Meet Laura Messer | Yoga Instructor & Conservationist

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laura Messer and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laura, is your business focused on helping the community? If so, how?
Absolutely! There are two components to my business; with both of them, I am trying to increase the awareness of environmental and wildlife conservation efforts through and alongside the practice of yoga. I serve the local Greenville community by offering private yoga instruction through Zen Mission Yoga. The other aspect of my business, Yoga For The Wild, are retreat offerings that allow guests to not only travel to some of the most amazing places in the world, but also allow them to see first hand what extinction looks like, so they can better understand the full scope of why conservation is so important. Our goal is that they will return home inspired to take action, share their experience with friends and family and incorporate small changes to their daily habits. Thus, helping to make this world and global community a better place for all the beings that call it home.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
In 2017, after 15 demanding years in medical sales, I decided it was time for a career change. My two greatest passions- yoga and wildlife conservation- served as inspiration for creating my own small business, Zen Mission Yoga, in Greenville. Instead of opening a brick-and-mortar studio, I chose to focus on a more personalized approach to instruction and offer private lessons to individuals and small groups at their home or workplace. In doing so, I am able to provide a customized practice for each person, based on their unique needs and goals. Teaching clients when and where they are most comfortable offers freedom from confining studio class schedules and any intimidation that often coincides with group settings.

I have always had an enormous place in my heart for all animals. As a child, I was particularly obsessed with elephants and rhinos, and dreamed of seeing them – and possibly working with them – in their wild and natural habitats. As I started Zen Mission Yoga, I intentionally sought to use my yoga practice to help protect and preserve endangered species in Africa. I did a lot of research into the devastation caused by illegal poaching and the sales of black-market wildlife commodities, such as rhino horn, elephant ivory, big cat hides, and pangolin scales. I investigated the organizations that were combating this catastrophic and senseless decimation of these beautiful and extraordinary species and sought ways to support them.

What I learned led me to create Yoga For The Wild, initially a series of local, donation-based yoga classes, with all proceeds going directly to wildlife organizations defending and preserving endangered species. From 2017 to 2019, I held several of these events in the Greenville area. During the classes, I shared information and statistics, using my platform to educate and motivate others to help make a positive difference for our global environment.

Around this same time, my husband and I were planning our first trip to Kenya. It was overwhelming, so we reached out to a professional travel company for assistance and were randomly assigned an agent, Kathrine MacLeod. During the course of our planning, we learned that Kat lived just outside of London, but was raised in Africa. In working together, I also discovered she was not only passionate about helping African wildlife, but she was also a yoga teacher! I believe we were destined to meet! Our trip was phenomenal, and we visited several of the organizations I had come to know and had worked with on Yoga For The Wild. One of these stops was at Ol Pejeta Conservancy, home to the only remaining northern white rhinos on the entire earth.

When the world shut down in 2020, African conservation groups who relied on tourism revenues suffered greatly. I reached out to Kat with an idea- virtual Yoga For The Wild classes to benefit Ol Pejeta. She was more than keen and so was the conservancy. We enlisted the help of the “boots-on-the-ground” rangers who worked with the rhinos. It made these events incredibly unique and participants from around the world signed up and “traveled” to Kenya, virtually of course. The rangers introduced everyone to the rhinos and carried on in discussion about the ongoing conservation efforts designed to protect them. Before and after the yoga practice, the rangers would answer questions, even if it meant one of them had to climb a tree to get a better Wi-Fi signal. During one class, we even had a demonstration from the K-9 unit that serves to protect the rhinos. Our six virtual Yoga For The Wild classes raised more than $10,000 for Ol Pejeta Conservancy.

Our desire to help, our dreams, and then our plans, grew. As the world reopened, Kat and I decided to host a conservation-based yoga safari retreat in Kenya in 2022. Within a week of announcing it, the retreat sold out and we had to add another. In 2023, we returned with newcomers and repeat participants. This May, we are thrilled to be returning once again! 2024 will also commemorate our first expansion trip as we head to Zimbabwe in August.

We believe that everyone can contribute to the improvement of our environment. Not one person or group is going to be able to fix everything, but if we all start pitching in, together we can all make a difference. You don’t have to be a scientist, or environmental engineer, or have discovered an alternative energy source- anyone can come on this adventure and make a difference! To date, Yoga For The Wild has donated nearly $30,000 for conservation.

Whether I am teaching in someone’s home in Greenville or outdoors in the wilds of Africa, I always feel overwhelming gratitude for this amazing journey which allows me to help both people and animals.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?

There are so many fantastic things happening in Greenville! I would highly recommend taking a walk, run, or a bike ride on the Swamp Rabbit Trail, making sure to check out Unity Park, Falls Park and Liberty Bridge downtown. For restaurants, a couple of my favorites are Fork & Plough, Soby’s and The Anchorage.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My incredible parents: Not only do they love me unconditionally, but from an early age, they instilled an appreciation for environmental conservation and the magic of the world around us.

My amazing and patient husband: From the beginning and without hesitation, he understood my need for creating this adventure. He has shared every moment of the journey by my side, encouraging me along the way, offering support, guidance, and love, all of which have enabled my dreams to become a reality.

My wonderful stepchildren: When they were younger, I’d catch them rolling their eyes when I made them recycle, pick up litter, participate in fundraisers, and watch wildlife documentaries instead of a more popular title on family movie night. However, as they have grown into young adults, I see them making responsible decisions and taking thoughtful actions and couldn’t be more proud of all their accomplishments.

Kat MacLeod: She is literally the other part of my dream team- both in work and friendship. So many insanely odd things happened around the world, at precisely the right time that brought us together- I’m pretty sure that is “serendipity” defined! I can’t imagine being on this rewarding and meaningful adventure with anyone else.

The wildlife rangers: At Ol Pejeta and elsewhere, wildlife rangers safeguard the world’s most invaluable treasures. They are on the frontlines of a war which rarely achieves the recognition it honorably deserves. They sacrifice months away from their own families and often putting their own lives at risk to protect the precious wildlife that plays a crucial role in our global ecosystem. Their dedication to this planet and the respect they have for every living thing in it, inspires me on a daily basis.

Website: www.zenmissionyoga.com and www.yogaforthewild.com

Instagram: @zenmissionyoga and @yoga_for_the_wild

Linkedin: Laura Messer

Image Credits
Kat MacLeod, Laura Messer