Most people in Singapore have the tendency to head over to a studio to practice their yoga routine. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. However, back in ancient times, the founders of yoga themselves didn’t have a studio to practice in. They would normally practice it in the open, perhaps in a park or somewhere full of greenery. This gives them the opportunity to get back to nature and be one with it.
Nowadays, there aren’t many yoga classes conducted in the open, especially in Singapore. However, this practice is not extinct just yet. In fact, it shouldn’t become extinct. On June 8 at 6:30 pm, two certified yoga instructors, Denise Lee and Helen Kilgallen will be conducting yoga classes at Rockaway’s Tribute Park in New York. This park was built as a tribute to all the innocent lives lost during the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001. Hence, any events that are being conducted in this park are rather significant.
So why did the two instructors decide to conduct the class in an open park? Well, there are many reasons for doing so. In fact, it revolves mainly around the benefits of conducting yoga classes in the park. Breathing plays a big role in yoga and we are required to inhale the surrounding air constantly. The best place for the freshest air quality is none other than parks, where the place is surrounded by trees and plants. Trees play a big role in supplying us and replenishing the atmosphere with oxygen while retaining pollutants that are harmful towards our lungs. Hence, it is also the most ideal place to practice yoga since breathing is a huge part of it.
Just like outdoor parks, indoor studios have their own pros and cons too. In this case, the disadvantage would be that since the studio is enclosed in a room, where there usually isn’t any plants, the surrounding air would not be as fresh as compared to that in the parks. However, studios definitely have a better sound system to allow students to hear the instructions given from the instructors. Furthermore, it tends to be considered cleaner since there are shower facilities that allow students to take a shower after their workout.
At OMG Yoga, we are in the midst of forming Group Yoga Classes in the Park. We believe that an option like this should be available for Singaporeans. It gives us the chance to experience what the ancient yoga practitioners have in the past. This was how yoga first started and it shouldn’t be forgotten!