First in a three-part series by Ruchika Rai
When I arrived in the U.S. last June, the first thing that fascinated and appalled me at the same time was this rampant brand of blatant consumerism. Not that I didn’t enjoy spending four hours window-shopping in Giant Eagle; it was a mind-numbing rush looking at tens of brands for something as basic as eggs or butter.
However, my austere upbringing back in India had sharpened my senses to this kind of pleasure. “What’s too good to be true is most probably an impending disaster,” opined my sixth sense, a voice that was soon debilitated by the other five senses.
However, nothing piqued my interest more than the practice of yoga in this country. In India, yoga is an integral part of Hindu culture and religion, more like a religious ritual for the body, like chanting slokas (prayers) for the mind/gods. It is also a community thing — something that everyone can afford because more than your ability to pay, yoga is about the ability to save yourself from disillusionment by worldly traps.
But now I am in Pittsburgh and here for good. After satiating myself with newfound recipes like hot dog (with extra mayo), burgers (and large fries), and fruit smoothies, I started to ponder a reliable fitness regime.
I went online and typed “yoga in Pittsburgh.” Yoga, it seems, has become as commercialized and transformed as as everything else by the ethic of consumer choice. There were some hilarious versions like black yoga (blaring death metal — so much for peace of mind), mommy-and-me yoga (for new mothers) and chakra yoga. (The latter sounds to me like an effort to process yoga — isolating one of its essential components for immediate results, perhaps.)
However, nothing caught my attention more than hot yoga, which is much popular amongst yoga enthusiasts in the city. I had already received recommendations from two of my friends about this particular form of yoga. By divine intervention I also happened to find a Groupon deal for two-month trial classes, priced at a feasible $40. Without wasting another day I booked myself a coupon and landed up at the yoga studio.
Tomorrow: Hot Yoga
This article appears in Jan 30 – Feb 5, 2013.
As part of the collective that assembles the music for BLACK YO)))GA, I can assure you that it has absolutely nothing to do with “blaring death metal”.
The more I think about it, this is actually quite insulting (“hilarious versions”… did you really just say that?) and what I find to be a very narrow minded & ignorant viewpoint. You talk about yoga being an “integral part of Hindu culture and religion, more like a religious ritual for the body”… what is it you think we do?
My wife teaches more traditional yoga classes as well, but BLACK YO)))GA is what we’ve created for us, and it appeals to a lot of people who would never have done it otherwise. It HAS become our community to save ourselves from disillusionment. And I can tell you, beyond the shadow of a doubt, that it saved my life when I needed it most.
– Scott Massie
BLACK YO)))GA: “It creates a meditative space for those who may not relate to the birds and waterfalls.”
http://blackyoga.blogspot.com
Hey man I go to Black Yoga when I can, and Scott is right! I go to meditate among my own kind. I’m a metal head and don’t fit in so well with the rest of society. BLACK YO)))GA is one of the few places an outcast such as me can go and find acceptance.
I am a regular attendee of BLACK YO)))GA. I second Scott Massie’s assurance of it having nothing to do with blaring death metal. Also, I agree that your ignorant and presumptive description of it is insulting. I have been interested in yoga since attending a single class in NYC about 13 years ago, but I have been (admittedly) too scared to even walk in the door of a class here in Pittsburgh. BLACK YO)))GA is the first (and only) class I have attended here and I love it. I am extremely thankful to the Massie family and all who are involved in making this class possible and available. Maybe you should check it out and try “letting go of judgment”.
Oh yeah, namaste, bitch.
I regularly listen to death metal while I am working — and it definitely does help keep me relaxed and centered.
But as it’s been pointed out, the Black Yoga playlist doesn’t have anything to do with that. (Previous commenter Scott actually put together a sampling of some Black Yoga music in his list on this page: http://valleyofsteel.net/2012/12/30/the-hu…)
While we’re on the subject, I also don’t know what makes the Mommy-and-Me classes a “hilarious version” either. My sister used to attend one of those, and apparently it was a really positive experience for her and her daughter. I can think of no one who needs relaxation and inner peace more than the parents of an infant or small child; many new mothers find it difficult to find the time to do anything for themselves, and this type of a program was designed to facilitate that goal.
To refer to any of these variants “hilarious” is not only narrow-minded, but just plain rude. If it works for the individuals involved, and if it manages to achieve the intended purpose, what gives you the right to judge?
Have fun sweating all over strangers at hot yoga. Clearly if you are the type of person who eats a hot dog with mayo you’ve already got some issues with your taste level and may enjoy someone sweating all over you. This commercialized view of yoga you speak of has sort of it’s apex at hot yoga, all the hipsters will be “thrilled” you are attending yoga with them since you know what’s up and all. They will be telling all their friends that people who are from India go to my yoga too. Cheers to that!
As far as commercialized this “blaring death metal yoga” is healthy for someone and it’s all about personal experience, you have no right to judge what someone finds relaxing. I think that your judgement alone has already darkened the spirit and intention behind yoga in the first place. What is “hilarious” is your narrow minded view of the world and your promotion of stereotypes.
