Annapolis is still asleep and the sun is just a reddish dot peaking above the horizon when Jan Graves kicks into action.

She paces quickly between two rows of people lying on mats at City Dock in Annapolis, issuing instructions and adjusting poses.

It'll be several minutes before joggers, bikers and coffee drinkers join them in the early morning chill. It seems like they have the city all to themselves, just the water, birds - and yoga.

Sunrise Yoga, to be exact.

"People love it," said Ms. Graves, who has been teaching yoga for eight years. "It's really amazing what happens. Everyone's in this happy frame of mind."

For the past three years, Ms. Graves and her devotees have been gathering every Wednesday from summer through midfall to take in the morning air and do about an hour of yoga.

A lot of people aren't even awake - let alone out and about - when these men and women clad in sweats trek downtown around 6. (The exact start time depends on the time of the year.)

Others who are rising choose to kick off their day with coffee. But for these yoga aficionados, coffee comes later, when they gather at a nearby shop for a post-yoga chat. Their real antidote for shaking off the morning cobwebs comes from moves with names like "Downward Dog."

"It usually takes me a long time to wake up," said Mike Paredes of Annapolis. "This helps the whole process along."

Auja Sveinsdottir of Annapolis has been practicing yoga for seven years, but the class a couple weeks ago was the first time she tried it at sunrise.

"It's just wonderful to be in the air and have the sun come up," she said. "It's a different kind of peace than (with yoga) in a classroom."

Sunny disposition

For Ms. Graves, yoga is definitely an around-the-clock activity.

She teaches sunset yoga, outdoor day classes, and indoor classes for both adults and children.

So why not sunrise yoga, too? That's what she figured, especially since she's up early anyway and had inquiries from several people about that kind of class.

There was really nothing more complicated to it, and she's had a loyal group of about 10 to 20 follow her to City Dock.

"I'm her magnet," joked Marie Friedland of Cape St. Claire. "Yoga just makes you feel really good."

Ms. Friedland even convinced her husband, Michael, to give it a try.

At first, Mr. Friedland said he was skeptical. But all it took was one class for him to realize yoga's benefits, he said. He's more flexible and the exercise helps with his lower back problems.

"I guess it's just that we never spend enough time outside, it seems," he said. "It starts your day outside and makes you feel like you're part of nature."

Maybe a little too much, since watching the water can lead to balance problems. Aside from that, and concessions to space on the dock, participants said there's just no downside to the class.

Helaine Betnun, a therapist from Annapolis who attends the sessions with her husband, Nathan, said they help her focus. "It's absolutely wonderful," she said. "It's both physical and spiritual, and it helps center me for the day."

Ms. Graves charges for the sessions, but a portion of the proceeds go to charity. The first couple years, the money went to fight breast cancer. This year, the funds will benefit cancer research at the Johns Hopkins Children's Center, she said.

"There's so much yoga in the world - but that's a good thing," she said. "You just need to get a little bit into your life and you feel good for the rest of the day. My goal is to get everyone in the world to do a little yoga. It'd be a more peaceful world."

Sitting on the dock of the bay "Inhale."

"Look at the sun starting to rise. See it starting to wake up?"

"Just remember where you are. You're in the city as it's about to wake up and you're in nature."

Ms. Graves makes pronouncements like these every couple of minutes during the session. It's almost like a running commentary and fits well with the calm and peaceful mood of the participants.

She walks as she speaks, checking on her devotees.

In a normal class, she might model the various poses for them, but these are longtime students who know the routine, she said.

"When we're outside on the City Dock, I think it's important to let them flow with the atmosphere and nature," she said. "It's so nice to get into a pose and just relax and feel the air and enjoy the sounds and the view."

Indoors, Ms. Graves might play some soothing music, but outside, there's enough of a buzz to go without.

The students sit, stand and pose on thin yoga mats. Shoes and socks lie beside them, along with an occasional water bottle.

If it's chilly, some students wear several layers of clothing, and shed a couple sweatshirts as the class moves along and they warm up.

Nearby, a woman sipped on coffee and read a book. A short distance away, two other woman conducted their own private yoga session.

Every now and then, runners passed between the rows of mats, almost like the yoga devotees were part of an obstacle course. They didn't seem to mind a bit.

"It's just great to be alive!" said Nancy Law of Annapolis. "Jan is the best."

This particular day, there were five men and six women in Ms. Graves' class.

"Bring yourself to a place that makes you happy," she instructed them.

They did.

For more information about Sunrise Yoga, call Ms. Graves at 410-693-7327 or e-mail her at jgraves318@aol.com. Her Web site is www.jangraves.com. Sunrise Yoga classes are $15 each, or blocks of six for $12 each, or blocks of 10 for $10 each.

twinslow@capitalgazette.com

Published September 21, 2003, The Capital, Annapolis, Md
Copyright © 2003 The Capital, Annapolis, Md.

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