11
DCthe washington post
.
thursday, september5
,
2019BY ELIZABETH CHANGAmericans take yoga classes for
a variety of reasons, including
some that more traditional adher-
ents might not recognize as yoga-
related at a ll. F or certain p ractitio-
ners, the priority is mindfulness
or stress relief; for others, it’s
maintaining flexibility. Still oth-
ers view yoga mostly as a workout.
“There’s a lot of what I call ‘yoga-
flavored exercise’ out there,” says
longtime yoga therapist Carol
Krucoff.
But whatever the goal, yoga s tu-
dents are choosing to pursue it in a
quiet, tranquil, breath-focused at-
mosphere, with minimal distrac-
tion. Everyone attending a yoga
class, then, should follow eti-
quette rules that help m aintain an
aura of calm, concentrated effort.
Otherwise, they run the risk of
harshing someone’s hard-won
Zen.
I’ve been both culprit and vic-
tim when it comes to causing dis-
traction in yoga class; I’ve walked
into an already-underway session
during the opening meditation,
and I’ve felt my post-savasana
equilibrium evaporate as hard-
driving yogis waiting for the next
class charge into the room, eager
to claim a spot before I’ve even
gotten off my m at.
“Students are really entering a
wellness space where classes are
held for everyone to experience
their benefits, and there are guide-
lines in place to foster respect a nd
make everyone feel equally com-
fortable,” says Charlotte Raich,
who has been teaching yoga for
13 years and is the s enior member-
ship manager for Yoga Alliance, a
nonprofit organization for yoga
professionals i n Arlington.
According to Raich, yoga class
guidelines are undergirded by the
concept of ahimsa, one of the five
yamas, or moral values, of yoga. It
literally translates as not to harm
or injure and was the principle at
the center of Mahatma Gandhi’s
call for nonviolent protest. Ahim-
sa “means nonviolence in all as-
pects of our life, in our thoughts
and our behaviors and our actions
toward ourselves and others,” s ays
Raich, who lives in Arlington, Va.
“Everyone deserves to practice
yoga free from judgment, from
harm, exclusion or anything that
would keep them from being able
to be comfortable i n yoga.”
Guidelines differ f rom studio t o
studio. Some are posted online or
in the studio; some seem to be
unspoken. I checked in with some
studios and teachers to see what
etiquette tips they consider im-
portant, and there was consensus
on t he following.
Arrive early. (Especially if it’s
your first class.) This allows time
to find a space, unroll your mat
and collect your props (any blan-
kets, bolsters, b locks o r straps you
need to modify poses) without
disturbing anyone. It also gives
you an opportunity to get into the
right m ind-set. If you are late, w ait
until after the teacher’s opening
ritual — it could be a reading, a
breathing exercise, a meditation,
a sequence of o ms — before enter-
ing; otherwise you are interrupt-
ing the class while i t is trying to get
grounded.
Plan to stay for the whole
class. If you must leave early, let
the teacher know, and do it before
savasana, the period of final relax-
ation at the end of class. Again,
this is to not disturb your class-
mates during a key part of class —
experts often say savasana is the
most important and challenging
pose in yoga. Whether coming or
going, try not to step on anyone’s
mat.
Leave your shoes outside the
door. Most studios have a shoe
rack for that purpose; use it (or at
least put your shoes where no one
will trip over them). There are
cultural, practical and spiritual
reasons for this rule. As Raich
points out, many Asian countries
where yoga is practiced share the
tradition of removing shoes when
entering a home, school or temple
as a sign of respect. Furthermore,
yoga is practiced on the floor, and
tracking in dirt makes the studio
unclean. And, finally, the concept
of grounding — literally and figu-
ratively is very important in yoga
— it’s simply easier to ground
yourself if your feet are making
direct contact with the f loor.Leave your cellphone outside
the room. This is so you can fully
disconnect and others won’t be
disturbed. If, for some reason, be-
ing fully disconnected is going to
make you anxious (say, you have
children who need to be able to
reach you), some studios will al-
low you to leave it next to you on
silent.
Bring water, a towel, and, if
possible, your own mat. Many
gyms and studios r ecommend stu-
dents bring water. Ye t Krucoff, a
onetime Washington Post editor
who has been a Chapel Hill, N.C.,
yoga teacher and therapist for
more than a decade, has a differ-
ent view. “It’s a really good idea to
be very well hydrated before class
but traditionally in yoga you’re
not supposed to drink water dur-
ing the practice,” she says. In
Ayurvedic (traditional Indian)
medicine, yoga helps the body
build the digestive fire necessary
to break down food; t o drink i n the
middle of practice quenches that
fire. “ If you n eed to drink water it’s
fine,” s he said, noting that it’s nec-
essary in classes such as hot yoga.
