If you’re a yogi, you already know that you don’t have to be as flexible as Gumby to reap the benefits of yoga! And you also don’t need to put your yoga practice on hold just because you’re on vacation on the Big Island. You don’t even need a yoga mat, but if you prefer one, they’re portable enough to pack on a trip to Volcano, Hawaii, our little village just outside of Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. 

Here in Volcano, Hawai’i, one of our favorite ways to improve overall physical and mental health and give the immune system a boost is through yoga. If you’re new to yoga, here’s what you need to know! 

Between 2,500 and 5,000 years ago, the practice of yoga is said to have emerged in Mohenjo-Daro, in modern day Pakistan. In Sanskrit, yoga means “to unite” and originally referred to a carriage’s yoke, which connects the horses to the carriage. By 6th century B.C., yoga was also being used to describe yoking the senses and mind (horses) to the body (chariot), and the spirit, (the chariot driver). Around 500 B.C., Sage Patanjali authored a compendium of sutras on Raja Yoga, an integrative form of yoga with a mental discipline and restraint component, as well as controlled postures, conscious breathing, detachment, and meditation components. 

In 1893, Swami Vivekananda introduced yoga to the U.S. at the World Conference on Religions in Chicago, IL. Since then, yoga studios have popped up all over the country, including in Hawaii, and with good reason. According to several studies, the health benefits of yoga include improvements to mood and mental clarity, enhanced immunological health, an increase in balance, flexibility, posture, and strength, a decrease in anxiety, depression, and physical pain. There’s even a link between yoga and healthier eating habits, improved sleep quality, and vitality! 

The benefits of yoga are widely attributed to the practice of breathing deeply, holding poses, and gently moving from pose to pose. These practices boost blood flow and warm up muscles while fine tuning your proprioception and visual systems.

If you’re planning a vacation to Hawaii Island, and you want to see and try new things, add yoga in Volcano to your itinerary. Hawaii Volcanoes National Park is home to two active volcanoes, Kilauea and Mauna Loa. As shield volcanoes, their dazzling eruptions can often be viewed from the safety of the park. Even when they’re not erupting, the power of Pele, the Hawaiian volcano goddess, can be see throughout the park. Just visit Ha’akulamanu (Sulfur Banks) and Wahinekapu (Steaming Bluff), where ground water seeps down to rocks heated by underground magma that vaporize the water, which rises as steam to the surface through vents. Exploring Pele’s handiwork throughout the park is sure to inspire your own goddess pose, whethere you’re a newbie or have been practicing yoga for years! 

With enchanted rainforests as your backdrop, the Volcano area offers unforgettable spots to practice yoga. Check out  Yoga with Emily Catey Weiss on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at Volcano Art Center’s Niaulani Campus in Volcano Village. Emily’s peaceful classes are Hatha based, and open to beginners and intermediate students alike. Each yoga class is designed to relax your body and mind by focusing on stretching and releasing physical and mental tension while opening the body through gentle movement. 

If Ironman or another athletic competition brought you to the Big Island, we invite you to spend a few days in Volcano, giving your body the recovery it needs through forest bathing in Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, yoga at the Volcano Art Center, or even yoga at one of the Volcano Heritage Cottages. Just roll out your mat in the yard and practice while the native Hawaiian forest birds serenade you. Or roll out your mat in front of the cottage’s cosy fire for a slow flow to end a perfect day in Hawaii! 

Our historic cottages are conveniently located just minutes away from Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, so book your Hawaii Island yoga vacation today. Namaste!