Student Q&A
By Donation?
We have spent many hours discussing our donation-based fee policy and whether or not it would be better to charge a set fee. We’ve asked ourselves if by maintaining our current system we aren’t assigning ourselves a value. Regardless of how many times we discuss this, our answers are always the same: What we value are the teachings we offer and the peace, ease, and stillness they bring our lives and to the lives of our students.
We understand, we truly do, that the phrase By Donation can cause some trepidation. We know that some of our students become flustered by this and just want the ease of being told how much to pay. We understand this, too. Here is our suggestion: Ask us! We’ve been asked before, we’ve discussed it at length, and we have some good answers for you. We are here to help you the best we can so we encourage you to talk to us whether in studio, by phone (yes, we have a phone number), or via email.  (Contact us)
For an immediate explanation, look here for our post concerning this very topic. Please don’t hesitate to ask us any questions that arise.
It is our intention to continue offering classes in this manner to help us keep yoga available to everyone.
Jai Bhagwan.
Read MoreWe Don’t Have All The Answers, Please Ask Anyway!
A few weeks ago, Ramdas forwarded an article to me. Now, this is not an uncommon occurrence; we both enjoy reading about yoga in its many forms, but when I first began reading it, I found myself wondering if it might have been written as tongue-in-cheek, but I don’t believe so. This article, titled 13 Things Your Yoga Teacher Won’t Tell You, inspired some self-study of my own. Here is a link to the original article, I invite you to form your own opinion, but as a yoga teacher, I would like to offer my personal understanding for each of these 13 items.
Over the next several days, I will address one, or perhaps two of these in each post; thirteen is simply too much for one post! So, let’s start at the beginning:
#1 “I don’t have all the answers—about yoga or anything else—and I get irritated when I witness other yoga teachers putting themselves out there as gurus, therapists, or doctors.”
Rather an interesting topic for the first item on a list of things for which I plan to offer opinions! First, know this, both Ramdas and I dearly love to laugh, we enjoy teaching and continually read and study to further our understanding of yoga, but it’s true; I don’t have all the answers, and I write only of myself. How could I possess your answers? You have the answer you seek already inside of you, and as a teacher, my purpose is to help you discover that. I do not become irritated when you, or any other student, present a question or concern, whether directly aimed at yoga practice or not, nor do I become irritated when I might witness what another teacher is doing. Viewing another teacher’s methods often will continue to strengthen my own practice and quite possibly providing me with needed insight. If nothing else, the simple fact the teacher showed up illustrates a liking for what they are doing.
I truly want to help you and share with you all I can about what I have learned about yoga. I can only teach who I am, and I am a person who is continually amazed by the power of a diligent yoga practice. We can work together to help you discover those answers you seek, or perhaps find a way to let go of the need for and answer, and in doing so, find peace and stillness within yourself. After all, that is the purpose of yoga.
Jai Bhagwan
Read More
Class Fees Defined
“How much do classes cost?” This particular question is our most frequently asked, and as such, Tyran and I would like to offer some insight to our fee structure.
When you visit the Shanta Yoga website, you’ll find references to class fees, the first one located on the front page. You can also find it listed on the website under Class Fees, again on our Facebook page, and we also clearly list it on each flyer we post.  If we have made every effort to make this information available, why then is there a blog post about it? Simple really, the information states: Classes by Donation.
After the initial astonishment of discovering our classes are donation-based, we are often asked, “How much do I donate?” It is understandable why someone would feel it necessary to ask this. Most often we are told the cost of an item leaving us with the decision to make that purchase, whatever the situation. We are not often faced with having to determine price on our own. Taking this into consideration, allow me to offer some assistance: Instead of determining the price of a yoga class, may I suggest you determine its value?  Value, simply defined, is the worth of any specified thing. So, what is a class worth to you?
I invite you to look beyond monetary worth and truly feel what a yoga class teaches you and recognize the tools it gives you enabling you to live with ease. This applies to each and every class, whether it is a traditional posture sequence or Yoga Nidra.  Any class we offer in the studio during class times is not only offered by donation, but also sustained by your donation.
Like any business, we have expenses and your donations are how we cover those expenditures. Also, the more frequent and generous the donation, the more classes we can offer students. We want to offer as many classes as we are able, keeping with our intention to share yoga with as many people as possible, and your donations make yoga classes available to the entire community.  Across the nation yoga studios are charging exorbitant fees, pushing regular yoga classes out of reach for most people making it a thing of luxury.   Stillness, peace, and ease are for every person, from every background, and from any income.  Only you can determine the value of a class while knowing what your budget will support.
