On Thursday, May 30th, a group of 20 young professionals gathered in the JLL offices on the 12th floor of the Tower Two-Sixty building near Market Square. This wasn’t for a business meeting though—it was to practice yoga while overlooking the stunning backdrop of downtown Pittsburgh.
The urban yoga event was hosted by Pittsburgh Young Professionals, also known as PYP. PYP offers a variety of social, community, and professional development opportunities to their 600+ members and guests in the Pittsburgh area.
Photo Credit: Paige Creo Photo Credit: Paige Creo Photo Credit: Paige Creo Braelyn Ryba of @curly_click_ (Instagram) Photo Credit: Paige Creo Braelyn Ryba of @curly_click_ (Instagram) Braelyn Ryba of @curly_click_ (Instagram) Braelyn Ryba of @curly_click_ (Instagram) Braelyn Ryba of @curly_click_ (Instagram)
Photo Credit: Braelyn Ryba of curly_click_ (Instagram) and Paige Creo of paigecreomarketing.com
Mary Hatch led the group in a Unity Vinyasa Yoga Session. Mary is a UX Design Research Lead for GE Healthcare by day and a certified yoga instructor in her spare time. As part of her certification, she completed a 200-hour training program with Michael Miracles Yoga at Metta in Pittsburgh. She is also a Board Advisor for PYP in Analytics & Research.
Mary says, “Yoga is great exercise, but it also helps me calm my mind even when I’m outside of class. I love teaching because I like to share what yoga has given me. If I can just give people the tools to stay calmer both in the class and in their daily lives, then it can have a big impact.”
The purpose of the yoga session was to link breathing with movement and raise energy levels while flowing through different postures. Both beginners and advanced participants attended the session and found it to be challenging, but also refreshing for both the mind and the body.
“I feel sweaty, but peaceful. There will definitely be more yoga in my future!” proclaimed one attendee who was new to yoga.
PYP’s Community Outreach Committee decided to hold the event to help young professionals relieve stress, while also giving them a chance to network with each other and experience a unique view of our city. Salud Juicery, a Pittsburgh-based eatery, provided healthy snacks and juice for participants to enjoy.
Pittsburgh Young Professionals will be hosting several other upcoming events, including PYP Talks with the CEO of WITF Public Media, a brunch and golf session at TopGolf, a ropes course outing with Go Ape in North Park, and various happy hours at bars and restaurants around town. To learn more or sign up for a PYP membership, visit www.pyp.org.
If you’re looking for more opportunities to do yoga this summer, be sure to check out our list of outdoor yoga events!
This content was provided by a local, independent contributor to Made in PGH, a lifestyle blog.