Beyond the Pretty Picture: Teaching Beach Yoga

As I prepare for my sixth summer of teaching on the beach, I realise I am still learning, and will continue to do so for another six years and beyond, so let me share some hard-earned knowledge from the journey so far.

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As I prepare for my sixth summer of teaching on the beach, better tech, better signage, the fun launch event, I realise I am still learning, and will continue to do so for another six years and beyond, so let me share some hard-earned knowledge from the journey so far. If you are thinking of teaching on the beach, you can skip the steep learning curve and get to the good stuff.

It shapes your lifestyle more than you expect
I teach on Sunday mornings from April to September. This means no alcohol or late nights on Saturdays for almost half the year. This can affect my social life with summer occasions, concerts, BBQs. I just plan accordingly. If I’d like a cocktail, I can always have one on a Friday! Bear that in mind when setting up your schedule. A beach class requires more set up and energy than a studio, especially if you have props to carry and a bigger group.

You can’t control the environment
It’s nice to be set up near the entrance of the beach for ease for your attendees to find you and for passersby to possibly be interested in joining us, but it comes with its issues. On really warm days, rare in Ireland admittedly, the beach is very busy and noisy, and on those days a more hidden spot is better. It pays to have a backup plan with your location. Even on quiet days, it’s amazing how other people visiting the beach choose to have their Frisbee game, rugby tackles or dune races right beside a yoga class on an otherwise empty beach! Sometimes passersby will try to ask me about the class while I am teaching, so I have always had flyers to hand out. Passing dogs can and do join the class, and my yogis have all experienced unexpected licks to their faces when lying down. If anyone has a real phobia of dogs, they may find themselves on edge; this is their decision as to whether to come to beach yoga, as the teacher cannot control other beach users and their pets.

Holding space looks very different outdoors
There will always be sand, wind, noise, distractions, and trying to hold space in an uncontrolled environment can challenge even the most experienced teacher. I try to practice, and encourage my clients to practice, pratyahara, withdrawal of the senses, and stay with their own practice and the rhythm of the waves only.

Communication has to be crystal clear
It’s absolutely essential to be able to communicate clearly with your students about the location and what they need to bring. In the early days I had clients join the wrong class, get lost, or miss the class. Send maps and Google pins. Make what might be obvious to you extremely explicit to others. I don’t know about you, but I can’t carry multiple yoga mats or blocks down to the beach, so my groups are asked to bring their own mats and props if they use them. Also, water, sunglasses, SPF, insect repellent and layers, lots of layers!

Safety is different on the beach
Insurance and permission from your local authority, if required, go without saying, but also let your clients be aware that you cannot be responsible for their safety, especially if there is a swim involved. Walking on shells, being in the sea, their belongings, all at their own risk, the same as any other time they visit a beach. During the yoga practice the ground will be uneven, and sometimes people forget their mats and practice on a towel. The chance of an injury may be heightened, so it’s best to reiterate that. I myself fell out of a headstand on the beach, certainly the sand helped, but it still hurt!

Use simpler cues, have stronger presence
Maybe on a tranquil tropical private beach with a small group, the teacher’s voice is loud and strong enough to teach, but in the real world, a microphone and voice amplifier are needed. I started with a cheap and cheerful model and have now upgraded. It’s time to embrace my inner Britney! I also started with no signage, then a blackboard sign, and now moved to a beach flag. Helping newbies find me and also marketing in one item, which I can use for my home studio too. This summer I resolve not to over cue, to allow some silence, for the yogis to tune into themselves, the sound of the sea, and the sensation of, hopefully, warm sun on their skin.

The reward

And that brings me to the rewards: time spent in community, time spent in nature, embracing the summer season, seeing the smiling faces and the laughs as we challenge ourselves with standing balances in the wind, the resonance of my singing bowl to close the class, splashing in the water after class, and the post-class coffees and breakfast. It’s really magical. The memories of beach yoga keep me going all winter. A little bit of preparation and forward thinking, investment in the right tools, is all that’s needed to make it magical.