The Yoga Classes You Didn’t Know Existed

If you’re a yogi, and even if you’re not, you’d have to live under a hippie who lives under rock not to be familiar with a term like Downward Facing Dog. It seems everyone and their barefoot mother is on their way to a yoga class these days. Hatha, Bikram, Vinyasa, oh my! These are some of the most common yoga classes that even beginners are aware of.

But did you know that the yoga movement has really expanded and creative yogis are developing their own off-beat styles of yoga? You may have even heard of Doga (dog yoga) or Anti-gravity yoga (yoga performed in a suspended hammock) even if you haven’t tried them yet. Believe it or not, it gets even more niche than that. So, as my grandmother said when it came to finding love, “No matter how crooked the pot, there’s always a lid to fit it!” The same applies to yoga. Whether you’re an experienced yogi or a beginner, trust that there’s a class out there for you!

Today we give you some of the most unique yoga classes we’ve found.

Foodie Yoga – This practice puts mindfulness and the art of living in the moment into immediate practice. After an intense traditional yoga class, Yoga for Foodies, takes the inner peace and state of nirvana one step further: with food and sometimes wine (!). This is not your traditional post-work out meal. This is the practice of eating slowly, savoring every bite, experiencing each flavor, and learning about your food at the same time. Yoga enables us to slow down, breathe, and appreciate the small miracles. Eating should be no different. Much like breath, our food is the source of life and this class brings both together in a delectable blend.

Nagna - Naked Yoga – Ideally taken BEFORE Foodie Yoga (kidding), Nagna, or Naked Yoga is everything you’re picturing – and less. Unlike some of our other unique yoga classes, Nagna is not a new fad. Ancient Indian philosophers often practiced Nagna as a form of abstinence and the rejection of all things worldly and material.
If you’re not a philosopher and have not waxed in a while, this may not be the class for you. But if you’re ready to take you’re Vinyasa to the next level, these classes are available depending on your area. Good news: most Naked Yoga classes do screen all of their participants, so you don’t have to be concerned with wandering eyes (or wandering iPhones!)


Harmonica Yoga – By now you know that the practice of yoga is largely about breath control. Guess what else is about breath control? (No, not getting rid of the hiccups or Whitney Houston in the 90’s.) The harmonica! Serious harmonica players know that the intonation of the instrument is completely dependent on how focused the player is on his/her breath. Harmonica Yoga puts your breath control, well, where your mouth is! No need for anyone to remind you to breathe during this class. Your instructor, your classmates and possibly the neighbors 3 doors down will know you weren’t Waiting to Exhale!

Tantrum Yoga – You know all the things that you associate with yoga? The quiet, the soft music, the deep breathing, and dim lighting? Yeah, stuff those in your Lululemon’s and sign up for a session of Tantrum Yoga. Tantrum Yoga is exactly what it sounds like, but may find hard to believe: it is the practice of yoga that allows you to release not just your breath, but your anger, your frustration, and all of your negative energy by throwing a large scale tantrum vis-a-vie your 3-year-old self. This class not only allows, but encourages yelling, thrashing, and any physical expression of repressed emotions in a way that is healthy, healing, and oftentimes results in peals of laughter. Unconventional? Definitely. But if expressing unpleasant emotions results in laughter and laughter has been proven to be the best medicine, then hey! My inner-toddler is suited up in Pull-Ups and ready to rage!

The Yoga Rave – Nntz, nntz, nntz, nntz. Glow sticks anyone? Yoga Raves provide guided meditation, leading up to more intense and free-flowing music, movement, meditation, and mindfulness. While the music and lighting might be psychedelic, check your mind-altering substances at the door. The only high this class provides is straight adrenaline (with just a shot of black light…)