The Marriage of SUP, Yoga & Mindfulness
Rivers, lakes and oceans are brimming with standup paddlers, yoga studios burst with aspiring yogis and as we spin into 2016 we seek the solace of mindful presence like never before.
Bend entrepreneur, Judy Shasek, observed the trends, acknowledged the need and created Power of Presence, LLC. Her company delivers easy access to mindful presence through digital audio albums of carefully designed active meditations.
There are two programs within the company: Power of Presence SUP (P2SUP) and Power of Presence Walk (P2Walk).
Shasek says the meditations can be practiced by any age, any ability, on any water —
even while walking. Busy lives and our go-go-go pace often creates a life in which traditional meditation is not easily practiced. SUP Yoga, the fastest growing sports niche on the planet, requires equipment and skills that exclude many.
“P2SUP and P2Walk are carefully supported, opens doors for anyone seeking more joy, gratitude, presence, empathy, calm and playfulness,” offers Shasek. “When life throws anger, anxiety, worry, fear or loneliness our way, a 15-minute P2SUP or P2Walk practice can make a powerfully positive difference.”
Local yogi, Cynthia LaRoche, is both inspiration for many of the scripts and the voice for several meditations. LaRoche explains, “We often take our busy ‘monkey mind’ along when we are trying to create a sense of stillness, of presence.”
Shasek, a student of LaRoche’s unique teaching of yoga, discovered valuable life-changes through the combination of her standup paddling and insights provided by LaRoche and her yoga practice. P2SUP was born.
In clinics, workshops and through the rich online content at power-of-presence.org, a community is growing. Shasek enjoys listening to the needs of each aspect of the P2 community — fitness instructors, cancer survivors, the elderly, standup paddlers both beginners and elite, men, women and kids.
From a small office in Tumalo, the reach of Power of Presence will impact thousands of those impacted by breast cancer in local programs (FootZone, Bend Parks and Rec) and beyond. There are a number of fund-raising events in the Stand Up 4 the Cure series. Every single participant in those events (5000+) will receive a free download of either P2SUP or P2Walk. Shasek is creating a special album focused on joyful healing for those events.
Judy Shasek — WaterWords, 65064 Cline Falls Rd., Bend, 541-410-1478
(Photo above: Judy Shasek on a KIALOA board | Photo by Ed Shasek)
