Yoga. Since I’ve arrived in one place, I’ve returned to my yoga practice. In doing so, I’ve rediscovered both what I love about yoga (almost all of it) and what occasionally irritates me about specific studios/teachers. In an effort to both vent some steam, and to hopefully make a contribution to the community, I’ve started thinking about what a baseline for expectation setting should be for a yoga class. Right now yoga is very free form and self-regulated - which is both great and also a little bit scary. It means that, especially when traveling, there really is no way to know what you’re getting into with a new yoga studio. For those of us that might be a little bit nervous or introverted about new places, that can be especially intimidating.
So, what I’d like to do is present the following as a starting point (not an end point) for discussion. Let me know what you think - did I miss something? Am I being too anal about something? Does something here not belong?
Code of Rights & Responsibilities For Yoga Students:
- I have the right to the sanctity of my person.
- I have the right to respect for my practice.
- I have the right to take care of my physical needs.
- I have the right to have class start and end on time.
- I have the right to a clean and safe practice space.
- My practice is not for the satisfaction of the instructor’s ego.
- I have the responsibility to allow other students to practice without distraction.
- I have the responsibility to respect the integrity of the studio and the instructor’s practice.
- I have the responsibility to be on time and prepared.
Further elaboration:
- I have the right to the sanctity of my person.
This means that touching should be an opt-in activity. This goes as well for equipment. Instructors - and certainly fellow students - should ask before moving mats, towels, water bottles. Touch - for adjustment or any other reason - should be “opt-in”, or at least there should be an easy and clear way to “opt out” (tokens on mats seems to work well). And, certainly, inappropriate touch is always, well, inappropriate.
- I have the right to respect for my practice.
This means that a person’s practice is their own and should be treated with respect. That means no public shaming or negative comments about someone’s practice. It also means that - as long as it’s done with respect - a student’s personal beliefs about their practice should be respected. It also means that modification is always allowed. Nobody knows a person’s body better than that person.
- I have the right to take care of my physical needs.
This means I can drink water when I like, use the bathroom if I need to, and leave class if there is an emergency or a biological need to do so. Refusing water, kidnapping students, and disallowing use of the bathroom are dehumanizing and have no place in a yoga classroom.
- I have the right to have class start and end on time.
We all have lives outside of class, and it’s just plain disrespectful to not be able to plan in advance how a class will go. If a teacher or studio really does not want to begin and end classes on time, they need to be very clear about that in advance, and allow students to leave early if necessary.
- I have the right to a clean and safe practice space.
This should be obvious.
- My practice is not for the satisfaction of the instructor’s ego.
Yoga class is not about the teacher’s ego. Ideally it is also not about the student’s ego, but that is a personal journey for the student. When the instructor makes it about being “right” or having the student “listen” or “obey” or “understand”, they use their ego to injure.
- I have the responsibility to allow other students to practice without distraction.
This means that the exercise of my rights must impinge as little as humanly possible on the rights of other students to practice. If I have to leave, or get a drink of water, I must do so with as little disruption as possible. Modifications and deviations from the class practice should always be as minimal as possible to enable practice, and should always be done without disturbing other students (e.g., no grandstanding with inversions when the rest of the class in is child’s pose).
- I have the responsibility to respect the integrity of the studio and the instructor’s practice.
I have arrived at this class to receive the benefit of the instruction of the studio. If I disagree with the studio or instructor, I have the right to do so, but in as respectful a manner as possible. The studio has the right to enforce policies. And if I regularly disagree with the studio or instructor, I need to resolve that conflict quickly and quietly, or choose a different studio/instructor.
- I have the responsibility to be on time and prepared.
This one is obvious. Prepared means both physically (clean, dressed appropriately, mat, towel) and mentally. (no cell phones, no chatting)
What do you think?
