Try Yoga at the River’s Edge This Summer

A Yoga at the River's Edge class in the Rexhame Dunes. Photo by Sandy Bacon.

It is morning on the river. The sun has risen enough to bring its warmth to the day. Trees sway gently in the breeze. Fluffy clouds dot the blue sky. An occasional bird flies by. Listening closely, we can hear water lapping at the shore. This is the setting for Yoga at the River’s Edge, a Saturday morning outdoor program that resumes June 9^thfor its 22^ndseason. 

In 1997, as a newly-certified yoga teacher and board member of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, I wanted to create an event that would unite two of my favorite things: yoga and our local rivers. That summer, I led a series of six Gentle Yoga classes at various scenic spots in Marshfield, Norwell, Scituate, and Pembroke. I chose places that first and foremost offered a beautiful view of the North or South River (or a tributary), but that could also accommodate a large group of people and their yoga mats. 

Yoga as a common form of exercise was just emerging in the 1990s. Unlike today, most gyms didn’t offer it. Dedicated yoga studios were few and far between. Yoga was the kind of thing you might just as easily find in a rented church hall or community center. It hadn’t attained its present popularity. It certainly wasn’t considered an outdoor activity.

But it was summer . . . and the North and South Rivers are so peacefully inviting in summer! Especially when the marshes have turned green, and the trees along the riverbanks are in full leaf-out. What a great way to begin the day – rolling out a yoga mat in a scenic spot, spending an hour relaxing, and stretching, and breathing deeply. Would people actually attend these classes? Would they mind putting their yoga mats on the grass or the forest floor? Would they be scared off by the threat of bugs? What did we have to lose? We decided to give it a try.

We met at the Indian Head River Reservoir, on the Hanover-Pembroke line, where a large expanse of lawn, bordered on one side by woods, overlooks the Indian Head River and its fish ladder. We met at Couch Beach in North Marshfield, in a cathedral of tall pines, on an upland that offers a panoramic view of the North River and its marshes. We met at the Norris Reservation in Norwell, at a little clearing in the woods, a stone’s throw from Second Herring Brook. 

We met on the lawn of the Marshfield branch of the YWCA, a secluded spot that overlooks Little’s Creek and the mouth of the North River. We met at the Driftway Conservation Park in Scituate, both on a grassy rise, and on a wooden dock beside the Herring River. And we met in the Rexhame Dunes in Marshfield, in the sand at the edge of the South River. Luck was on our side. Not one of these classes was rained out.

Something about Yoga at the River’s Edge appealed to people. Right from the beginning, we attracted a respectable number of students – not too many, not too few. Attendees commented on how gorgeous the locations were, how they might not have ever visited them if not for this series. They also remarked on how good it felt to do yoga outdoors, in a natural setting. The bugs, for the most part, held off. And so, year after year, we continued to offer these classes. 

In the two decades since Yoga at the River’s Edge began, I’ve welcomed seven additional men and women – all certified yoga instructors -- to the River’s Edge team. We each have our favorite places to teach, and we take turns doing so throughout the season, which now extends throughout the entire summer – mid-June to mid-September. We all feel fortunate to be able to lead these classes, gathering with fellow yoga practitioners at some beautiful spots along our local waterways. Plus, it feels good to give back – to support the North and South Rivers Watershed Association with the proceeds the donation-based program generates.

On behalf of the Yoga at the River’s Edge team, I hope you will consider joining us this summer. The season begins June 9^that one of my favorite places on the North River – Couch Beach in North Marshfield (access via Couch Cemetery, 629 Union Street). 

• Join our mailing list by emailing yogariversedge@verizon.net. 

• Find our schedule online at http://www.hellokezia.com/yoga/Yoga_at_the_Rivers_Edge.html 

• Or like “Yoga at the River’s Edge” on Facebook.

by Kezia Bacon

May 2018

Kezia Bacon's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to protecting our waters. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 22+ years of nature columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com

Unplugging: Its Joys and Challenges

Unplug by taking a walk in the woods. Pictured here: Cornell Woodland in North Marshfield.

(This article was originally published in September 2011. It was inadvertently left out of this blog.)

Can you be content without your internet connection? What about your cell phone? Or electricity? Hurricane Irene brought many of us an opportunity to ponder these questions.

As I write this, our electricity has just been restored after 3 days without. Since it’s summertime, it wasn’t so bad, as we didn’t have to worry about heat. However, with electric-powered utilities – stove, hot water heater, everything else – we had an interesting time “going without.”

