ESTEVAN - Part of Woodlawn Regional Park turned into peace heaven over the weekend as OM Yoga Studio hosted their second yoga festival.
After two years of a break, yoga and wellness adherents gathered in and around Rotary Hall at Woodlawn for two days of various events. The weekend was filled with yoga and creative classes, meditation, informative workshops and live music.
New this year were aerial yoga classes, where participants had gravity help their bodies come into harmony. Attendees also had a unique opportunity to join Zenhouse Productions of Regina for a class where everyone practises yoga while wearing soundproof headphones. All participants could hear were the music and the instructor's voice, surrounding them in their practice and making the experience deeper and more meditative.
OM Yoga Studio owner and coach Kim Mayuk said the weekend was incredible.
They had more people joining the event this time, and a lot of them came from all over the province.
"We had people come from Regina, Regina Beach, Moose Jaw, Saskatoon. We really had people from all over the province coming, which was incredible. That's exactly what I was going for is just to reach a wider audience and make for a bigger event, a community feel with just a great vibe. It was such a great weekend," Mayuk said.
"And people were just so excited to be back together practising with like-minded individuals in this type of setting. It's just a really great feeling."
Mayuk said festivals like the one they brought to the community are inspiring for overall health and well-being. They also serve as a great showcase, where people have an opportunity to either inspire their current practice, or jumpstart their yoga practice, or just get inspired to be healthier or make wiser choices or just be more mindful.
"I want it to inspire people to be more aware of what they're doing with their bodies and putting into their bodies, and not even just physically, but also mentally and emotionally, doing something that's benefiting and nurturing your soul and your spirit," Mayuk explained.
Besides OM Yoga Studio instructors, there were some guests leading classes. Lindsey Cameron, originally from White Bear, was the leading instructor for the festival. She's done a lot of practising in India, Peru and Mexico.
"She's travelled and taught all over the world. So having her was really great. And she's also an aerobatic practitioner and teacher as well. So I think that's incredible that we had her," Mayuk said.
Sarah Garden and Colin Hall of Bodhi Tree Yoga in Regina were other guest instructors for the festival.
"They're just an amazing set of instructors and they really provide accessible classes to yogis of all ages and abilities, what's really awesome about them," Mayuk said.
Christa Jorgenson of Estevan held a Meditation with Knots Macrame Making class during the festival as well.
"[Macrame] is a meditative practice for her and that's something that our yoga festival encourages, as well as our studio, just overall mental health," Mayuk noted.
She added that they try to mix physical classes with informative sessions so that participants would always have an option to switch activities. Besides, some events are held outdoors, and others inside the air-conditioned Rotary Hall.
An OMazing Market, free to the public, was held on the side, showcasing health and wellness vendors from across Saskatchewan. Vegan and gluten-free lunch was provided for festival attendees, crafted by Blue Potato out of Estevan.
Mayuk said they are looking forward to bringing OM Yoga Festival back again next year, and hope it will keep growing and getting even better.
