Plunge

Portland delivered one of those early spring days that reminds you why we put up with the long gray winter. The sun was shining, the sky was clear, and temperatures hovered in the low 60s. Warm enough to feel hopeful, but still crisp enough to appreciate a little heat.

Our gathering began with a one hour curated vinyasa flow at Sellwood Yoga. The doors were open to the outdoor deck, letting in fresh air. It was the kind of class where everyone could settle in and move at their own pace. The sequence offered options for modifications throughout, so each person could choose the level of effort their body wanted that day. Some moved deeper into poses, others stayed steady and supportive. The goal was not intensity. The goal was presence.

After class, we took a few minutes to change clothes and then made our way to the sauna waiting for us at the edge of Sellwood Waterfront Park.

This is not just any sauna. Guss Sauna sits close to the river with a wood fire burning stove with a glass window behind. The flames flicker while the heat builds, and through the window you can look out to the Willamette River. Between the warmth of the fire and the sunshine outside, it did not take long before the sauna lived up to its purpose.

Of course, the sauna is only half of the experience.

When the heat reached each person’s individual limit, we stepped outside and walked down to the dock. The river was waiting. Cold and just a little intimidating.

There is always a moment of hesitation. You stand there looking at the water, feeling the cool air on your skin, wondering if you are actually going to do this.

One by one, courage won.

Some climbed down the ladder and others plunged right into the river. The cold hits instantly. Your breath catches, your senses wake up, and then just as quickly you climb back out, laughing and wide awake. Tingly.

One attendee summed it up perfectly afterward.
“I never would have jumped in on my own. Thank you for being here with me and encouraging me to give it a try. It was wonderful.”

That moment captures why I love experiences like this. Yoga builds awareness in the body, but community gives us the courage to try things we might not do alone.

A beautiful spring day. Movement. Heat. Cold water. And a group of people cheering each other on.

Honestly, it was a pretty perfect Portland afternoon.