Taking a Yoga Class at the Botanical Garden

TLDR? Is there a better place to connect with yourself than in the middle of nature? Botanical Garden is ideal to be full with yourself.

If you’re looking to connect your body and mind, consider taking a yoga class! 

Yoga is an ancient practice used to connect and relax the mind and body through breathing exercises, meditation, and physical poses. It’s been proven time and time again to help overall health. 

If you live in Medellin or even if you’re just passing through, I recommend taking one of the yoga classes hosted at the Botanical Garden. Read ahead to learn more! 

A Quick Summary of the Joaquín Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden

Before starting, I thought it would be interesting to share some brief information about the place where yoga classes are taught.

The Joaquin Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden is a large, gorgeous space, built with the purpose of preserving and exhibiting flowers and plants. It’s truly a place of environmental education, and hosts over 1,000 living species. 

Many consider it a monument to nature as well as an architectural gem. 

Created in the 19th century, it’s been known as the Joaquín Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden  since 1972, and is popular among locals and tourists alike. 

The garden has an area of ​​13.2 hectares. It’s an architectural garden for the exhibition of flowers.  This place is a center of culture and botanical and environmental education. Here are more than 1,000 living species and 4,500 individuals. 

One of the most well-known places within the garden is the “Orquídeorama”.  This is an architectural phenomenon in itself, covered by an astounding hexagonal roof. The strategically controlled humidity provides the perfect place for beautiful orchids to grow. 

There’s more than just vegetation in the botanical garden, and animals such as monkeys also call the place home. It’s a wonderful place to visit and escape from the hustle and bustle of the city. 

A Yoga Class at the Botanical Garden

Now that we’ve learned a bit about the Botanical Garden, let’s talk yoga! 

The non-profit project Atman Yoga offers classes with a voluntary contribution in the Joaquín Antonio Uribe Botanical Garden, attended by children and adults for more than a decade. Anyone can join a class, regardless of age, gender, or physical ability. 

The natural and calm environment is the perfect place to clear your mind and relax your body 

The classes offered provide different benefits such as:

• Relaxation 
• Improve your self-confidence.
• Reduce stress.
• Improve your coordination.
• Improve your concentration.
• Improve sleep 

Yoga practice can also help with:

• Anxiety
• Back pain
• Depression

Schedules

Classes last an hour and a half and are taught by a traditional yoga teacher. 

Here are the kinds of classes and their schedule: 

Multilevel Classes

• Tuesday and Thursday: 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.
• Saturdays and Sundays: 10 a.m.

Yoga Courses for Beginners (Parallel classes to multilevel)

• First Sunday of each month: 10 am (During 4 Sundays)
• First Tuesday of each month: 10 am (8 Classes, Tuesday and Thursday)

If you’re a busy person, taking a weekend class can be very beneficial. I’ve found it helps me relieve the stress of the workweek. 

What You Should Know About Atman Yoga

It’s always good to inform yourself about a class before you take it, so you’ll feel more comfortable knowing what to expect. 

Atman Yoga is made up of qualified practitioners seeking to provide students with an innate feeling of oneness with humanity. This foundation shows us a living model of yoga.

The group is based on the teachings of two Indian saints who dedicated their lives to studying the practice of yoga. One of them was Swami Sivananda, whose teachings can be summarized in six words: Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate and Enlighten.

For this reason, all the classes taught by the group are free of charge. Atman Yoga invites us to escape the stress of everyday life, get to know others, and connect with each part of our being. 

What Do We Learn in This Yoga Class?

If you’re a yoga beginner, allow me to summarize what you’ll learn in a yoga class at the Botanical Garden. 

Yoga classes are centered around learning to understand our bodies and spirits, and how they work in tandem. Keep in mind that not all yoga practices work for every body – each person is different. 

A yoga class aims to teach attendees:

• To learn to live in the present.
• To improve breathing and be aware of your body.
• To improve the flexibility of our body.
• To work on strength and endurance
• To improve our balance.

It’s also great for mental health, and many people experience a clearer mind after taking a class. 

What to Expect From a Yoga Class at the Botanical Garden

If you have decided to attend one of the classes offered at the Botanical Garden, you’ll want to know what to expect. Each class follows a structure. 

