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Yoga on a Lake on a Sunny Summer Morning

My Definition of Paradise
This morning the EPRD Blogger tried Stand-Up Paddleboard Yoga on Buchanan Ponds. It was free on July 21, a special activity to mark National Park and Recreation Month. Every paddleboard EPRD owns was taken by a curious yogi, even children! Yoga on a lake on a sunny summer morning is my definition of paradise, and a lot of people agreed.




Downward Dogs and Swimming Ducks
As the sun shown above, ducks paddled by and fish jumped out of the water, instructor Caroly Hendee-Nadelhoffer took the class through "Srivaida," or "Bowstring," Yoga, as we balanced on stand-up paddleboards. Her theme was "buoyancy." Breathing was slow and deliberate and I felt like one with the water. The poses were different than the ones I was used to, with more bended knees and focus on the back. 

Balancing on a Paddleboard
Some of the poses were a little challenging to do while balancing on a paddleboard in the middle of a body of water, but I'm sure they will come easier with time. One woman fell into Buchanan Pond several times and gamely jumped back on her board, smiling and refreshed by the cool water. Others, however, easily ran through even the most challenging yoga positions, even doing backbends and headstands without shaking their paddleboards!

What is Sridaiva?
"Sridaiva" is a methodology which can be applied to not only any yoga style, but mind-body, or movement discipline. It is a postural conditioning that balances the muscles of the front and back body for optimal alignment of the spine. As far as a paradigm of alignment, sridaiva is revolutionary and assists the practitioner in an awakening of the larger back body muscles which tend to atrophy due to our increasingly sedentary culture, creating a more comprehensive understanding and use of the entire body.

Next Free SUP Class: Boot Camp July 29
EPRD offers free SUP Boot Camp with Susan Wescott on Friday, July 29 at 9:15 AM. Please arrive early to give yourself plenty of time to claim a board and get out on the water.


The Blogger



Lisa Hamm-Greenawalt is Marketing Manager of Evergreen Park & Recreation District.


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