Yoga Faux Pas

[Thisnamechanger]

Now I'm going several times a week I've noticed a few things that disrupt my peaceful zen-like feelings.

• someone taking a mat right next to someone else when there's only three people in the whole studio

• someone else helping themselves to the props you've collected and stashed next to your mat mid-class when there are plenty for everyone in the cubbies

• latecomers (I'm talking swanning in ten minutes into the meditation)

and my top pet peeve so far...

• showing up DRIPPING wet with sweat from a run and proceeding to join a yin class and sweat all over the lovely beanbags and blankets BOAK

Other than that I'm calm as two calm things! How about you?

[Chocolateisfab]

So disappointed op...
Thought you were going to say you snapped and farted....

[LittleChristmasMouse]

Mobiles ringing, despite the instructor telling everyone to turn them off every week!!

The woman who gets cramp every week and rather than stretch or rub has to jump up screeching and hopping around.

[Thisnamechanger]

Can you please send me the link to that thread?? EVERYONE talks about it but I never got to read it.

On a slightly related topic, don't go to yoga after eating hummus crisps

[Thisnamechanger]

The woman who gets cramp every week and rather than stretch or rub has to jump up screeching and hopping around

I feel slightly bitchy writing this one as I know she's just getting into it but there's one woman who REALLY goes for it with the ujjayi breathing. When we do the lion's breath out it really, really sounds like she's just had an orgasm. Maybe she has??

[ZaraW]

Heavy breathers are really annoying.
The people who try to out Om each other.
People stepping on my mat it's so rude

[le42]

People who walk across your mat at the end/beginning of class if I'm just getting props or something. It's my own mat I don't want their feet on it!

It makes me laugh when people are totally kitted out head to toe, get every prop under the sun, so serious and then they have a really weak practice but think they are amazing and taking it so seriously!

[florriepeck]

they have a really weak practice but think they are amazing and taking it so seriously
As a fairly recent convert, I think I must have been lucky to have chosen to attend a dedicated yoga studio where everyone is accepted, no matter what their skill level, no matter what equipment they take along, and wearing whatever they like.
I thought that being non judgemental and kind was central to the ethos of yoga.

[EleanorOalike]

Heavy breathers here too and I’ve also been in a class with an orgasm breather woman!

Competitive yogi’s, they kill my zen. I do yoga to escape my perfectionistic over achiever qualities thanks.

Snorers in Savasana.

PEOPLE WHO WALK ON YOUR MAT WITH THEIR BARE CHEESY FEET (not envy).

[ShabbyAbby]

The least zen yoga thread ever

There used to be a woman in my class who no matter what position she was in would nod like a nodding dog at everything the class teacher said no matter what position she was in

I've been the Mum who had to be called out twice to a screaming toddler in the crèche sorry guys! Was just trying to get my sane in!

[Tomtontom]

I'm with you @florriepeck. What @le42 describes is completely at odds with the ethos of yoga.

[le42]

Sorry I didn't phrase it very well, I was trying to say people who are more obsessed with having the latest leggings and what they are wearing than developing their practice.

[LordWheresMyShoes]

I thought that being non judgemental and kind was central to the ethos of yoga.

Um. You've probably noticed yoga is reeaallllyyy big and popular. There are oddles of styles and zooodles of teachers, and brands galore making money out of it. They're not all teaching (or learning) non-judgement and kindness, no. Many might think they are...

[ZaraW]

I thought that being non judgemental and kind was central to the ethos of yoga

If you had seen the lawsuit between Alo Yoga and Dana Feretti/Kino McGreggor you may have changed your mind. It certainly opened up my eyes.

Some of these yoga instructors are millionaires. Yoga is a huge business. It's up to the individual how they conduct themselves on or off the mat. There are people in my yoga class who try to compete with each other or try to show they are spiritual it's all BS concentrate on yourself but if someone steps on my mat, groans throughout class and snores in Shivasna then I will judge them.

[Bezalelle]

This is a very un-yoga thing to say, but after a bad experience with Kino McG, I think all "celeb" yogis are best avoided.

[Yogagirl123]

Grateful my yoga group is so lovely.

[ZaraW]

Bezalelle I'm being nosey what happened? She always comes across as super friendly on her tutorials.

[Bezalelle]

@ZaraW, contrary to the loving, open persona she presents on social media, I found her to be quite cold and calculating. I went on a two-week ashtanga course, and left after the first week.

I found KMc to be very haughty and impatient. She did her own practice in the corner of the main room while we were having a break, and got really snotty if we dared to talk. She was quite rude and unkind to me during a demonstration, which really got my back up.

It's the curse of social media, I'm sure of it. I genuinely believe that yoga and Instagram are not compatible. In fact, one is the very antithesis of the other. Asana practise is and should be an intensely personal thing between oneself and one's teacher, and classmates to a certain extent. It should not be shared and photographed.

However, KMc's husband Tim Feldman is an absolute darling. Lovely man. Kind and patient, not seeking the limelight whatsoever. I don't even think he has social media.

[ZaraW]

Bezalelle thank you, that's interesting. Alo Yoga said she was making over half a million dollars with them and she claimed she was being hard done by. She also accused them of selling over priced yoga gear but she's guilty of the same thing. That's disappointing you left early it should have been an experience to be remembered.

I only follow a couple of people on Instagram but they have something to say. They are not the typical Instagram Yogis and give back to their community.

[Dora26]

The guy next to me who seems to wear the same gear every night of the week - at least it smells like it

[daisychain01]

Thank goodness our yoga teacher asks everyone to close our eyes and focus inwards on the breathe. This means we lose judgement, stop the racing thoughts and come away feeling like "the light within me bows to the light within you" .... It takes practice to lose our Western mode of thinking 😁

[joystir59]

Love my kind yoga group. Have been three times and already feel.the benefit of the stretches. But. I've lost 3 stone over 6 months, for back story. Yoga is making me feel tired dizzy light and muzzy headed and nauseous. Is this normal and will it stop?

[EntirelyAnonymised]

This stuff is why I do it at home, in private. No one to annoy me, no one to annoy.

[EntirelyAnonymised]

Is it the poses (asanas) or the breathing you find is making you dizzy?

I find the breathing stuff really hard (pranayama). It can make me feel breathless and lightheaded too, joystir.

Is the studio you use too warm? Are you properly hydrated before your sessions? Too many inversions (upside down poses)?

[ShowboxCollection]

There’s an Instagram yoga woman who posts things like “Let go of negative feelings. When so called friends turn bad, do not plot revenge and wish them ill. Breathe through it, breathe out the hate...”. She’s obviously for a lot of issues yet she posts his stuff with a yoga pose or video and people agree with her as if she’s a guru 😁. So much hate on her site!

[joystir59]

I think I'm not hydrated enough and yes, I'm finding the breathing hard. I've made an appt at the Dr just to make sure blood pressure etc ok