I've taught hundreds of yoga classes since I first began teaching back in 2001 and have seen all forms of human behavior played out in class. Coming from a place of compassion and non judgement I know that not everyone is tuned into the silent rules of etiquette in class. So whether you're new to yoga or a seasoned student, here are some simple guidelines to follow next time you step onto the mat,
1. Remove your shoes and socks. We practice barefoot in yoga so we don't slip and so we can feel how our feet connect with the ground beneath us.
2. Give yourself space. Many yoga poses require your arms outstretched or a leg lifted to the side, so make sure you place your mat far enough away from your neighbor.
3. Keep your mumbles, grumbles and frustrations to yourself. When a pose is especially challenging, people will unconsciously begin a stream of rants against themselves followed by audible sighs and sometimes even a curse word or two. But instead of calling attention to yourself try making your frustration part of your practice. What happens if you change your response to the difficult pose and make it something playful and fun instead of difficult and unattainable?
4. For the sake of everyone's olfactory sense, please don't wear perfumes, body sprays or scented lotions. We breath deeply and often in yoga class and nobody wants a lungful of manufactured smell.
5. Don't disrupt the final pose. I use the last ten minutes of class for Shavasana, or Corpse Pose where you lie down on your back. Doing this pose at the end of class puts the body into a total state of relaxation and allows the brain to switch over into the slower Alpha brain wave mode. Lying in Shavasana also makes people feel vulnerable, so if you make any noise it's startling and adrenaline-producing for everyone in class. If you need to leave early, please go before we begin the final pose.
6. Leave the Blackberry in the car. Give yourself the gift of no ringing, beeping, chiming or chirping for one hour. Make yoga class a time where you are unplugging and getting in tune with your body and mind. The smartphones we all use today can create a mind that's constantly scattered, a nervous system that's jumpy and a body that's bound up and tight in the weirdest places (i.e. carpel tunnel from texting too much).
7. Save the chit-chat for after class. I'm all for catching up with a girlfriend or bonding with my spouse. But when you talk your way through class, even if you're in the back it's highly distracting for everyone in class.
