Cusco & Yoga

I really enjoyed the yoga class we took here in Cusco. I was very interested in how the class would be taught in comparison to the yoga classes I teach and take back at home. I was in awe of the beautiful space that the class was taught in with both the plants everywhere and the windows being so open. Our instructor spoke primarily in Spanish and cued into postures slowly and clearly. A difference that I noted was the use of Ohms and chanting/singing. The significance of the Ohm is to send vibrations and create a sense of unity among members in the class. In a typical Vinyasa flow at home, there are no ohms included within the class, but in Hot 26 (Bikram) yoga there is a use of ohms and chants. Upon a bit of research, I discovered that Bikram retreats and training are more present in Cusco/Peru than Hatha/Vinyasa whereas many Yoga Teacher Trainings (YTT) are Vinyasa based. At a basic analysis, Bikram is more culturally rooted where Vinyasa in the United States has become more “workout based” and it was incredibly interesting to see the cultural and historical elements of the Bikram based yoga practice we experienced.