Practising yoga by the water | Benefits, postures and yoga retreats

Yoga develops self-awareness, works the breathing, boosts your energy and tones your body. Yoga is practised by 2.8 million people in France!

Yoga studios are great in winter, but when the weather's fine, put away your mats and take advantage of the sand or the lawn to practise yoga by the water!

The benefits of waterside yoga

Taking care of yourself and nurturing your well-being in the heart of nature is priceless! What better way to clear your head and breathe in the fresh air than by the sea or a lake?

Practising yoga in the middle of nature and in contact with water has a multitude of virtues:

• Get in touch with nature: doing yoga by the water will awaken your senses more intensely. If you're on a beach, the sound of the waves will stimulate your yoga session;
• Letting go: yoga is a moment of relaxation, but above all it's a physical activity that demands a certain amount of effort and concentration. During a session, you alternate moments of calm with more difficult exercises. This recurrence helps to reduce stress;
• Strengthen your body: over the course of the sessions, your body becomes more muscular and you become increasingly flexible. The different postures are easier to master;
• Relax: sitting by a lake or looking at the ocean in the distance, simply enjoying where you are is a source of relaxation.

There's no better time of day to practise yoga. However, morning and evening sessions are very popular.

To get your day off to a good start, take advantage of the morning dew to do the sun salutation. With the sun rising, the sound of the waves and the sea in front of you, you have all the right conditions to feel energised.

Practising on the sand or grass also gives your ankles, feet, knees and hips a thorough workout.

In the evening, take the time to hold the postures for longer to let go even more. How about a little meditation after your yoga session? Take in the view, enjoy the scenery, breathe in the fresh air and get back in touch with yourself.

Postures for practising yoga

The principle of yoga is based on a series of postures called "asana" in Sanskrit.

There are many different postures, all of which help to strengthen the body and mind.

The best-known posture is obviously the sun salutation. This sequence of postures balances the body's energies and helps you to breathe in tune with the movement.

The different stages:

1. Standing, hands in prayer at chest level (namaste)
2. Inhale, arms extended towards the sky and stretch the body
3. Exhale, bringing the torso gently forward until the hands touch the floor.
4. Hands still on the floor, inhale, right leg back and neck stretched, looking skywards.
5. Exhale, left leg back, feet side by side, looking towards the ground.
6. Knees resting against the floor, almost lying on your stomach.
7. Inhale, push your hands against the floor and stretch your neck, looking up to the sky (snake pose).
8. Exhale, hands still on the ground, push on the legs, pelvis towards the sky, gaze towards the ground.
9. Inhale, left leg placed backwards, right knee bent and neck stretched with gaze towards the sky.
10. Exhale, push up on the legs (vertical position), gently bring the torso forward (hands touch the floor).
11. Inhale, standing with arms stretched skywards and body stretched backwards.
12. Exhale and bring your hands back to chest level in prayer.

Here is a non-exhaustive list of postures you can practice at home:

• Vriksasana: works to balance the body by strengthening the thighs, calves and ankles.
• Urdhva-mukha-svanâsana: this asana strengthens the abdominal muscles and arms. It stretches the back, shoulders and spine.
• Trikonasana: the legs and abdominals are used to work on flexibility and balance.
• Halasana and Marjariasana: these asanas relax the back and strengthen the abdominal muscles.
• Utkatasana: works on balance, the thighs, ankles and shoulders.
• Uttanasana: this asana focuses on the legs and spine. And so on.

Yoga retreats

Going away for several days to a place where you can relax and practise yoga more intensely is known as a yoga retreat.

The aim of this experience is to find yourself far from your daily routine. It's a practice you can do just once, or every year if you feel the need.

Yoga sessions are accompanied by meditation and sporting activities such as hiking or water sports if you're by the sea.

And why not take advantage of a yoga retreat to spend a few days by the sea? There are many destinations to choose from: in France, of course, but also in Quebec, Italy, Morocco and Bali. All the ingredients for a timeless experience.

There are many benefits to yoga retreats:

• Partir plusieurs jours dans un endroit où l'on peut se détendre et pratiquer le yoga plus intensément, c'est ce que l'on appelle une retraite de yoga.
• Le but de cette expérience est de se retrouver loin de sa routine quotidienne. C'est une pratique que l'on peut faire une seule fois, ou tous les ans si l'on en ressent le besoin.
• Les séances de yoga sont accompagnées de méditation et d'activités sportives comme la randonnée ou les sports nautiques si vous êtes au bord de la mer.
• Et pourquoi ne pas profiter d'une retraite de yoga pour passer quelques jours au bord de la mer ? Les destinations sont nombreuses : en France bien sûr, mais aussi au Québec, en Italie, au Maroc ou à Bali. Tous les ingrédients sont réunis pour une expérience hors du temps.
• Les avantages des retraites de yoga sont nombreux :

Note that yoga retreats differ depending on the type of yoga you practise. Make sure you get all the information you need before planning your trip.

Paddle yoga

Paddle yoga is also known as SUP yoga, SUP for stand up paddle. This sport involves balancing on a board in the middle of a calm body of water, such as a pond or lake.

This activity has become very popular in recent years, and is a good alternative for beginners and experienced yogis who want to practise yoga in a different way.

There are a few differences between this and traditional yoga. The positions practised on land do not have the same effects as on water. Being on a smaller surface than the ground, it requires deeper concentration and balance.

So if you fancy giving this sport a try, here are a few magnificent spots in Brittany:

• Le Minihic-sur-Rance on the Emerald Coast;
• Kerbiloet beach at Arradon in Morbihan;
• The Rhuys peninsula at Sarzeau in Quiberon Bay.

Practising yoga by the water allows you to become more aware of the natural world around you, your sensations and your breathing. Taking time for yourself, strengthening your body while taking full advantage of the elements outside and finding yourself again - who's going to start?