On a cozy corner of Wall Street, Rosie and Killian Volcano are doing their part to “keep Asheville weird,” as the saying goes.

A mindful mission Photo of Rosie and Killian Volcano courtesy of the Little Volcano Owned by couple Rosie and Killian Volcano, The Little Volcano: Yoga, Mischief & Magic’s mission is to heal and empower from the inside out. “The ‘mischief’ [cited in our company name] comes in chiefly with the costumes and fantasy themes and also with our jokes and wild personalities,” Rosie explains. “The ‘magic’ is our love of all things witchy.” “We like to make people feel comfortable and [not] intimidated,” Rosie continues, “but we also like to shake people up and get them out of their comfort zones. We like to make people roar, growl, become a super hero, wake up their sex lives and break out of habitual patterns that keep them from growth.” The Little Volcano’s classes, Rosie says, can invoke joy, relaxation, anger, rage, fear, panic, anxiety, love and nostalgia. “We trap emotions in our muscle tissue, and through Forrest yoga, we start to release these things. This is an intense and unexpected feeling for most people, so we like to be as unpretentious as possible to make people feel comfortable enough to access this level of healing.”

On Monday and Friday nights, their first-year Forrest yoga studio— The Little Volcano: Yoga, Mischief & Magic—hosts a candle-lit star projector yoga class. The Chicago expats also pioneered Harry Potter yoga in Asheville (if it wasn’t already a thing) and host other costume-themed classes monthly — anything to ruffle the stereotype of yoga being bland.

But the duo behind The Little Volcano’s free-form classes, resident wig collection and magical wand (available upon request) isn’t stopping there. On Sunday, July 12, they host their first cat yoga session.

“Yoga with cats was an idea we had because we love Brother Wolf and would like to help kitties find homes,” says Rosie, “and because we just love cats and yoga.”

The class, they say, will combine “felines, adoption, yoga, snuggles and happiness,” with all proceeds benefiting Brother Wolf Animal Rescue. It’s perfect timing since Brother Wolf experiences an influx of strays during “kitten season” each summer. Depending on turnout, the event may become a regular addition to The Little Volcano’s annual schedule.

Although Rosie and Killian often bring their dogs to the studio, the animal lovers decided a clowder of cats would be more appropriate for the space, as they’re smaller and make less noise. The distraction of prodding paws, however, may be just what participants are after.

“We don’t know of any history of yoga with animals or cats specifically, but animals have been used in healing since the beginning of time,” Rosie says, citing Native American animal healing as one example. “Have you ever had a dog or a cat or any pet who knows when you’re upset? Or knows when you’re sick and puts its paw right over the spot that hurts?”

“Since we view our style of yoga as a healing process more than a workout,” Rosie continues, “we try to incorporate the healing tools that have helped us the most, such as smudging [or using smoke from plants], essential oils, flower essences, gem stones, bodywork, meditation, animal therapy and obviously Forrest yoga.”

Rosie and Killian bring their next in-class healing tool — cats — to the studio on Sunday, July 12, from 4-6:30 p.m. Advanced registration and a $20 donation for Brother Wolf are recommended, but drop-ins and smaller donations are welcome on the day of the event until the class is full.

The Little Volcano is at 62 Wall Street. Visit thelittlevolcano.com for more information.