Bundaberg Yoga Festival participants stretched and breathed their way through the cool morning at the region's inaugural event.
Organiser Tamar Boas was pleased with the turn-out and said it was more popular than she thought it would be.
“The doors opened at 8.30am and we had about 60 tickets sold and at least 50 people inside practising yoga at the moment,” Tamar said.
The day of yoga was an opportunity to experience some of the Bundaberg Region's most experienced yoga teachers and their unique styles, including Leanne Toy, Tine Dimes, Karen Whyte, Katie Laurie, Noni Croft and others.
Natures Emporium’s Tina Dimes also had one of the many stalls set up; she was also pleased by the response from the community.
“Particularly in the last 10 years there has been an increased number of yoga teachers practising in the region,” Tina said.
“When I first started teaching there was about four practising and now there’s between 12 and 15.”
Tamar said there were many studios now in the region also.
Both said there were many benefits to taking up yoga, especially with children.
“I was teaching yoga at Shalom after school also,” Tamar said, while Tina said it helped with stress and anxiety in younger people.
“Many students find it be beneficial, even preppies, it helps with calmness,” Tina said.
“In the younger children it helps build resilience and helps with emotional resilience.”
Yoga doesn’t just benefit the younger generation, Bundaberg’s Sue Smith went along to the Yoga Festival with her daughter Andrea Bearham and said she had been practising yoga on and off over the years.
Sue said she found the trick with yoga was to listen to your own body and move at your own pace.
“I’m not flexible at all, so I just listen to my body – in everyday life you forgot to do this, listen to your body,” Sue said.
“It’s a bit more interesting than just going along to an exercise class.
“Yoga really helps you to be mindful and think about what you are doing, from breathing to moving.”
Andrea said you don’t always just give yourself the time you should, and yoga helped you do this.
“Even with breathing, you just don’t realise and the instructors help you think about it,” Andrea said.
“I would recommend yoga to everyone.”
Tamar said with the wonderful turn-out at the first event, there would likely be another Bundaberg Yoga Festival next year and hopefully the year after.
Anyone wanting to know more about yoga can phone Tamar on 0413 065 661.
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