INDIANAPOLIS — Despite the heat, hundreds of Indiana residents gathered at the Circle for the annual Monumental Yoga event.
The event, organized by the nonprofit Indy Yoga Movement, was a way to support the organization’s mission of bringing yoga to students in local schools across central Indiana.
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Friday’s event was held on International Yoga Day and encouraged local yoga enthusiasts of all ages to get on the mat and enjoy yoga.
“This is a gentle yoga flow, intended for all skill levels, and a way to enjoy beautiful downtown Indianapolis, celebrate our city, and celebrate the practice of yoga,” said Suzie Bindley, co-founder and president of the Indy Yoga Movement.
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She helped start the nonprofit, which was founded 11 years ago with the goal of empowering struggling students through practice.
Tiffany Dinwiddie is a yoga instructor and has been attending the event since it began.
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She brought her four-year-old daughter with her.
“I think this is a great way for people to come together and show that we’re all in this together, and that’s what yoga is all about,” she said.
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Dinwiddie and her daughter were among the many who braved the heat.
“I don’t think anybody can handle it. It’s OK,” said Matthew Starkey, who attended the event.
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“We knew it was going to be hot and people were going to need to stay properly hydrated, so we knew we could provide something healthy and hydrating for them to participate in the yoga,” said David Hegglows, co-founder of Body Buzz, a local vendor that sells cold-pressed juices and herbal teas.
The summer solstice event featured a variety of vendors selling everything from apparel to jewelry to body care products.
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There was also live music and various forms of yoga classes.
The main purpose of the event was to raise funds for Indy Movement’s mission of supporting struggling students through yoga.
“We’re really trying to impart this level of wisdom and coping skills, and focus that yoga can offer young people,” Bindley said. “We’re bringing together a community of yoga lovers, and that also helps with our ability to reach more students.”
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Indy Yoga Movement hosts summer yoga programs for local students as well as community classes for all ages.
