– Before entering the room, always take your shoes off.

– DO NOT wear heavy scented perfume.

– Make sure your mat and towel are clean and don’t stink.

– When entering the room, try to do it quietly. Shut the door and again, do it quietly.

– Before you pick your ‘perfect’ spot, make sure to scan the room. Check if this studio is the type that has pre-assigned places. If it is, you will see some type of logo or upside down L shape to indicate where your mat should be. If there is no indication and the room is big and not yet filled with yogis, find a spot where you can see yourself in the mirror and you are not squeezed beside a door or a wall. If the studio has mirror and if possible try not to set your mat right in front of someone- try to move your mat either to the right or to the left so that the person can also use the mirror.

– DO NOT put your mat 2 inches from another person if the class is not full.

– Typically a lot of studios ask for advanced yogis to set their mats to the front of the room so that the beginners can look up and see what’s going on if the teacher isn’t demo-ing. If you’re a beginner, be mindful of this.

– Be careful when you put your mat down. Don’t just slam it on the floor. Do it delicately and quietly.

– DO NOT ENTER the class once it’s started. If you are late, too bad for you. If you enter the room, you disrupt the energy and the teacher’s flow.

– Breathing: respect your neighbors and follow your teacher’s guidance. Don’t use a different type of breathing or be louder than everyone else.

– Listen to the teacher’s queues and don’t go faster than them. If you are not an advanced yogi, don’t push it too far where the teacher has to interrupt class to tell you not to do the variations because you could injure yourself. (it happened yesterday)

– DO take child pose at anytime if you feel overwhelmed. Try not to exit the room if possible- you will distract the yogis and teacher.

– At the end of class, once the teacher has ended it with ‘namaste’ or a variation of it, BE mindful of the people around you. Don’t start talking. Quietly take your stuff out of the room and then you can do whatever you want outside.

– Yogi teachers: be mindful of the level of yoga your audience is at. Be perceptive of the energy. This class is for them, not for you. Use the allotted time in its entirety and end class on time.

Show RESPECT to your fellow yogis and teacher.

LEAVE your ego at the door.

NAMASTE.

Related posts: Outdoor yoga, Indoor yoga.