Oct. 20 is Spirit Day, a tradition observed since 2010 where people are encouraged to wear purple to show support for LGBTQ youth and raise awareness of the issues they face, especially bullying. Benicia Yoga and Wellness will be celebrating four days earlier with a special class.

The yoga studio, located in the Arsenal, has been hosting Spirit Day events since 2011 or 2012, according to owner Marleen Stam-Gibbs. All the profits from the event go toward the Gay-Straight Alliance Network and Benicia High School’s Gay Straight Alliance Club, both of which advocate for a healthier environment for LGBTQ-identifying youth. Participants will learn a lesson in “rainbow chakras.”

“(The chakra system) is a tool within yoga where you work with different parts of the body sequentially,” Stam-Gibbs said. “You move up the spine, and they all have their own color and they happen to be the colors of the rainbow. It’s a nice way to tie into the whole Spirit Day thing because of the rainbow flag for LGBT people.”

Stam-Gibbs said the class is very active and fun, and participants will get to listen to typical yoga and meditation music as well as more popular fare like Lady Gaga.

“We focus on all the colors and all the chakras in sequence,” she said. “That makes for a very upbeat, high-spirited yoga class.”

In addition to learning about the chakras, Stam-Gibbs hopes the class can raise awareness of the bullying that LGBTQ teens face in school and other places.

“It’s a fun way to bring awareness to the fact that even though some people in class may not be LGBT and may not be dealing with the same issues as others who aren’t so lucky, it’s a good way to do good in the community,” she said. “It’s a way to raise awareness that those things are going on. We should do all we can to support all students in high school and be sure they have a good experience there.”

The Spirit Day Rainbow Yoga Class will be held from 9:30 to 10:45 a.m., Sunday, Oct. 16 at Benicia Yoga and Wellness Center, located at 938 Tyler St. in Suite 204. The class is open to everybody, although Stam-Gibbs says that due to the fast nature of the class, it is recommended that the participants to be in reasonable physical condition. Feel free to bring money to donate to the charities, and members of the studio can use their class card to donate. For more information, visit beniciayogawellness.com/spirit-day-class.

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