Yoga Studio Etiquette
Thrive Hot Yoga Studio Etiquette
New Guidelines for a Post-Pandemic World.
“We don’t like to call them rules because we know some will become upset if they are broken. Others will see rules and immediately want to break them. Rules also turn yoga teachers into yoga police officers.”
We are thrilled to see so many new and old faces returning to yoga. In order to create the best group experience together, we thought this was an excellent time to revamp our etiquette guidelines in a post-pandemic world.
Though each person’s yoga practice is individual, each class is a collective experience. We should come to our mats with an attitude of respect for those around us to help everyone thrive.
Please note: We don’t look at etiquette as a set of harsh rules for people to follow but as a general attitude of mutual respect.
We don’t like to call them rules because we know some will become upset if they are broken. Others will see rules and immediately want to break them. Rules also turn yoga teachers into yoga police officers. Instead, we invite you to look inward to see how you are carrying yourself and how that affects those around you. How can we all benefit by creating a collective experience?
Jenny & Ian’s Approach to Yoga
We have always tried to take an attitude of treading lightly while also being tolerant of others who might not. We treat any outer disturbances as an opportunity to go even deeper into our practice. We see it as a challenge.
READ THE ROOM
Many yogis depend on a quiet space free from distractions to let go of their day and get into their practice. Our etiquette guidelines are recommendations to reduce distractions and disturbances for other practitioners.
Notice that we refrain from wearing strong perfumes and maintain good hygiene so as not to bother fellow yogis with sensitive noses. We are quiet when others are resting in the yoga room. We take off our shoes, so everyone has a clean space to practice. We don't bring cell phones into the room to reduce distractions.
AN OPPORTUNITY FOR GROWTH
Inevitably, someone’s cell phone will go off at some point in time. People will chat with each other in the yoga room. Someone next to you will have forgotten to take a shower. How can we use these potential annoyances as a tool for growth? Can we breathe through it and hold our focus?
Ultimately, we need to ask ourselves: how can we be kind? If we had to post one rule, it would be: “Be a good human.” But for those of us who appreciate lists and clarity, please see below for our updated guidelines as well as an important note to experienced practitioners.
Thank you for helping us make our studio a place where anyone at any level can Thrive.
PS. Looking to try something new? Check out the various class and instructor options in our class schedule. And be sure to click on the new student special if you’re new or haven't been to Thrive in over 12 months.
General Etiquette Guidelines
No technology in Yoga Room
To put it quite simply: don’t bring your phone in.
We have definitely noticed more cell phones in the yoga room post-pandemic. On the one hand, it’s understandable because they were our lifelines to other people and our social connections for a couple of years. Studies have shown, however, that constant stimulation from devices leads to anxiety.
The yoga room should be a place to unwind, let go of daily stresses and reduce anxiety. With a phone in the room, we lose the ability to unplug completely and let ourselves be immersed in yoga. Additionally, phones distract others trying to concentrate, focus, and balance.
Give yourself the gift of unplugging from the grid temporarily; your nerves will thank you.
If you are a medical doctor on call, bringing your beeper in is fine; please put it on vibrate if possible.
Wearing a smartwatch? It’s fine; just use airplane mode on your watch, so you aren’t getting texts, and silence it.
Teachers have a phone only in the Music classes to control music.
Selfies are fine to do before class as long as no other yogis are visible in the photo. Please put your phone in the hall or changing rooms when you are done.
Reduce odors in Yoga Room
While you may think you smell like a rose from your perfume, scented lotion, essential oils, fragranced laundry detergent, or the invisible cloud that trails you after smoking—any kind of odor in a 105-degree room is amplified. Your wonderful scent or odor—intentional or not—could give your fellow yogis a headache! If you are usually scented in any way—please shower before coming into class.
“Listen to the silence. It has so much to say”
This quote from Rumi resonates with us on many levels, and we strive to keep it top of mind inside our classroom. Remember that for many people, their yoga practice may be the only quiet time they get all day. Please maintain silence in the yoga room before and after classes.
