I love SUP Yoga. The experience begins with a ten minute paddle to a calm secluded bay surrounded by forest and marshland, ospreys, red winged black birds, ducks and otters.
We clip on to our anchors and begin the experience with a guided centring meditation on the sounds and sensations of the nature around us & breathing (pranayama) techniques to instil a sense of presence in each moment throughout the practice.
A warm-up to prepare the body for yoga poses & posture flows that move with the breath (vinyasa). A meditation in motion style of teaching promotes a strong mind-body connection while learning to listen to YOUR body’s wisdom is emphasized. Our specialized Akona SUP Yoga Boards are super stable and have a soft foam yoga mat top. There are lots of safe options for those who are not prepared to stand up on the board and safe and clear instruction for those who are ready to embrace standing postures.
The styles of postures (asanas) that you will explore in this class include strengthening (warriors, planks, bridges), balancing (balancing tables, lunges, 3 legged down dogs), stretching (pigeons, forward folds, runner’s stretches, pyramids), heart opening (puppy stretches, camels) the seven movements of the spine (flexion, extension, length, twists & lateral stretches) and many more.
The attention of the class invites students to notice the sounds of nature and water all around, the sensation of wind and sun, the subtle levels of sensation and breath as well as the transitions between each yoga pose. Benefits include stress relief, relaxation, balance, flexibility, strength, clarity of mind, increased memory, and a heightened love and respect for the body.
This class has lots of room for growth as well as modifications when needed. Each class ends with deep relaxation in floating savasana and a mindful paddle home in the sunset.
For more information about why SUP Yoga could be great for you, check out this article that some photos of me were featured in on the Huffington Post!