A Los Angeles-based social media influencer, Jane Zhang, is receiving widespread criticism after sharing a video of herself participating in an unusual yoga session that involved live snakes.
The video, which Jane posted on Instagram, quickly went viral, amassing over 1 million views and sparking a heated debate online.
In the now-controversial clip, Jane can be seen practicing yoga at a California studio with a snake wrapped around her neck. According to Jane, the session lasted an hour, and she was thoroughly briefed on how to handle the snakes beforehand. She assured her followers that none of the snakes used in the session were venomous.
"This is the only place where you can do yoga with a snake," Jane shared in her post, expressing that the idea seemed so wild to her that she couldn’t resist booking a session. She described the process: upon arrival, both an instructor and a snake handler provide detailed instructions on handling the snakes, after which participants can choose their snake.
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Despite her initial fears, Jane explained that she managed to overcome her anxiety and focus entirely on the yoga by the end of the session. "I've always been a bit afraid of snakes, and I had never even held one before," she admitted. "I was nervous because I knew snakes could sense fear, but I was able to conquer my fear and the session went smoothly."
The unique yoga practice, coined as 'Snake Yoga,' was introduced by the studio's owners as a way to help people confront their fear of snakes while enjoying the meditative benefits of yoga. However, the practice has not been well-received by everyone, with many social media users slamming the concept as irresponsible and dangerous, despite the precautions taken.
While some viewers praised Jane for her bravery, others criticized her and the studio for promoting what they see as a reckless trend.
