Welcome to the Sandy Pause Yoga Playground! The Playground is your home for on and off the mat fun. This is where you’ll find one-of-a-kind special events, classes, tutorials, workshops, and retreats for playing in and around the beautiful Indiana Dunes and for digging deep into yoga practices and philosophy. In our Playground, we partner with local health, wellness and nature lovers for fitness, friendship and fun. A diversity of events and offerings give you lots of opportunities to hit pause and come play. The Playground puts the WE in wellness by playing with others who, like you, are invested in bridging the gap between life span and health span. Join us in the Playground and play your way into living a happy and healthy life as we take care of ourselves, each other and our world.
Past Events:
Start your weekend off right with a Playground “Pause for Play Yoga Class” at Meadowbrook Nature Preserve in Valparaiso on Friday, August 18 from 4:00-5:00 p.m. In this all levels class, we'll meander through movement linked with breath and nurture ourselves in the natural beauty of this special place. Part of the Shirley Heinze Land Trust, Meadowbrook Nature Preserve features 300 acres and 4 miles of trails on gently rolling terrain through moraine forest. The preserve is a feast for the senses, with woods, wetlands, streams, pockets of prairie, birdsong year-round and wildflowers in the spring. Meadowbrook is located at 109 W 700 N, Valparaiso, IN, less than 2 miles east of IN-149 and 1 mile west of Meridian Road. The Shirley Heinze Land Trust is a local nonprofit whose mission is to preserve and restore natural lands and waters in northwestern Indiana, and to engage people in nature and conservation. This event is for adults aged 18+, and no prior yoga experience is necessary. Please bring a yoga or exercise mat to use for your practice. We will practice in the open-air pavilion which will provide shade. Participants are encouraged to come early or stay after class to walk the trails and explore Meadowbrook.
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Join Sandy Pause Yoga for a special Playground outing with Rise from the Roots Yoga at Willow on Thursday, June 29 from 5:30-7:00 p.m. Willow is a beautiful women-owned plant and accessories shop in Chesterton, Indiana. Founders Jules and Alecks have curated a unique selection of plants, pots and home decor to inspire health, good vibes and our natural connection to nature. Willow features a diverse selection of creations by female artists who specialize in jewelry, candles, sun catchers, soap, ceramics and much more, showcasing the talent of local makers across Northwest Indiana in their store and at their monthly summer Women’s Artisan Markets. Attendees to this event will receive 15% off nearly everything in the store from 5:30-6:00 p.m. and our gentle yoga flow will run from 6-7 p.m. With greenery as our guide, we will wander and weave through movement and breath to feel our way into our own inner blooming. Willow is located at 206 S. Calumet Road in Chesterton, IN. Space is limited, and participants should bring a yoga or exercise mat.
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Come play at our inaugural Playground Outing: Birds Walk & Talk with Donald Estep on Sunday, May 21 from 12:30-2:30 p.m. in Beverly Shores. Donald is a volunteer photographer with the Indiana Dunes National Park, and his photographs capture the extraordinary beauty of our little corner of the world. With the diversity and abundance of migratory birds passing through and playing in the Indiana Dunes, and on the heels of the annual Indiana Dunes Birding Festival which took place May 11-14, we are thrilled to have Donald lead us on a bird watching Walk & Talk. Space is limited, water and a light snack is included, and participants should be comfortable walking about a mile. Additional details on the outing will be emailed to all registrants by Saturday.