Yoga on the Camino

[Kathy C]

I practice yoga daily and would like to continue on my first Camino Frances. I will be turning 70 and probably wouldn't be considering this pilgrimage if I hadn't been practicing! My question is will it be possible to continue daily practice? Also my traveling yoga mat weighs almost two pounds. Is there a way to practice without a mat? At this point, the weight is worth it to me but this will be a new experience and any advice or thoughts woould be most appreciated.

 

[Phillypilgrim]

Make sure you stay at "Albergue Verde" in Hospital de Orbigo, you will be so glad you did! A private, vegetarian, Yoga centered albergue.
As far as your practice, I don't know.

 

[Marc S.]

Hello Kathy. I have seen some people doing yoga during the camino, also in around the albergues. I do not think anyone will mind you doing yoga (more likely people would be perhaps like to join you) - if that is the background of your question. As for practice without a mat, I do not have the knowledge to answer this either.

 

[waveprof]

Make sure you stay at "Albergue Verde" in Hospital de Orbigo, you will so glad you did! A private, vegetarian, Yoga centered albergue.
As far as your practice, I don't know.

While I got a kick out of my stop for lunch at casa verde, it's about the last albergue I'd personally recommend anyone staying at for a host of reasons (none of which have to do with yoga). But to each their own.

That said, yoga should be easy to keep up throughout the Camino and I doubt you'll be alone! As for no mat.....that is a more difficult question. An extra soft area of grass?

 

[Anniesantiago]

I've had clients who did yoga along the way.
They simply did it on the grass, as waveprof suggests.
Mats are a fairly new "thing."

 

[AML]

While I got a kick out of my stop for lunch at casa verde, it's about the last albergue I'd personally recommend anyone staying at for a host of reasons (none of which have to do with yoga). But to each their own.

Are you sure its the same place Phillypilgrim talks about?? I also stayed at albergue Verde in Hospital d' Orbigo in 2013 and have to say it is an excellent albergue, yoga class and delicious veg meal by donativo.....very nice people!

 

[Kathy C]

Thanks, everyone. Very reassuring!

 

[LisaWalker]

I practice yoga daily and would like to continue on my first Camino Frances. I will be turning 70 and probably wouldn't be considering this pilgrimage if I hadn't been practicing! My question is will it be possible to continue daily practice? Also my traveling yoga mat weighs almost two pounds. Is there a way to practice without a mat? At this point, the weight is worth it to me but this will be a new experience and any advice or thoughts woould be most appreciated.

Hello yogini. I am a yoga instructor and will be doing my camino without my mat because there's no way I want to carry it. It just means I will design myself a practise that uses available walls, and whatever is around me to practise on/with. It is entirely possible to do a completely standing practise, no mat needed, or sit on the ground with a scarf underneath me. Good luck. I'm sure you will find a way. Buen camino.

 

[Camino Iris]

Cathy,
You might try these "yoga paws". They won't give you the cushioning that a mat does but will help with the slipping.
http://www.yogapaws.com

 

[Seth Freehling]

I practice yoga daily and would like to continue on my first Camino Frances. I will be turning 70 and probably wouldn't be considering this pilgrimage if I hadn't been practicing! My question is will it be possible to continue daily practice? Also my traveling yoga mat weighs almost two pounds. Is there a way to practice without a mat? At this point, the weight is worth it to me but this will be a new experience and any advice or thoughts woould be most appreciated.

I practice yoga daily and would like to continue on my first Camino Frances. I will be turning 70 and probably wouldn't be considering this pilgrimage if I hadn't been practicing! My question is will it be possible to continue daily practice? Also my traveling yoga mat weighs almost two pounds. Is there a way to practice without a mat? At this point, the weight is worth it to me but this will be a new experience and any advice or thoughts woould be most appreciated.

Hi Kathy, Having a strong yoga practice will definitely help you on your pilgrimage! I was so thankful to not have any health/injury issues, and I contribute much of that to my daily yoga practice over the many years. I am so indebted to the many yoga teachers here at home.

Here's what I learned about yoga on The Way:

1. Take a mat. When I return to the Camino in March I will definitely take a mat this time. My plan is to take the lightest/cheapest mat possible; and if I don't use it-or the weight is an issue I will donate it. (I go pretty light, so this added weight really won't be an issue). I found there really weren't many clean surfaces along the way, imagine laying in pigeon pose in dirt, tiny pebbles, and bird droppings. So I tried grass and then got really wet, while slipping around in warrior two. Inside really won't work either as most bunks are really close together in most albergues.
2. Be prepared to teach others. You will see many hurting Pilgrims along the Way and they really want to try Yoga to help relieve pain.
3. Any inversion to reverse blood flow is so important at the end of the day. Although not an asana, "legs up the wall" was my go-to pose by my bed.