Relaxation

The first step of any yoga class is learning how to relax your mind and body. Forget about the stresses of work, family, and friends to enjoy a small moment of pause. 

The teacher guides you through a relaxation process, wherein you’ll learn to calm the spirit to achieve concentration. 

If you’re the kind of person who finds it difficult to relax, don’t worry. You’ll find that with each passing class, your ability to relax will increase, hopefully leading you to a state of deep relaxation. 

Remember to keep your back straight and to breathe well. 

Meditation to Learn to Know Yourself

Meditation is a key point in yoga. Knowing yourself and your body is essential to learning to appreciate the present moment. Meditation comes after the relaxation portion of the class. 

You’ll find it impossible to meditate without concentration. During the day, many thoughts invade our minds, and meditation gives you the chance to clear your head, relax, and live in the now. 

Agility and Flexibility

After relaxation and meditation come the physical aspect of yoga. Once the spirit is serene, it’s time to connect it to the body. Step by step, your body will learn to adapt to different yoga positions. 

Each person has different physical capabilities, so you may find some positions easier than others. If you’re a beginner, don’t push yourself too fast too soon. Your yoga teacher will be able to assess what you’re capable of at the time.

Work Your Breathing and Diaphragm

After connecting the soul and body, it’s time to breathe. Classes usually end with a moment to calm down before returning to everyday life. 

Although it may be difficult to believe, many people don’t breathe correctly, and learning to change the way you breathe is not a simple feat. 

Fortunately, one of the main benefits of taking a yoga class is learning to breathe, a process much improved by the smell of the Botanical Garden’s flowers. 

Things to Keep in Mind

Before you race out to sign up for a class, there are a couple of things to keep in mind. 

The pandemic changed the world completely, and the Botanical Garden currently requires a vaccination card with a minimum of two doses as well as an identification document in order to participate. 

You must also bring your own mat and wear comfortable clothes and shoes you can move around in. If you don’t have a yoga mat, you can bring a towel or blanket. 

Keep in mind that this is an outdoor space. Bring sunscreen and enough water to keep you hydrated throughout class. 

How to Get to the Botanical Garden

It’s simple to get to the Botanical Garden by metro, taxi, car, or bus. 

If you’re staying in the El Poblado area, the gardens are only a nine-minute drive away. 

If you take the metro or bus, the journey will take you around twenty minutes. 

Tourists passing through the city can pick from a wide variety of hotel options for a comfortable stay. 

Why Take a Yoga Class at the Botanical Garden?

The real question is why not? 

As I mentioned before, practicing yoga improves not only our health but our lifestyle and way of seeing the world. Taking a class in a space like the Botanical Garden allows you to connect with nature as well. 

It’s also a great way to find people similar to you and make friends. If you’re feeling energized after class, there are some great activities to try at the Botanical Garden such as: 

• Free guided tours for the whole family, where you can learn about the Garden’s 49 years of history 

• House of the Butterflies Forges Bolívar.

These yoga classes are taught by dedicated professionals, people seeking to foster peace in the city and throughout the world by sharing their knowledge and mission. As Atman Yoga says, “Inner peace for outer peace.” 

Your Contribution to the Community

At the end of class, Atman Yoga asks attendees to consider making a small donation to assist with their mission, and I highly recommend you do. It doesn’t matter if it’s a lot or a little: even a small change can make a difference. 

Practicing yoga helps improve your connection with the people around you, as well as promotes empathy and appreciation for the whole of humanity. 

The Botanical Garden opens its doors to all those who want to be the best version of themselves.

After Taking a Yoga Class in the Botanical Garden

While I always feel calm and free after yoga class, I also feel hungry! I always want to replenish my energy with good quality food.

I also recommend partaking in some activities after class that’ll keep you connected with your inner self, such as enjoying the beauty of the Botanical Garden. 

That being said, if you’re a tourist in Medellín there’s an entire city to explore! You can visit a museum or head to a library. Reading or writing down your feelings is a great way to get to know yourself a bit better. 

You’ll feel much more connected with yourself and nature after this yoga class.

Take a Yoga Class at the Botanical Garden

The yoga classes at the botanical garden are a great place to disconnect and unwind. Whether you become a regular or it’s a one-time thing, it’s definitely a fun activity try. 

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