Chiltern Railways has launched complimentary yoga classes and other wellbeing activities on board its trains in a bid to ease the stress of commuting.
The classes have been developed in partnership with the University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre to encourage travellers to put down their smartphones, pack away their laptops and instead try especially developed yoga moves, including the “choo-choo” and the “aisle twist”.
They are part of a new “mindfulness zone”, which is being run on certain trains and also includes other activities, like adult colouring in.
In addition, Chiltern Railway’s social media advisors will be posting images of yoga poses and mindfulness tips on Twitter, which have been created by London Marylebone Indaba Yoga Studio instructor, Ellie Di Martino, to encourage travellers to think about their wellbeing.
The yoga poses will also be available for download on the Chiltern Railways website, so that more people can benefit from them.
“We live in an age where we don’t usually stop to think about how we’re feeling or what we’re doing,” said the University of Oxford Mindfulness Centre’s director, Willem Kuyken.
“Mindfulness teaches us to do exactly that, with practices such as yoga and meditation.
“Reports have shown that mindfulness activities can help people from all walks of life. From improving student focus levels to helped relive stressed-out workers – and today assisting Chiltern customers!”
The commercial director at Chiltern Railways, Eleni Jordan, added: “People are glued to their phones everywhere they go. Whilst a crucial part of our lives, there is great benefit in taking time to switch off and explore your creative mind through meditation, colouring or even yoga on the way to work.
“Since we’ve also recently partnered with mental health charity, Mind, as our charity of the year, we wanted to create a space to promote mindfulness – where our passengers can sit back, reflect and re-energise.”
The Train Yoga Pose Sheet is available for download here: