Outdoor yoga in Mon City stirs the soul
Katie Masters, front, participates in a yoga class at Noble J. Dick Aquatorium in Monongahela.
Instructor Tanya Chaney leads a yoga class at Noble J. Dick Aquatorium in Monongahela.
MONONGAHELA – A group of yoga enthusiasts breathe in and out as the sun peeks from behind the hills above the Monongahela River. The serene calmness is accompanied by lilting music and soft-spoken directions of yoga instructor Tanya Chaney.
Noble J. Dick Aquatorium in Monongahela is used for many summer events, including concerts, fishing and, on most Saturday mornings, yoga. Last year, a Facebook post spurred an idea to have outdoor yoga classes, as is done in various cities across the country.
“What a great place to enjoy yoga. The aquatorium is the perfect place. The river is calm and peaceful in the morning,” said Chaney, the owner of The Salon and Spa by Chaney’s Natural, a full-service spa and wellness salon in Monongahela.
“I believe in a person’s whole body wellness, inside and out. Yoga is a great way to practice that concept,” she said. “It is good for the body, for stretching and strength as well as the breathing and relaxation for the spirit and the mind in the mediation aspect.”
Mother and daughter Katie and Stephanie Masters attend the Saturday morning yoga classes together. Stephanie Masters said she and her 8-year-old daughter started doing yoga together to bond and when she heard about the outside class, she felt it would be a great activity for them.
Gina C. Lynn said she attends the class because she works in an office behind a computer all week.
“This class, here on the river, helps to bring me back to my center,” she said.
Chaney said early morning yoga on the river is a beautiful way to start the day.
“The sun is just coming up and we stand there in our warrior position. I feel it not only makes us look good, it makes us feel strong and we can take on whatever the day brings. It resets us,” she explained.
Before each yoga position, Chaney instructs the class to breathe.
“You can use the breathing in your everyday life,” she said. “When things get a bit challenging, breathe in deep, bring your arms up, breathe out, bring your arms down and reset.”
She carries the same philosophy in her business.
“This outdoor yoga class is just an extension of what I do in my business,” Chaney said. In addition to massages, facials and nails, she holds wellness classes and supplements are available for sale. She is also planning a weight-loss support group.
Chaney offers more healthy outdoor fitness options in addition to the outdoor yoga.
“When you exercise outdoors, you feel better about yourself,” she said. “Yoga is good for not just the soul but it helps in flexibility, strength and weight loss.”
The yoga class meets at 8 a.m. Saturdays weather permitting on the aquatorium stage. A $5 donation is requested. For updates, follow the Facebook page. Fit~Flow Monongahela or visit the website www.chaneysnatural.com