While I’m not thrilled about the amount of food we had to throw away, the power outage wasn’t been unendurable. On Sunday, it felt good to hunker down indoors and wait out the heavy winds. On Monday, which was calm and sunny, there was plenty of yard work to do. On Tuesday, we just tried to keep busy. It’s a good thing it was nice out! Wednesday morning was when it came back on. Hallelujah!

The power outage has me thinking about Being Connected, and how much I rely on it. Not having an internet connection revealed just how much time I spend online. My laptop, which stays on all day, is set to check for email constantly. I can’t tell you how many times I glanced at it, looking for the telltale red dot . . . before remembering that no mail could come through. Yes, I admit it: having grown accustomed to constant connectivity, and I did feel somewhat insecure without it.

I charged my laptop fully before the storm began, and thus I spent all of Sunday working (till the battery went dead). A friend teased me, suggesting that a power loss could be considered an opportunity NOT to work. Why not, instead, take a day off and relax? Not so easy for someone like me. (I admit: I take refuge in my work – it’s more concrete than the rest of my life, which like everyone’s, can be messy.)

But Monday, with no chance of using the computer until I could find a place to recharge it, I was open to other options. Our yard was completely covered with green – pine branches, oak leaves, giant fallen maple branches. My morning class had been cancelled, my son was with his father, so I had no other responsibilities. I grabbed a rake and got busy.

It was a pleasant two hours. I could have put on my iPod but I opted to enjoy the quiet and the rhythmic scrape of the rake. Neighbors would walk by, and we’d discuss how we were coping with the power outage, but for the most part I was solitary. When I was done, the yard looked great, and I felt good for having spent the morning doing something physical.

A few months ago, I changed my cell service, and had the option of getting a smart phone with a data plan, so I could be connected to the internet at all times. I thought it better not to. While I would love to have internet access at my fingertips anytime and anywhere, I was reluctant. The $30 cost per month was part of it, but really, it was the threat of having no unplugged time whatsoever that turned me off.

I used to carry my cell phone with me everywhere, just in case. But now I don’t. There isn’t much in life that can’t wait an hour. As fond as I am of the immediacy the internet and cell phones provide, I think it’s important to spend some time (voluntarily!) unplugged every day. There is something to be said for adopting a slower pace.

The following are suggestions for ways to enjoy some time unplugged. Most of them involve being outdoors. I recommend that you leave your iPod at home, and if you bring your phone, do so just for safety’s sake, and not to entertain yourself.

Go For A Bike Ride -- Take a spin down a scenic road and absorb the sounds of nature around you. Enjoy the view. Breathe in the fresh air. Feel the joy of propelling yourself forward on two wheels. The South Shore is a gorgeous place to explore by bicycle.

Take A Walk In The Woods – We have so many enchanting nature preserves and conservation parcels on the South Shore. Select one, and spend an hour just rambling. Bring a friend and have an uninterrupted conversation – or just enjoy each other’s company in silence. Bring a child and make some discoveries – find out what’s under that log, or who lives in that tree.

Go To The Beach. The water tends to be quite warm around here in September. But even if you’re not inclined to swim, you can take off your shoes and go for a walk along the shoreline, or explore tide pools, or a jetty, or the wrack line. Or just sit and watch seagulls, and listen to the sounds of the surf.

Go For A Paddle. The North and South Rivers, the Green Harbor River, the Jones River, and their tributaries offer quiet refuge from the hustle and bustle of life. Out on the river in a canoe or a kayak, you can enjoy a slower pace, with plenty of time for contemplation. Take a guided trip, or just explore on your own.

Take A Yoga Class – NSRWA’s outdoor Yoga at the River’s Edge classes end for the season on September 10, but the annual program resumes next June. In the meantime, you might try an indoor class (no cell phones allowed!). Take some time to tune in with yourself and unwind.

By Kezia Bacon-Bernstein

September 2011

Kezia Bacon-Bernstein's articles appear courtesy of the North and South Rivers Watershed Association, a local non-profit organization devoted to the preservation, restoration, maintenance and conservation of the North and South Rivers and their watershed. For membership information and a copy of their latest newsletter, contact NSRWA at (781) 659-8168 or visit www.nsrwa.org. To browse 15 years of Nature (Human and Otherwise) columns, visit http://keziabaconbernstein.blogspot.com.