CHRIS KELLY Yoga instructor Mary McGrath demonstrates a warrior pose at Marine Park in Red Bank Monday.

RED BANK — In a downward dog position, Mary McGrath presses the palms of her hands into the shore of the Navesink River.

For the next 45-minutes, a barefoot entourage of senior citizens, stay-at-home moms, nine-to-fivers, and health-conscious 20-somethings follow her lead.

There is no music and little talking, only the sounds of deep breaths and the onshore breeze.

"Yoga in the Park," sponsored by Red Bank’s Community YMCA, is the ancient practice in its most natural form — before state-of-the art gymnasiums and YMCAs existed.

CHRIS KELLY Andrew Zerling, Rumson, practices yoga at Marine Park, Red Bank, Monday.

The outdoor classes, which are scheduled for the next four Mondays in Marine Park, are free of charge and open to the public.

"It’s such a nice way to take advantage of the outside. It’s so pretty in Marine Park with the water and the sail boats," said Lisa Larkin, YMCA group fitness coordinator and "Yoga in the Park" director.

Now in its second year, the program has been brought back by popular demand.

"It was so popular last year, we wanted to bring it back," Larkin said. "We probably had as many as 45 people per class."

The high attendance is no surprise, due to the high demand for yoga classes in the Red Bank area.

"Yoga began about 5,000 years ago," Larkin said. "It’s probably become more popular in the past five years or so because celebrities like Sting and Madonna picked it up. But I think Sept. 11 boosted it over the edge."

Sensing a deeply wounded community after 9/11, Larkin, whose husband survived the World Trade Center attacks, began to offer as many as seven yoga classes per week at the YMCA.

"I really felt like the community needed it," she said.

With a diverse following, the YMCA offers a variety of yoga styles to accommodate each individual’s needs.

The Silvanda style focuses more on breath, stretching and relaxation — "for people who’ve had a rough day," Larkin said.

Athletic yoga is offered for those who want more vigorous strength training.

But "Yoga in the Park," structured for exercising on uneven ground, is a happy medium, Larkin said.

"We call it the best of yoga," Larkin said. "It’s a little bit of everything."

"The motto is "start where you are," she said. A person can make it as easy or hard as they want. Beginners can choose simpler alternatives, while more advanced can opt for a more strenuous route.

Linda Sharkey, who participated in "Yoga in the Park" last year, said it was an invigorating experience.

"It’s great. You’re looking up to the sky and you feel the sun shining right on your face."

"Yoga in the Park" will be held every Monday in June at noon and 6 p.m. in Marine Park. If it rains, the classes will be canceled.