An array of colorful mats spread across the lawn beneath the Washington Monument this past Sunday, marking the 11th annual National Yoga at the Mall event. Over 50 of Maryland and Virginia’s most talented instructors participated in the day’s yoga extravaganza, leading and helping hundreds of D.C. locals and yogi die-hards in different (and sometimes complex) poses.
I was shocked at the mere number of locals who showed up to the event. I was surrounded by parents, grandparents, children and people of all ages and levels, who had gathered to embody the spiritual togetherness and peace that yoga has to offer, and it seemed that everyone was having a good time.
I normally feel self-conscious going to a regular yoga class due to my lack of flexibility, but I surprisingly felt accepted and relaxed in this community setting. Many exercises called for the formation of group poses, forcing you to make friends with the people sitting next to you, some advanced and some total novices in yoga.
While I wobbled on one foot getting into the warrior-2 pose, at no point did I feel judged or afraid of messing up a move. Even Maryland’s most well-known children’s yoga instructor, Sean Frasier, was present to lead yoga groups for kids.
Yoga at the Mall reflected a sense of togetherness of the people within D.C. If you like outdoor yoga, community and meeting all kinds of people, don’t miss out on this free annual event that takes place every year on the grass of our nation’s capital.
