Upon walking into Laughing Lotus, the beloved yoga studio in the heart of the Mission, you immediately feel like you're home.

Maybe it's the hot tea and gingersnaps in the cozy lobby, or the colorful studio bathed in natural light. Or perhaps it's the tranquil outdoor garden, or the warm and effusive teaching staff. Laughing Lotus is a haven in the city for yogis of all levels seeking an experience that's as physically challenging as it is spiritually uplifting.

(Quincy Cardinale)

Celebrated for its signature Lotus Flow style, Laughing Lotus never offers the same class twice thanks to its unique mash-up of whimsical sequencing grounded in a monthly studio theme, as well as obsessed-over playlists. Beyond its creative Lotus Flow classes, Laughing Lotus is known for being an inclusive community that serves every body holistically, with morning meditation, mantra (chanting) class, restorative, Yin, and Friday Night Live yoga with music, and Soul Sweat, the newest 60-minute class featuring more chaturangas and less chanting. The studio also hosts #SoulfulSaturdays, with rotating events including cacao ceremonies, partner yoga, and full moon sister circles.

Laughing Lotus hosts weekend workshops to deepen one's yoga practice, from Absolute Beginner to Arm Balances & Inversions; monthly kirtans (call-and-response chanting); and internationally renowned teacher trainings at 50- and 200-hour levels. The studio's next 200-hour teacher training kicks off on June 16th: It's a three-week intensive that guides students to uncover their unique voice and be empowered to practice, teach, and live their dharma in an authentic way.

Beyond its class and training offerings, Laughing Lotus is known for its commitment to social justice and activism. Love Saves the Day is the studio's official 501(c)(3) nonprofit that supports a different nonprofit every month, with proceeds from six classes a week going to support this organization. Love Saves the Day has been integral in merging personal practice with social awareness and activism: This union is at the heart of what yoga is all about!

An independent female-owned business founded 20 years ago in New York, the San Francisco outpost is celebrating its 10-year anniversary this fall. Laughing Lotus SF's founder Jasmine Tarkeshi brings with her decades of spiritual wisdom and practice. Selected by Sonima as one of the 100 Most Influential Yoga Teachers in America, you can catch her teaching at Wanderlust this July in Squaw Valley, or get back to yoga basics with her new book, Yoga Body and Mind Handbook.

(Raoul Ollman)