Shannon Lenzen is one of many people attempting to take alcohol out of the equation as a go-to method of relaxation or socialization. The founder of STL Yoga Collective and the wife of Kyle Lenzen, founder and CEO of High Fidelity Brands, is creating space for a like-minded community.
STL Yoga Collective, which this month was designated an official 501c3, curates holistic wellness events in the St. Louis area with a foundation of guided yoga, sound healing, and breathwork classes elevated by cannabis education and microdosing. It also emphasizes supporting local artisans, small businesses, and charities with its events. Now known to attract groups of more than 120 at each retreat-style gathering across St. Louis County, the organization is poised to take off in a big way in 2026.
The Inspiration
The basis for the idea started in 2021. Lenzen had only practiced yoga a handful of times. But when her youngest daughter was 10 months old and her oldest was 3, the stay-at-home mom says she felt disconnected and isolated during postpartum. “I realized that alcohol just wasn’t working for me anymore with the hormones, with the stress of raising the kids and wanting to be present,” she says. “I knew I needed a shift, and I so I signed up for a month of yoga, at Prana Yoga in Des Peres.”
Lenzen says she felt she finally had a space for herself—something healthy for her mind and body. “I was a better mom and wife, because I was more in tune with myself,” she adds. “I’ve never looked back. I remember the exact day—July 11, 2021—and I’ve practiced almost every day since then, sometimes twice a day. It truly is my therapy.”
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Lenzen says one of the most attractive parts of the practice has always been the community. “They’re there for healing; they’re there for a sense of community. I just really fell in love with it,” she says.
Fast-forward to 2023, when Lenzen joined Life Time Fitness in Frontenac and made the decision to go through the teacher training program and become an instructor. “I kept running into the same thing with other people who were practicing: They were saying they wanted to stop drinking,” she recalls. “They would show up to practice at the morning, and they would be like, ‘Oh, I don’t feel so great,’ and they just kept telling me that they wanted to stop drinking. They would say, ‘I wish I could. How are you doing it?’”
That’s when Lenzen would let them in on her secret: microdoses of cannabis. As the wife of Kind Goods’ founder, Lenzen was well-educated on the topic and effortlessly guided friends and colleagues in picking up her favorite alcohol-free way to unwind and destress, without the hangover. “I kept having these heartfelt conversations with people, trying to help them navigate through their journey, one person at a time. At some point, I was talking to Kyle and telling him this yoga community overall seemed to want to make this shift that was more conducive with the yoga lifestyle.”
Given the demand, Lenzen says, the idea of a workshop or event to provide an alternative was almost a no-brainer. So, in summer 2024, Lenzen launched her first public event. A crowd of 75 people per event affirmed the idea. “I invited yoga community friends and family—anybody that I thought of that might benefit from this. And it surprised me how many people said, ‘This completely changed my life.’”
Lenzen says STL Yoga Collective attendees have reported more regularity in their practice and an overall improvement in their daily wellness goals. Many started implementing microdosing cannabis products as a partial or complete alternative to alcohol intake. Many repeat guests return for the uplifting environment and community bond: “It’s a safe space—a no-judgment zone—where everybody can just feel comfortable,” she says.
The Events
Lenzen says she doesn’t see STL Yoga Collective as a way to connect people with one another, as well as St. Louis-based businesses and charities. Proceeds for the ticketed events benefit local nonprofit organizations, such as Fit & Food Connection. Local artisans and small businesses, from handcrafted candles to jewelry, are also invited to set up booths at the events.
So far, events have taken place at St. Louis County parks; the next STL Yoga Collective experience will take place November 2 from 1—5 p.m. at Faust Park. Tickets will run $50 per person, with $15 per ticket benefitting Duo Dogs.
Beyond being a community partner, Lenzen aspires to make the events inclusive; although Kind Goods is a consistent sponsor and cannabis educator and provider at the events, no one is required to partake to join the experience. “It’s just an option for anyone who wants it,” Lenzen says. “There will be the cannabis ambassador there, who will have a variety people can choose from, and we’ll also have a big welcome tent set up with a large hot cocoa bar, with all of the toppings that you could ever imagine, an organic lemonade stand, and a mocktail stand. So people are really free to microdose in any way they want.”
Lenzen expresses that it is absolutely normal for people to be nervous about microdosing with cannabis for the first time. “It can be intimidating, but I would encourage them to come and to speak with the cannabis ambassadors and even some other people who are at the events. Maybe you don’t try the microdosing while you’re there—maybe you just come, enjoy the community aspect, and meet like-minded people and figure out what works for you. Whether you’re doing it in conjunction with your practice, separately, or not at all, it’s just an option that can support your yoga journey.”
A peaceful, rejuvenating atmosphere is of utmost important to Lenzen when planning the events. “We’re not hosting these at a high school gymnasium,” she says with a laugh. “Ambiance is very important to us.”
Lenzen describes her ideal vibe for the events as a micro-retreat in the midst of St. Louis County. Guests are first welcomed in an opening circle. “We do that because I want to make people present and really step in to where they are, instead of just sitting on the mat and still maybe feeling alone,” says Lenzen.
Lenzen then introduces those guiding the practitioners, from yoga instructors to sound healers. “Then I generally start with some sort of passage about loving yourself or kindness, and I talk about a particular personal experience with me,” she says. “Then, as a tradition, we always go around the circle, and I ask them each to say—and there is no right or wrong answer—How are you feeling today? How is your mind? How is your body? So they all share one word—just go around and say it out loud.”
Afterward, the group does a 50-minute all-level “Mindful Flow” class with Debby Siegel. “She’s just phenomenal,” says Lenzen. “She’s taught for 30-plus years, including at Burning Man. She loves the big, engaged crowds.”
Then, it’s “Yin + Meditation + Sound Bowls” with Danielle Tridenti and SiriAtma Kaur for 40 minutes. “Everybody’s just lying down, outside, and you can feel the energy of everybody around you,” Lenzen says.
In the closing circle, Lenzen asks each attendee how they’re feeling. “It’s really cool to see those who were anxious or nervous or upset at the beginning—most of them, when it gets back to them, you can just see the transformation.”
The vendors are open for an hour after the practice, which Lenzen says is like a happy hour without the booze. “Everybody’s feeling great, and they’re walking around and talking to the vendors. They’re talking to each other. It’s just wonderful.”
Lenzen says her goal is to expand the organization with more business and charity partners, as well as into the city. She has her eye on an outdoor event at Ballpark Village in spring or summer.
“We’re just going to keep going and keep trying to bring together as many people and wellness-minded missions as we can.”
