The first attempt at New Zealand's largest outdoor yoga class took place in the Auckland Domain yesterday.
Around 200 to 300 people gathered on the field by the grandstand, with a variety of brightly coloured yoga mats in a huge display of downward dogs led by Denise Ferguson of the Yoga Sanctuary.
Organiser Franko Heke of True North Yoga said he conceived the idea as a fundraiser for suicide prevention because of his own personal history.
Mr Heke said he had found himself "dangling my feet off Grafton bridge" in a suicide attempt, but had subsequently used yoga and meditation to improve his mental health.
Funds raised on the day will go to the establishment of an "Emergency Transformation Centre" to help others with mental health issues, he said.