Since founding The Class in 2011, Taryn Toomey has built a practice that resists easy definition. Often described as a workout, a ritual, or a release, The Class is a music driven somatic experience that prioritizes sensation over form, inviting participants to steady the mind, open the heart, and move what’s been held beneath the surface.
In this Art of Intentions conversation, Toomey reflects on turning an intuitive practice into a global movement without trying to resonate with everyone, the role music plays in regulation and catharsis, and how she supports her own nervous system through meditation, sleep as repair, and simple, embodied cues she returns to throughout the day.
The Class has been described as a workout, a ritual, and a release. For someone who has never taken The Class, how would you describe it?
This has always been a hard one for me. To me, it’s a ceremony, but I know that word can get lost for some people. So I usually say it’s a music driven, cathartic workout where we exercise the body to steady the mind and open the heart. We burn a fire to clear out the sludge so you can feel free.
When you started The Class in 2011, what was the hardest part of turning an intuitive practice into a real business?
Accepting that the energy I move doesn’t need to resonate with everyone.
Your work pulls from many modalities. Was there a moment when those threads clicked into a single philosophy, or has The Class always been an evolving conversation?
It’s always been an evolving conversation. As life is.
How do you choose music that supports regulation and release, not just intensity?
It’s about the tapestry of the playlist. It’s not about one song. It’s about deep diving and high expansion.
If someone is new to somatic work, what’s the biggest misconception they usually bring into the room?
That it has anything to do with how you look.
You guide people to track sensation rather than perfect movement. What shifts when that happens?
When people actually feel sensation, they become more connected to the body. Presence becomes easier to access, which allows for deeper integration.
Where do you see the biggest breakthroughs happen, physically or emotionally, during a class?
Generally about a third of the way in, but sometimes the first beat hits people right away. It really depends on how long someone has been practicing embodiment and what energy they’re working with that day.
How can people bring the principles of The Class into everyday life?
- Soften the tops of your shoulders.
- Notice when you’re stuck in a loop of thinking and interrupt it with breath.
- Flutter out your lips.
- Sigh loudly.
- Place your hand on your heart. Stay there. Speak from that place.
Morning or evening, is there a non negotiable practice that anchors you no matter how busy or where you are in the world?
Meditation.
What supplements, if any, are currently part of your wellness routine?
A probiotic, vitamin B, vitamin D, fish oil, and magnesium at night.
If you could offer one nervous system reframe to people navigating burnout, what would it be?
Sleep. Replace the word sleep with repair. Two hours before bedtime, start preparing. Buy an alarm clock and put your phone in another room.
Are there any podcasts you’re listening to on repeat these days?
- Ram Dass Be Here Now
- Huberman Lab
- Science Is Spirituality
What advice would you give to founders building purpose driven businesses today?
Make sure you’re still having fun. Does it nourish your heart? If it doesn’t, ask what does. Do you love your community? That feeds the entire system in a way that benefits everyone. Stay close to people who understand the heart.
How has building The Class changed how you take care of yourself?
I’ve developed a much closer relationship with the younger parts of myself that come online when I’m activated. I have faster access to them now, on a daily basis, and I try to love them well.
