| Yoga At The Biblioteca, Los Alcazares |
Five blocks from the beautiful Mar Menor promenade sea-front of Los Narejos in Los Alcázares, is a three-storey building of striking appearance with its round and square shapes, partially hidden by a black iron fence. It is sometimes remarked upon that the lawn is really big and that there is only a little room for parking. On one part of the building, in big black letters, is written the word BIBLIOTECA, the name most people call the building. The word CISSMU is also there is let you know that this is the Municipal and Social Service Centre, the one with various classes and offices, activities and the Health Clinic, which is in the basement. The building still looks new, although it opened its doors about two year's ago.
After about a year of asking, the residents of Los Narejos finally got their request for Yoga classes in English. Two mornings a week the large, seemingly quiet building comes to life as some of the Yoga class enter the building with their pleasant expectant energy. As they enter their Yoga room, the foyer falls still once again. Outside there are bicycles that bear the cylindrical shapes of Yoga mats, as more Yoga students arrive. Most students walk or ride to classes as they live close by. A few drive from the other side of town and once in a while, a car-pool arrives from the neighboring town of Torre Pacheco. Sometimes Betty, another Yoga enthusiast, arrives on a mobility scooter. Not everyone who uses a mobility scooter is obliged to stay in them all the time as we have learned!
The Yoga classes have been ongoing for about a year and a half and as usual, the classes begin on time. They start with breathing, posture and relaxation exercises. Some people are new to Yoga; some have been practicing for some time. The classes are something of a one-room-schoolhouse approach, which underlines the fact that everyone can practice this gentle form of exercise. As the class progresses, for difficult versions of postures are made available, depending on how much practice the students have had. The class is not stressful, yet it is a good workout. The more you put into it, the more you get out of it.
After ninety minutes of coordinating breathing with movement and bringing the mind into the body, everyone rolls up their mats, commenting that they will be back, usually the next week, or maybe in a few days. Once you take up Yoga, you generally want to continue with it. Relief of back pain is one of the most common remarks.
To find these classes in the Biblioteca, look for number 22 on the Los Alcázares map which is available from the Tourist Office. The building is on Avenida de Ferrocarril in Los Narejos. There are two classes a week - Tuesdays 9.30am and Thursdays 11.00am. Beginners are welcome as well as the more experienced Yoga people. Cynthia Drake is the instructor and she taught and studied Yoga and Meditation in the United States and India before starting classes in Spain. For more details, please phone 652 667 883 or go to
yogamarmenor@earthling.net