It was 7:30 in the morning, May 4, and Ichih Wang padded through a carpeted room in the Lobstick Lodge, weaving among about two-dozen people splayed out on yoga mats.
The Ottawa yoga instructor was teaching a class on yin yoga, one part of Mountain Park Lodge鈥檚 Grounded in the Rockies, a three-day yoga festival that took place May 2-4.
As she passed in front of the ornamental Buddha statue sitting at the front of the room, she instructed the class to spread out their arms, stretching with their palms facing the sky.
鈥淲hen you touch someone in my class, we don鈥檛 say I鈥檓 sorry, we say I love you,鈥� she cooed.
The room was necessarily hot鈥攜our core temperature drops when you practice yin yoga, holding a sphinx or seal or bowtie pose for as long as 15 minutes straight鈥攂ut many of the students laid with closed eyes and peaceful expressions.
Heather Bell came to the festival from Edmonton, and after the class said her experience was 鈥渁bsolutely fabulous.
鈥淚 loved every minutes of it; the level of instruction, and the ease of the instructors. It can be for anybody. If you鈥檝e never done yoga before you can come to this. And if you鈥檙e heavy into it, you鈥檒l get something too,鈥� she said, adding that while she has been practicing yoga on and off for about 20 years, this was her first time practicing in quite a while.
Most instructors also had high praise for the event.
鈥淚鈥檓 having so much fun,鈥� Wang said after her class. 鈥淚 mean, this is priceless, right? To see people鈥檚 transformation, and the smiles on their faces 鈥� it鈥檚 just great.鈥�
Wang鈥檚 yin yoga class was just one of more than 30 that were offered over the weekend by 11 different instructors, including everything from 鈥測oga for hipsters鈥� to 鈥渄etox flow鈥� to 鈥渆xploring back bends safely.鈥�
The festival is in its second year, and according to MPL鈥檚 sales and catering manager Jordan Tucker, more than 75 people came in from out of town to attend, as well as several locals.
Along with the yoga classes, participants had the chance to browse an artisans market Saturday afternoon, chow down on a 鈥渓iving cuisine dinner鈥� Saturday night, and hear Wang give a motivational speech Friday evening.
MPL also partnered with Friends of Jasper National Park, who took participants on hikes and mountain bike rides through the park.
Tucker said he hopes the festival will continue to grow, and said next year MPL will offer even more events, like additional health and wellness workshops, or more mixers.
鈥淎s much as they鈥檙e all here for a health and wellness retreat there鈥檚 still a social side, which is just as important. It鈥檚 nice to be able to have some bonding time to meet new friends,鈥� Tucker said.
For her part, Bell said she can鈥檛 wait to return.
鈥淚鈥檓 coming back next year for sure, and I鈥檓 bringing a whole group with me,鈥� she said with a huge grin.
聽Trevor Nichols
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