Setting the Tone in Your Yoga Classes

Creating an Inclusive and Welcoming Yoga Class Culture

Let’s talk about you set the tone in your classes as a teacher. Whether you are teaching in a gym, studio, community space, online, or running your own studio, it’s part of your role as a teacher to create a welcoming and inclusive class culture.

Watch the video below or scroll down for the transcript notes and journal prompts.

Setting the Tone in Your Yoga Classes – Creating an Inclusive and Welcoming Yoga Class Culture

Today we will talk about a range of ideas and strategies, including modeling, setting boundaries, and creating class guidelines so that every student feels safe, welcome, and celebrated in your classes.

We don’t want people to feel like they’ve stepped back into high school with the cliques and the cool kids and in-groups where some people feel ignored or unwelcome.

We do want people to feel as though they are seen, they are welcomed, and that they belong.

This is something you are responsible for as a teacher. Setting the tone, creating guidelines, and building a class culture.

Journal Prompt: Brainstorm

Let’s start by brainstorming some words together about how you want your students to experience your yoga class – whether it’s their first class or they are a regular student.

• Friendly
• Non-competitive
• Equitable
• Inclusive
• No hierarchies or pecking order
• All ages and abilities are celebrated

Take some time to think about what specific words, feelings, or concepts you want your students to associate with your classes.

This might include mantras like “eyes on your own mat”, “honor your own body”, listen to your breath”.

For myself, some of what informs my class culture are experiences that I’ve had as a student that I don’t want my own students to have.

I remember going to a new class one time – I had been living between Canada and Australia and didn’t have a regular studio, so I went to a space nearby that I’ve never been to before. Regular students were warmly welcomed, people had chats with the teacher and each other, shared jokes, got each other props. I waited for a long at the check-in desk before being checked in – professionally but not with much friendliness – and that’s the last time the teacher looked at me or interacted with me for the rest of the class. Needless to say I never went back. I was an experienced yogi, so I knew this wasn’t what all yoga classes were like and it didn’t deter me from finding another class. But, had I been a new student I might never have tried yoga again.

Journal Prompt: What feels welcoming/excluding to you?

Can you think of a time when you were made to feel welcome in a class? Or a time when you were made to feel unwelcome. Take some time to think about what your teacher or fellow students did to make you feel more or less welcome and included in your class.

Class culture foundations

• When creating a class culture, follow the golden rule: treat others as you wish to be treated.
• How do you think people want to be greeted in class? Make eye contact, verbally welcome people, remember their names as best you can. If you can’t, say “it’s great to see you!”
• Model the behaviour that you want to see. Your students will match the standards that you model. Speak, act, and engage with kindness, compassion, and respect for others and yourself.
• Be consistent with your words, your conduct, and your class guidelines.
• Identify clear boundaries about behavior, speech, and conduct in your classes. Enforce the standards you’ve set. Reinforce kindness and respect.
• Let people know what to expect from the class, what’s expected of them, and what they can expect from you. This might mean you have a code of conduct, studio guidelines, or something that outlines your commitments and expectations.
• When in doubt, refer back to your yoga ethics – the Yamas and Niyamas.

Teach the world how to treat you

You’ve heard the saying that you are teaching the world how to treat you by what you allow, what you stop, and what you reinforce.  The same goes for your yoga class culture.  You are teaching people how to treat your class space and the people in it.  Reinforce and encourage the kind of culture you want to nurture. Set clear boundaries about behavior or language that you want to discourage.

As one of our students, Joe, said – and I think this is a good mantra to remember – what you ignore you allow.

Different strategies for different populations

As a yoga teacher you are likely going to be teaching in a variety of spaces or to a variety of groups. You might find that you are creating different class cultures in different spaces, and for different communities. The culture of my corporate classes was a lot more friendly, fun, they were already a community that I was the newcomer in, so the culture had to reflect that. I also created a culture that was more about self care, movement, relaxation rather than including more overt spiritual elements like chanting, Sanskrit language, or chakras – which I use in studio classes.

To a certain extent you have to know your audience and meet them where they are at, match their culture a bit while teaching them about yoga.

Especially if you are going to teach specialized groups – kids, older adults, corporate classes, athletes – what is safe and welcoming for them will be different than your yoga studio students – so you need to adjust for their needs.

Last week we talked about having a chatty start to class vs a silent start – they are both useful options. A chatty class can be really friendly and community oriented, but some people can feel excluded or pressured to “perform” friendliness or socialize when it’s stressful.  Silent classes can create a great vibe and reduce the tension to be friendly, be welcomed or excluded by fellow students. But it can feel strict or a bit empty to some.  You choose how you want your class to begin.