We want our yoga studio to be a place of community and connection—it’s one of the best parts of Thrive! In the hallways and lobby—we encourage you to talk as much as you want with friends and fellow yogis!
Wait to enter the Yoga Room.
Please be patient and wait to enter the yoga room until the previous class students are out and the staff has had a chance to mop the room. Not sure when it is ok to go in? Ask the teacher at the desk—we’re always happy to help.
Practice the Class You are In.
Please follow the yoga series being taught during class. If you have an injury and need a modification, our teachers are more than happy to assist you—we just ask that you practice in the back row so as not to confuse beginners.
Leave no trace.
Do you saturate your yoga mat and towel? Do you leave puddles in the yoga room, or under the benches after class? Consider bringing thicker towels to stand on and an extra towel to wipe up after yourself. Trust us; no one wants to be dripped on as you leave the room, and no one from the following class will want to set their mat in your puddles, and no one wants to step in your puddles in the hallway, lobby, and changing rooms. Simple solution—be mindful of your trail if you sweat a lot during and after class. Bring a few extra towels for yourself.
Only come to studio healthy.
We all know this post pandemic… if you have any type of ongoing or lingering cold or cough symptoms, don’t come to the studio until that’s all passed. If you sense a random cough or sneeze coming, cover your mouth, and/or step out of the yoga room. Simple policy: recover fully at home from any sickness. Come back to the studio when fully symptom free.
Take advantage of Savasana.
Savasana (rest pose) happens between each yoga posture and at the end of class. Your goal is to be as still as you can in Savasana moments. Savasana is another pose in the series and will help improve your practice—but only if you actually do it. Learn more about the importance and benefits of Savasana here.
A NOTE TO OUR EXPERIENCED PRACTITIONERS
With many newer Thrivers in the studio, we know that our General Etiquette Guidelines may or may not satisfy all of your concerns in a post-pandemic world. Trust us; we’ve heard all the gripes lately and are working to address them as best we can.
It feels like a lot of collective stress is going around lately, but taking it out on each other is not fruitful. Part of a yoga practice is developing not just physical flexibility but also emotional and mental flexibility.
Consider this: even if we had rules posted all over the studio in flashing neon signs, there will always be someone now and then who doesn’t listen or read them, someone's phone may still go off, someone’s scent may still be particularly overwhelming. Is any of that worth your blood pressure spiking and potentially ruining your class or day? Keeping that in mind, here are a few additional guidelines we ask you to follow.
Give new students a little grace. Why is it important to be generous with new Thrivers? Because hopefully you were treated courteously and with respect and dignity when you were brand new to Thrive, even when you didn’t know all the rules. Let’s continue to pay it forward. Welcome newbies in the same way you were first welcomed. If they stick with us, they will eventually learn our ways.
See opportunity in distractions. To say you can only relax if there is silence, or that you and only have a good class if other people are behaving in a certain way, is a mindset that sets you up for failure. You simply can’t control the environment of the yoga studio mentally, that’s not the purpose of coming to yoga. Take a deep breath. It’s possible to set yourself up for success by taking a more all-encompassing mindset…. for example, you can enjoy silence when it’s there, and if it’s not, are still all-right, because you know distractions can be a golden opportunity for inner growth. Either way, you benefit!
Let's see the best in each other when we are in the studio. That is our commitment to you—to do our best to always see the best in you. A sharp word or reprimand to a new student by an experienced practitioner will only teach new students that the people at Thrive are intolerant, rude, and mean. And it certainly is not in line with the culture we have painstakingly strived to create over the last 16 years.
Take a deep breath if you feel triggered at the studio. Think about how you would like to be treated if you did something wrong. We’re all human. We all make mistakes. Most of the time, people are simply unaware; they are not intentionally trying to upset you. Come to us when you have serious concerns. Now that these new guidelines have been posted—please give them a chance to see if they help. If you still have issues, please don’t hesitate to contact us. We want everyone to feel comfortable in our studio and will work to the best of our abilities to ensure that happens.
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