 

[movinmaggie]

I practice yoga daily and would like to continue on my first Camino Frances. I will be turning 70 and probably wouldn't be considering this pilgrimage if I hadn't been practicing! My question is will it be possible to continue daily practice? Also my traveling yoga mat weighs almost two pounds. Is there a way to practice without a mat? At this point, the weight is worth it to me but this will be a new experience and any advice or thoughts woould be most appreciated.

Hi Kathy, as a yoga practitioner myself, I would forego the mat because of the weight. If you are staying in albergues, not sure about doing all the Asanas. How about just 10 or 20 sun salutations every morning?

 

[dcorrea951]

We stayed at "Albergue Verde" in Hospital de Orbigo. While overlooking the jousting fields, we were approached by a young lady on a bicycle who invited us to stay there. Excellent meal, great conversation, clean and friendly. Highly recommend it. As for the mat, they provide them. Two pounds is STILL two pounds !

Buen Camino

 

[newfydog]

Just go cold turkey. Leave the two pound mat behind. Instead of spending your trip contorted into weird positions, check out the town, drink local wine, eat some meat- loaded tapas with the locals, learn some off color jokes in Spanish. The Camino can help you free yourself of this yoga dependency!

 

[Hamish72]

Kathy C - not sure if you are still checking in on the forum. I am keen to understand how your 'yoga on the Camino' experience turned out? Did you take a mat? How, where and when did you do your practice? I am keen to keep up my yoga when we leave in a couple of weeks time, but feel I may be put off by the environment (pidgeon or the need to get off early in the mornings. Probably just novice nerves.

Anyway, any tips or advice welcome. Thank you

Julie

 

[Kathy C]

Kathy C - not sure if you are still checking in on the forum. I am keen to understand how your 'yoga on the Camino' experience turned out? Did you take a mat? How, where and when did you do your practice? I am keen to keep up my yoga when we leave in a couple of weeks time, but feel I may be put off by the environment (pidgeon or the need to get off early in the mornings. Probably just novice nerves.

Anyway, any tips or advice welcome. Thank you

Julie

HI. Yoga helped a lot. I did not take a mat and adjusted my practice to do poses I could accomplish without one. Even before leaving the bed I did thread the needle and related hip stretches. Some albergues were easier than others to find a spot but everyone was very supportive. Hope this helps and best of luck!

 

[Albertagirl]

We stayed at "Albergue Verde" in Hospital de Orbigo. While overlooking the jousting fields, we were approached by a young lady on a bicycle who invited us to stay there. Excellent meal, great conversation, clean and friendly. Highly recommend it. As for the mat, they provide them. Two pounds is STILL two pounds !

Buen Camino

I stayed at Albergue Verde last fall - a wonderful place, very friendly and the vegetarian food was great. Yoga practice was free with a leader and a room set aside for it. But I would not recommend the yoga if you are on in years, arthritic and very stiff. I accepted it as a generous offer to pilgrims, but it was quite painful and did not help my mobility over the next few days.

 

[movinmaggie]

Alberta girl, I so enjoy your posts, but this one sparked a slightly different response. I do agree that if you have never studied or practiced yoga, to go at it when the bones are older and stiff, is not necessarily a wise idea. But…..if you begin very, very slowly, no matter what your age, you can actually ward off those arthritic problems. I feel so blessed that today at the age of 80, I still include yoga as a daily ritual; one that I began at age 68. And before that, it was 16 years of T'ai Chi. Without these practices, I highly doubt I could have physically walked the whole of the CF. I plan to walk in Scotland this Spring and if the body is still on a roll, will walk the Portuguese in 2018. Thank you for all your contributions to this forum. Maggie

 

[Albertagirl]

Alberta girl, I so enjoy your posts, but this one sparked a slightly different response. I do agree that if you have never studied or practiced yoga, to go at it when the bones are older and stiff, is not necessarily a wise idea. But…..if you begin very, very slowly, no matter what your age, you can actually ward off those arthritic problems. I feel so blessed that today at the age of 80, I still include yoga as a daily ritual; one that I began at age 68. And before that, it was 16 years of T'ai Chi. Without these practices, I highly doubt I could have physically walked the whole of the CF. I plan to walk in Scotland this Spring and if the body is still on a roll, will walk the Portuguese in 2018. Thank you for all your contributions to this forum. Maggie

@movinmaggie
Thank you for your kind words. Of course you will go on doing what works for you to retain your mobility and your wonderful ability to go on extended walking trips at your current age. I hope I may do the same. But if I tried to force myself to any activity which I found unattractive personally, I do not believe that I would have the strength of mind to keep it up for any length of time. I like walking and that has been my major exercise activity for many years. That is why I have decided to extend my Camino Frances this year to include the Camino Aragones and a few days of the Voie d'Arles. That should be about 900 km. total. If I add 100 km. every year, I should be going a fair ways by the time I am your age. If I drop dead on the camino, that is okay too, as I know where I am going. Buen camino to you.