Accessibility, community and environment are three pillars of Moksha Yoga. The philosophy of karma, a component of all three foundational values, has inspired unique music-related yoga classes. Moksha offers Karma classes that require a minimum $5 donation that goes towards a different charity each month. Recent Karma classes have been inspired by house music and hip hop and I was curious to check them out.
The house hot yoga Karma class was held at the Waverly location, which also houses the delicious vegan Calm Unity Café, as well as a childcare centre. Now, I must admit that I do not know a lot about house music. The prospect of attending my first house music inspired hot yoga class had me feeling an ambiguous mix of hesitancy and excitement. I knew I would love the yoga part — I was just hoping that the music wouldn’t diminish it. But as I was laying in the corpse pose and heard the music begin, I was instantly hooked. It was like the music mirrored the inner workings of my body.
Disco Kitty, who has been practicing yoga for two and a half years and who has over seven years of experience behind the DJ decks, was the DJ for the class. She explained that house music has numerous styles and variations, but is heavily influenced by elements of soul, funk and disco. She went on to reveal that the style that she plays is considered funky and deep, and this depth is reflected in her song selections. “The smooth rhythms and melodies combined with funky bass lines are really heart warming and inspiring to me,” she said. “I find House to be very joyous, uplifting, groovy and soothing music to my ears.”
Hinting that the connection between yoga and house music transcends mere words, Disco Kitty said that house music is the perfect complement to a Moksha Yoga class: “the meaning of the term “Moksha” in Sanskrit is to literally release or let go. House music is also about letting go, as well as setting your mind free and opening your heart.” It is in the profoundness of both yoga and deep house music that Disco Kitty senses their compatibility. “I’ve always loved the idea of house music being played during a yoga class, as music can generally be very powerful and it makes such a difference in how I move my body,” she elaborated.
The next week I made my way to the Donald Street location for the inspirational hip hop Karma class. In this case, making the connection between hip hop and yoga was not such a far stretch for me. I have long been a fan of conscious hip hop and was eager to experience it with yoga. This two hour class was taught by the engaging co-owner Phil Doucette (Philly D).
He began the class by playing an excerpt from the introduction of Derrick L. Carter’s About Now album that re-enacted an announcement that the Emancipation Proclamation had been passed. This recording served as a larger symbol for the message of that inspirational hip hop hot yoga class: freedom. Philly D proceeded to delineate hip hop’s history, connecting the foundation of hip hop to its manifestation as a creative confrontation to oppression. This artful style of expression has at its core the goal of liberation — which is also incorporated into yoga practice. After discussing the many paths to personal freedom with the class, the music started and the sweating didn’t stop. Doing hip hop-inspired, modified versions of traditional yoga postures to the beats and lyrics of artists like KRS-One, Pharoahe Monch, Jurassic 5, Macklemore and Common was a deep experience. I left the studio feeling energized and inspired.
For more information on Moksha Yoga classes and schedules visit their comprehensive website at MokshaYogaWinnipeg.com.
