| Yoga for the Non-Traditional |
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| Written by Laura Marie Allen | |
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Page 1 of 2  Since it was invented in India more than 5,000 years ago, yoga has become a popular discipline for exercise and overall maintenance of health and wellness. Not only does it focus on physiological and spiritual mastery, it is used as a form of alternative medicine with a combination of breathing exercises, physical postures (asanas) and meditation. The word yoga was first mentioned in the oldest sacred texts of Hinduism, the Rig Veda. Slowly refined and developed by Vedic preists--who documented their practices and beliefs--yoga was a discipline that until the late 1800s and early 1900s was not experienced in the Western world. At that time, yoga masters began traveling to the west attracting attention and followers. Hatha Yoga was born in the 1920s and was strongly promoted in India by T. Krishnamacharya. He traveled throughout India giving demonstrations of yoga poses and opened the first Hatha Yoga school, where the standard poses and breathing exercises most people know as yoga are practiced. Yoga was not officially practiced in the United States until Indra Devi opened her yoga studio in Hollywood, Ca in 1947. Since then, many more western and Indian teachers have popularized hatha yoga and have gained millions of followers.  Inspired by her Sicilian upbringing, where food and wine was an integral part of daily life, Angela Gargano started yoga almost six years ago and decided to bring the two together for the Yoga and Wine workshop.  Students taste a piece of chocolate after a yoga practice. The message behind this workshop is to focus on being in the moment.  David Romanelli is a co-founder of At One Yoga, and taught at their studios in Phoenix and Scottsdale for 7 years until 2006 when he moved back to his hometown, Los Angeles. He currently teaches at Exhale in Santa Monica and Venice, Ca. Traditional--Hatha--yoga can be found in many places throughout New York City but there are several alternative yoga classes that are completely one of a kind and can only be found at certain times and certain places. Yoga purists (traditional yoga gurus) might shun a class that includes wine and chocolate tasting but for the modern, everyday person classes that allow people to enjoy yoga can be a relief. Believers in alternative yoga are involved because they think that yoga doesn’t have to be serious and standard to reap benefits. After a yoga session, our mind and bodies are naturally more open and sensitive to creativity, taste and our own spirituality. Take for example, the Yoga and Wine workshop (invented by Angela Gargano of Madison Bliss Spa in Madison, Wisconsin and David Romanelli of Venice, California) that will be held in NYC at Exhale Spa on May 6th. Both instructors felt that yoga should not only have its built-in health benefits but that it should be fun and light-hearted. As Gargano explained, "it’s not about getting drunk but rather about using the heightened senses to taste, learn and experience a glass of wine after a yoga class." Their first retreat was held in Sonoma, CA; it started with a regular yoga class and then afterwards the participants tasted wine, chatted with each other and enjoyed tasty appetizers. And, she added “These sessions are fun and builds a sense of community within the class. Also, it gives people a chance to experience both wine and yoga in a way that is accessible because both can be intimidating." Romanelli, who co-founded the Yoga and Wine concept with Gargano, also invented a Yoga and Chocolate workshop which will be held in New Jersey on May 5th. Romanelli is a believer in making yoga more modern and actually plays music from the Grateful Dead, Led Zeppelin, and Bob Marley during his classes. His concept was inspired by his desire to “continue to make yoga relevant to those people who aren’t already practicing and for old participants to continue.” “After a yoga class, the senses are heightened. So a note of chocolate after yoga is like a symphony in the mouth,” Romanelli said. There is no doubt the terrestrial and purist yoga practitioners frown on these less serious types of yoga. But Romanelli defends his concept and doesn’t mind subjecting himself to their criticisms. “In order for yoga to continue it has to change and speak the language of the people who aren’t already doing it." |
