With the lockdown rules in the UK now relaxing it was with a great excitement and anticipation to learn that we are now once again able to run yoga classes outside, and with up to 30 people including the teacher!
Our group of Eastbourne beach yogis, who have been meeting weekly for a morning beach yoga for quite a few years, has gone into hibernation during the lockdown and with the spring coming the group messages started to float amongst the yogis, sharing the positive news of the beach yoga restarting again as soon as end of March. It was a sign of hope, joy and new beginnings. With a great pleasure I called my yogis out of their winter yogic sleep.
It was actually quite a strange feeling for me as a teacher, as I got used to teaching from the comfort of my empty yoga studio and my home with all of my students being on the other side of the screen. And now suddenly I had up to 30 real people coming to my beach class! From zero to 30 can be quite overwhelming! I was almost nervous…
As I parked my car on the beach and grabbed my yoga mat, the sun was shining and I could hear the gentle waves in the distance, a big smile appeared on my face. I took a leisurely walk towards our meeting place where several yogis were already waiting and chatting amongst themselves. The sounds of joy, laughter, excited greetings and happy chatter spread across the beach as more and more yogis kept arriving. It was literally like coming out of hibernation and someone even commented that we were like worms coming out of woodwork!
We all settled on our rocky beach and nobody seemed to mind the slight discomfort of stones and pebbles underneath our yoga mats. After a little pause when the class took time to arrive and take the reality of being in a proper face to face class in, we were ready to begin, moving through our yoga practice as one. Breathing as one. Being together once again united in yoga. I think I speak for everybody when I say how special the class was and that constant smiles were plastered all over our faces from the beginning till the end. Half way through the class I had a sudden realisation – we are not on ZOOM! I had to have a little laugh and shared that with my students – guess what we are not online! All I can say, the class was super magical… seeing the happy faces of the yogis, hungry for connection, togetherness and community spirit was really heart-warming.
It is our tradition to dip our feet in the sea after the class. How wonderful to experience this again, hear the happy cries as the water is still pretty cold in March and feel the sand between our toes. This was the perfect end to a very special yoga reunion!
Being in the yoga hibernation made us appreciate what we have even more. What we took for granted in past we now treasure tenfold. It almost felt like a pause button was released and we are in the ‘play’ mode again. Playing, connecting and practising together once more. And if we have to go into hibernation again, we know that our yoga spirit and connection will carry us through the rough seas and bring us to a calm and peaceful beach once again.
From the Eastbourne beach
Eva Kristlova
Yoga teacher
@evakristlova
