Yoga to Beats – What up with that?

There is a phenomenon that occurs when a group of tabla players are playing the same composition together. Every so often everyone will stop or make the same mistake at the same moment. The first few times you discount it as a coincidence, and then it starts getting weird. For me it has even happened with other tabla players that I don’t even know very well. What up with that? To me, this is the effect of everyone thinking of the music at the same time thus allowing us to unify our thought patterns without speaking. From what I’ve heard from others this happens with all types of musicians and musical genres. So when I ask myself the question, why is it so powerful when a group is breathing in unison for a yoga class, this is the concept that comes to mind.

My experience in accompanying yoga class with a pulse is that there is an unexplainable energy that is created when all minds are drawn to beat 1 for the inhale and the next beat 1 for the exhale. Perhaps this is because minds are united on a  single thing.  I invite you to tell me how having a steady beat to link your breath to movement enhances your asana (posture)/pranayama (breath control) practice. When practicing yoga with others is there power in inhaling and exhaling together? What sort of energy is created while you breath in your mantra and then exhale “let go”?

We’re almost done our stay here in California and I’m looking forward to getting back to my life in Toronto. I’ll be accompanying yoga classes at Octopus Garden and am looking forward to inhaling on the 1 with you all 🙂 For those of you who might not have had a taste of the tracks I run for yoga class, here is the link.

Bye for now! <3