Starting from next weekend, your sunny Sunday mornings could be spent in the tranquil gardens of the Gorman Arts Centre in Braddon doing yoga for free – for a good cause.
The 9am classes are provided by Local Yoga and Gorman Arts Centre and will run from Sunday 1 November until March 2021.
Local Yoga is a new Canberra-based initiative, committed to making yoga more accessible for Canberrans and to provide practical support for the community in the aftermath of the 2020 bushfires and COVID pandemic.
While every class is offered free of charge, those who have the means are encouraged to consider a tax deductible donation to Canberra’s Domestic Violence Crisis Service at: https://www.givenow.com.au/crowdraiser/public/localyoga
Local Yoga instructor Matty Ellis, has been practicing for the best part of a decade, completing over 600 hours of formal yoga training in Australia and internationally.
‘By focusing on purpose rather than profit, Local Yoga’s free classes encourage others to consider how they can give back and positively influence the community they live in,’ Matty said.
ACT Health promotes yoga for increased flexibility, muscle tone and mental health benefits; the rollercoaster of 2020 makes it a perfect time to embrace the practice.
Local Yoga and Gorman Arts Centre encourage participants to hang out after class and have a chat over a coffee in the morning sun.
No bookings required, but it is limited capacity so sessions run on a first come, first served basis.
Local Yoga flowing ‘vinyasa’ classes are suitable for all levels from beginners to advanced, combining physicality and breath with modern mindfulness practices.
‘Local Yoga offers both a release from the accumulated stress of 2020 while acknowledging your unique capacity to shape 2021 into a year of tangible growth and change,’ Matty said.
Matty’s background is unusual amongst yoga teachers, with qualifications in weightlifting, powerlifting, CrossFit and gymnastics.
He has experience teaching yoga to all types of bodies from public servants and grandparents through to members of the Wallabies squad and performers in Cirque du Soleil.
