A yoga class in the U.K. was interrupted this week when a passerby mistook the participants lying on the floor as victims of a “mass killing.”

According to The Guardian, the class was held at the Seascape Cafe, a business inside the North Sea Observatory in Chapel Saint Leonards, Skegness, Lincolnshire.

In a Facebook post published Thursday morning, the cafe said the commotion started around 9:30 when, after receiving a report of a “mass killing,” local police turned on their sirens and rushed to the North Sea Observatory.

“If any one heard the mass of police sirens in Chapel St Leonard’s at 9:30pm last night then please be reassured…. They were on their way to the Observatory after someone had reported a mass killing in our building. Having seen several people laying on the floor…. Which actually turned out to be the Yoga Class in meditation ‍‍♂️,” the post reads.

“Thank you to Lincolnshire Police for their prompt response. I can’t imagine for one moment what would have being going through their minds on the way…. Dear General Public, please be mindful that the Observatory has lots of Yoga classes happening in the evenings. We are not part of any mad cult or crazy clubs. All in all this situation turned out positive and we are of course grateful ❤️,” the post continues.

Look:

The Lincolnshire Police subsequently released a statement to the media claiming that the person behind the “mass killing” phone call had had “good intentions.”

“A call was made following concerns for the occupants of the North Sea observatory, at Chapel St Leonards. Officers attended, we’re happy to report everyone was safe and well,” a spokesperson said.

Meanwhile, the yoga teacher, Millie Laws, told CNN in a phone interview that she and the yoga participants had actually left before the cops even arrived.

“Laws said that five police cars showed up at the venue soon after she and the seven other class participants had left. She was told about the episode in a phone call from the venue manager,” according to CNN.

“I was very shocked. It was so surreal and I didn’t quite believe it was true. I have spoken to most of the people who took part and they have just said how mad it is. They were all participating in a beautiful deep relaxation and it could have never run through any of our minds that it could be taken in this way,” she said.

However, there does seem to be a rational explanation for this confusion. The Washington Post notes that the final exercise of the evening had been shavasana, known as the corpse pose.

“For 30 minutes, they resembled corpses as the instructor, Millie Laws, 22, banged on a shamanic drum inside a room lit only by the golden glow of candlelight. The scene was meant to be relaxing — but for a couple walking their dog outside the building, it resembled something far more sinister,” according to the Post.

“At first the drumming was slow-paced, mirroring ‘the vibrations that the Earth gives off its core to get people into a state of relaxation,’ Laws said. The beats then crescendoed to induce a trance state. But at the point she had to once again slow down the sounds to ‘bring people back into the present moment,’ Laws said she noticed a dog-walking couple peering into the glass,” the Post notes.

“I didn’t think anything of it,” Laws said. “But because it was sunset and it was dark, I think all they could see were shadow figures of people lying on the floor with their eyes closed.” It didn’t help that Laws was the sole figure moving around, wearing a flowy top that resembled a robe.”

“They reported to the police that they’d seen somebody walking around in a room lit up with candles and what looked like dead people lying all over the floor. The couple thought it was some sort of ritual mass killing,” she added.

Looking back at what happened, Laws can’t help but laugh.

“It’s hilarious. On the flip side, these people were managing to enter such a deep state of relaxation that — although it’s awful to compare it to death — they look so relaxed and comfortable. I mean, you can say the meditation worked, though it’s definitely ironic they were in corpse pose,” she said.

Moving forward, she hopes what happened inspires more people to try out yoga.

“If anything, I’d like just more awareness to be brought to the great things deep meditation and entering this deep restful state can really bring into the mind and also the body,” she said.

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Vivek Saxena

Senior Staff Writer -- [email protected]
Writers and editors can be contacted at [email protected] with feedback, tips, or corrections.

V. Saxena is a staff writer with a decade of experience as a professional writer, and a lifetime of experience as an avid news junkie. He holds a degree in computer technology from Purdue University. Saxena also contributes to BizPac Review.

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