Open Morning Moving

INSPIRATION:

A lot of people like to exercise, stretch, do yoga, jog, etc.. The idea was proposed for helping likeminded groups to get together in public spaces and get active. Open Morning Moving (OMM) was initiated it at The Arts Factory backpackers hostel yet it would be a great service for the general public, interactive, fittening, enjoyable, free.

It was later repeated for greater Byron Bay, weekly on main beach from 6am to 10am rain or shine. To share a range of equipment and invite people to host workshops of their liking. It was open.

COMMUNICATION:

1st time. The idea was out there, being MassDEBATED discretely, there were two people who were confident yoga practitioners and a couple of general enthusiasts, we discussed amongst each other to co-ordinate a time and place to get physical. No print promotion was launched, only word of mouth. By doing the Open Morning Moving it communicated to others with body language that it was going on, and if people looked interested, they were invited to partake. In hindsight a simple sign saying free workshop would have been useful.

2nd. We wanted to take it to the next level, so put posters up around town, fliers, did community service announcements on local radio and blurbs in the local news paper. Words of mouth also.

COLLABORATION:

1st time. The activity had no costs, people brought their own mats or towels to do their exercise on. What was shared was skills- yoga technique, and good time. Angie was the champion of the concept, TY! You rock.

A song made at the time of the second initiation, about stretching:

2nd. Again Angie and I initiated and ran with it until she moved north. It ran weekly for 8 months. Jim picked up the reigns with me, Tori, Andreas, Mohana, Andy, Niall, Delphine and others were supportive on the scene.

Claudine donated he surf board! Tori a big bag of all kinds of balls. Andreas would bring his slack line. A broad array of sports equipment I had was in the mix, racquets, bats, paddles, frisbees, you name it. And again the skills and techniques shared by countless people across the months of the project.

CREATION:  

1st time. There were a few well practiced yoga enthusiasts and who began to regularly meet, first timers gave it a go, passers by got involved, it was super- the management at the venue later discouraged the meets because they had professional yoga workshops offered at cost. The coordinated gatherings discontinued, but the example was set and can easily be reformed in other locations.  

2nd. It happened, weekly for 8 months, rain, hail or shine. Into winter it was pitch black and silent at 6am, sunrise always special. On the very wet days out there it was important to keep moving and warm, even when no others came! C: Early in the project we would cycle all the stuff in from the other end of town, later with wheels did drive and arrive fresh for the 4 hours of action ahead. It was a labour of love, an example we were trying to set, and we did.

EXHIBITION:

The Open Morning Moving is now exhibited here, it was on www.thefieldcreative.org when the site existed.

REPEAT:

1st time. It was initially a small Seed Idea, a simple service for a short period, and we only really got into the yoga, just one of near infinite exercise possibilities. If it was to be repeated in public and communicated in community media (print and radio) it could really take off, with a range of physical activities happening daily- perhaps at other times beyond simply in the morning.

2nd. This was then repeated on the large scale for 8 months in Byron Bay, with all kinds of sports and activities going on!

It would be easy for you to repeat somewhere if inspired? A roster of keen facilitators, a bit of equipment pooled together and shared. Just choose a weekly day and time and stick to it. (maybe just 2 or 3 hours to keep it consolidated and fresh for the organisers..) Easy and awesome. Repeat^