Breath in Release theAxe and
Women combine empowered yoga poses and axe throwing to demonstrate ‘divine energy’
The practice of yoga has often been combined with various other activities to provide participants with a unique experience. Special classes have included goat yoga, laughter yoga and silent yoga.
Recently, a group of women decided to spend their Friday night combining yoga poses with axe throwing.
The special yoga event was called “The Victress and the Axe.” The public was invited to a journey of empowerment and feminine energy that began on a yoga mat and ended with an axe through a target.
Jennifer Fischer, owner of the Samana Holistic Center located in Pottstown, organized the female empowerment themed session.
Fischer said the idea for the unique physical event came after meeting the owner of Splitting Edge Axe Throwing, Steve Everett.
The two collaborated and decided to combine yoga with axe throwing. Splitting Edge is a new business that opened this winter in downtown Pottstown along East High Street. The recreational activity includes players throwing an axe while trying to hit a target several feet away. The space is available for corporate and special events.
Fischer has taught yoga at several other area businesses. She said when yoga is taught outside the studio then it allows people that wouldn’t normally try yoga to do so in a new way. She also said it provides an interesting experience to those who are familiar the practice such as giving yoga enthusiasts the opportunity to throw an axe.
“I just love collaborating with all the businesses in the area and doing something a little bit unique,” Fischer said.
Axe throwing was a perfect fit for the night’s yoga theme which was all about the victress or a victorious female. The theme was based on a mythological Hindu goddess called Durga.
“The whole story line is on the goddess Durga and Durga is a goddess that defeated Mahisasura … Mahisasura is a (buffalo) demon that could not be defeated by any man or any god. So hence comes Durga with her eight limbs and her blue-black skin and her divine feminine Shakti power. She defeats this demon that could not be defeated,” Fisher said.
“Shakti” is the female principle of divine energy. According to Britannica.com, Durga embodied the collective energy of other gods which helped her defeat Mahisasura. There is an annual festival celebrated in northeastern India called Durga-puja that is held in honor of the goddess.
The women who attended the victress yoga event learned that Durga carried a weapon in each of her eight limbs.
“So the whole class will be themed around wielding a new weapon and having a sense of purpose,” Fischer said.
Fischer explained that the yoga class incorporated flexibility, strength and visualization.
“You’re visualizing the story while you’re in the pastures and you’re bringing that story to life inside of everything that you’re doing,” she said.
The group of women did several breathing exercises and poses using creative female energy and keeping the theme of “victorious” in mind. Fischer said the night’s events showed participants the divine power and strength that they have within themselves which was why axe throwing was a complimentary activity to the yoga session.
“It doesn’t take a man to throw an axe. A woman can throw an axe,” she said.
Fischer and the other women who joined her class had never tried axe throwing before the victress event. To get started, axe throwing instructor Shane Dugan went over some rules, guidelines and techniques. He explained and demonstrated the one-hand and two-hand method to throw an axe. With the two-handed throw, you keep your dominant hand at the bottom of the axe and the other hand is right above it.
“You want a loose grip. You don’t want it too tight or the axe will drop. You want it straight out in front of you,” Dugan said.
To swing, you bring the axe straight back over your head then bring it forward by releasing the axe straight up.
Marisa Sholl, of Exeter, was one of the attendees of the victress yoga event. She liked pairing the axe throwing with the night’s yoga theme.
“I liked that it’s very different and it helped get my anger out,” she said.
Erin Katalenas, of Morgantown, was another participant. She said throwing the axe was a great stress relief and can help release pent up energy.
Fischer said it’s events such as the yoga and axe throwing night that makes people aware of the different options available for physical activity and a healthy lifestyle.
“Life gets so busy and so crazy that I think if we don’t … spend time with ourselves and enjoy ourselves and enjoy our community then we’re missing out on the big picture,” she said.
Fischer has built the Samana Holistic Center around her own healthy lifestyle journey. In addition to yoga; she also provides services such as juicing classes, nutrition information and healthy skincare.
For more information about the Samana Holistic Center, call 267-304-2043 or visit www.samanahc.com.
For more information about Splitting Edge Axe Throwing, call 484-300-4884 or visit www.spittingedgeaxethrowing.com.