Yoga on the Camino de Santiago?

[crad80]

Hi Everyone,

I have two questions:

First:
I have walked the Camino de Santiago twice, and I don't remember seeing anyone practicing yoga. Soon I will be embarking on my third Camino pilgrimage with some friends who are yoga practitioners. They wanted to know if other pilgrims practice yoga on the Camino. Does anyone have any previous experience with yoga on the Camino?

Second:
In the USA, there is another form of yoga that is very popular. It is called Bikram Yoga (basically, yoga in a room heated to around 105 degrees). I have visited España numerous times, and I've never seen a Bikram Yoga spot anywhere. Does anyone know if this type of yoga is available in España? If so, could you specify where?

Thanks in advance, and Buen Camino.

Ci vediamo a presto!!!!

 

[Peronel]

I did! I have a photo of me practicing in the grand square outside the albergue in St Juan de Ortega.

But I found I practiced much less than I expected. The weariness at the end of the day, the need to do laundry, and the draw of beer and hood company conspired against me.

 

[zammy]

Is it Yoga or not?
The daily walking of distances, hours and hours, day after day after day, the sounds of nature-wind, leaves rattling, birds, the monotonous sounds while walking- your pack squeaking, your breaths, your steps, your hand's mvement back and forth.
Aren't all these a perfect recipe for hige level meditation? add to his the physical effort and it just adds up to the best natural yoga one can find anywhere.

 

[mspath]

Yoga sessions are available on the Camino Frances at the Casa Magica Albergue in Villaturerta >> http://www.alberguevillatuerta.com/, the Albergue Verde in Hospital de Orbigo >> http://caminodesantiago.consumer.es/albergue-verde, and at the Albergue de Monte Irago in Foncebadon. >> http://www.caminodesantiago.me/camino-f ... oncebadon/.


Margaret Meredith

 

[theyogaman]

I am a yoga teacher and I will be embarking on my first Camino journey at the end of May. I will be traveling on my bike and doing lots of Tibetan yoga en-route... Namaste x

 

[unadara]

I saw many people doing yoga, as the Camino is so focused those doing their yoga would normally be quiet about it, as is normal, early am or before bed-not a "session" as in the "bikram". One woman was standing on her head on a stone wall in Melide for a long time, she had walked from her home in Germany and was a very extreme dedicated person in many ways. I would have gone into the churchyard to stand on my head in peace-if I could that is. Stretching and downward dog can be done anywhere.

 

[D.Matthew]

I practiced most mornings to warm up my body and mind. I feel yoga can really help relieve sore muscles and keep a pilgrim feeling healthy.

 

[3walkingtoSantiago]

I saw people practicing yoga all along the Camino. I don't know about classes, though.

 

[crad80]

Thanks everyone for the wonderful responses! What I meant was if there were any group classes? I've seen individuals practicing yoga on the Camino but I was wondering if yoga classes are held in groups (formally or informally)? My American friends enjoy practicing yoga bright and early every morning whereas my friends in Vigo prefer to practice yoga in groups early in the evening. Thanks in advance. Buen Camino y Que tengas un buen dia!

 

[aloarb53]

Hello crad80,

I walked the Camino Frances from SJPP to Santiago in the falls of 2011 and 2012 and will be walking it this fall, hoping to arrive in SdC on my 60th birthday. I could not have completed it either year had I not practiced my yoga daily. It does require some creativity regarding props and asanas, but the daily practice kept both my mind and body open and ready for the mental and physical experience of The Way. I suggest that you ask your yoga instructor to give you a few combinations of poses that, based on your needs and body, would be possible for you to practice regularly along the way.

Buen Camino and Namaste,

Ann

 

[crad80]

Hi Ann,

Thanks for the suggestions. I will keep them in mind while on this Camino. I have been practicing yoga for the past year and I truly enjoy it.

Buen Camino and Namaste as well.

Crad80

 

[Claudi]

Hi, Im gonna teach yoga next year on the Camino as part of SpanishSteps initiative to walk the Camino. If anybody is interested, you can email me. Also, any suggestions I would appreciate. I have been teaching yoga for almost 10 years now and taught on retreats, workshops as in classes, but it will be the first time while trekking. Namaste.

 

[Olivares]

I stretched every morning and every afternoon religiously. Many of the stretching positions I borrowed from my local Yoga class. It kept heel, hips, and back pains away! Best tihing ever!

 

[egar]

Here's a photo of part of our crew at Monte de Gozo. We had a couple of yogis along on the trip and yoga could spontaneously breakout.

 

[obinjatoo@yahoo.com]

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[Acasadorio]

I teach yoga in Palas de Rei, on the camino. We have classes every friday in town, at 19:15. Let me know if you're interested +34653820444 I also teach occasionally at 7:30 am in Casa do Rio (800m from the Camino Francés in Lestedo, Vilar de Donas, which has an interesting history in the Camino). I am also a thai massage pactitioner. I guarantee can give you the best Thai massage on the Camino!

I will be walking the Francés second time, this time from O Cebreiro to Santiago from Jan 4th 2019 to Jan 9th so hope we meet on the way!

 

[howlsthunder]

I did yoga along the way! (I practice Yin yoga). I only stayed at one albergue in particular that had a space for yoga:

Albergue El Serbal y la Luna, in Pieros. It's the ONLY albergue there, which is more like a neighborhood than a town. But it's a VERY nice, cozy place with large, wooden bunks, and a vegetarian family-style meal (I'm a meat-eater but I learned vegetarian/vegan places were the best to stay at), and they take bed-bugs seriously and will help you if you have them, with a no-shoes policy and packs-in-giant-plastic-sacks. Upstairs, though, is a big, carpeted quiet room with yoga mats you can borrow. It was one of my favorite spots.

 

[Albertagirl]

I stayed in Albergue Verde at Hospital de Orbigo twice. I appreciated the atmosphere and the vegetarian meals, but the yoga nearly crippled me on the first occasion, so I was very careful to avoid it my next time through. Now I do chair yoga twice a week when at home, but my experience at Albergue Verde taught me that trying to sit cross-legged on the floor when totally out of practice is not a good idea when you have to be able to walk the next day.