Free yoga at Gray’s Lake

What could be better?

• yoga
• free
• Gray’s Lake (north side, park by the beach)
• Saturday mornings from 9 am to 10 am
• 17 weeks beginning June 6 and running through September 26
• a variety of instructors

Sponsored by Des Moines Parks and Recreation the sessions are said to be beginner’s classes (lucky for me). If you want to try it, wear loose fitting clothes and bring a mat, rug, or towel along with some water. You’ll stand; you’ll sit; you’ll stretch and bend. It is not a competitive sport so you won’t have to do anything and you don’t have to do it perfectly (very lucky for me).

You don’t have to sign up, and you don’t have to stay so try it once; you might like it.

One of the better sites for medical information is WebMD and they list many benefits of yoga including

• flexibility
• posture
• stress reduction
• breathing

I remember my first yoga class. I went only to humor the Purple Wren while we were living in California 10 years ago. Much to my surprise I liked it and it made me feel better – more flexible, more relaxed, and breathing better. I’ve been to classes quite a few times since, always like it, always feel better, but I never go on a regular basis. (How smart is that?)

There are many styles of yoga and many studios in Des Moines. But don’t be intimidated; I’m sure that the summer program at Gray’s Lake will keep it simple.

Here is the June/July schedule. I’ll update it later. If it rains, it’s canceled.

• June 6 with Lily Hou of Green Yoga House
• June 13 with Brette Scott and Paula De Matties of Shakti Yoga
• June 20 with Jen Kees of Kees Camp
  June 27 with Roxianne Classen of Firehouse Yoga
• July 4 with Roxianne Classen of Firehouse Yoga
• July 11 with of Robin Bourjaily of Liz Taylor Yoga
• July 18 with of Robin Bourjaily of Liz Taylor Yoga
• July 25 with Jen Kees of Kees Camp

Try it once.

photos by flickr by DonnaGrayson and A-Wix

James is James G. Lindberg (Jim) is the Purple Wren’s sweetie and is a visiting chemistry professor at Grinnell College and retired from Drake University.
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