But in general, yoga is “not like a
Western exercise, when you want
to be chugging w ater.”
You can use a towel for more
than wiping sweat — it can serve
as a prop to keep your head level
during s avasana or as a clean layer
over a communal yoga mat. In
fact, Krucoff suggests bringing
your own mat for hygienic rea-
sons: “You’re going to have your
face down on t hat mat.”
Avoid perfume or scented lo-
tion. These can be distracting for
fellow students who don’t find
your fragrance as pleasant as youdo. Some yoga instructors use in-
cense or essential oils to set
moods, but according to Yoga
Journal, more studios are going
scent-free.
Wear clothing appropriate for
the class. You want something
comfortable that you can move in
that isn’t prone to a wardrobe
malfunction or to bunching up
and getting in your way: think
stretchy, b reathable fabrics. Dress
codes vary. In hot yoga classes, for
example, it’s not unusual to see
shirtless men, and women in
sports bras. In other classes,
teachers might expect students to
be more circumspect. “Modesty is
traditionally a part of the yoga
practice,” Krucoff says. Dressing
in a way that won’t distract any-
one or make them uncomfortable
is a kindness to your fellow stu-
dents. Raich recommends pro-
spective students ask about a stu-
dio’s dress code to determine
whether they’re comfortable with
it.
What if you’re attending a more
traditional yoga session? Mat Mc-
Dermott, director of communica-
tions for the Hindu American
Foundation, said in an email,
“Even in ‘more traditional’ spaces,
contemporary Western yoga wear
is probably all right unless explic-
itly stated otherwise. If you have
doubts, just ask what most people
wear to class.”
Let the instructor know about
any physical issues and prefer-
ences. If you have a problem such
as a bad back or a frozen shoulder,
or if you prefer not to receive any
hands-on assists (this is when a
teacher touches a student to im-
prove their alignment or makethem more comfortable), let the
instructor know before class. Af-
ter numerous accusations of sex-
ual assault leveled against promi-
nent gurus and the upheaval of
the #MeToo movement, yoga is
moving toward “a consent-based
culture,” R aich says.
Clean up after class. Wipe
down any borrowed mats after
practice and put props away
where they belong. Some studios
also ask that you fold the blankets
a certain w ay.
Be compassionate and don’t
judge. “The yoga practice often
helps us to release pain and dis-
comfort in the body, mind or spir-
it,” Raich says. “The body might
release these toxins and emotions
in many different ways, in many
different forms,” including pass-
ing gas or crying. Tr y not to react.
“It always goes back to having the
yoga space being that safe inclu-
sive comfortable space for what-
ever comes up and for whatever’s
needed,” Raich says.
In fact, your focus should be
inward. During your practice, “ the
gaze is supposed to be soft; you’re
really not supposed to be staring
at anything or anyone,” Krucoff
says. “I like to encourage my stu-
dents to pretend each mat is your
own little yoga island, and all the
other islands are friendly. They
love you, you love them. It doesn’t
matter what they’re doing, just be
on your own little island and do
your practice.”
Be positive. “I think it’s impor-
tant to keep the tenor of your
interactions with other people in
the studio as one that’s positive, so
that it’s a place of positivity for
people,” says Brandon Copeland,
yoga instructor and owner of
Khepera Wellness in Washington,
D.C. “It can be a place where a lot
of people are dealing with a lot of
different emotions. Be aware of
your presence and how you inter-
act with other people.”
Finally, I asked McDermott of
the Hindu A merican Federation if
there are any etiquette rules that
pertain to an ashram. He replied:
“If there is a guru present for a talk
or session, you might notice that
followers of that guru touch h is or
her feet briefly when the guru
enters as a sign of respect. If you
are not a follower of that guru,
there is no need or expectation to
do this, if you don’t feel moved to
do so. However, behaving with
respect befitting such an es-
teemed teacher is expected of ev-
eryone.”
Which leads us to one of the
most important rules of yoga eti-
quette:
Be respectful. To the instruc-
tor, to the class and to yourself.
[email protected]FITNESSDo’s and don’ts of yoga class: How to keep the studio welcoming
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