Free yoga classes in Jamaica Plain?! Yes, sign us up! The Hands to Heart Center – Yoga for the People is offering free yoga classes in two locations in JP and several other locations throughout Boston.
“Hands to Heart Center – Yoga for the People is a nonprofit yoga service organization that shares the healing practice of yoga with people affected by addiction, poverty and trauma. HTHC was founded in April of 2014 and since then, we’ve provided over 1,000 free, customized yoga classes in branch libraries, community centers, detention units, high-poverty schools, homeless shelters, public housing developments and residential treatment programs,” said Susan Lovett, founder and director of HTHC.
HTHC is providing free beginner yoga classes for adults on Saturdays, 11 am to 12 noon at CityPOP Egleston (3195 Washington St.) in JP through March 25th. HTHC is also providing a free yoga class series for the queer and trans communities on March 6th and March 20th at 7:30 pm. There will also be free yoga classes at the Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St., on Saturdays at 10 am starting on Feb. 28th.
The majority of HTHC classes are for the aforementioned specialized populations and are not open to the public. However, the public classes are always free with yoga mats provided, no sign-ups necessary.
In December HTHC provided its 1,000th free yoga class, which meant a lot to Lovett.
“It demonstrates the need and the interest in yoga and mindfulness practices in Boston’s low-income communities of color. It also highlights the desire on the part of many area yoga teachers to share their practice with people affected by addiction, poverty and trauma and it shows that our model of mobilizing yoga teachers as volunteers is effective,” said Lovett. “Yoga promotes health and wellness, increases capacity and builds resilience. However, yoga classes can be expensive and there are no yoga studios in low-income neighborhoods. Many people think that yoga is only for young, thin, white women and Hands to Heart Center exists so that all of the many transformative and healing benefits of can be enjoyed by all.”
HTHC’s website is www.handstoheartcenter.org and below are some upcoming free yoga classes:
CityPOP Egleston, 3195 Washington St., JP, Saturdays, 11:00 am
Connolly Branch Library, 433 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, Saturdays 10 am, beginning Feb. 28th
Charlestown Public Library, 179 Main St., Charlestown, Mondays, 1:30 pm
Eritrean Community Center, 590 Shawmut Ave., Roxbury, Saturdays, 10am