10 Yoga Questions

10 Yoga Questions
By Mehtab, Founder of YOGA YOGA
April 2010

After 13 years of Yoga Yoga, there are some questions that keep just getting asked.

Surprisingly, they are often not the “big” questions you might imagine, like “How does yoga help me find my path through the karmic maze of life?”

Here are some of the common and uncommon questions we have heard over the years, or Ten Things That Somebody Wants to Know About Yoga:

1. Is it okay to drink in class?
I usually recommend a light beer or perhaps a sparkling white if you are doing Ashtanga. Wait, seriously - we know (or think) you are asking about drinking water. And the answer is: No, you should not be drinking water in class. Yoga is not a workout where you need to re-hydrate every 10 minutes. You can certainly drink after a class but drinking water during the class cools and dilutes the beneficial inner heat (“tapas”) you are creating that detoxifies the body and clears the energy channels (“nadis”). It is also distracting, so leave the water bottle with your shoes – which brings us to the next question:

2. Can I leave my socks on in yoga class?
Doing yoga barefoot is always recommended (unless you truly need arch support). You need the grip of bare skin and socks can cause you to slide. There are hundreds of meridian points on the foot that are also stimulated as you practice yoga, when you stand or hold your feet or toes. If your feet are cold, rub them. If they are ugly, well are people really checking out your feet – and should you care?

3. Is it okay to date people in my yoga class?
Yes, unless they are your teacher or the spouse of your best friend.

4. Can I leave class early?
Only if your pants are on fire - Remember that a yoga class is a complete experience, from beginning to end, and not a drop-in, drop-out affair. If you know you must leave early always let your teacher know and stop a few minutes before to take a relaxation. However, if your teacher is running the class too late, then you do have permission to leave when the class is supposed to end.

5. Do I really need to tell my yoga teacher about all my injuries and recent aches and pains? It sounds like I am whining.
Some postures should not be done if you have a recent injury or specific health treatment and your teacher can give advice. For example, having surgery for corrective vision may not seem like a big deal when it comes to doing yoga, but you should not perform inverted postures for a time after the treatment. If you are taking thyroid medication as another example, you may need to monitor your dosages with a yoga practice. So do tell all, in private and before class if you like.

6. What are the rules for talking in a yoga class?
Most conversations should be teacher to student, on occasion student to teacher, and very rarely student to student (unless their pants are on fire). Some teachers are more relaxed about in-class questions, but for the most part yoga is an interior experience best done in silence. Teachers do welcome your questions after class when they can give you their undivided attention.

7. Why can’t I come in late to class?
The practice of yoga begins with a conscious opening of the sacred space and alignment of group energy. In some cases, important information is exchanged in the first few minutes of class and the teacher gets to know who is in the class. Sometimes preparatory exercises are done or demonstrated that are important for your safety and experience of the class. And it is distracting to people who did manage to show up on time. Everybody deserves a little slack every now and then and it is better to come in a couple of minutes late than miss your class – but remember: good students are in class before the teacher shows up

8. What’s the best thing to eat before a yoga class?
Nothing. Yoga is best done on an empty stomach, preferably two to three hours after a moderate or light meal. Folks with blood sugar issues can take a snack 30 minutes before if needed.

9. How often should I do yoga?
Once a week to survive. Twice to revive. Three times to thrive. Every day to arrive at your soul’s destination.

10. Can my girlfriend wear her swimsuit to class?
Yes, this was a real question. No, she cannot.

Finally, remember no matter what the question, the answer always is: More Yoga.