Setting a Yoga Friendly Environment

Often it is the simple things we overlook or take for granted when we are setting up our environments to teach a yoga class or to practice at home.

As yoga teachers we often do not have the luxury of being in a beautiful yoga studio. It is great if you are so fortunate but many teachers are in shared rooms, classrooms, basements, gymnasiums, and anywhere there is a large amount of space to spread out and put a bunch of mats on the floor.Often you will not have control over some of these issues however when you do it may well add joy to your teaching and enjoyment for your students.

Here are some basic guidelines for a great yoga environment:

1. Look at the lightening. Can you soften it and still be seen well? Consider a lamp or twinkle lights. Be careful with candles.
2. Ventilation, can you get some air flowing or open a window. This is great if the weather is nice and the birds are singing.
3. The temperature, 70* to 76* is ideal for yoga.
 4. Music or no music, it is personal preference, however after teaching over 4000 hours of yoga I find the prefrence of most students is low instrumental music or soft chanting music like Deva Premal.

5. Incense: To burn or not to burn. Most people love the smell, just not in their face. If you can burn them before or after class. If you feel they need to be burned during class move them where they are not wafting through the room. Many folks find it hard to do pranayama with a big gulp of smoke.
Nag Champa are my favorite and I burn them regularly in my home space.

Check your fire codes at work and make sure it is acceptable. The college where I worked for 10 yrs had  a no incense or candle policy.

6. Props, if you can not provide clean props its probably better not to use them. Otherwise keep them washed regularly, this includes public mats, use an environmentally friendly spray with a cloth.

7. Be authentic. When you teach your voice and your touch are as important as the air and the lights. You need to be your authentic self, if you are not a sing song person refrain from using that voice. Speak in your normal voice, adding compassion to your tone, make sure you can be heard without yelling. 

* So turn the air to the right temp, turn on some soft music, dim the lights, have some nice smells going on that are not overpowering and speak in an authentic yet soothing voice and you will surely have a wonderful class.


Sincerely,
Courtney