The Ale Vinyasa: to combat Covid blues – we utilised Adnam’s Old Ale in a sequence of moves to stretch and exercise ourselves, finding colourful bottles of this dark winter brew just right for our class. It should be noted it is inadvisable to drink alcoholic beverages whilst doing yoga. Hatha yoga is about balance – quite literally. If you drink alcohol before or whilst you do asanas, it will upset your sense of balance and can result in injury.
Mental health is linked to our capacity for physical balance. Alcohol is a labyrinthine stimulant, affecting the inner ear which is where we perceive balance. In Ayurvedic terms it is also regarded as being Tamasic or a kind of heavy, non-vital food. As opposed to Sattvic food (ie lentils or mango juice) which is light and life enhancing. But ….. we all know the life giving properties of ALE.
Adnams Old is a dark, winter brew – light in gustatory effect. A bit like mild used to be. However, the bright livery looks good against our yoga mats. Apart from their flavour, dark beers are often rich in vitamin B with some iron content – an additional benefit. We found bottles of Adnam’s Old to be just right for use in the ‘Ale Vinyasa’ as espoused by ‘Swami’ Alan. Vinyasas are sequences of moves which stretch and exercise the body. The bottle is used as a counter balance and focal point.
Beer has an efficacious influence on the alimentary canal. Moderate imbibition aids digestion and assists bowel movements. Adnam’s Old was first brewed in 1890 and has an alcohol content of 4.1% by volume. If as a bloke, you would like to be a bit more grounded and flexible – without giving up some of our Western customs, then why not join our blended yoga sessions here?
Photos by Max