(Photo: Tim P. Whitby/Stringer; Getty Images; Canva)
It can be difficult to make everyone in a yoga studio feel comfortable. Each class brings together a group of unique individuals who bring varied knowledge, body types, mobility and much more.
If the goal is to provide a truly transformative practice—and a classroom that students will want to return to again and again—a welcoming environment for all should be the goal. But what exactly does that mean? In short, the vulnerability that yoga brings requires a container that supports it. Paying attention to accessibility, atmosphere and clarity in and around each lesson is a strong starting point.
Things students need to feel comfortable in yoga class
Allowing everyone to come as they are, and more, can help make the yoga class feel like a more sacred space for students.
1. An atmosphere of openness
There’s a reason getting to your mat is always a big deal, and that’s why it should be a good place to be!
Yoga classes don’t have to be all sunshine and rainbows, but a general atmosphere of acceptance and friendliness can help everyone really relax and show up for their practice. It helps to remember that trying a new class, or even attending a familiar class on a day off, can be intimidating for students.
2. Pre-class prop instructions
It’s never a good time to pause your practice to run over and grab the blocks and strap you need. It’s always a good idea to make sure all students know what props they need before class starts, even if that means repeating the details a few times.
3. Consent before practical adjustments
This is a big one. Practical adjustments can be incredibly helpful in accessing a safe and aligned expression of a pose, but not every student is comfortable with being touched. Asking permission is a must. This can look like asking permission to make adjustments on a mat-by-mat basis, or offering cards to students before class to tacitly communicate their preferences: face up means open for adjustments, face down means “no thank you.”
4. Kindness
Teachers have bad days too! Still, a lack of friendliness and warmth can result in a space that feels unwelcoming, especially for students who feel intimidated by the mere practice. Like most jobs, leaving your stuff at the door and showing up as your best self will usually result in a better experience for everyone.
5. Clear class descriptions
While regulars have learned what to expect from each teacher, class type, and time slot on the schedule, newbies to a studio have no idea what they’re walking into unless you tell them. By including expected levels and styles in your public schedules, students can decide which classes make the most sense for them.
6. Audible signals
If you want to sink yourself into your yoga practice, you need to be able to follow the class with ease. This means clearly formulated signals that can be heard over any music. Even if most of the class knows the sequence, some students may feel lost and confused, assuming everyone knows what pose comes next or how to transition into it.
7. Thoughtful variations
Not every body can access every pose the same way. By offering variations, including multiple versions of more challenging poses, you can ensure that everyone in the class gets some of the benefits of each pose.
8. Patience
Yoga teachers are professionals; it’s part of it. Those are yoga students students. Learning is the goal! Remaining patient while the students assume the poses is one of the most important roles of the teacher.
9. Enough silence for a personal experience
Music is fairly ubiquitous in today’s yoga classes. But a moment (or several) of soft tunes or even silence allows many students to tune into their own mindscape, breathing and much more.
10. Teachers pretending to be themselves
Authenticity promotes authenticity. When teachers come to class as their true and fallible selves—occasionally clumsy directions, forgetting part of a sequence, occasional laughter, and so on—they give students permission to do the same.
11. Empowerment to do what feels good for your body
No one can know what is going on in the minds and bodies of every yoga student in the class. Extensive reminders that this time is for them and that they should do what they need to do, within reason of course, are always welcome. This includes the ability to opt out of any pose at any time and the freedom to dive into Child’s Pose or Downward-Facing Dog or Savasana when necessary—and without judgment.
12. Savasana
Or, if not Savasana, some kind of ending – five or more minutes of real silence, no shortage. Without at least a few minutes of integration at the end, even the most meaningful yoga classes can end up incomplete.
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