We invite you to attend our classes. Allow us to introduce ourselves to you; get to know us so you can discover for yourself just how great the value of yoga is for us, and in turn, discover this value in your own life.
Read MoreStudent Question: Waiting to Exhale
Debbie writes: “I am struggling with long deep inhales. The exhales seem easy, but I am having difficulties with the inhales being long enough to get in place in a pose. Then I tend to hold my breath until you say exhale, or I go ahead and exhale and I’m supposed to exhale for the next move but I’m supposed to be on an inhale.” In short, Debbie’s breath is not matching the cues being given in class and this feels disruptive for her. Breath is intended to increase stillness, relaxation and ease and to not introduce disturbance; so, if breath is causing disturbance during your sadhana, you have an opportunity to create more ease simply by working with the breath.
First, remember the intention of breath: Breath increases stillness, relaxation and ease. Second, remember this simple rule about breath: Hold the pose, do not hold the breath. This rule is always true during a regular asana sequence. Keeping these two points in mind, there are three options for working with the breath that may be helpful.
Fix It
The first tendency many of us have is to think that this is a breathing problem that needs to be fixed. This problem can be fixed by regular pranayama practice or through other means of strengthening the cardiopulmonary systems like running, aerobics or some other exercise. With effort and time, lung capacity will increase and the problem will be resolved. I do not recommend this for various reasons.
Flow With It
The teacher has just said, “Inhale and step the right foot back into lunge,” but you just finished an inhale and need to exhale. Unless the teacher is a drill sergeant, it is very unlikely that “Inhale right now” is what the teacher is directing you to do; so, simply remain in place until your next inhale.
I very frequently say “On your next inhale/exhale move” and yet I always see nearly the entire class immediately move, only one or two students actually wait for their breath. Waiting for the breath allows your asana flow to follow your own natural rhythm rather than mechanically following directions. This approach will help you see this as an opportunity rather than a problem and I do recommend this approach, very highly.
Let It Be
There is also the distinct possibility that just remembering where to place hands and feet in each pose is about all you can manage right now and throwing breath on top of it is just too much. If that’s the case, just let go of focusing on breath for now. Just remember to always hold the pose and do not hold the breath. As you continue your sadhana, you will find that the asanas come naturally and you can focus more on breath. I would encourage any student in this situation to first experiment with the flow of breath as I note above but, again, if that still creates disturbance then just let it be for now.
Hold the pose. Do not hold the breath.
Now Breathe. Relax. Let Go.
Jai Bhagwan
Read MoreStudent Question: Meditation versus Hypnotic Trance.
Eric asks, “What is the difference between a deep level of meditation and a hypnotic trance?” This question was asked in relation to Yoga Nidra which is a guided meditation.
In many respects, they are similar. The conscious mind and the subconscious mind are brought to almost the same level and in that state, suggestions can be passed to the subconscious mind where they help influence conscious behavior. There is, however, a very significant difference between meditation and hypnotic trance. During meditation, the practitioner, you in this case, remain conscious and are fully able to stop the experience at any time. The practitioner is fully aware of any suggestions or affirmations that are made. This leaves the control in the practitioner’s hands. In a hypnotic trance, it is up to the hypnotist to place the participant in a trance, to plant suggestions and to bring the participant out of the trance. This leaves the control in the hypnotist’s hands.
Hypnotism has been proven to be helpful in breaking addictions, in weight loss and in making positive changes in one’s life but there is always the uncertainty of what really happened while I was “out.” With Yoga Nidra and conscious meditation in general, there is no such concern because the practitioner remains conscious, alert and aware at all times—assuming you stay awake, that is. 
Great question Eric.
Jai Bhagwan
Read MoreStudent Questions
I have danced for years and was always taught to lunge with my foot outside my hands, is that acceptable? In the case of this student, it was highly acceptable. She has a stocky build with shorter arms, add in a bust line and keeping the knee inside the arm is simply not available. Keep wrists directly below the shoulders and bring the forward foot and leg to the outside of the same side hand and arm, toes and fingers pointing forward. Always honor the intention of the posture and the proportions of your body.
Jai Bhagwan!
Read More
Recent Comments