Yoga is a path of going on the way to ready the mind and the body for receiving the Godhead or enlightenment. This was at least how Lord Krishna conceptualized it and also the sutras of Pathanjali instruct us to do the same. The Ashtanga marg of yoga lays down the path of Asana, Pranayama, Yam, Niyam, Prattahar, Dhyaan, Dharana and Samadhi which is the final stage of salvation or Nirvana. These are the eight fold path of Yoga as laid in the Vedas and the Pathanjali Yoga Sutras. If you translate it comes to asanas or exercises, pranayama or breathing exercises, Yam or self-control, Niyam or discipline, Prattahar or sacrifice, Dhyaana or meditation, Dharana or the conception and finally Samadhi which is the salvation or oneness with the universe.
Whether you want salvation or not yoga proved to be a great instrument of rejuvenating the vital energies and makes one healthier.That was precisely the reason why Yoga has been taken up by the western world and increasing number of people went on adding to the yogic population from the West. There have been quite few modulations, additions and alterations too like Vikram Yoga and mixing and matching yoga with aerobic exercises and making it more thrilling. This has attracted many in the western world so much so that these trending yoga teachers also started coming to India and started preaching yoga in new ways.
There is a new addition to these innovations and that’s being added to yoga. That is Yoga is offered in many places of the US with beer. The rationale probably is that yoga is meant for being intoxicated with one’s body and consciousness so much that it melts into the super consciousness. Beer also helps one to be intoxicated and be relaxed. Let’s find out how these two combined together are going and to what extent is it accepted by the fraternity.
In its new addition and a trend that has caught up in Cleveland and Florida the breweries have started opening and conducting yoga classes as that helps to increase the popularity of their beer and also work for a social cause. The participants feel that exercise is a crucial thing that one needs to do to keep the body fit but one has already gone tired of the treadmill. The yoga philosophy of connection with people and more social interaction appeals the participants which give them an opportunity to increase their social contacts. It is a relaxed way of creating a deeper connection with someone. Along with that the participants feel that a glass of beer is also very refreshing after a great yoga class of sweat and perspiration. After all both the feats of yoga and beer ultimately helps you to relax.
The paradox is in yoga, smoking and drinking alcoholic drinks are prohibited and even one has to be careful about one’s diet too. But the participants feel that a beer after a yoga class is even more relaxing. It is up to you to call it detox or retox but it is definitely pulling the crowd so much that the Brewery head of Dogfish created a new beer named “Namaste Beer” which is a Belgian style beer which should be consumed with dried organic flesh. The breweries who organize such yoga classes opine that most of the men have been coming to yoga classes because of the beer. That is the carrot they have hung for attracting more customers.
The people at the breweries have watched that lot of single people come in search of a partner or for socialization. They already have beer and the yoga in common. The rest is there to dig. But in this the Indian yoga gurus raise their eye brows and frown at these new yogis and yoginis and are probably trying to estimate the time when the society will really learn to appreciate the principles of yoga and its lofty purpose.