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Next Steps

Depending on your location, schedule, and interests, you might be more attracted to a studio, gym, a private teacher, or a DVD. You may also find that you enjoy a combination of all these methods! If you really want the full “yoga experience”, I suggest going to a studio that focuses exclusively on Yoga. On the other hand, many gyms offer excellent Yoga classes. You may also prefer to work with a private teacher to help you learn the basics before you venture into a group setting. DVDs are great because they are so convenient, and some very shy people might like to practice all alone. Why not try a mix of classes and DVDs?

Most people find that it is good to have plenty of options, and to try out lots of different ways to bring more yoga into their daily experience.

Studio Etiquette:
Yoga classes tend to start on time. It is a good idea to arrive 5-10 minutes early. That way, you can check with the teacher to see where the mats are kept in that particular studio. Once you select a mat, you can find a spot and get settled before class begins. Arriving early also lets you choose whether you prefer to practice in the front, the middle, or the back of the room.

As you walk around the studio to choose your spot, avoid stepping on other peoples’ mats. Mats are your personal space during yoga class, and people generally like to have them all to themselves:- )

Please don’t bring your cell phone into yoga class. A major component of yoga is stress relief, and yoga class is considered a refuge from things like work and ringing phones. Also, for people who relate to the spiritual side of yoga, the class is considered a sacred space that should be free of cell phones. If your cellphone is in your purse, and your purse is anywhere near the studio, please turn off any ringing or vibrating features of the phone.

If you know in advance that you will need to leave the class early, tell the teacher before class begins.

Always tell the teacher if you are a beginner student, and especially if it is your first class. The teacher needs to know this so that he or she can try to be extra-available if you run into difficulties.

Most yoga classes end with a pose called sivasana. In this pose, you just lie on your back with your eyes closed and your body completely relaxed. This eases the body out of the physical practice. After sivasana, your teacher will guide you to sit on your mat, and then he or she might say, “Namaste,” which means, “I honor the light in you and the light in me.” The students usually repeat this back to the teacher. It is kind of a mutual way for the teacher and students to say, “Thanks for practicing Yoga with me today.”

Good to Know:
Although it is important to try to follow the teacher’s instructions, you have the right to politely decline if anything a teacher asks you to do just really feels wrong or harmful to your body! Sometimes in group classes, a teacher might notice that you aren’t doing exactly what he or she asked. In this case, the teacher might come over to your mat and try to explain more specifically what she wants you to do. You have the right to politely say, “I understand, it’s just that my body really doesn’t want to move that way today. Thanks anyway for trying to help me, but I just don’t think that’s the right move for me today.” If the teacher persists, you can say, “I really don’t want to, and I would like to take a break,” and then go into Child’s Pose. Then you can either wait till the teacher moves on to something else that feels better to your body, or you might decide to leave if the teacher just seems to make you feel uncomfortable. If you do leave, try to do so quietly and peacefully.

You also have the option to take Child’s Pose at any time in any class. It is recommended that you do so if you feel too much fatigue or if you just need a moment to rest. It is a universal signal to the teacher that you need a rest. It is nothing to be embarrassed about. In fact many teachers consider it a sign of strength that you are not afraid to take a rest if you really need one. Child's Pose is pictured on this page to the left of "Studio Etiquette".