A Class Act: Running Late
Running late to yoga? It happens. You get stuck in traffic, you can’t find a parking spot, or you just plain lost track of time. This doesn’t make you a bad person, or a bad yogi. Just because you’re running a few minutes late doesn’t mean that you should ditch the idea of practicing. We as teachers want to encourage you to practice as much as is possible – it’s meant to help you, not stress you out. However, arriving late to class can be disruptive, which is why some teachers can be put off. Here are a couple of ideas that can help ease your transition into class when you’re late, and maximize the time you have while you’re there.
If the class has already started when you arrive, first ascertain if they’re in a beginning meditation or peaceful silence in some way. If this is the case, please wait until the asana portion of the class begins before you enter. No matter how quiet you think you may be, everyone can hear you and they won’t be able to focus until you’re settled.
If you accidentally enter right in the middle of meditation, please do not wander around looking for a spot and then unroll your mat, put your bag down, etc. Instead, sit right at the door and get as still and quiet as quickly as possible. Once the asana portion of the class has begun, you can get up, put your things away, quickly find a spot and join the class wherever they are in the sequence.
Agree with Sara? Got something to add? Let us know in the comments below!
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Sara Elizabeth Ivanhoe, M.A. is celebrating her 20- year teaching anniversary this year. To mark the occasion, she completed Graduate School with Loyola Marymount University’s Inaugural Class in Yoga Philosophy. She is the Yoga Spokesperson for “Weight Watchers,” “Yoga for Dummies,” “Crunch Yoga,” and has appeared as a series regular on “Dr. Drew’s Celebrity Rehab,” as the therapeutic instructor. Her mentor for Jnana Yoga is Dr. Christopher Key Chapple, for Bhakti Yoga, Mata Amritanandamayi (Amma), and for Hatha Yoga, Erich Schiffmann. For most of that 20 years, she can call YogaWorks her home.
Thank you Sara!!! I wish every yogi could read this. I remember the days when people stopped and looked through the peephole or listened at the door to make sure that we were not in meditation.
Thise days are over. People are much more self absorbed.
I was constantly late to a class that started a 6pm when I got out of work. I managed to get there by 6:15 and the teacher always made me feel welcome. I also think that the studio manager or greeter needs to make sure when people are late that they know the proper protocol. I think some yogis just don’t know some behaviors are disruptive – they may have just started yoga or be stressed out themselves.
I am sure classes like Introduction to Yoga and Level 1 teach this and other helpful basics. I am for example surprised how common it is with cell phones disturbing classes, by “vibrating”. Yes, I know, as serious yogis, we try to not let it disturb us, by focusing even more on our practice and ignore the sound, but let’s agree, it’s not the way to show other people respect, to not turn your cell phone off when attending a yoga class.
Thanks for this article as a new Yogi these protocols were not clear to me although I have yet to be late, it is still great knowledge to have.
I was running late I had made a reservation for class but they wouldn’t honor it and I was sent home I Figured making a reservation would’ve guaranteed me a spot in class unfortunately this was not the case and then when I called to complain were nice enough but I was in satisfied with the resolution and all