New Yoga Trend Is What Nightmares Are Made Of

Snake yoga is apparently one of the latest trends in the exercise form that is well-known for its meditative and relaxing sequences. But for someone who is afraid of snakes, snake yoga may be anything but relaxing. Snake Yoga - The Latest Animal Themed Practice According to People Magazine, snake yoga is one of the latest offerings at LXRYOGA, a yoga studio in Costa Mesa, California. During the practice, participants can hold a ball python and let it slither across their body. The yoga studio owners have pet snakes they decided to incorporate during their classes. Tess Cao, the owner, said it can "help individuals overcome the fear of snakes through breath." The studio opened five years ago, right before the pandemic. When they were forced to shut down, they decided to get a pet - a ball python. Since then, the Caos have acquired 8 snakes. The ball pythons are "mindfully incorporated" into the class. There's also a pre-class orientation to address the ins and outs of handling a snake, to prevent causing the snakes any stress. Overall, the experience lasts 60 minutes, including 10 minutes of pairing and handling instruction, 45 minutes of yoga practice, and 5 minutes of photo opportunities. The LXRYOGA studio website claims it's great for: birthdays, team building, family outings, and date nights. The cost for this torture, ahem, class, is $160 for one to three people, and $50 for any additional participant, but four is the max currently. The classes incorporate handling the snakes, but students can also have the snakes slither across their bodies. According to Tess Caos, most people say it's "grounding and relaxing." Some people take the class for fun, while others have a genuine curiosity about the creatures. And others take the class to overcome their fear of snakes. Students leave feeling empowered and "with a new perspective and appreciation for snakes." The class has apparently led some people to want their own pet snake. Snake Yoga Is A NO For Me While the idea of snake yoga is absolutely terrifying and does not sound the least bit relaxing to me, it seems to be working for LXRYOGA. And no, no one has been bitten, not even the owners. Honestly, you couldn't PAY me to take snake yoga. I have been terrified of snakes my entire life, and don't see how deep breathing would help me overcome this fear. Now if you want to take me to puppy yoga, I'll be there. Even goat yoga I'd be game for. But there's nothing you could do to convince me to take snake yoga. And no, there don't seem to be any studios in the Augusta area that offer this unique practice. But if you're a yogi looking to shake things up, here's an opportunity for you. Surprisingly, it doesn't look like LXRYOGA is the first place to offer a yoga practice featuring these slithering creatures. Five years ago, a yoga studio in Vancouver was offering classes with four albino boas. https://youtu.be/RLXen4yjMf0?si=F5MVr5uc6fHIuXBp It's still a no for me. I'm perfectly okay with not conquering my fear of snakes but to each their own. I love yoga, but you can leave the snakes out!