Sound Bath-Bad Experience

[ZekeZeke]

I paid £30 for a 2 hour sound bath experience.
It was held in a school hall, around 25 people were there.
its the first time I attended this location and my first time with this group/instructor.
I brought my own yoga mat, blanket etc.
The hall is right beside a football pitch (Astro), and there was a match on at the same time.
The match wasnt on when I wntered the hall.

During the session all I could hear were screams and shouts from the players and spectators outside.
I didn't relax or have a good experience.
When it was over I went straight to the instructor and told her that I couldn't relax and felt more stressed and agitated after the session than before.
Ttht the noise from the pitch prevented me from being able to relax.

Her response was that's okay, not everyone can relax. And I will send you some Yoga Nidra videos.
I told her I know Yoga Nidra, I do it myself. I practise Yoga each week with an instructor.

Anyway there was a queue of people waiting to speak with her so I ended up just leaving.
This morning she sent a group email about after care and how she hoped everyone had an amazing experience...

I wrote back to her by email and told her I was very disappointed with the experience (as discussed last night), that the noise from the pitch made it impossible to relax and if I'd known it was taking place in a hall beside a pitch, while a match was on I wouldn't have bothered going.

No reply!
Was I unreasonable sending that email and would you expect a response?

Fair enough. How ridiculous to hold it at a (presumably) cheap venue that wasn’t sound proofed enough for you to benefit from the sound-related activity you’d signed up for! I’d ask for a refund!

Only you that found it hard to concentrate presumably? I would try doing more meditation at home, you just need to practice your skills in letting go. Notice the sound of course, but do not become consumed by it. Once you come into the role of the Observer you can't be irritated by sound.

I do hope you continue on your yoga journey ❤️

For myself yoga is more about exercise and the meditation is just a nice addition. I guess some people have different goals. But if I walk away feeling stronger then I feel like I got something out of it.

SadDustBunny but she didn't go to yoga. She went to a sound bath

Oh sorry. I read wrong. 😅

I don't think I was the only one but it seemed like the others were part of her actual yoga class and nobody else was as direct as me.

Sound bath next to a football match sounds like a bad plan, but I don't think complaining, and then complaining again, is going to achieve anything. Vote with your feet and don't attend her offerings anymore.

What outcome would you like Op?If it's a refund or discount you will need to ask as it's not clear what you would like her to do.If it's just letting her know you founf the venue unsuitable I suppose you have done that.But yes I'd expect a reply either way.

I agree, if you want a refund you will have to ask directly. However I think a session held in a community venue is likely to have other noise round and about. I doubt she planned to do this with a football match going on. As someone used to yoga, I'd of thought you mightve been able to focus your mind more.

Not unreasonable.

I once tried out a yoga class on a small dance floor in the corner of the bar of a rugby club.

I just saw the class advertised on FB and assumed it would be in a side room or something. I think some of the mums decided to run it whilst their boys were at training.

The bar was still open. Someone came in with a dog that sniffed all our bums. The boys finished practise and all trooped through the bar - comments were made.

It was not a serene spiritual experience.
Yoga classes did not resume until they found another place 🤣🤣🤣

What do you want her to say? You've told her twice now that you couldn't relax.

If you want a refund then ask for it.

If you don't want a refund just don't book this class again. It doesn't match what you are looking for.

As the class had quite a high number of attendees I'm assuming other people aren't so affected by noises from outside.

You just telling her the same thing face to face and then again by email isn't achieving anything and is probably rather irritating.

That's a really poor and expensive experience. I go to gorgeous events for less than that.

I doubt she will offer a refund to be honest just don't go back.

But don't let this put you off sound baths, they can be so nice!

That is annoying and YANBU.

It can be hard to vet locations for things like this. I think it is ridiculous to say you should have been able to switch your mind off more since you're experienced at yoga. This was not an asana practice - it was an experience with sound and there was competition, for crying out loud!

It sounds like what you want is some sort of validation from the teacher but I agree I think it's doubtful she will reply.

Did the teacher know there would be a match on? If so she should have warned the attendees. I kind of think she mustn’t have known through. I run sound baths and the first thing a teacher would check is the acoustics of a place and external noise - unless she is very inexperienced?

I love sound baths so I would have been disappointed too OP and I only pay £10 for mine! Can you leave a review anywhere? For the amount she is charging she should have checked what else was going on at the venue so other potential attendees deserve to know that she is falling short.