The first Free Day of Yoga was held on Labor Day in Austin, Texas, in 1999. Since then the event, which aims to get people doing the downward facing dog and foster connections within the yoga community, has spread across the country, and even has a foothold on Guam. The new Honolulu location of yogawear shop Lululemon has coordinated O'ahu's first Free Day of Yoga, happening at seven locations tomorrow.

Keely Bruns, community leader for Lululemon, saw a hole. "People here can be more aware of the great yoga studios on the island," she says. After finding out about Free Day of Yoga, she got advice from the Austin organizers and approached local yoga studios.

"It's about giving back to the community," says Bruns, "and we said, 'Let's try it.' "

One day at the Lululemon shop, in the middle of coordinating schedules and getting yoga studios on board, Bruns met a recent arrival to Hawai'i —and veteran yoga instructor — named Murti Hower. She started telling him about Free Day of Yoga. It turns out Hower had moved here from Austin, where he and Brigette Snyder ran the Healing in Yoga studio, and was one of the founders of Free Day of Yoga. Hower and Snyder will give a free class at the Hare Krishna Center in Nu'uanu tomorrow.

Bruns says the event is a way for absolute beginners to try yoga for the first time, for old hands to check out new studios, and for studios to build bridges between each other.

She points to other cities, such as San Francisco, where "if you're not doing yoga, it's like, who are you? Here it's slowly growing."

OPEN SPACE YOGA

1111 Nu'uanu Ave. (above Indigo Eurasian Cuisine); 232-8851; www.yogaopenspace.com

One swasthya and four vinyasa classes, 7:15 a.m.-8:15 p.m. At 1 p.m. there will be free pupu and consultations.

YOGA HAWAII

1152 Koko Head Ave.; 739-9642; www.yoga-hawaii.com

Two vinyasa flow classes, 11 a.m.-noon, 2-3 p.m.

PURPLE YOGA HAWAII

2615 S. King St., at University Avenue, third floor; 944-8585 ; www.purpleyoga.com

One vinyasa basics class, 6:30-7:45 p.m.

KAILUA MOVEMENT STUDIO

151 Hekili St., next to Kimo's Surf Hut, Kailua; 927-1931; www.kailuamovementstudio.com

One power yoga class, 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m.

LOVE BREATH YOGA

Hare Krishna Center, 51 Coelho Way, under banyan tree behind the center; murtiyoga@gmail.com

One "eclectic vinyasa flow" class, 10:30 a.m.-noon, by Free Day of Yoga spearheader Murti Hower and Brigette Snyder

BIKRAM YOGA

Koko Marina Center, 7192 Kalaniana'ole Highway, second floor, 396-8838; www.bikramyoga.com

Four "hot yoga" classes, 7 a.m.- 8:15 p.m.; free classes are for first-timers only.

KAPI'OLANI PARK

Across from Outrigger Canoe Club; veroindia@gmail.com

Partner yoga class, 5:307 p.m.

2007 FREE DAY OF YOGA

This Labor Day, you can work on yourself in classes at these venues. For a full schedule, go to www.lululemon.com/honolulu/honolulu/events.

Reach Lesa Griffith at lgriffith@honoluluadvertiser.com.