(picture taken by myself of instructor Sam Manchulenko)
(I got into this position too!)
(I got into this position too!)
Swing low, sweet yogi
published in The Projector
My experience with floating yoga!
published in The Projector
My experience with floating yoga!
I’m upside down. My legs are
wrapped around a piece of fabric suspending me from the ceiling. As I let go,
my back cracks a couple of times and my head falls towards the floor. No, it’s
not acrobatics, its called floating yoga.
When you see five bright orange
hammocks hanging from the ceiling, you know this is a different kind of yoga.
Yoga Public, located at 280 Fort Street, is the first studio in Winnipeg to
offer floating yoga.
Floating Yoga is a simple, restorative,
and meditative yoga class. For one hour, at room temperature, your body is held
in the air by a swing of material. Slowly you sit inside and effortlessly stretch
in a cocoon of fabric.
“It’s a very nurturing feel to be
wrapped,” instructor Sam Manchulenko said. “You’re really able to let go of everything and
melt into the hammock. It’s kinda like you’re getting a gentle hug when you
stretch.”
After training in San Francisco and
New York, co-owner Ida Albo, director Sam Chisick , and instructor Sam Manchulenko,
created their own floating yoga series here in Winnipeg. Right now, the program
is offered as a 10-week co-ed session that started in September. Only four
yogis can attend each class, experienced or not. The fifth hammock is for Manchulenko
at the front of the class.
The room is lit by one lantern. Its
glow sets a relaxing mood along with the sounds of Sacred
Chants of Devi. It’s easy to dose off. Using the front wall mirror you’re able
to follow Manchulenko
into each pose. The soft fabric stretches and supports your body into positions
that you might not be able to do on the floor.
“It’s antigravity in a sense, you
can stretch further in a calm way without pressure on your joints,” says
Chisick.
After an hour of relaxing floating
yoga, the last step is to reacquaint your body with the floor. Each yogi
grounds themselves by either massaging their legs towards the floor, sitting,
or lying down.
Don’t expect a workout from this floating
yoga class. Go to de-stress, focus on your breathing, and improve flexibility.
After class, Sandy Waite, school
administrator, who has been to 8 floating yoga classes, said “I’m peaceful, now
it’s time to go to bed!”
Yoga Public, a sister business of
Ten Spa at The Fort Garry Hotel, provides you with fancy lockers, toiletries,
mats, and towels; but for this class all you need is some light weight
clothing. Floating yoga is $21 per class on Thursday evenings at 8:30pm. To
reserve your spot and learn more about floating yoga, call 204.947.9642.
