Blending yoga with activities such as Pilates or weightlifting seems to offer just enough variety for non-purist types who are comfortable with thinking outside the box. As the yoga industry stretches its limits in an effort to attract more participants, for some, certain yoga-hybrid classes are pushing the envelope just a little bit too far.
Succeeding the latest trend of combining yoga with wine tasting, some yoga studios have recently begun to regularly offer post-yoga beer or wine for those who’d like to enjoy a little happy hour after hitting the mat. While most people are thrilled with the idea, some yoga-purists are not so enthusiastic about it.
Take a look at the pros and cons about commercially introducing libations into the world of yoga and how it’s creating a buzz in the yoga community.
Yoga and Drinking: PROS
In modern-day yoga society, not everyone chooses yoga as a way to live a disciplined life of total restraint and deprivation. Although yoga’s philosophy is one that suggests having extreme self-control, the majority of people who practice will still continue to foster their habits as they please.
This is not to say the intention of yoga studios that offer beer or wine is just to capitalize on their patron’s potentially unhealthy habits. Some feel it is a way for the yoga studio to create a vibe or a culture that lets people know it is acceptable to let loose and enjoy life’s pleasures.
It would be foolish to deny the fact that many people will go out after class and imbibe anyway. And hiding behind a holier-than-thou image as a studio isn’t very trustworthy, unless of course, it truly upholds yoga’s ancient tradition.
Yoga and Drinking: CONS
Alcohol is used in rituals, ceremonies, and as an aid to meditation by certain cultures around the globe. It is not terrible, wrong, or disgraceful to enjoy it. However, the problem arises when it is not treated with respect. Obviously, alcohol abuse is a pandemic in this country, and drinking copious amounts of it, in whatever form, will not only kill the body’s capacity to heal itself, it can rip apart families, cause unemployment, and ruin relationships, among other unfortunate consequences.
Yoga, for some, has proved to be a successful way to recover from such abuse, as it has the potential to retrain the mind so it can break addictive patterns. It would be dreadfully insulting to people who are doing yoga for the purpose of helping themselves rehabilitate from any form of addiction to be offered a beer after savasana.
A yoga studio is a sanctuary for finding inner peace. It is a place where people come to relax, get strong, and build confidence. If a class of like-minded individuals enjoys a beer or two after a satisfying yoga session, so be it. But, should it really be added to the schedule as an après yoga treat? Please share your thoughts with us.
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what one does after class is their own choice but don’t bring alcohol to the mat … YOGA & alcohol BIG NO NO. it shows NO respect for the ancient culture… Americans are sick evel people