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Question and rant: why is it so hard to find out about smoke-free yoga classes?

30 replies

Lookingforthis · 14/02/2019 11:35

I've had it up to here with yoga studios and certain teachers. Why are they so insistent about being "authentic" about burning incense when it affects so many people, e.g. asthma, people who get migraines, and people who just straightforward hate the smell? The same goes for "smudging" products (for "cleansing the space" Hmm), palo santo, and scented oil burners etc. Just stop burning stuff FFS! I can't breathe properly, and now my hair stinks and I need to wash it again. Why are people in so much denial about how harmful it is?

I've been trying to find out about the type of local yoga classes that take place at local community centres, dance studios and hired halls etc, even the teacher's house like I used to do until my teacher had a career change. I wish their smoke policy could be listed online so I didn't have to keep emailing people. Recently I received yet another reply from a teacher saying she does burn incense, but she could stop if it really affected me, and that she was grateful Hmm for my communication.

Except that this has happened several times before, and every single time without fail they have stopped for a couple of weeks and then started again as if I wouldn't notice. Because however grateful they claim to be, really they're secretly annoyed that someone has asked them to change something about their class. That's why I'm looking for a class where they don't burn anything in the first place, so that I don't have to keep making special requests.

I've also tried various other spiritual things like 5 Rhythms (silly I know) and the organisers are just as bad and I often end up feeling stressed and annoyed.

I also used to go to a music rehearsal in a multi-purpose building where the timetable got changed and the booking before us was given to a yoga class, so even after they'd left, the room still stank. We made complaints to the manager of the building and all they could do was tell us to open the windows, even in the middle of winter.

It's just not good enough.

OP posts:
LordEmsworth · 14/02/2019 19:15

A lot of these yoga people don't seem to have a clue about how air mixes around

Wow, that's a sweeping generalisation about "these yoga people" Confused. I would never have guessed that there is such a thing as a smoke policy. I don't think that that is unique to yoga teachers.

Presumably you contact any teacher before turning up to their class, so it's not actually hard to ask?

For what it's worth, in the centre where I teach, we don't have any fragrances because so many yoga practitioners are very sensitive to smell (we even ask students not to wear strong perfumes) - I am surprised that you're finding so many classes where it's an issue.

PinkBuffalo · 14/02/2019 19:22

screamingvalenta I'm another who imagine people having a fag in whilst doing yoga Grin
I have yoga tonight but have never had a class where there was burning things/smoke! Actually, I feel like I'm missing out and would like a bit of incense, but can understand if you don't want it OP.

Lookingforthis · 14/02/2019 20:56

For what it's worth, in the centre where I teach, we don't have any fragrances because so many yoga practitioners are very sensitive to smell (we even ask students not to wear strong perfumes)

Why can't I ever find these places?!

OP posts:

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ineedaknittedhat · 14/02/2019 21:37

Yoga is a health promoting activity, so I can't understand the rationale of teachers who would inflict this upon members of the class. They're either totally insensitive and unthinking or poseurs who want to seem all mystic and with it.

www.healthline.com/health/is-incense-bad-for-you

SmarmyMrMime · 14/02/2019 21:52

Definitely no smoke at the leisure centre or village hall near me, the smoke alarms are too sensitive.

I have personally tested the village hall with an cooking omlette at Beavers... it wasn't even burned! Grin

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