Citizens practice yoga by Lake Monroe

Early Saturday morning as the sun rose above Lake Monroe, Rebecca Chapman began rolling out her yoga mats. She’s been holding the “Yoga on the Lake” sessions since 2013, and plans to continue them on the first and third Saturdays of each month through September.
Participants arrived at 7:30 a.m. at the Veterans Memorial Park flagpole to begin the class. One woman was a first-timer, declaring that she’d only tried yoga once before, and another, DJ McCabe, had been involved since the start. All skill levels and ages are welcome to participate, and the event is donation-based.
Chapman describes that the first time the group got together to practice yoga, they were actually hiring her to instruct for a private event. Everyone enjoyed it so much that they started doing it more frequently and the concept grew. They have their own Facebook page, Little Love Self Health Care, and hope to further reach out to the greater community.  
“I always say the common unity in community is the family. So if people treat each other like family, they’re more likely to look out for each other, be more compassionate towards each other, less judgment. And that’s a lot of what yoga is, is detachment from our expectations,” described Chapman. “And there’s so many teachings of yoga too, that would help the community.”  
As the group stood in a semi-circle before Chapman, she began by asking what areas they wanted to focus on that day. Participants responded of aching hips and backs, and Chapman chose stretches and poses that would address those areas. The morning continued very casually, with a personal feel.
“It’s almost [as if] my body needs it,” said McCabe, who had back surgery after an injury in the air force, and worked a corporate job that required long hours of sitting before a computer. McCabe now owns the sailing school on Lake Monroe, U-Sail.
She continued, “I can’t do a full wheel. And there’s a couple other yoga practices I can’t do. But the rest of it, keeping my core strong and keeping flexible, makes all the difference in my ability to go sailing…”
Looking toward the future, Chapman hopes that more members of the community will become involved. About a month ago, a member of the Sanford Police Department arrived in full uniform and participated, recalls Chapman.
The next “Yoga on the Lake” will be held on June 18. Participants should bring a yoga mat, towel, and water. Sunglasses or a hat would also come in handy, as the sun rises above the lake. Each class is one hour long.
 

Aida Lashinsky, Herald Reporter, ALashinsky@MySanfordHerald.com