My classes are yoga classes, not wellness classes. The wellness industry has created a bit of confusion regarding what yoga was and currently has the power to be in the right setting. If students understand a few key parts of the yoga class prior to attending they will be able to discern if this is the right class setting for themselves and what they will receive from my teachings.
Time
The classes begin on time and end on time, students need to arrive well before the class start time- I recommend arriving no later than 5 minutes prior to class. Your nervous system is able to settle into a slower pace in those 5 minutes. See; Tapas.
Phones & Smart watches
It goes without saying these are not only muted but not on a mode that vibrates. If you need to take a call during class please don’t come to class, I think I’m one of the stricter practitioners about this rule. If your watch can still get notifications during your yoga session I implore you to switch to prevent this. Not only does your watch going off pull you out of your practice and your rhythm, it pulls the entire class out of it and the teacher. These distractions have ruined past yoga classes- all the people in the room come for the session, the session has a rhythm, a focus, and most of what you experience in a lesson is vibe dependent- the magic comes from vibe- when that vibe is interrupted by tech distractions, its like some one dropping a cymbal during a quiet symphony- it genuinely jolts us all, and its very hard for me to bring students back into a focused calm place after that jolt. We’re sometimes working with highly subtle work and meditation- you’ve no idea how sad it makes me to be on the cusp of settling someones fraught nervous system and someone else’s phone goes off, and the moments lost, and sometimes, those fragile students don’t come back- its a bit tragic when you witness this, so please turn your phone off entirely upon entering.
For the philosophy research; Pratyahara, Dharana and Ahimsa
Transference & relationships
You may identify with your yoga teacher but be aware of what you may be projecting onto them, there is sadly no offer of outside friendship, or relationship outside the teacher-student structure. This is 100% for the protection of both parties, I do not enter friendships with my students. I may be friendly with you around the start and end of class, but be very aware that this exists to put you at ease around your practice. Find friendships with people where there is mutuality and equality, there is none of this in the teacher-student dynamic. This doesnt mean I dont hold students in high regard, in fact it means the opposite; I don’t want anything from them, you can just come and practice yoga under guidance, thats where this interaction exists. There isn’t much regulation around this in the UK, but much like it’s a terrible idea to have relationships with therapists I think the same guidance should be in place here. See; Karma, Ahimsa, Aparigraha, Svadhyaya Santosha
Clothing
Please be comfortable, I’m not sure some of the clingy clothing that we think of when we visualise modern yoga classes is the right attire; I wear leggings often so people can see the angle of my legs and knees and when muscles are active or passive, but for the most part at home I practice in soft clothing- loose and easy, a bit like pyjamas. Non clingy is nice- especially around the ribs and chest- we twist and breathe so differently in yoga that tight sports bras and man made fabrics can start to feel quite clingy and warming/steaming. I recommend since this is the UK and these are community spaces that you bring a sweater and wear it until it’s time to remove it and pop it back on for savasana. I recommend you wear clean clothing that doesn’t have an odour as peoples senses can be heightened in yoga thus strong smells can really affect your classmates when they are breathing deeply. I also recommend and would prefer it if you dont wear very strong perfume/lots of it, many students have asthma, and other lung issues and may also be hypersensitive to smells, this sensitivity is increased when we do eyes closed breathing practices. If someone can smell your perfume two metres away it is too strong for these yoga classes. If your perfume is contained within your close zone/your bubble- thats totally well and good, keep it light for a group yoga class.
Manners
Help the participants in yoga classes by contributing to a place of safety; please be respectful of your fellow students; please refrain from using language that is offensive. Please enter and leave the space quietly. Please avoid rushing in and out of the space. Let’s create a calm space together. See; Brahmacharya, Svadhyaya, Saucha
Frankincense
In many of my classes I light a candle and use raw frankincense resin to make the room have a slight sweetened and grounded scent. The resin does not produce acrid or dusty sooty smells like incense sticks, however it smells familiar to those who may have had a Catholic background or was around this resin in the past. If this smell sets off something uncomfortable for you please let me know before coming to class and I will not use it. Indoors I no longer use incense sticks or cones, some of the blocks and straps are cleaned with lavender or vetiver oils, if you have sensitivities to scent please let me know in advance.
Moksha Yoga Lincoln 