Yoga in Little Havana? Om Beats Brings You Sounds and Savasana

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For yogis, being a warrior is about more than having your Virabhadrasana down. It's about the lifelong process of discovery, of love, of truth. "That's why I created this space for me and others to heal, because I'm not perfect and I'll never be," says Om Beats owner Claudia Bustillos.

This sliver of a yoga studio quietly opened not too long ago on Calle Ocho (borderline Brickell), and is a testament to Bustillos's own life battles. A gradient blue and green wall with the etchings of a lotus flower blossoming all over represents Bustillo's own blooming from mud.

Though she's currently seven months preggers, you might recognize Bustillos from an unnamed nearby Brickell studio where she was part owner and teacher. Long story short, a series of convoluted issues caused her to go through an arduous battle with "Fraud Bullshit" (her nickname for her partner), which shoved her out of her own business. In the end, though, she came out strong. Like a warrior, with her own studio.

"That's why its blue and green, because the colors signify higher levels of awareness and hardening. That doesn't mean I am a master of it; it means I am a practitioner for life."

Bustillo's mantra is one that she looks for in the teachers she brings onboard, which at the present time includes a roster of 13 stretching gurus. Classes and types of yoga vary:  there's power hour at 6:30am every day, hot yoga, vinyasa flow, ashtanga, and therapeutic yoga. As a soon to be mother, the Venezuelan native is also offering mommy and me yoga and kids yoga, plus, there are classes en Español.

But it's not all downward dogs and baby poses. Om Beats has a mood-altering lighting system and a pretty rad sound system (hence the name), so every Friday there's Om Beats jams (think chakra flows, partner yoga, and other things that are the equivalent of a spiritual happy hour).

"It's not just about sweating and being hot or accomplishing a handstand, but about doing stuff on and off the mat." It's is why once every month she incorporates an Om Beats Movement class complete with a DJ, crystal bowls, and different guest teachers to build funds for an organization. (Side note: Bustillo is an avid animal rescuer and started up PetSoul.org before committing her life to yoga, so a lot of her giving back to the community is by way of animals). 

We got our om on during a biomechanics oriented vinyasa class with Carlos, who used to teach at Green Monkey and currently teaches at Dharma. Not only did he keep everyone engaged for the full 90 minutes by trying a bunch of non-ordinary movements, but also his energy and verbal guidance throughout the poses and biomechanics at play were way deep. Pro tip: If you're a fan of being upside down take his class, as it's headstand heavy.

Be sure to follow Om Beats on Facebook and Instagram so you can be in the know of workshops such as an upcoming Acroyoga one with Rob and Megan this Saturday at 12:30 p.m. or yoga for sex. (Too bad that already happened...).