In Clacton, Yoga teacher Prajitha, has been enriching the lives of local residents by teaching them how to use yoga to enhance their physical and mental wellbeing. This class has become an active community with a sound mind that encourage people to experience the benefits of getting active and being part of a community.
The classes incorporate breathwork, posters, meditation and mindfulness which will help the practitioner to feel the physical and mental benefits. Yoga helps to reconnect the body and mind whilst improving strength, resilience and flexibility.
Understanding that people have different needs and requirements when getting active is important to Prajitha as she offers her classes to those who wish to remain seated as well as those who can move to the floor.
These classes are supported by Active Essex and funded through the London Marathon Foundation following the success of RideLondon-Essex 2023. Groups such as this in Essex are important for highlighting how RideLondon is more than just a cycling event and has wider benefits to communities.
Through the funding, these classes have been made available to local residents for free which also removes the stress of paying for classes such as this in the current cost of living crisis. The ability to come to the class without this additional strain means the participants have one less thing to worry about and can arrive feeling ready to join the calming and centring environment.
One participant, Carole Ann, told us;
“I had Bell’s Palsy last year and was paralysed down one side and couldn’t walk and I’ve come out of my comfort zone and I’ve mixed with people. I’d be depressed and sitting in an armchair watching television and still be on medication which I’m now off of. I feel really lovely and it’s lifted my life and it’s given me a reason to get up in the morning.”
Classes such as these can mean more to people than finding an activity that works for them, they can be a way to reduce social isolation and gain confidence. Being able to give people a reason to leave the house and get up in the morning is vital for having a positive effect on their mental health.
If you would like to find an activity that works for you then check our activity finder here: https://www.activeessex.org/activity-finder/
