Fishers Yoga

Fishers Parks are bringing back free yoga Wednesdays this fall. It was discontinued shortly a er its start in the summer of 2021, but it was such a hit in the community that it will return from August to December this year. “We typically have between 20-40 people in attendance,” yoga instructor Kim Carlson said. “ e class age range is very broad, especially in the summer when school is out. It is not unusual to see a junior high student practicing next to someone in their 50s.” Carlson is the organizer of the event and a teacher at Roots and Wings yoga studio in Indianapolis. e classes are held inside the wellness center at the Geist Marina. “I was asked to teach a few farmers market classes and really enjoyed teaching at the amphitheater and sharing my passion for yoga with a diverse group of people,” Carlson said. “So, I asked the parks department if they would be interested in me o ering a free weekly community yoga class. I have continued this free weekly yoga class because it is important to me to give back to my community.” Yoga has numerous bene ts to the body and mind. Practicing yoga for at least three months is

Yoga Wednesday

Fishers Parks brings back free event at Billericay Park

Mia Brant brantmia000@hsestudents.org

proven to relieve perceived stress, according to the National Library of Medicine. “Tension, stress and anxiety can manifest into physical disease,” Carlson said. “ e yoga practice helps to lessen, and can even alleviate, these issues.” Similar to Carlson, senior Avery Clark believes that her participation in yoga has impacted her mental health in a positive way. “I do [yoga] for spiritual reasons,” Clark said. “To be more grounded and calm. It de nitely helps because I’ve been through a lot with my family, so it helps reduce a lot of anxiety that I go through and puts me into a more positive mindset than a negative, which is what I’m used to.” Clark said she goes to yoga classes one to three times a week. She has made new connections in her community because of her constant participation. “My neighbor is my yoga instructor,” Clark said. “She and I actually have gotten really close because of that.” For senior Kate Miller, yoga is more than just practicing stretches. According to her, she has found an inclusive community within her yoga studio. “[Yoga] provides some sort of mental community because while you’re there, you de nitely feel like it’s a shared practice,” Miller said. “It helps with feeling lost or feeling like you’re really isolated.” Yoga is not just stretching since it can also improve strength and exibility depending on the type of yoga that is performed. “I take Pilates, which is strength-based yoga, and I de nitely feel more exible a erward,” Miller said. For Carlson, Miller and Clark, the bene ts of yoga are numerous. “Yoga has been an integral part of my personal well-being and I have witnessed the life-changing bene ts in my students,” Carlson said, “I love sharing this practice and helping others learn to live with a deeper sense of calm and clarity even during stressful times.”