San Francisco’s airport opens first-ever yoga room

This one’s a little off-the-Ashtanga-mat, but given that I pass through San Francisco International Airport fairly often, it seemed worth passing on to you.

Image via MSNBC

The airport today has opened what its spokespeople say is the first-ever room dedicated to yoga in an airport.

According to an airport press release, the opening is happening right about when this will get posted, about 11 a.m.  in San Francisco.

Here is what the release says:

Airport Director John L. Martin will formally open the Airport’s first-ever Zen Room on Thursday, January 26, 2012 at 11:00 a.m. The room is located in Terminal 2, post-security, adjacent to the Terminal’s Recompose Area.

MSNBC has a bit more on the news:

“The room gives modern travelers a space that fosters and supports quiet and reflection. Those aren’t emotions that people typically encounter at the airport,” said Melissa Mizell, design director for Gensler, the Terminal 2 architecture firm that also created the yoga room, in a statement.

[snip]

“Relax passengers between flights? Help them find balance in the crazy world of travel? How wonderful!,” said nurse consultant Anya Clowers of JetwithComfort.com.

“Airports like SFO get it,” said Greg Principato, president of Airports Council International – North America. “They are looking at the big picture and meeting the needs of travelers by offering products and services that contribute to their overall comfort.”

If you want a sign that yoga is going mainstream, this sure seems to be it. And it beats doing yoga in your seat or the aisle of the plane, right?

Posted by Steve