More than 100 people gathered on the South Carolina Statehouse lawn for an outdoor yoga class recently.

Good Company Yoga owner Sallie Vaughan led the class, instructing local yoga lovers to lift their arms and “reach toward the Statehouse.”

It was the 10th time Vaughan had hosted yoga at the state landmark, a milestone that reflects her company’s growth.

“We’ve experienced everything from intense summer heat to winter classes in the 40s,” she said. “No matter the conditions, people still show up.”

Vaughan, who’s from southern Virginia, moved to Columbia in 2014. Her experience with starting yoga was about more than physical fitness, she said.

“Yoga actually came into my life during a time when I was navigating anxiety,” she said. “It quickly became something much deeper than just a workout.”

When her studio announced a teacher training, she signed up on impulse — a decision that changed everything, she said. She is a full-time, registered dietitian, and she now teaches yoga classes in the evenings and on weekends.

“The two really complement each other,” she said. “I get to support people’s health from both a clinical and a more holistic, community-centered perspective.”

She founded Good Company Yoga, which she said is mostly a one-woman operation. Her friends step in to help at larger events, though, and her husband Stevi is a constant presence behind the scenes, often handling setup, sound, logistics and the cold lavender towels.

A range of people attended the Statehouse class, from longtime yogis to first-timers.

Physical therapist Lesley Lawrimore is a regular. She first came to yoga after beginning her career, attending pop-up classes around Columbia. She described the recent class as “wonderful.”

“It was nice to be surrounded by others from the community,” she said. “The music was perfect. It was an overall great experience.”

For USC student Abby Alecock, this was her first Good Company Yoga class, and she attended alone.

“I was a little apprehensive because I went by myself, but the community was so inviting,” she said. “I felt so at peace. I left feeling so much lighter.”

Alecock practices yoga two to three times a week as a way to clear her mind.

“Today’s world is so fast-paced and overwhelming,” she said. “It is nice to have a space where you can relax and release yourself from the stress of everyday life.”

Good Company Yoga’s free community classes regularly draw 75 to 150 attendees. Paid sessions bring in 20 to 40. Many participants travel from neighboring areas and have been showing up for years, Vaughan said.

“My goal is to continue growing and reaching more people each year, while keeping that strong sense of community at the center of everything we do,” she said.