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From
The Schaumburg Review
Thursday, October 3, 2002
“Schaumburg: Our Stories” Column
By
Catherine Stier
Doing Yoga in the Open Air
This was no ordinary fitness course. Instead
of filing into a gym, our class headed down an outdoor path on September 21.
We walked through fragrant prairie grasses, past purple and golden
wildflowers and by a shaded pond still touched with the morning mist. By the
time we reached our destination—the Spring Valley Nature Sanctuary’s Merkle
cabin—we felt miles away from civilization. And that, said class facilitator
Evamarie Pilipuf, was just the point.
Pilipuf is a Schaumburg resident, certified
yoga instructor and creator of the park district class I experienced that
Saturday: “Yoga in Nature—Autumn.” She designed the indoor/outdoor class to
make the most of the sanctuary’s natural, restful setting.
“We thought, ‘let the nature hike be part of
the warm-up, and the (act of) physically distancing oneself from the urban
lifestyle,” she said. Following the short hike, yoga instruction took place
within the cabin. There, the sights and scents of the rustic, log interior
provided a unique ambiance. Bird songs from outside, along with instrumental
CDs played inside, served as a musical backdrop to the gentle drills,
breathing exercises and stretching movements.
The 90-minute “Yoga in Nature” program will
be offered again on October 19 at 8:30 a.m., and during other seasons
throughout the year. In addition, a “Yoga at the Cabin” weekly Tuesday
evening class begins this January. These programs are open to those familiar
with yoga, as well as the newcomer. In fact, Pilipuf believes the fusion of
yoga with nature may be especially appealing to cautious beginners.
“Many people perceive that (yoga) is quite
exotic, or has to be practiced within a specific spiritual or religious
context, but that doesn’t have to be true,” said Pilipuf. Combining yoga
with nature may make it more accessible for some people because “Nature is
familiar territory,” she explained. And like the practice of yoga, “Being in
a natural environment can be a spiritual or relaxing or inspiring
experience.”
Pilipuf’s classes explore techniques of
“hatha” yoga, which focuses on breathing, posture and mindfulness.
Mindfulness is the state of being present in the moment, and so during her
classes she admonishes students to not compose grocery lists or let other
daily concerns cloud the consciousness. She also advises against continuing
any movement which causes discomfort. Pilipuf said benefits of hatha yoga
include stress reduction, and increase in muscle strength and flexibility
and improved posture. It may also lead to a heightened sense of one’s
personal, perceived contentedness.
The “Yoga in Nature” class that day concluded
with a cup of English toffee tea and a reading by Pilipuf from the works of
American nature writer Henry David Thoreau. Then, with a newly strengthened
body and spirit, and perhaps a fresh outlook, our little group traveled down
the wooded path and headed back to our everyday lives.
For information on Pilipuf’s yoga classes,
phone the park district at (847) 490-7020 or check out her website at
www.treeoffitness.com. Pilipuf recently released two videos: “Yoga in
Nature: Beginner/Intermediate” and “The Sun Salutation Survival Kit:
Intermediate.” Both are available on her Web site or at Amazon.com.
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