Just like waves in an ocean or river’s current, our lives are always moving. One of the many reasons why we practice yoga is to find stillness within the constant change that life brings. Today, many yogis find stillness by bringing their practice to a surface that’s always moving: the water.
The act of propelling oneself on a floating platform with the help of a paddle or pole can be traced back as early as 1000 BCE across multiple continents. Surfing as a sport originated in Hawaii in the 1940s and stand-up paddleboarding (or SUP) in its current form makes surfing more accessible. SUP reached California in the early 2000s and people quickly adopted the sport worldwide. By 2005, SUP diversified into other activities such as racing, touring, fishing, and yoga.
SUP yoga consists of poses practiced on a paddleboard floating on water – an ocean, lake, or even a river. While combining asana with a sport that comes from surfing may not seem like an authentic yoga practice, this modern way to embrace ancient philosophies continues to gain popularity as yogis discover its many physical and mental health benefits.
Connection
Science proves being outdoors improves your well-being. Practicing yoga outside connects your vision with the beauty of nature, your breath with fresh air, and your body with the floating sensation of being on the water. Connecting with nature alleviates the heaviness of life we all feel at times.
Mindfulness
Yoga on a paddleboard, practiced at a slower pace, strengthens your proprioception, or the awareness of your body in space. You may be able to correctly place your foot without conscious thought when you’re on a floor, but you will pay close attention to every movement on a paddleboard so you don’t fall in. This mindfulness keeps your focus in the present, or the here and now.
Balance while moving
Flowing through poses on a paddleboard that moves with the wind and current requires you to engage your muscles differently than you would on a stable surface. Your core will especially feel the effects of the modifications required to create balance in your poses.
Empowerment over fear
Seeing a great expanse of water, along with the very real possibility of falling in, provides a boost of adrenaline that isn’t normally present in a land practice. The extra focus and motivation relieve stress and creates a sense of empowerment applicable to all other areas of life.
Resilience and acceptance
When you do fall in, you have no choice but to climb back up on your board and try again – a life lesson in and of itself. Accepting you will fall in at some point grants you an opportunity to practice Aparigraha, or the Yama of non-attachment.
New perspective
SUP yoga brings new challenges to even the simplest of poses. If you have been practicing for some time, you might turn on autopilot as you do downward-facing dog for the thousandth time. But even the most experienced yogis will approach yoga on the water with a beginner’s mindset, bringing new energy and a sense of empowerment to their practice.
Jennifer Golden discovered yoga in 2007, when she dropped into a Minneapolis studio for an Ashtanga class and has been practicing ever since. She became an instructor in 2019 through the RYT 200 program at The Yoga Center Retreat and teaches Vinyasa and SUP Yoga there. Passionate about mindful movement, she uses her classes to encourage others to see beyond the physical aspects of yoga and embrace it as a lifestyle.
Jennifer is originally from western Wisconsin and moved to Minnesota after high school. She lives in Minnetonka with her husband, two sons, and their two pet rabbits. When she’s not on the mat or the paddleboard, she loves traveling, reading, watching movies, and eating chocolate.
