Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Social protocols are part of group practice
Unless we live an entirely solitary existence, through trial and error, through direct instruction, or through observation, we learn what are termed “social protocols.” For example, most of the time we know to stand back while waiting in line to use an ATM; we enter an elevator, turn to face the doors, and observe a measure of silence (unless we recognize someone already in the elevator); we express a final remark such as “goodbye” or “see you later” when ending a conversation. Who teaches us those behaviors? It’s not entirely clear, but we do learn them eventually.
When I tried my first yoga class years ago, I was clueless about what was expected. Beside my anxiety regarding the poses, the terminology, and (overestimated) level of difficulty, I was equally nervous because nothing was said about “the rules” of yoga.
Because a group practice is a social situation, there are a number of unspoken social protocols that exist. If you were to search yoga etiquette on the web, you would encounter a number of lists about what is and isn’t good form in yoga.
Many yoga studios, as well as Yoga Journal, give guidelines for new practitioners. The New York Times published an article with the subhead “Bad Etiquette from Beginners Sparks Yoga Rage.” [Want to read more? Look past my sign-off for “Invasion of the Serenity Saboteurs”]
Although most of us have already internalized these yoga-specific social protocols, it doesn’t hurt to mention them again, as they are principles that honor our fellow yogis as well as ourselves:
Intention
Yoga is more than exercise
To help you focus, you might find it helpful to dedicate your practice to a certain intention. This might be to become more aware and understanding, more loving and compassionate, or healthier, stronger, and more centered in your yoga and life. Or it might be for the benefit of a friend, a cause—or even yourself. By adding this dimension to your physical practice, yoga will become more meaningful.
Compassion
Become aware of the needs and feelings of others. Our fellow yogis and yoginis set aside time for their practice and time is a priceless commodity. Give yourself and everyone else the opportunity to make that time special. Unroll your mat or just sit breathe, and get centered. (Besides, early arrival ensures that you can find your favorite spot for your mat.)
If you have to use the restroom while class is in session, wait until there is a period of rest, such as child’s pose, or a transition from one section of the class to the next.
If you should enter late, please do so peacefully and quietly, without breaking the stillness of others' meditation.

Give the priceless gift of time to your practice
Whatever the reason, if you must enter or leave while class is in session, make yourself as inobtrusive as possible.
Savasana or the final relaxation is an important part of your yoga practice. Incorporate the time for savasana into your schedule. Please don't plan to leave class early; you only shortchange yourself from the benefits of your practice.





Mindfulness
The space you need? On your mat & between your ears
Be considerate of other students and refrain from strong perfumes. Because some people may have sensitivity to perfumes and strong scents; don't squirt before class. Just as well, your yoga towel should be washed in unscented laundry detergent and fabric softener. You may enjoy the smell of your fabric-softened towel; however, your fellow yogis around you may not.
When the weather is warm, or if you expect to have a vigorous practice, bring a small towel and water. Stay hydrated and keep the sweat cleaned up, especially if you are borrowing a community-use sticky mat for the class.
Communication 
Let your teacher know about injuries or conditions that might affect your practice. If you are injured or tired, skip poses you can't or shouldn't do, or try a modified version. Always keep your teacher informed of any changes and if you become pregnant. If you feel it is necessary, get your physician's approval before engaging in physical activity such as yoga. Let your teacher know if you feel painful discomfort in a posethis is your responsibility. Refrain from any pose that causes discomfort; listen to your body as it communicates with you. You know what feels best for yourself.
Honor 
Again, listen to your body. It is better to allow the body to open slowly than to push yourself too far, too quickly. Practice with safety in mind and careful listening to instruction in class. Although a teacher will lead you through poses with verbal guidance and occasional hands-on adjustments, listening closely to your own body is REQUIRED for a safe yoga experience. Come out of a pose at anytime to rest. Instead of trying to go as deeply or completely into a pose as others might be able to do, do what you can without straining or injuring yourself. You'll go farther faster if you take a loving attitude toward yourself and work from where you are, not from where you think you should be.
Respect 
Strive to get to class before it begins, so that you can check in with the teacher (particularly if you are new, have questions, or need modifications). The beginning of class, pranayama, and ending, savasana, are times when each student deserves quiet, stillness, and time for mindful awareness.
Please don’t bring pagers or cell phones to class. A ringing cell phone during asana really grates. Leave socializing and business outside, so the peace of the practice is not disturbed. Honor the stillness of your practice and explore your personal mind/body connection without distractions. If you are expecting an important telephone call, please set your cell phone to vibrate, and place the unit close by your mat. If the call comes through, leave quietly and continue the conversation outside of the practice space.
Blissful Play
Explore, learn and enjoy your time. Leave your ego at the door since your mat has no space for ego (competition, judgment, or pride). Live in the moment on your mat and carry that intention when you walk off your mat.

Don't confuse or intimidate others
Follow the teacher's instructions. If you’re an advanced student taking a beginners or intermediate class, stick to the basic versions of the postures so you don’t confuse other students. The instructor will give you the opportunity to take a more advanced variation when it’s appropriate. On the flip side, if you’re in an advanced class and you’re finding some of the poses difficult, then it’s okay to do a more basic variation–the teacher will provide you with modifications.

