Yoga on the Water (literally!)
Image this:
You're lying on your back in Savasana (final relaxation pose). You feel the warm sun on your cheeks and increasing heat on your black yoga tights. You dip your fingertips in cool, soothing water. A gentle movement of your hips brings a slight rocking of your body, as if in a cradle. There is an ever-so-slight, refreshing breeze. You turn your head to the right and you're eye level with tiny ripples in the ocean. In the distance is a body of land with sparsely spaced homes. There are all types of boats and dinghies floating nestled in moorings.
This, my friends, I experienced just this week. No, I was not in Kauai or Cabo or Phuket. Right here, in Sausalito, I was laying on my back on a paddle board surrounded by 15 other yogies. It's called a stand-up paddle board on which you use a paddle, like a kayak, but you're standing. You've seen them in travel photos in places like Tulum or Mission Beach.
But, did you know yoga is happening ON them? When I first heard about it, it sounded impossible. I saw photos of yogis doing downward dogs, side angles and headstands on a board in the water. I called the company and talked to Leigh. This is how the conversation went:
Me: Do you rent the wetsuits or do we bring our own?
Leigh: No, you don't wear wet suits.
Me: What do we wear?
Leigh: Just wear your regular yoga clothes and bring a fleece jacket in case you're cool.
Me: What? What if we fall in?
Leigh: You don't fall in.
Me: Really? That sounds impossible.
Yes: Yes, really.
No one falls in. Could this be true? I doubted it (and brought a suitcase load of clothes, just in case). Buddies Anne and Nancy (and 15 others) joined me at 9 a.m. on a crisp, sunny, picturesque Friday morning, sunglasses on, at Richardson Bay in Sausalito. Kneeling on the boards we "carefully" launched from shore and paddled to the a calm inlet where we dropped an anchor. Good so far. From our knees, we took our hips back to child's pose and got used to the board, purposefully rocking. Eventually, we were on our feet doing sun salutations. Amazingly, I never had an "almost fell in" moment. We did lunges, twists, boat(!) pose, backbends and even crow pose. Not one of us fell in. Success!!
Besides the awesomeness of doing yoga on a board on the water, it demanded concentration and focus. My movements became deliberate and slow. Stepping from downward dog to a high lunge took on a new meaning, as I purposefully shifted my weight to my hands and repositioned my foot to midline. This was no place to be sloppy or to ponder whether to get the Tsubo or Antelope platforms or the more practical Jambus or Ahnus sandals!
We will do this again, so if you want in, shoot me an email and I'll add you to the list. For more info or to check it out on your own, go to www.onboardsup.com. Hope to see you on the water!
