Community life
By: Janet M. Krumm; Photography: E.G. Stone

Thomas Dye attempts a standing, forward bend position in his class at Ocean Spirit Yoga.

Ocean Spirit Yoga Center, located in Portsmouth, NH, welcomes everyone to its yoga classes.  "I wanted a studio with a lot of classes that would be accessible to a wide range of people," explained Bob Vaccaro, one of the two founding yoga teachers at Ocean Spirit.

Bob has studied many different styles of yoga and incorporates all of them into his classes.  He models the postures for his students and encourages them to participate to the best of their ability.  Perfection is not the goal, he emphasized.  "It's a very judgement free zone."

On Thursdays at noon, a number of individuals receiving services from Great Bay Services in Newington, NH join other members of Vaccaro's class.

"My friend Carol (Hollis), who works at Great Bay Services, brings 10 or more of her developmentally challenged clients to my noon yoga class,"  explained Bob   "Carol and I are amazed at how seriously they treat the yoga,"  he said, "how much they like it, and how they adapt postures they cannot do well."

"They call him Yoga Bob," Ruth Lamont, who handles public relations for Great Bay Services, explained.   She is delighted that the yoga class is such a success.  Participation in the class is clearly a choice made by the individuals who attend, she added. 

"They are a joy to teach,"  Vaccaro stated.  They enjoy coming so much that they asked to have access to the studio one week when Vaccaro was away.  "They like the atmosphere,"  he said. 

Bob Vaccaro (left) models a shoulder rotation warm-up for the class.

 Jennifer Jones and John Brock are getting ready for a back bend warmup.

 The group does standing side bends. 

Jackie Ellis does arm circles in front of a Tree of Life tapestry from Peru. 

John Brock focuses on the instructions for the next posture.

Debra Blades does arm circles, following closely what is being demonstrated.

The group paints circles with their left hands. 

Vaccaro creates an atmosphere of calm and peace in his studio, and a place where everyone is accepted.  "Everybody does exactly what they can,"  Vaccaro explained.  "I don't teach a special class because the participants are overweight or physically disabled,"  he said.  "Most postures are mult-level," he added, "so what I do in class (on Thursdays) I do in any regular class." 

Bob Vaccaro

For more information on classes at Ocean Spirit Yoga, call (603) 766-0979 or visit their website at:  www.oceanspirityoga.com