Want to Make an Event Special? Try Sunrise Yoga!
There are many ways to make your next event memorable. Whether you are organising a girls’ weekend away or planning a corporate trip, sunrise yoga should be top of your to-do list.
Why? Well, not only will greeting the sun with mindful exercise set you up for an enjoyable day, it can also kick-start a love of yoga that will improve the physical and mental health of all participants.
One of the great things about yoga is that it can be practised by people of all ages, abilities, and backgrounds. Rather than introducing a strenuous activity that may exclude your friends and colleagues, try sunrise yoga for an experience that will bring the entire team together.
What will a sunrise yoga class look like?
Of course, no two sunrise yoga classes will be alike. A good instructor will tailor the experience to match the experience level of participants and design the practice around your goals and intentions.
However, there are a few things you can expect from a sunrise yoga class.
Surya Namaskar — Sun Salutation
Yoga is an ancient form of physical and mental exercise, stretching back thousands of years. At the heart of yoga is a wish to foster harmony between mind, body, and spirit. Starting the day by greeting the sun is an excellent way of encouraging mindfulness, putting you on the path to achieving this goal. Surya Namaskar, or Sun Salutation, is a very popular series of poses, which are designed to energise the body and create a connection between us and the giver of all life on earth — the sun.
Mindful movement
A sunrise yoga class will be one of the very first things you do upon waking up. As such, the way that you move can set you up for the rest of your day. Mindful movement, which focuses on the breath, can help you approach challenges and opportunities with a positive mindset.
Meditation
A good yoga instructor will encourage you to think meditatively throughout your practice. However, a sunrise yoga class may set aside a specific time, perhaps at the end of the class, for a few minutes meditation. In the same vein as mindful movement, pausing to think about what you’re hoping to achieve should set you up well for the rest of your day.
Advice for choosing a yoga instructor
The success of your sunrise yoga class really comes down to the instructor. The right instructor will understand your event and what you are hoping your yoga class will achieve and will be able to design a class around these considerations.
A quick Google of 'sunrise yoga' will bring up any number of instructors in your area. Here’s what questions you should ask them:
How long have you been teaching yoga?
There is a big difference between practising yoga yourself and instructing others. Ensure your instructor has plenty of experience leading a group of your size and experience.
Will we need to bring any equipment?
Ideally, the answer to this question will be no. Unless your group are yoga aficionados, they won’t have mats, blocks, or other props on hand. Your instructor needs to take this into account when planning the class.
What will make this class special?
If you’re running a special event, you want the activities to be engaging and memorable. Ask the instructor whether they can take into account your reason for gathering (be it a birthday, work retreat, or weekend away) and incorporate this into your class.
With the right instructor, your sunrise yoga class will start your special event off on the right foot, promoting harmony amongst participants and setting a relaxed, mindful tone for the rest of the day.