Dancing with Māyā: Why Beer Yoga Doesn’t Offend Me
By Chahna Gupta
In the world of yoga, few things stir controversy like the words “beer yoga” or “puppy yoga.” For some, these fusions are blasphemous — a dilution of a sacred science. But for me? They’re part of the dance with Māyā — the illusion that both binds us and brings us closer to truth.
In Vedantic philosophy, Māyā is the veil — the temporary, sensory world that distracts us from the Self. But here’s the twist: Māyā isn’t the enemy. It’s the tool. Even the scriptures never tell us to reject the world — only to see through it, to transcend it with awareness. And how do we get there? Often, through the doorway of experience — even if it begins with a yoga pose and a pint in hand.
Someone may come for puppy yoga. They may leave with curiosity about breath. That breath might lead them to meditation. That silence might lead them to themselves. Was the journey less valid because it began with something cute or commercial? I don’t think so. In fact, I think that’s exactly how Māyā works when we choose to use it intelligently.
That’s why, at our events, we mix joy with depth. Amid the playfulness, we offer authentic Vedic teachings — from classical pranayama to traditional asana practices taught with reverence and lineage. The Māyā may draw the crowd, but the shastra (scripture) shapes the experience.
As organizers and cultural torchbearers, especially in the South Asian diaspora, we face a choice: resist how yoga is evolving — or engage with Māyā to guide others inward. I choose the latter. I choose creativity over gatekeeping. Inclusion over indignation. Instead of being offended by how yoga looks on the surface… choose to open the door wider. Meet people where they are. Let them in. And then gently guide them deeper.
Events like International Yoga Day Miami aren’t purist temples. They’re portals — full of color, sound, sometimes even chaos. But within that, there are sacred moments: a child sitting in stillness, an elder chanting a mantra, a first-timer feeling their breath fully for the first time.
Māyā brought them here. Our job is to show them the door beyond it.
Let the puppies play. Let the dance music pulse. Beneath it all, the soul is always listening.
About the Author
Chahna Tailor Gupta, an Ayurvedic Practitioner and certified yoga teacher, has a background in occupational therapy and health science with a focus in public health. Chahna was yoga trained in Rishikesh, India and had ayurvedic clinicals in Kannur, Kerala. Chahna provides yoga, pranayama, meditation, 200-hr yoga teacher training, and ayurvedic health counseling services through her company Namaskar To You. Chahna is a volunteer for Ekal Vidyalaya, American Association of Ayurvedic Professionals (AAAP), and Ayurveda Association of Florida (AAF). She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in Ayurvedic Medicine while continuing her self-studies in yoga.
