East Haven Offering Free Yoga Classes On The Town Green

EAST HAVEN, CT —With a summertime return to life as we knew it before the pandemic, including concerts, fireworks, and parades, there's even more to celebrate.

As the town moves forward with its Town Green Beautification project, East Haven's green centerpiece will be the site of free yoga classes open to all.

Kicking off a new town-wide initiative to make greater use of its green spaces, East Haven’s Recreation Department will be offering free Taoist yoga classes on Sunday mornings at 9 a.m. from June 6 to July 11. The classes are open to beginners and people of all skill and fitness levels. Students can also choose to make a donation to the Town Beautification Fund at the classes.

"Soothing yoga, mindful meditation, and plenty of relaxation are coming to the Town Green this spring and summer — for the first time ever," said Christine Ucich of One World Wellness Studio.

During classes in June, students will learn a type of Taoist yoga called SunDo, taught by Ucich. SunDo a traditional Eastern practice known for cultivating better breathing habits and a multitude of physical and mental health benefits.

“As a preventative holistic health practice, it’s one of the most comprehensive,” Ucich said. “The postures exercise the body, the meditation focuses and calms the mind, and the breathing methods increase energy and train the body and lungs to breathe more fully and efficiently.”

East Haven's assistant director of administration, Michelle Benivegna, said the town's partnership with Ucich and One World Wellness Studio to bring yoga to the Green is "wonderful" for the community.

"After the year we have had dealing with COVID-19 and all the restrictions placed upon us, the ability to get outside is essential more than ever right now," Benivegna said.

"Exercising outdoors isn’t just good for your physical health. It helps with your mental health as well," she said, adding she hopes people will take advantage of the program.

"I encourage people to come to our beautiful Town Green and try one of the programs being offered by One World Wellness throughout the summer months."

What you need to know

Ucich explained that "SunDo, which shares some similarities with mainstream yoga and other Taoist practices like Tai Chi and Qigong, is rarely available outside of major cities and its native Korea." She said One World Wellness is "just one of two studios offering SunDo instruction in Connecticut."

"The classes on the Green to town residents as a unique opportunity to try out a sought-after wellness practice at a very important time," she said. “It’s a great way to get back into a healthy routine after the long period of isolation and inactivity we’ve just come out of, and the East Haven Green is the perfect place to do it."

The week after One World Wellness’ yoga classes conclude, Michele Antisdel of Shaolin Kenpo Academy will begin teaching yoga classes on July 18—which also marks the first day of the East Haven Farmers Market. Both the yoga instruction and farmers markets will continue on the green until the second week of October.

The summer yoga activities also serve to spread greater awareness of East Haven’s recent Green Beautification Project, which is currently raising funds through their “Walk of East Haven” brick engraving campaign. The donation-based project seeks to enhance the appeal and use of the town green with new benches, plantings, and lighting funded by the sales of personalized bricks for donors.

With the start of these important initiatives, Ucich hopes her classes will mark both a rousing start to the green space movement and the health of the town.

“The SunDo practice has the ability to create lasting change, so we hope as many people as possible come out and try it,” Ucich said.

Participants should bring their own mat and a blanket, she said, noting that parking is available along both Park Place and River Street with classes happening on the Eastern quadrant of the Town Green near the East Haven Food Pantry.

One World Wellness is located at 967 North High Street, East Haven. To learn more about the studio visit their website.