Why Metal Yoga?

 

Why Metal Yoga?

by Matthew Clark who leads a yearly Metal Yoga class on the Winter Solstice.

A yoga class in the Western world, or at least in America, is often accompanied by a playlist or soundtrack.  Obviously, that wasn't the way of traditional yoga in India.  I believe that some very wise yogis specifically brought yoga to America, knowing the massive cultural influence of this country and used that influence to broadcast the benefits of yoga globally.  In the 1920's, Parahamsa Yogananda established the headquarters of his Self Realization Fellowship approximately 2 miles away from our studio.  His famous book Autobiography of A Yogi, used parallels of Christianity with yogic concepts and philosophy and was successful in initiating many Americans into these new ideas.  Decades later, Ram Dass penned his classic Be Here Now, which was meant to explain yogic concepts through the lens of the American hippy experience.  It always struck me as a book written by his Guru, through him, to best spread the message, using unconventional typesetting and drawings to connect to a new audience.  My point is that yoga, in coming to the West, was always bound to shift and change and cater to an experience that would resonate with a Westerner.  This brings us back to the topic of playlists.  There are definitely very traditional American studios and institutions that would never use a playlist. For those of us that do use music, it's become somewhat of an expectation, something to keep a pace and a helpful tool to establish a baseline of sound to make a passing ambulance siren or loud talker on the street strolling by less jolting.  We don't live in a bubble.  In my playlists, I try to use mostly songs that wouldn't be distracting or emotionally charged and songs that won't alienate most people.  Listening to a pop song or a Kirtan with a house beat could be blissful to one yogi and agonizing to another.  Conversely, listening to a metal song during practice could be ecstatic for one student and could drive another yogi crazy.  Enjoyment of music is completely subjective.  The point of doing our annual Metal Yoga practice is that it is an experience where, for those who would enjoy it, we use a very different sort of music, one which the attendees have signed off on and are excited to practice with.  My playlist will consists mostly of Doom and Stoner metal tracks, specific styles that I find are at a good tempo and have kind of a raga like quality, they float and meander and shred at times.  Bands such as Black Sabbath, Om, Sleep, Earth, Flower Traveling Band are usually featured as well as some heavy space rock sounds from the likes of Hawkwind and other spacey musical explorers.  This music I find to be powerful and cathartic, both being important elements of a yoga practice.  Aligning with the Winter Solstice has become a tradition for this class. The longest night of the year seems an apt time to embrace these sounds and delve into a powerful cathartic practice which leaves us feeling lighter and uplifted heading into the New Year.

Join Matthew Saturday December 21 at 6pm for this special class.