s a habitual thing there. It’s really taken off in this country.”

Daigle is also a Reiki Master teacher and now co-owns the reopened center where they hope to offer retreats and workshops, bringing instructors to teach methods of sustainable living.

After learning about community supported agriculture in college, Mulvey used the property and with the efforts of Joe Hodgkins started this type of gardening in the area, she said.

She also has held cooking classes at the center, offering an introduction to methods not used here such as steam based and Mediterranean style, she said.

Along with yoga studios and healing treatment rooms in the house, the property contains a large sauna, gardens and a recently built gazebo where classes are held in good weather.

“Mostly, we have fun here,” Mulvey said.

For those interested in learning more, an open house is planned at Source 365 Living Arts Center from noon to 4 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 14. There will be yoga and Thai yoga massage demonstrations and more.

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