A cool crisp ocean breeze welcomes me to the Malibu Pier as I walk toward Ruby’s clutching my yoga mat in one hand and my jacket in the other. I find a small spot to spread my yoga mat among the crowd of yoga-goers as we all patiently wait for the yoga instructor. Soon the instructor meets us starts the music and begins our lesson.
I first heard about the “Yoga on the Pier” summer series from a friend and recently decided to attend the event. Radio stations KIIS-FM and Star 98.7 FM teamed up to host and provide music for a free yoga class which takes place every Saturday morning this summer through Sept. 4. The yoga class goes from 8:30 to 10 a.m. and is followed by a free continental breakfast provided by The Beachcomber Cafe.
At first I thought it would be difficult to secure one of the 100 spots available for the class. Registration opens only every Tuesday morning at 10 a.m. but the spots fill up within the first 15 minutes. However half of the people who sign up online do not show up to the class so I arrived early Saturday morning and put my name on the waiting list. I was soon added to the class and I began my first free yoga session.
The hour-and-a-half class seems to fly by as songs such as Death Cab’s “Soul Meets Body La Roux’s Bulletproof and Jason Derulo’s In My Head” fuel the tempo of my workout. Gazing out into the sea vista revitalizes my mind and provides an inspiring backdrop for the one hundred Angelenos assuming the “warrior” position.
After the session I had a chance to speak with the enchanting instructor and music guru Lori Rischer. Rischer is full of a contagious energy that is apparent in her goal for her students: “I want to give people a better day. People can come to a place of gratitude to help center themselves so they can return to their stressful lives focused and centered.” Likewise Rischer’s passion for music does not go unnoticed. Rischer believes that “each song has to be an inspirational song that has a message and is in a sequence to flow with the class. The common thread is that music is inspirational and will give you strength. Ultimately music crosses all format boundaries.”
It is important to know that each yoga experience is what you make of it. I first began practicing yoga two years ago when I was a vocal music major struggling with vocal flexibility. Yoga helped me learn a little more about my body and myself by challenging my mind body and spirit to recognize my weaknesses and how to overcome them. I’ll admit that I’ve had my fair share of difficulties. However I have learned the most from my struggles and if I fall I just simply laugh it off. Yoga is all about the self so disregard the natural tendency of competition. It is an experience that an adventurous and curious person must experience and once tried there is almost nothing as blissful that you can compare it to.
Registration for this free event is available at http://www.kiisfm.com/pages/yogaonthepier/?_show. Remember to bring a mat and a friend or two. Most importantly enjoy the experience and learn something about yourself! This is the perfect opportunity for those who have never tried yoga and as Rischer suggested “what’s more to L.A. lifestyle than yoga on the pier?”