Making Yoga classes that are inclusive and why this is important
What divides us pales in comparison to what unites us.
E. Kennedy
We often see the expression Yoga for everyone in classes, workshops and retreats that promote themselves as spaces of inclusion. But how often is this really the case and why inclusion is so important in Yoga?
The very concept of some people not feeling included by the Yoga practice is the very opposite to the very essence of what Yoga stands for. Even now I remember those Yoga classes I attended as a student, where I felt welcome and that my boundaries and my needs were respected. The classes where competition and a sort of aggressive way of practising beyond limits was encouraged, I chose to cast aside from my mind, knowing already in my heart that this is not the way I would choose to continue my practice and later on, to teach others.
In my belief, Yoga classes should be designed in a sustainable way, with full awareness, in order to accommodate a diverse range of bodies and levels. How can we teach and show that diversity fosters inclusion and therefore the idea that differences are acceptable and even necessary?
Famous Yoga teacher Krishnamacharya, considered one of the fathers of modern Yoga, claimed that Yoga must adapt to the individual, not the other way round. However it is true that, in the past, most Yoga masters were indeed men, therefore inclusion is a term that started to appear in a Yoga context rather recently. If we want to anchor Yoga practices in the current mindset of a healthy society, we are bound to respect and encourage diversity and the inclusion of various minorities or underrepresented groups. Diversity, accessibility and inclusion are big words in today’s social and political landscape, but what it means in the Yoga world specifically is an awareness in creating an environment where people of all backgrounds and abilities feel welcome and valued, not only people of different races, ethnicities, and cultural backgrounds but also people of different body types, ages and genders. Celebrating our unique selves is not only a matter of our day-to-day lives, social activities, music tastes or food, but also reflected in our approach to Yoga, entering a studio to share a practice or being part of a community.
Social media plays a big role in this distorted image of Yoga and who is practising Yoga, leaving many people feeling excluded. Going beyond the typical western, white, female representation in the Yoga online presence, in order to make yoga truly accessible, we need to create safe spaces for people of different ethnicities and sexual orientations or for those with physical challenges. Another important aspect is that what seems enjoyable and nice to some practitioners might not apply to others, for example physical adjustments for someone that experienced trauma, lots of incense, lights and loud music for someone that has some sort of sensory condition or repetitive sequences for those with mobility restrictions.
As teachers, we need to learn to cultivate a positive and curious approach to our students, who come to practice with different needs, different expectations, different visions perhaps of what Yoga is or how it can help them. If you are teaching Yoga classes, encourage your students to get to know themselves by using positive words: feel the posture, explore this shape, simply try it out, this is an invitation to settle in the breath and so on. Think about using an invitational, non-judgemental and non-competitive language, no should or should not and let everyone do what feels good in their body, since the practice is an individual, unique experience. Language holds immense power in shaping our experiences and our reality, therefore using appropriate terms to foster more inclusivity rather than competition or stigmatization is preferred.
Our mat is a sacred space, where we can discover our bodies, explore our emotions or offer some well deserved me time. Offering variations to Yoga poses is another way (maybe even the most important way) of creating an inclusive space for the practice to unfold and for integrating the poses to the unique individual bodies and not the other way round; using props, supports, blocks should be an invitation to further explore or deepen the Yoga practice and not seen as a separation between the ones that need or don’t need this kind of support. Insisting on a perfect shape can be unrealistic or completely frustrating for some students. Also, as students, we have the responsibility of being honest and transparent with our teachers, about the expectations or the benefits we want to extract from our practice, as well as our potential issues, injuries and so on, so that the teachers stay informed and knowledgeable about their students too. Also, as teachers, it is thoughtful to offer the possibility to your students to practise always on the fine line between effort and ease, also to drop out of a pose if it doesn’t suit their needs in that moment or follow their own flow at a particular moment during the practice, for example choosing Child’s pose for a few breaths instead of doing another Vinyasa flow.
Moreover, consent is an important element in creating trust and safety between a student and a teacher, therefore think about asking for permission in touching or adjusting a posture for preventing any harm or injury; every person has different needs and preferences and, whereas some people prefer adjustments and corrections, some might prefer practising in their own space and be fully immersed in their own journey. Sometimes, the same person can express different emotional needs in two different practices. Sometimes, verbal cues or simply demonstrating the posture before attempting it is enough. Ultimately, if the students start feeling empowered to take ownership of their practice, we create an environment that breeds autonomy and respect. As students, we might really appreciate and want to come back to a space that felt safe, cozy and welcoming, where the teacher made us feel seen and held, where we received a smile or encouragement or where we felt we could make genuine inspiring connections to other practitioners.
As Yoga teachers, if you do want to bring a change in your local Yoga environment, some possible ways to create more inclusive Yoga classes is to offer donation-based or community classes to people that normally don’t have the means or don’t have access to attend Yoga classes, like students, refugees or elderly people. Also, think about teaching in a progressive way to create a strong basis, every class representing one step further in the overall practice, like another brick added to a wall. Moreover, as teachers, we need to continuously educate ourselves regarding social and cultural norms, especially if we usually teach in very diverse cultures or places and keep cultivating empathy and compassion to make everyone in the class feel seen and heard. Last but not least, self-enquiry and mindfulness are important tools that can help in embracing a growth mindset, aiming to adapt and improve our teaching skills as well as our capacity to be decent human beings, beyond the teacher role.
Carrying in mind all these aspects could be a mutual win for both the studio/teacher and the student, for the former making sure they reach a diverse community and for the latter, that they return to the classes and rip the benefits of Yoga practices, like mental wellbeing or a sense of belonging to a community.
There is a reason why most people still prefer to practise Yoga in a studio together with other people, rather than online or at home, so creating a safe and welcoming space and community should be one of the main concerns of a Yoga studio or a teacher. Most people will return to a Yoga class because they felt really seen and included, rather than because of the music, space or other similar reasons. Let’s therefore not miss a wonderful opportunity as teachers to really connect to our students and feel the sense of joy when seeing their practice unfolding and their Yoga journey growing.
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