Just plowing through the 101 in 1001 list lately, and I love it! This morning when my alarm went off, I was tempted to pull my usual move as of late and hit snooze...repeatedly...for like an hour. Instead, as I opened my phone to start blearily scrolling through Instagram, Hannah texted me to confirm that we were on for our 6:30 am date for Sunrise Yoga through the Lake Harriet Yoga Project! As cozy as my bed was, and as unappealing as getting out of it seemed, I rallied, grabbed a mat, threw on a sweatshirt and headed down to the Lake Harriet Bandshell for my first outdoor yoga class ever.
Oh my god, so worth it.
The Lake Harriet Yoga Project hosts daily morning yoga from late May through early September at the gorgeous Lake Harriet Bandshell, one of my favorite summer concert spots. Classes are suited to beginners but can be tailored to any skill level, and the best part? They're free. Free and taught by some of the best instructors around the Twin Cities! Doesn't get better than that, if you ask me.
While it was definitely chilly at only 60 degrees, and while we saw more clouds than sunrise, it was such a lovely way to start off the day. The instructor's calm presence and ability to project set the stage for about a hundred of us early-bird crazies to run through a fairly basic morning flow.
Particular favorites, apart from savasana at the end (duh)? Excellent warrior series that left my quads shaking, nailing the one-foot-and-lean balance in a dancer sequence for more than 30 seconds, and a super fun "Breath of Joy" exercise that involved three quick inhales and a forceful exhale, repeatedly. It sounds corny, but going through the Breath of Joy flow while listening to birds chirping and watching the sailboats bobbing in the lake genuinely left me feeling joyful...even though my toes were cold.
Already planning a return trip as soon as possible...who knows, maybe tomorrow!
For more information on the Lake Harriet Yoga Project, check out info here or like them on Facebook. And if you want to join me for more activities, look no further than my 101 in 1001, obviously. Namaste, campers!