Take time afterwards to think about what you did in class, so you can retain what you learned. Review the poses you practiced, and note any instructions that particularly made sense. Even if you remember just one thing from each class, you'll soon have a lot of information that can deepen your own personal practice.

Gratitude
Seal your practice at the end of the class. The word  “namaste” traditionally ends practice. The word’s meaning is loosely translated to “I recognize the divine within you.” At the end of practice, the teacher will say namaste, and the class will respond with the same.

'Til the next blog, Auf Wiederseden und namaste,




Nancy's personal observation re: NYT article. Only a flippant, sarcastic New Yorker could get away with this article. Not for nothing does YogaDork want to be anonymous!


Invasion of the Serenity Saboteurs

By LIZETTE ALVAREZ
Published: June 5, 2010
Yoga is about casting off petty annoyances and toxic judgments — a seemingly Sisyphean task for those hopped up on New York City living. But what if irritation trails you right onto your mat, in the guise of ring tones, exhibitionists or bliss-busting interruptions?
“Is there no compact of dos and don’ts inside a yoga studio? Not really. Common sense and fellowship usually dictate. Still, teachers and students, no matter how tolerant, harbor pet peeves.
“Here are a few, in no particular order, culled from interviews and online rants.
“BARGING OUT Hearing a fellow student leave class noisily, as you soak in those final minutes of well-earned relaxation, is akin to being awakened midsleep by an air horn (well, almost). It is too sudden, too soon.
“‘You are Zenned out,’ said the blogger YogaDork, who asked to remain incognito, describing the splendor of Savasana, resting pose. ‘And people are fumbling for bags and rolling up the mats.’
“BARGING IN The same goes for people who march into a class, whip open their mats and plunk down their belongings, sometimes while others are meditating.
‘The thwapping of the mat—that is very jarring,’ said Anya Porter, a teacher and teacher manager at Yoga Works in Midtown. ‘The class is quiet. Sometimes there is music playing. People can be really loud.’
“OVEREXPOSURE Some men take a minimalist approach to yoga wear, and not everyone is pleased about having a sweaty, stripped-down man within arm’s reach. ‘There are guys in European bathing suits,’ said an outraged Kendra Cunningham, a yoga lover and comedian who lives in Brooklyn. ‘We’re not in Capri here; it’s Cobble Hill.’
“Ralph De La Rosa, a manager at Go Yoga in Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who describes himself as mostly tolerant, also draws the line at the half-naked male practitioner. ‘I like it when guys keep their shirts on,’ he said.
“Worse still are the men who wear loose-fitting shorts for comfort, with nothing underneath, prompting discomfort in the ladies around them. ‘It’s wrong,’ said an anonymous woman who posted on the Web site fitsugar.com, which recently riffed on what not to do in yoga class. During lunges, she said, ‘it was all hanging out.’
“GOING SOLO Ms. Cunningham strongly objects to people who defy the chanting of ‘Om,’ and instead belt out ‘Ah.’ Again, the culprit is usually a guy.
“‘It’s a syllable,’ Ms. Cunningham said, incredulously.
“Yogis and yoginis who conduct their own session within the class, choosing poses that diverge from the instructor’s calls, can be a challenge for teachers. ‘It is certainly distracting,’ Ms. Porter said. ‘It brings the attention and focus onto that person.’
“SOUND EFFECTS Jennifer Ginsberg, a blogger who posts on angstmom.com, wrote recently about the day her teacher uncharacteristically played a pop song in class and the ‘unimaginable happened.’
‘‘The woman doing yoga next to me began to sing along to the song,’ she wrote.
‘’Loudly and off key.’
“Ms. Ginsberg refrained from yelling an obscenity-laden command for her neighbor to shut up. She thought about leaving the class. But her teacher came to the rescue and asked the woman to stop singing.
“Broadway-caliber grunts are more common than singalongs and only slightly less exasperating. Grunts are, of course, acceptable since they are a natural reaction to exertion. But, as the YogaDork pointed out, it gets awkward if they sound ‘orgasmic.’
“CELLPHONES It goes without saying: Cellphone chatter, unending ring tones and texting are roundly booed. One teacher whose list of grievances was posted on fitsugar.com remembered a woman who answered her cellphone and shouted, ‘I’m in (expletive) yoga. Why are you calling me?’
“HYGIENE No one smells like a rose in yoga class. And you shouldn’t, because some people are allergic to or just dislike inhaling perfume. But body odor shouldn’t make you gag, either. Foot odor can be even worse. ‘I can handle B.O.,’ the Dork said, ‘but there is nothing worse than stinky feet when you are mat-to-mat and you are upside down and close to people’s feet.’
“In theory, none of this should bother us—or at least some of us. ‘Not to sound pessimistic,’ Ms. Cunningham said, ‘I feel like the only people who have achieved that degree of serenity are the teachers who have been practicing in India in mud huts.’
So, for those who live in walk-ups, arise to the melody of garbage trucks and slumber to the lullaby of barking dogs: Keep your clothes tight, your cellphone off, your oms in line. And, for Shiva’s sake, wash your feet.
Namaste.

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