Why Community is at the Heart of Shore Yoga - not just on Sundays ;)

We kicked off Mental Health Awareness week last weekend with an almighty Free Community Beach Yoga session. A truly magical 45 minutes spent on the sand in the company of others breathing and moving together.

In recent years, community has become a word that pops up everywhere — from marketing copy to hashtags. But at Shore Yoga, it’s not just a nice idea. It’s the foundation of everything we do. It’s why we began 7 years ago, how we work, and the direction we’re always growing in.

Our roots lie in women’s yoga – spaces where connection was just as important as movement. From the beginning, it was clear that people weren’t just coming for yoga. They were coming to feel less alone. To find friendship. To build a village around themselves, especially during life’s big transitions. That intention – to expand the village – continues to shape all that we do.

Over time, those small, supportive gatherings grew into something bigger and broader. Shore Yoga became a place where people of all ages and stages could connect – whether at a busy toddler class, a quiet restorative session, or a windswept sauna by the sea. Our work has always centred on making space for people to be themselves, and to be with others in a way that feels real.

Nowhere is that more visible than in our community sessions. What began with just 23 people attending in the early days has grown into vibrant gatherings of over 500 at their peak. And we haven’t done that with sales funnels, offers, or freebies — apart from the actual yoga, of course. These sessions are freely given, open to all, and completely yours. Whether you come for movement, stillness, connection or solitude, you’ll find space among others doing the same. That steady growth is a true testament not to us, but to the people who show up — again and again — and shape something meaningful together.

Our outdoor offerings are a vital part of that story too. At times driven by necessity, our work in wild and weathered places has become a powerful response to something deeper – a growing disconnection from nature, from rhythm, and from each other. Global change, environmental stress, and modern busyness all pull us away from the things that ground us. Gathering on the beach, breathing in the salt air, or chatting over hot tea after a sea dip — these are not just experiences, they are acts of rebalancing.

This approach is also shaped by study – years of learning about community development, social cohesion, and the importance of place. We’ve looked closely at what helps people feel a sense of belonging, and how shared experiences in familiar places can support wellbeing, resilience, and identity. At Shore Yoga, we don’t just run sessions in a space – we belong to the place, and help others feel that too.

We believe that connection doesn’t need to be formal or profound to be meaningful. It’s in the shared glances during a challenging pose, the post-class cuppa that turns into a catch-up, the lift offered to a friend, or the familiar faces that brighten a 6,30am morning start. These social threads form the fabric of community – not orchestrated, but organic.

So no, community isn’t just a word we use. It’s what we’re here for. It’s why our teachers are also volunteers, why our events always include time to chat, why we show up for each other beyond the studio. It’s the heart of Shore Yoga – and the compass that keeps us steady, no matter the season.

#itsashorething