I sit here writing this indoors in my favourite cafe for the first time in what feels like forever. Indoor eateries have started to open after the easing of lockdown restrictions and I’m finally able to enjoy my very cliche oat flat white whilst typing away on my laptop. But something that makes me even more excited than good coffee is the opening of yoga studios, which have been closed since December. Many people will be finding their way back to their practice after some time off, and others may be interested in joining an in person class now that they are able to. If you have never done yoga before or had a long break from classes, I know that booking that first session can feel daunting to say the least. I’m a firm believer that every single person can benefit from yoga, but sadly many people feel intimidated or uncomfortable coming to yoga class, especially if they are new or have had time off.

If we don’t address what is making people hesitant to join classes or step into studios, a whole load of people are missing out on all the amazing things that yoga has to offer. So what can we do to make yoga studios and classes feel like a safe and welcoming space? And how can we encourage more people into these spaces?

I did a poll recently asking if my Instagram followers have ever felt uncomfortable coming along to a yoga class, or like it wasn’t for them. Out of the people who answered, a huge 78% said yes. I then asked why. There was a big range of responses here which I’ve shared below:

Feeling too inflexible
Looking silly/making a fool of themselves
Feeling self conscious about not being ‘good’ enough
Being conscious of body image and how they look
Being fearful of not doing the poses correctly
Feeling like the teachers are showing off or being too strict
Feeling like everyone in the class knows each other and being the odd one out
Not having enough inexperience
Worried about not ‘getting’ the spiritual side

Receiving these messages made me sad, but at the same time I totally get it. I was a beginner once too and have experienced all of these feelings in the past (and that’s coming from someone who is white and able-bodied). So if you are reading that list and all or some of them resonate with you, you aren’t alone. Being a beginner at something is always nerve wracking, but yoga truly is for everyone. As a collective, our jobs as yoga teachers and studio owners (something I dream of being one day!) is to make you feel welcome and supported in class.

Let’s start by busting a few myths. I’ve done this before, but I think it always needs emphasis.

Firstly, you don’t need to look a certain way to do yoga. Yoga is for all bodies, genders, sexualities, races, and ages. I’m so sorry if the information you have received before has led you to believe otherwise. Yoga is absolutely for you.

Secondly, yoga is not just about physical movement. Of course this is an important part of the practice, but it’s not the full picture. It’s a spiritual practice deep-rooted in ancient philosophy and there is so much more to gain from this practice than just exercise. To reduce it only to physical postures is to do it a disservice.

Okay, now that’s been cleared up, how can we make people feel more comfortable coming into yoga studios and joining their first class?

Of course everyone is different and there’s not really a one size fits all approach. Depending on someone's experience with trauma, anxiety, depression or other conditions, they may need more support than others. But as a teacher, there are a few things that I am mindful of to try and make my classes feel supportive and welcoming.

Making it clear what they can expect from the class beforehand.

Writing a comprehensive class description which outlines exactly what people can expect from the session is helpful in terms of managing expectations. There are so many different kinds of yoga, which is wonderful, but just labelling a class as ‘yoga’ doesn’t really give much insight into what to expect. If someone who has been to one yin yoga class before comes along to a power yoga class which is just labelled as ‘yoga’ and expects the same thing, they are probably going to be a little thrown! So detailed class descriptions are really helpful for people to learn exactly what to expect and decide if the class is for them.

Making the level of the class clear

This is always a tricky one. The term ‘beginner’ is very broad. One yoga beginner may have done very little movement before, whereas another may go to the gym regularly and have a long established meditation practice, but never done any physical asana before. Of course these two individuals will have very different starting levels. Because of this I always try to take it on a person by person basis, but that’s not always possible. At the moment, the physical element of my classes tend to be stronger and more dynamic, so as a general rule I don’t advertise them as suitable for beginners unless I know that someone wanting to come is already used to lots of movement. Again it’s about managing expectations and making sure everyone is clear on the class level and type so that there aren’t any big surprises.

Giving different options for different bodies

As I said before, every body is different and whether they have been practicing for years or are brand new, some postures will feel good and others won’t. Giving different options for different bodies is important to ensure that people are practicing safely and feel included in the class. I know it can feel daunting or even embarrassing to take a different version of a pose when everyone else in the class is taking a more ‘advanced option’ (note the quotation marks - what does ‘advanced’ really mean anyway?), so as a teacher I also think it’s also important to emphasise that the practice isn’t about looking a certain way, it’s about how it feels in your body. This is where the wider teachings of yoga in terms of non-judgement, and non-violence come in.

The topic of making yoga accessible is huge. It relates directly to structural inequalities and wider discussions around race, sexism, fatphobia and more (if you want to learn more about this, check out the work of Susanna Barkataki). But I believe that there are things we can do to tackle some common misconceptions around yoga and take steps to help make people feel more welcome and more supported when coming along to a yoga class. There are lots of brilliant teachers doing just that.

So if you are feeling anxious or uncomfortable about stepping foot back into a yoga class, I hope that the above has helped to bust some myths and make you feel a little more at ease. If you have any questions, queries or want to chat more about this - my inbox is always open! Email me at monayogauk@gmail.com

Increasing Inclusivity in Yoga