Yoga instructors are some of the kindest, most caring, most forgiving people on the planet, but that doesn't mean they can't get bothered by a student's behavior in class. Here are few things you don't want to do in front of your yoga instructor.
- Talking during class: It’s disruptive and inconsiderate to the other students in class trying to focus and relax, but it also means you’re not giving your own practice the attention it deserves. If you feel the need to catch up with a friend, make plans to do something after class ends.
- Ringing cell phone, or worse - answering it: Everyone is quietly moving through Sun Salutations and all of a sudden a phone rings and shatters the serenity. Always remember to turn your ringer off. If you’re expecting an important phone call that can’t be missed, place your phone on vibrate next to your mat and be sure to take the call outside.
- Coming to class sick to sweat out your germs: No one wants to breathe in your germs. The teacher especially doesn’t want to assist you if you’re sick and absolutely can’t stand when you leave your snotty tissues on the floor next to your mat. Take this opportunity to explore your home practice; return to the studio when you’re healthy.
- Wearing an unwashed outfit to class: For the same reason you don’t want to show up to class sick, you don’t want to wear a smelly yoga outfit either. In a small room, it doesn’t take much B.O. to offend the rest of the class. For everyone’s sake, always wear a clean outfit.
- The loud sigher. This person believes in making tons of noise while they practice. I’m not talking about ujjayi breathing, which is a yogic breath technique sometimes known as “ocean breath.” This person doesn’t sound like a peaceful ocean. This person sounds like a pack of feral cats. Sighing and moaning and yelping, letting the rest of the class known how every posture feels for them. They’re probably one of those people claiming to have had a yogasm. I don’t want to know...
- Students assisting other students: Unless you’re a yoga instructor and the teacher has asked you to help assist, do not get off your mat to adjust another student. You may have the best intentions, but it’s confusing to the students and disrespectful to the teacher. Let the instructor be in charge of helping students with alignment or spotting, and you concentrate on your own practice.
- The uptight yogi. These people definitely need to be at yoga because they are wound so damn tight. But at the same time, you don’t need them imposing their Type A Fascism upon YOUR yoga practice. They’re usually the first one there, often running and pushing to get the spot they want. If your mat isn’t perfectly lined up, they’ll probably tell you to fix it. They correct the teacher if they call out the postures wrong. Practice next to one of these people, and you’ll end up more uptight than when you started.
- A class of their own. The yoga class this person is doing has absolutely NOTHING to do with the yoga class that the teacher is teaching. This person is making up their own postures. They are rolling around, supine, in a fakakta head stand, in Pigeon, while the rest of the class is doing a round of Sun Salutations. I’m all for listening to your body and doing what feels good to you, but I can’t help but wonder why this person even bothered to come to yoga class when they can do the class they invented at home … on their own. (This happened today and I was so tempted to send her home... breathe in, breathe out)
- Not putting equipment back after class: Just like you learned in kindergarten, when you’re finished using something, put it back. Also, make sure you put things away in the same way you found them. It’s not your yoga instructor’s responsibility to clean up after you.
- Leaving loudly in the middle of Savasana: For many people, Savasana is the main reason they come to class. And when you abruptly get up after a few minutes, noisily unpeel your mat from the floor, accidentally drop your stainless-steel water bottle, and open the door letting bright light in, it’s more than annoying. If you can’t stay for the entire class, be sure to leave before Savasana to avoid disrupting everyone else’s bliss.
What’s your opinion? Did I leave anything out?!
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