This Sunday, more than 200 people will gather for a day of yoga in support of mental health and NISA/Northern Initiative for Social Action.
The good news: there’s still room for more.
The Sudbury community is welcomed to attend the fourth annual Sudbury Yogathon for Mental Health this Sunday, April 7, at the Caruso Club.
This annual event runs from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., offering something for everyone. The Yogathon invites participants of all levels and experiences to move through various yoga styles in an enjoyable and self-loving manner.
More than 20 local yoga teachers will guide participants throughout the day, covering a variety of gentle and accessible styles including therapeutic approaches to mental health and yoga.
Modifications will be offered for each style in order to meet the experience level and abilities of all participants.
The Yogathon’s organizer, Emily Zanini, encourages everyone across the Sudbury community to join in on Sunday’s excitement in support of health and well-being, as well as peer support in Sudbury’s mental health community.
“Yoga offers the opportunity to step back, strengthen our self-awareness, and find contentment in the present moment,” said Zanini, in a press release.
“Yoga is a practice of self-care that spans multiple dimensions of health and is a practice of letting go of the things that hold us back. It teaches us awareness of our bodies, breathing, thoughts, and emotions. Yoga can be very calming for the mind and body, in turn positively affecting our mental health.”
The Sudbury Yogathon for Mental Health is more than a personal experience — it is also a fundraiser that directly supports local mental health services.
All of the funds raised from the event are in support of NISA/Northern Initiative for Social Action, a non-profit, peer-run mental health organization providing recovery-oriented services to people with lived experience of mental health challenges.
“When I created the Yogathon four years ago, I had a vision of connectivity within our local community,” said Zanini.
“Mental health challenges vary in severity, but we all have mental health that needs to be looked after. When we can speak up and say that it’s OK to not be OK, all of a sudden these problems begin to lose their power over us.”
The Yogathon will also offer free access to 20 local wellness-oriented and handmade businesses for the Sudbury community to shop, munch and learn from.
A silent auction will also be on site, featuring donated items from a wide range of local businesses including yoga studios, spas, handmade bath and body companies, and local artists, along with a range of other creative and unique products.
Visit sudburyyogathon.com and follow @sudburyyogathon on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
NISA is a peer-run mental health organization located in downtown Sudbury which offers peer support along with active living, creative expression and occupational/vocational programming.