Maybe you should get your “third eye” checked?
The only thing relaxing about drone metal when you’re trying to relax is when someone shuts it off.
America is a land of multiculturalism. A melting pot. It’s what made us great and why millions of people still want to come here. It also means we take everything we love about every culture and mash it up and make it into what works for us. Get over it. Please don’t add more judgemental narrow minded views to this country. We have enough already.
You should consider discontinuing this blog series. It’s very amateurish and insulting to the idea of America. Even the cliche about food in the US. Yes there’s a lot of fatty sugary food. There’s also plenty of healthy food. It’s called freedom of choice and we love freedom. You can be as healthy as you want or as unhealthy as you want. Free your mind up. Your needs and wants are not everyones needs and wants. By the way, I’m not involved in any yoga. I’m just tired of these cliche stories about coming to America and needing to bash it after experiencing about 0.1% of what this country has to offer. Why are you here?
This article is insulting and disappointing on so many levels I don’t even know where to begin I’ve been practicing Yoga for 20 years now with a strong focus on the therapeutic benefits of the practice. I don’t always agree with all forms of Yoga, Hot Yoga being one of them but at the same time I would never impart my judgement on another persons union of their individual self with their universal self. And I applaud individuals such as Kim and Scott Massie for sharing themselves and their practice with the Pittsburgh community. For someone who seems so eager to tout your Indian heritage and culture it sounds like you need to spend a little more time meditating on the Yoga Sutras and a little less time placing judgement on others and their practice.
Please dont call these as yoga, call it aerobics or stretching exercise..yoga stands for yuj; to unite; unite with para-brahma, as Shankara calls it–Jivanamukthi.If its not performing the art of yuj, then its not yoga at all.
Yeah, I’m sure practicing yoga in a room full of narrow-minded cultural elitists such as yourself would do wonders for my inner peace.
(For the record, Kimee’s black yoga class is the most relaxing yoga I’ve ever experienced)
“yoga stands for yuj; to unite…” Did you go copy that off of your google search?
I teach vinyasa yoga (not aerobics), which connects the movement with the breath, helping to “heal” the mental, emotional & physical body. Before you go judging and trying to tell me what I do (or don’t do), try a class… let’s see if you can hang with us.
—NAMASTE, BITCHES!—
This article lists every person in Pittsburgh that I want to stay as far away from as possible.
Let it go. We all know BLACK YO)))GA isn’t for everyone. It was designed for US, those outsiders who are used to, and tired of, being judged. While we may not like it, no amount of posting on the internet will change the narrow and uneducated view of others. For those who think it’s “Hilarious,” or are willing to judge us or the practice without first getting to know us or the reasons we relate to such an atmosphere, I say maybe Black Yo)))ga just isn’t for you. “Blaring Death Metal,” heh, that is actually kind of funny. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J13XPoaQESA I sincerely hope you find whatever it is you’re looking for, as for judgment, you can leave that at the door of the murder room.
In a world such as ours where silence is hard to come by, sometimes the way to true silence is to drown all noise out with distortion. We don’t live in India, we live in american cities. Comparing an austere, traditional upbringing in India with life in America is incongruent at best. There is more than one way to find peace, and anyone familiar with consciousness should know that.
Keep up the good work, Scott. Bring a chapter to Chicago!
MAXIMUM VOLUME YEILDS MAXIMUM RESULTS
Butthurt.
Come one guys its a blogh (with the ‘h’ being silent of course). The writer is just expressing her opinion. Originally from India myself, I was quite intrigued at first at the commercialization of YOGA across the country. My girlfriend regularly attends yoga classes and finds them great and super relaxing. I can understand constructive criticism but do you really need to belittle the writer. Yoga just like meditation helps you balance your inner thoughts with the outer world. It seems that most of you are simply very angry and require lot more yoga sessions!!
And yeah NAMASTE!!!
yoga stands for yuj; to unite…” Did you go copy that off of your google search?
No, I have learnt enough Sanskrit and know what a Dhatu is.
You are a kutarka vadi. Please dont be viddi-kUshmandah, please.
Shunakasya puthri tvam aaseet. kinthu, yah samabhavo sarvam drishyathi saha eva yogi bhavathi.
kashtaha: americayam janaha…
“I teach vinyasa yoga (not aerobics), which connects the movement with the breath, helping to “heal” the mental, emotional & physical body”
Yeah, we have a name for this in Sanskrit, as a yoga teacher you many know: it is called vikrutha chesta.
Defensive much Black Yoga enthusiast?
I get you need your place of acceptance, and its fine that that is it.
Its not yoga though, call it your Goth acrobatics club.
They are helping many people who would never try yoga in a million years. You can judge them and BLACK YO)))GA if you feel the need to, but either way, they are still extremely happy and feel good about what they’re doing, not only for themselves, but others too. Plus I love how they have fun with it (“namaste, bitches”). Not everything has to be so serious all the time!