salty morning yoga photoshoot

We have fifteen minutes before the sun rises and since we still need to get to the rocks, where we will be photographing, we practically jog as soon as we park the car at Spanish River Beach. 

As soon as we step off the wooden boardwalk and sink our toes into the sand, the salty ocean air gives me a grand sense of calm and at the same time energizes me. There is a topless forty-something man with long hair who greets us with a huge smile, 

"Good morning. What a gift!", as he gestures toward the ocean. 

A gift it is indeed, Tisa and I agree and jog toward the rocks. 

"My yoga journey started three years ago," Tisa says. "I was very depressed during that time. I just started meditating and doing yoga, and it lifted me. I learned with YouTube videos practicing in my living room. I also go to free yoga classes in Mizner Park on Saturday mornings. I apply the things I learn on the mat to life in general - things like patience, not focusing on the aesthetic, but on the feeling, the essence, of something."

Tisa is originally from the Virgin Islands, where she is planning on returning at the end of the year. Right now she works as a doula, and is preparing to take a yoga teacher certification course. 

"Where I am from, people run track, they are not much into yoga. I want to bring yoga with me to the islands, I am really excited about teaching it to other people."

Once we finish photographing, I realize that my parking meter is about to expire, so we quickly pick up our things and, again, practically jog back to the car. 

The man with long hair is still there, playing Frisbee by himself.

"What a gift," I smile to myself.