Week 8: BrewAsana at Moerlein Brewery

It has been a couple of years since I last took a yoga class, so when I heard that Karma Hot Yoga was holding free yoga classes on Sundays at the Christian Moerlein Brewery I knew I had to give it a try.

Moerlein Brewery entrance

I was mildly worried that I would not be able to do yoga anymore; the balance on my right side has been sketchy since I had foot drop two years ago. After having spinal surgery fourteen months ago, I went through six months of physical therapy in order to regain muscle strength, to strengthen my core and to reestablish my balance. Of the three, balance is the one still giving me grief.

My friend Kathy and I made our way to the brewery not really knowing what to expect. It was the second week of class and we were pleasantly surprised to see how well attended it was. I'm guessing there were roughly 75 or more participants, so many they were unable to fit everyone into the main beer hall, people spilling out into the foyer and hall.

Get there early to stake out a good spot

The class was fun and although I was unfamiliar (or had forgotten) some of the poses, I surprised myself by being able to do them (well, the balance poses on my right side were wonky, but that is OK) and was even more surprised by how much I got out of it.

In past yoga classes I never really learned the proper breathing techniques. No so with Karma instructor Kara Pelicano. She really stressed the fine art of breathing properly when moving through the sequences and as a result I felt totally energized, reinvigorated and focused by the end of class.

I am already looking forward to next week!



BrewAsana happens every Sunday from 11:30 a.m.-12:30 p.m. at Christian Moerlein Brewery, 1621 Moore St., Over-the-Rhine.
If you go: Bring your own yoga mat and water bottle. After class, the brewery offers a $1 discount on all beer for participants.