Disclaimer: no puppies involved.

A unique yoga experience is creating a buzz, or shall we say hum, among NYC yogis and meditation enthusiasts. Put your paws together for Humming Puppy: a stunning, sophisticated, yoga studio in Chelsea that boasts a large “shala” that actually “hums” during each class. Odds are, you’ve seen this popping up on your Instagram feed. Luckily, you have me to tell you what it’s all about. But first, I definitely owe a big “thank you” to my gal Christine, for getting this spot on our radar in the first place!

Walking through the doors of humming puppy is like being transported out of one of NYC’s busiest neighborhoods and straight into a tranquil paradise. I saw the pictures online, but they simply don’t do the studio justice. It’s extra bright thanks to the large windows allowing for natural light, incredibly spacious, and downright GORGEOUS. I dare you to try to attempt to embrace any negative energy in this space. It’s just not possible. And that’s just the waiting room, where you can also grab tea and coconut water either before class or after if you’d like to relax before jumping head first into your hectic day. The actual studio, which they call a “shala” is also tastefully designed and very luxurious. The walls are black and the window is blocked off, prohibiting any natural light from coming through, which I thought helped keep me super focus and grounded.  The studio itself is quite spacious and open, so don’t worry about feeling claustrophobic. There are a few crystal bowls set next to the instructors mat, and the entire studio is heated to a constant 80 degrees. Doesn’t seem like much, but get ready to SWEAT.

And now the question your asking: what’s this “humming” situation about? Quite literally, the studio has a constant humming sound that plays through the entirety of the class. The hum is more than just a simple sound, as it comes from a combination of frequencies between 7.83hz and 40hz. Intrigued? So was I. Especially having tried a vibroacoustic therapy treatment in the past.

That type of treatment is based off of the concept that our cells are always vibrating, and our cells will actually copy the vibrations they are exposed to. If we expose our cells to specific frequencies, we can apparently experience mental and even physical changes. As per the theory, the lower our vibration, the more stressed out and pessimistic you’ll feel. Interesting, right? So, Humming Puppy submerses you in the combination of 7.83hz and 40 hz. Your body should mimic these frequencies, leaving you feel AMAZING AS HELL throughout the entire practice and the rest of your day. What do these particular frequencies do, though? I’m no physicist, but according to the studio, the 7.83hz frequency is called the “Schumann Resonance”, which is the “frequency of the earth itself and helps ‘ground’ you.” The 40hz frequency is corresponds with “Gamma” brainwaves, which are the highest frequency brain wave and are associated with both ‘peak performance’ and expanded consciousness. Coolio. Apparently, the impressive achievers of the world produce more gamma waves than an average plebian. Lemme get some of those please. K great.

So now you’ve got the humming down, but what about the yoga? As someone who’s taken various vinyasa classes, I’m confident in saying that this might be one of the best I’ve ever tried. We took the “unified hum” class, which is a beginner class that has a steady pace. After we warmed up, we started off by going through various different poses, holding them for a few breaths before going through a sun salutation. Then we cut down on the time we held the pose, to the point where we moving through them with single breaths and finishing the round with another flow. It felt like quite the workout, and the instructor, Tejal, was amazing in that she offered hands-on support and corrections (if you wanted them, of course!) I am always open to corrections because I want to improve my form, so I welcomed her adjustment to my triangle pose. She was super relaxing and made sure to walk around the room so everyone got attention and everyone felt like she was speaking directly to them. I absolutely loved Tejal’s savasana experience because she played the crystal bowls and created the most tranquil atmosphere I could hope for on a Tuesday morning before work. I felt incredibly grounded, confident, and ready to take on the day.

Humming Puppy offers two other types of classes, one hatha style called Mellow Hum, and the other that’s definitely more dynamic, hence the name “Dynamic Hum.” You can check them out here.  It’s also interesting to note that Humming Puppy doesn’t have a special “style” of yoga. No matter what kind of yoga you practice or what kind of intention you try to set, you’ll always feel welcome and comfortable there.

Have you been to Humming Puppy? What did you think?! Even if you take the same style class with the same instructor, you’re guaranteed to have a different experience, so I would suggest trying a few different classes. OH YEAH, your first 3 classes are FREE!!!