Marblehead yoga enthusiast returns for annual event

MARBLEHEAD – Elaine Wintman said she knew this year?s annual Thanksgiving yoga benefit would be an emotional one.The yogi has been putting on a charity yoga class every Thanksgiving morning since she moved back to the North Shore to benefit Healing Abuse Working for Change and the Marblehead Counseling Center. Not only would this year?s event mark 15 years of Wintman teaching yoga on the North Shore, but also her first time teaching since she was hit by a car in September while walking to her Salem home, breaking both her legs and landing her in a wheelchair.Wintman said even after the accident, she was determined to do her annual charity event. “It was always my intention to be able to do it this year, but I didn?t know if I could,” said Wintman. “But this is what I do on Thanksgiving. This is what I do once a year.”Being without her legs for a few months left Wintman to rely on friends and family to make her meals, do chores and take her on errands. She set up a website on CaringBridge.com where she kept a journal of her progress and people signed up for tasks to help her with, as well as left notes of support.Wintman said their help left her especially thankful this holiday. “All I can say is salty wet things go down my face on a daily basis,” she laughed. “I?m very grateful to be part of the community and to be so loved. It?s very inspiring, I?m very lucky. I don?t know if I could be more grateful to be here and be in one piece – I could?ve died, I could?ve been totally brain dead. It could?ve been worse.”Wintman?s benefit was held at the Church of Saint Andrew in Marblehead at 8 a.m. on Thursday. Over 30 yogis of varying experience brought donations of about $35 for the charities and their own yoga mats to practice with Wintman and her four assistants. The yogis practiced meditation and poses, finally ending the two-hour class with an individual blessing for someone they love and someone they struggle with.Though Wintman was still unable to put weight on her legs, when explaining proper arm balance technique, she lifted herself out of her wheelchair, hovering above the seat with only her arms holding her up, to a round of applause.?I really feel that I?m carried and buoyed by the love of this community, sort of floating along on their love,” said Wintman. “It?s really helping my healing process and makes all the difference in the world.”Kait Taylor can be reached at [email protected].