practice
WELL
all in
YOUR
HEAD
Picture this: You’ve made it to the yoga studio and you
roll out your mat, take a few deep breaths, and start to drop in.
Just as you’re feeling blissed, a car alarm goes off nearby, dogs start
barking in the distance, or you realize your mat neighbor is a Darth
Vader breather. Not very Zen, says New York–based entrepreneur Castel
Valere-Couturier, founder and CEO of what may be the antidote: Sound
Off Yoga. Here’s how it works: Everyone in class wears a pair of wireless
headphones, through which your yoga teacher’s cues—as well as music—play at
whatever volume you like. “It may not seem very yogic at first, but it’s actually
a great solution in big classes, where teachers often have to yell into a microphone,”
says Valere-Couturier. “It’s also great in classes where one student might want the music
cranked up, while another would prefer that the teacher whisper in her ear.” While it
may be untraditional, “silent yoga” is certainly gaining popularity. Look for class offerings
PHOTO COURTESY OF JASON KOERNER and other silent events near you at soundoffexperience.com. MEGHAN RABBITT 29
june2016yogajournal.com