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Yoga Day at REI Lincoln Park Chicago
Posted by: Claire Hurwitz
It seems in an ideal world everyone would take up yoga. For the sake of the mind and body, experienced yogis and novices alike joined in on Chicago’s own celebration of Yoga Day USA on Saturday. On the second floor of REI Lincoln Park, the mats were rolled out, the shoes came off and the calmness settled in. Free classes were offered throughout the day by four Chicago-based studios, including Yogaview Chicago, Tejas Yoga, Self Centered Yoga and Moksha Yoga. In addition, Whole Foods and public relations representatives for solixir—a new all natural botanical beverage–provided some much needed nourishment after classes. Expert instructors were on hand to answer questions about practicing yoga, and visitors could enter their name in a drawing for raffle prizes from the studios. Various types of yoga were taught, from the more basic Hatha to the low intensity Gentle. New enthusiasts heard again and again about the benefits of yoga including stress and pain relief, weight management, increased strength and better flexibility.
Yoga Day USA was created by Yoga Alliance, a nonprofit organization that provides support to yoga teachers across the country. Claire Hurwitz, REI’s outreach specialist and events coordinator, began contacting studios three months ago to participate in the event in hopes of bringing the benefits of yoga to a wider community. “It’s all about making yoga more accessible to people,” says Hurwitz. “The world is a stressful place. Let off some steam.” While many Chicagoans attended to get their feet wet in a new hobby or fulfill that New Year’s resolution of being more active, some already believe in the life-changing power of yoga. Yogaview instructor Emily Robinson says, “It gives you a better awareness of your body and gets you in tune with yourself. The first time I did it, I felt my life changed dramatically.”
