BURGER SCOOT

Keisha, the singing yoga teacher

Recently, I had the opportunity to participate in a yoga workshop titled “Sacred Sound + Flow,” led by LaKeisha at YogaSix Land Park. As one of her students, I felt fortunate to attend this unique 90-minute session that featured a slow Vinyasa flow accompanied by live harp music, a meditative sound bath, and Keisha’s beautiful singing during an extended Savasana.

While I have enjoyed practicing yoga alongside various music genres, I had never experienced a live harp performance. I fondly remember how Heather, my former guru-like yoga teacher, would share the ethnic music she discovered during her travels. We’d flow through asanas to the sounds of Croatian, Polynesian, and Fijian music. Not all of these tunes lent themselves to a peaceful practice, and while I’ve enjoyed classical Indian music, the sitar hasn’t always resonated well with me. The few times I watched the documentary Monterey Pop Festival I would fast forward through Ravi Shankar and band seventeen-minute jam.

On one occasion, a substitute yoga teacher played MC Yogi through nearly an entire yoga session. album—her favorite artist—during class. Although the artist’s Hindu background seemed to qualify it as “yoga music,” it made concentration quite difficult, akin to practicing to The Beastie Boys. Most of the time, however, I manage to keep music as a subtle background element in my mind. I was both excited and concerned about attending a class featuring a live harp and voice, but I trusted the teacher and the studio.

During a challenging forty-five-minute slow flow session, I found myself chanting to stay focused, repeating “Please end” and “Savasana, Savasana, Savasana…” As the Vinyasa segment concluded, I collapsed onto my mat, determined to avoid dozing off during the prolonged Savasana — a challenge for someone like me who can fall asleep anywhere and especially a darkened quiet room. When I do fall asleep I nearly always snore. This Savasana was special, enriched by the sound bath, the serene harp, and Keisha’s enchanting voice. Though I had participated in sound baths before, this was my first experience with a harp and a singing yoga teacher!

Sam, the harpist who has performed with orchestras such as the UC Davis Symphony Orchestra, played beautifully throughout the workshop. He treated us to Debussy’s “Clair de Lune,” and other less familiar to me pieces. I found comfort in the meditative practice of letting go of thoughts that intruded on my peace.

Keisha’s voice is remarkably soothing, harmonizing perfectly with the sound of the harp during Savasana. My yoga journey has included practices at health clubs and even weekly sessions in my office’s conference room, but YogaSix Land Park is the first dedicated yoga studio I’ve experienced. Therefore, it’s fitting that they offer workshops like sound baths, Reiki, and singing yoga, creating a truly unique environment for our practice.