What to watch out for in yoga communities

Not all yoga spaces seek to honor yoga's roots. Beware of spiritual bypassing, toxic positivity, cultural misappropriation, and cult vibes as you develop a yoga practice.

Yoga carries a stereotype, at least in the West. When I ask my students to share what they think yoga is and how they’ve seen it represented in the world, they tell me things like:

• It’s rich white women in leggings on their way for more “mommy juice”

• The hippies sitting around sharing “good vibes”

• Super flexible, thin people posting epic poses on Instagram

• Exclusive groups of people that judge others and inaccessible practices

In my yoga teacher training, I was stunned by how prevalent these stereotypes are in my culture. I felt embarrassed, which is a feeling that only got worse as I learned how many teachers and studios misappropriate symbols, words, and teachings from ancient yoga texts and practices.

I started to notice “OM” symbols in disrespectful places, statues in dishonorable positions and places, and the wrongful use of “namaste” all over branded materials, like “Namaste away from cupcakes” and “Namaste in bed.”

Not to mention the controversy of using “namaste” to end a class as it is most properly used as greeting for revered individuals.

After over a decade of practicing in dozens of studios, I had never heard the teachings I was learning in my YTT.

As I reflected on prior instructors and studios I’d visited and loved, I couldn’t help but notice some mistakes and harm. Many guides had referred to the left and right sides of the body as male versus female, rather than honoring the gender fluidity of Hindu mythology. I’ve since learned the left and right sides better relate to nature - the moon and the sun.

I remembered every single yoga class ending with “namaste” and the same mudra, rather than offering context for the language and positioning used in the practice.

I knew I had been frustrated by seemingly forced positivity some places wanted from students. Whether it was the “good vibes only” signs or the “just be grateful” messages shared, I felt like it was wrong to feel all the things I felt. Why couldn’t I just be happy.

Yoga certainly has given me access to more joy in my body, but as a trauma survivor I’ve been susceptible to the toxic messages that many yoga spaces perpetuate.

I’ve felt a need to keep up and synchronize my movements with others when that pace was faster than was right for my body. I internalized language that focused on flexibility and aesthetics rather than mobility and strength. For a time I thought others could declare a space safe, only to learn that real safety has to be built, co-created, and felt within.

I even found myself enjoying a meditation community that ended up feeling a bit cultish when needs and concerns were dismissed.

Through my experiences and trainings, I’ve developed skills to discern which instructors and spaces share yoga in a way that feels authentic and safe while honoring yoga’s roots. Here’s what to look for:

1. Inclusive language: Listen for words that welcome you as you are to a space and encourage you to explore your practice freely. Invitational language rather than stern directions will feel better for trauma survivors.

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2. Accessible practices: Review course schedules and descriptions for insight into the variety of courses offered. Many studios will offer different styles of yoga, such as vinyasa (usually a mid-paced, active flow class), yin (long holds of poses, supported with props), and athletic based classes (i.e. yoga sculpt, hip hop yoga, etc.). Ask staff and other students for input and information of classes, and listen and look for options that resonate with your mind and body’s needs.

3. Consent: Look for consent cards, chips, or objects that help participants communicate whether or not they would like instructors and/or aids to provide hands on support during sessions. If these resources are missing, create your own to place near your mat and/or talk to the studio about including this resource in order to keep your business.

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4. Diversity: Look for owners, staff, and instructors that represent the diversity in the world. You want to see diversity in age, race, gender, philosophy, mobility levels, instruction style, and more. Seek out venues, workshops, and retreats that are led by woman of color. Lean into learning new things and exit classes or communities that perpetuate hate, harm, or harassment to others. Beware of subtle negative body messaging that some instructors use as “motivation.” Notice whether the asana classes incorporate other limbs of yoga and leave time for more than two minutes of savasana.

5. Empowerment: Check whether the interactions and classes empower you to embrace yourself and assist you in your evolution. You want spaces and teachers that do not force one experience and leave room for heavy breaths, slow movements, and tears. You want teachers who believe they are always students first and who can meet you where you are at.

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I also want to note that I have made mistakes and continue to learn as an instructor. This week’s post is intended to build awareness around how to practice yoga in a way that limits harm to yourself and others. It is not intended to cast shame on those who practice differently that I may.

5 Ways I Practiced Yoga Last Week

1. Santosha (contentment): As I start some spring cleaning, I notice the want to replace the things I’ve removed quickly. Instead of following that pull, I’m leaving space and feeling relief in this opening.

2. Pratyahara (withdrawal of sense): I’ve noticed that removing my glasses dims my sense of sight, which seems to reduce anxiety of being perceived in some spaces.

3. Dhyana (meditation): Morning meditations continue to be my most grounding practices. I listened to two Sarah Blondin tracks this week on Insight Timer.

4. Pranayama (breathing): During several moments this week, I noticed a certain stubbornness wanted to take over and push me towards numbness and isolation. Before locking into this response, I took a few breaths and came back to myself. I realized I had options in these reactions, and I just needed a moment to take care of myself.

   These moments feel like a movie character with two versions of myself resting on my shoulders cheering me to follow their lead us they pummel each other to gain my attention. I’m grateful that most of the time now, I can understand them both and make a conscious choice of which actions to take.

5. Asana (physical movement): This week I guided some extra classes, and I incorporated the “Seeking Approval” passage from Jaiya John’s book called Daughter Drink This Water. It reminded us to not wait for the approval of others as we moved through poses that lifted our chest to the sky.

5 Ways You Can Practice Yoga This Week

1. Santosha (contentment): As you feel the urge to purge, notice how relieving it is to create space and feel good about what you already have.

2. Pratyahara (withdrawal of sense): When you feel overwhelmed, remove a sense for a few minutes. This could be putting on headphones or inserting earplugs; this could be removing your glasses or closing your eyes; this could look like floating in a deprivation tank or surrendering on the ground.

3. Dhyana (meditation): Step outside and listen to the sounds of spring. Close your eyes or look up at the sky. Pause, while breathing slowly. Stay as long as you’re able.

4. Pranayama (breathing): Let your breath be windy, things are moving around. Inhale fully and blow the air out, imitating the sound and movement of the March wind. You might move your body as your breath invites you to explore and be a little messy.

5. Asana (physical movement): Practice poses that help you embody spring, such as butterfly, frog, half frog, and lizard.

Beyond this point, this week paid subscribers receive a spring meditation and videos on how to incorporate land and lineage acknowledgments into yoga practices to honor yoga roots. Weekly affirmations and a yogic philosophy mini lesson also await you.