Tuesday 21 June was the second International Day of Yoga.  When the Indian Prime Minister requested the day, he addressed the UN saying, “Yoga is an invaluable gift…It embodies unity of mind and body; thought and action; restraint and fulfillment; harmony between man and nature; a holistic approach to health and well-being…”  The day has been supported by 175 nations and is celebrated with free yoga classes across the globe. 

My celebration this year was very private; I got to take my practice to the beach.  My lovely sister had booked us the prettiest beach hut in Walton-on-the-Naze as a rather inspired birthday present, and we spent the day chatting, reading magazines, eating chips, drinking tea, and of course, I was determined to get on the sand with my mat.

I’ve always found the seaside wonderfully uplifting.  The salty air energises me, the sound of water soothes me and the open light inspires me.  My body relaxes, as if breathing a sigh of relief with each wave.  Add in my yoga and meditation practice and I have one of my perfect combinations.

I had the beach to myself as I sat on my mat.  I spent time between poses gazing out to sea, letting my thoughts drift past.  The broad horizons gave me a welcome sense of spaciousness, whilst feeling the warm sand beneath my feet helped me feel grounded and connected to the earth.

We were lucky with the weather, extremely lucky in fact, as the the days before and after have been filled with heavy rain.  There were some atmospheric moody skies, but there was also plenty of sunshine and warmth.  I was reminded of seaside trips as a child spent on the same strip of sand as I experienced the delight of finding a cluster of beautiful shells, the curiosity of looking at rubbery seaweed, and the sheer pleasure of feeling the ripples of water and sand tickle my toes.

Happy International Day of Yoga, and thank you to my lovely sister xxx