Creating a welcoming space begins before students arrive

Creating a welcoming space begins before students enter your class. It begins with how you talk about your classes – telling people what to expect so that they sign up for the class that suits their needs and aims. It begins with the images you use – are you using images of diverse people – are different ages, body types, ethnicities, abilities represented in your classes?

Be clear about safety, inclusion, and conduct

If you are able/have the permission of owners or employers, have a class guidelines or class “vibes” handout or poster. Tell people what they can expect from you, and what you expect from them. Include how all are welcome, that you are a safe space, and that you aim to make your classes accessible.

Be clear about inclusion, for example hang a pride flag or have an icon on your front door, website, or social media, so that members of the 2SLGBTQ community know they are safe and welcome.

Tell students what to expect from your class. Make sure they are signing up to the class that is right for them, and show them in advance what the class will look like.  This is important for safety as well as ensuring people don’t get overwhelmed or feel that they don’t belong in a class. If someone’s first yoga experience is feeling so out of place they might not ever come back!

This is something I talk about a lot – help people overcome their first-class anxiety by letting them know what to expect. On your website, intake email, social media – show them pictures of where to park, what door to enter, show a picture of the entry and the studio space, show them pictures of yourself, what people normally wear to class.  I just learned these are called “social stories”, and they are useful for a variety of people to know what to expect before they come to class, and can help people overcome their nerves to step into their first class.

Be aware of vibe shifts

Classes can become cliquey, competitive, or unwelcoming even when people don’t intend that. So, be intentional.

In my own experience, I was going to a studio that I loved and didn’t notice that the vibes were getting really competitive until I brought an acquaintance visiting from Australia to the studio. She pointed it out after class and I was a bit shocked, but then I started paying more attention to what was happening in class and there was a really strong competitive flavor that I hadn’t noticed was building over the time I was practicing there. I didn’t stay there long after that and it turns out that there was major competition going on between the two studio owners that was leaking into the whole culture. So, I think it’s important to be aware of issues that might arise in management, teaching staff, the space itself, or anything else that can impact the culture and vibe that you have carefully developed.

Consider your own social abilities/anxieties

Be aware of your own social insecurities or anxieties that can arise with the social aspects of class.

If you are an outgoing person, you may have a lot more comfort in the social aspects of class. Be sure to make room for the quieter, shy students who are made more comfortable by a brief greeting and not being overly engaged.

If you are less social, or you have social anxiety, ensure that you aren’t clinging to regulars to soothe your own social anxiety and that you are welcoming all students with enthusiasm.

Notice your desire to be liked and ensure that you aren’t allowing boundary crossing or favoritism.

Be aware of how we might subtly exclude people who are different from us, who are more challenging as students, or whom you don’t like. And I’m afraid there will sometimes be students that you don’t like personally – they still deserve your professionalism and caring.

 Your students play a role

We are talking a lot about your own behavior, but your students play a role as well in your class culture. You can be as welcoming as you like, but if your students are excluding new people then you have a problem. This goes back to modeling – a more subtle strategy – or if an issue persists then you need a more overt strategy.

Generally our students will match the standards that you set – to speak and act with kindness and compassion and respect. This is where our teaching on the Yamas and Niyamas on a regular basis helps to reinforce our code of behavior. This regularly reminds students that part of yoga is how they conduct themselves in relationship with others -that this is a foundation of their yoga practice.

Crossing the line

When students cross the line – don’t ignore it. Speak to them in private, reinforce the studio/gym or class guidelines. If they are making the space unsafe or unwelcoming for anyone, including you, you have the right to disallow them to continue in your classes.  Report unwanted behavior to ownership or management, document issues, and if in doubt you can talk to your professional membership body – like Yoga Australia for guidance and support.

Back to our friend Joe’s wisdom, “what you ignore, you allow”

Now, if this has created some worry for you, let me reassure you – in my 30 years of teaching I have only had to fire 2 students. Although, looking back, I can remember many times that I did ignore behavior that should have been addressed! I have had a tendency towards a “show must go on” kind of pattern which I have to actively work to overcome.

In closing – it’s all about how you make others feel

Okay, I’ll end on something a bit more positive – and that is a lesson I learned from a woman who used to work for my wellness centre back in the early 2,000s. She was an international etiquette expert among other things, and she said that the best manners you can display, the best etiquette no matter who you are, is to make other people feel seen, feel welcome, and feel special.

So, if you are looking for a foundation for your class culture, I can’t think of a better one than that!

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